“Yes.” I nodded. “And you showed everyone that Monster High doll, right?”
“Yeah, but I also had way better news than that.”
“And?” I prompted.
“I told the class I had a daddy now.” I gasped; Talon’s hand in mine grew tighter. “Toby said Talon wasn’t my daddy, just someone my mum was dating. I thought he was not right, he was yelling that he was, and said I was silly for even thinkin’ it. So I punched him.”
Oh, dear.
Not knowing what to actually say, I decided to steer clear of that whole dad topic—leave it for when I had some inspirational answers, which always came after a bottle of scotch. So I moved onto the lecture of not hurting anyone, even if they think they were right and were vocal about it. Maya then stomped off up the front steps when I took her one-hour of television privileges away for the night. In other words—her world had ended. Maya wasn’t the only one I didn’t want to talk to about the dad subject. As soon as I was in the front door, I headed for the kitchen, where I could hear Mattie and Julian.
“All right, where are we at with dinner? ‘Cause a roast takes awhile; and then there’s all the other preparing to do with the vegetables.”
“Did you smoke a joint while you were out?” Mattie asked. I was shocked that came out of his mouth; usually he was more reserved.
To prove my shock, my eyes bulged, and my mouth dropped open. “No, I did not.”
He turned to Julian and said, “Something happened on the way home.”
Julian nodded. “Oh, definitely.”
I didn’t get to respond, because Talon walked into the kitchen with his phone to his ear. “Right,” he barked. “Well, drop him at the compound.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll be there; what time? That’s none of your business. Well, I could just come and get him like it was fuckin’ planned, woman.” He sighed. “Christ, fine.”
“Talon?” I asked. He was very tense.
“Stupid bitch. I was supposed to go and grab Cody. But she’s bringing him here.”
I stiffened. “As in here, here?”
“Nah, kitten, across the road. I wouldn’t wanna burden you with that slut. I’ll be back soon. No one leaves the house. I’ll have guys watching, but no one leaves. Got it?”
“Sure thang, Spiderman.” Julian saluted. Mattie nodded.
Without thinking, my body went to Talon. I curled my arms around his waist and met his gaze. He was annoyed and I wanted to make him better. “Sorry, honey, she’s made you mad.”
His eyes softened. “You doin’ what you just did, and sayin’ what you just said, made puttin’ up with her a whole lot easier. ‘Preciate it, kitten. Now kiss me.”
And I did. It started out slow, a touch of lips. But as soon as Talon’s tongue touched my bottom lip, I dove, and it soon got hot and heavy.
“They should charge money for this. It’s nearly like porn, but they’re clothed,” Julian commented.
I pulled away and smiled at Talon, his eyes showed he was amused, but his mouth frowned and he grumbled, “One fuckin’ day, kitten.”
Chapter Twelve
An hour and a half later, dinner was ready, but it was still keeping warm in the oven while we waited for Talon and Cody. Deanna had turned up and was sitting in front of the television with Maya, watching Charlie and Lola while playing with her Monster High dolls. Mattie was at the table reading the paper while Julian sat beside him reading something on his iPad. I was checking the kitchen floor for any uneven ground as I walked back and forth over it.
That was when we all heard yelling out the front. I looked to the guys at the table as they looked to me. We bolted for the lounge.
“Maya, baby. Come to your room and show me all your Lalaloopsy dolls,” Mattie said.
“Sure, Uncle Mattie.” Maya, none the wiser—at least I hoped not—ran off to her room with Mattie following.
Deanna, Julian, and I were just about to peek out the front curtain when we heard, “I should at least get the chance to meet your new whore before she plays house with my son.”
“Bianca, just fuckin’ leave. Hell, it’s none of your business who I’m doin’.”
Well, really. He hasn’t even done me yet.
“Holy shit,” Deanna said grinning. I hadn’t had a chance to speak to her...okay I had had a chance, but she ignored those said chances to talk in private.
There was a knock at the front door. “Open up, bitch!”
“Mum.” I heard Cody hiss in a whispered voice.
Oh. My. God. She was acting like this in front of her son. That was just...disgraceful.
I opened the door to witness Talon grab his ex by the arm and pull her roughly away from the door.
“Honey,” I said with a buttery-sweet tone and a smile upon my face. “Don’t go doing that, I would love to meet...Bianca wasn’t it?”
Bianca looked at me from head-to-toe with a sneer on her face. She was beautiful; I could understand why Talon was married to her. She had long blonde hair, light blue eyes, and a slim body that was wrapped up in designer gear.
I was sure I looked a treat, too. “Sorry, if I would of known I was receiving company, I would have spruced up a little. I’ve been cleaning all day.”
“You clean your own house.”
It wasn’t a question; it was more of a disgusted statement.
Deanna stepped forward from behind the door. “No, woman, fairies fly outta her ass and they do it for her.”
Cody laughed, but he quickly hid it behind a cough when his mum glared at him.
“Hey, Cody.” I waved. He smiled. “Why don’cha come on in. Julian will take you to meet Maya.”
“Bye, Mum,” he whispered as he walked past her into the house, only to stop just inside when his mum spoke.
“Now hang on a second, bitch!” She turned to Talon. “I don’t want him stayin’ here with one of your pieces of pussy.”
“My time with my boy, I do what I want. And if spending that time is with my woman, it’s fuckin’ what we’ll do.”
With hands on my hips, I said, “Talon, honey. Check your language in front of the kids.”
Talon looked at me with a smile upon his face. “Right, kitten.”
Bianca gasped.
“Come on, little Thor. Let’s leave these cats to hiss it out,” Julian said, and with a gentle hand on Cody’s shoulder, he ushered him forward and down the hall.
“You are fucking shitting me!” Bianca screeched.
I stepped out the door with Deanna behind me, and closed it. I’d had enough; I turned to Bianca with a glare.
“I would appreciate it if you would be more civilized around my house. I do not condone bad language when my daughter is present. Now, I am not trying to replace you in any way when it concerns Cody. All I wanted was to meet and get to know my man’s child. I’m sorry if that hurts you in some way; but if this is what Talon wants, then I will stand by him.”
She looked from Talon to me. “You have got to be kidding me. This? That is what you’re fucking choosing to screw? Some toffee, fat bitch?”
“Watch what you fuckin say, Bianca.”
“Yeah, right; you won’t do anything about it, ‘cause you know you’d lose Cody.”
Holy heck. She was really going to play that card with him?
“Now that’s just uncalled for,” I said.
She took a step toward me. “I don’t give a fuck what you have to say or think, bitch.”
Deanna started bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet beside me. “Oh, come on, come on. Let me at her. Talon? Zara? Please.”
Bianca looked to Deanna. “And who the fuck are you?”
Deanna ignored the question and looked to Talon with pleading eyes. “Please.”
Talon chuckled. “If it’s okay with Zara. Have at it, Hell Mouth.”
Deanna begged me with her eyes. I would have loved to have said my own piece, but I didn’t want the children to overhear. I didn’t want to cause Talon any more damage, a
nd I thought if it didn’t come from me, then the problem wouldn’t escalate. Also, Deanna sure did have a way with words; and when she wanted to get a certain message across; she did, with a firework result.
And who was I to spoil her fun? I nodded my head at Deanna.
She beamed, stepped in front of me, and snarled in Bianca’s face, “Don’t you ever fuckin’ come here giving shit to my sista and her man. I will fuckin’ take you down, slut. I’m not a pulling hair, sissy fighta. I claw, bite, and give my all, and there is a lot. And if you even think of holding Cody against Talon, I will rip you and your life apart. You think you got money and you can do or say anything? Well, shit, woman, I got so much money I could use it as toilet paper. So, I have every chance to fuck you and your husband over. Now back the fuck up, woman, and leave. Let them have this; if you don’t—I’ll rain down on you faster than you can blink.”
Bianca did indeed blink...and then again. She opened her mouth, shut it, and then stuttered, “B-but—” She shook her head and stood straighter. “Hang on a sec; she just swore.”
I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Yeah, but she was quiet about it. The kids wouldn’t have heard that.”
“What-fucking-ever.” She turned and went down the steps, then left.
“Honey, your ex is a...not a nice person,” I said as we stared after her.
Deanna sighed. “Zee, she’s a bitch.”
“That she is, Hell Mouth, and so much more. But I think you just scared the fuck outta her. So, thanks,” Talon said.
“Not a problem, boss man. I enjoyed it.”
Talon took the steps two at a time and was in front of me; then I was in his arms. “Sorry ‘bout that, kitten.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and grinned up at him. “Don’t apologise for that thing, honey. I just hope we can salvage dinner.”
“What did I do to ever deserve you?” Talon grinned.
“And me,” Deanna said.
Talon chuckled. “Yeah, Hell Mouth, and fuckin’ you. Let’s go eat, babe.”
Dinner wasn’t too bad; the meat was still tender enough that we didn’t have to carve it with a chainsaw. Maya absolutely adored Cody, and I think the feeling was mutual. Cody didn’t say much while we ate, but he did smile, and of course laughed at Deanna and Julian a lot. Though, who wouldn’t?
After checking with Cody first, we set up a bed in Maya’s room; she was over the moon to have company. I hoped she didn’t talk his ear off. Talon’s only comment was that I needed a bigger house. I laughed and said I liked it the way it was; that was when he informed me that tomorrow we were staying at his house with the kids, because at least then the walls were more soundproof and he could have his wicked way with me. I gulped.
It wasn’t until Julian and Mattie had gone to bed, Deanna had left with Griz, complaining all the way, and Talon and I were in bed and asleep—after fooling around for a bit—that I woke in the middle of the night from having a nightmare about the phone call. If Talon hadn’t been there, it would have advanced into a full-blown panic attack.
“Like I said, kitten,” Talon whispered, “we’re going to my house tomorrow; not for the other reasons, but ‘cause it’s safer. I have an alarm system and cameras. We’ll take everyone if we have to. I’ll keep you safe, babe. Always.”
“Okay, honey,” I said. Because I knew that was true.
Chapter Thirteen
“Momma, Mum, Ma. Mummy, wake up.”
I woke up wishing my daughter had a snooze button like my alarm clock. She didn't, of course, so I had to pry open my eyes and pay attention to her.
“Yes, Maya, my wonderful, pain-in-the-beehive daughter. What is so important to wake me up on a Saturday morning?”
“I'm hungry.”
Seriously? Where was that duct tape when I needed it? I sat up slowly, looked next to me, and found the bed empty. Well, there went my morning nookie.
Wait. Where in the heck did that come from?
Why was I thinking about nookie in the first place with my daughter present?
That damn Talon.
“Maya, was that all you needed, hun?” 'Cause last I knew, we had a house full of people who could have helped her out; and also, from the sound of it, they were already awake.
“No. I've got swimming, remember?” She smiled.
I glanced at the clock and hissed, “Snap.” I threw the covers back; thankfully, I was wearing my PJ's so I bounced off the bed and ordered, “Right, Maya get dressed; get the bag from the laundry with a towel in it, and be ready. I'll throw some clothes on and we’ll get going. Okay?”
“Okay.” She ran from the room yelling, “We're late, we're late.”
We weren't that late. Swimming started in ten minutes and we lived five minutes driving distance away from the centre. Okay, so maybe we were going to be a little late, but we had to go; my little uncoordinated angel needed as many lessons as possible.
I dressed in black leggings, a tight, long-sleeve black top under a looser fitting tee that read 'This ain't no milk store', slipped on a pair of combat boots, and ran from my room to the kitchen where Talon and Cody already were.
“Gotta go, gotta go, people,” I said, as I quickly filled a travel mug of coffee. I was about to walk out of the kitchen and yell at Maya to get her beehive out here when Talon called, “Kitten.”
“Yes, honey?” I turned to face him. “Oh, sorry. Morning, Cody. I hope you've had breakfast. Hey, do you want to come with us? I'm sure Maya would love to show you how not to swim while trying to learn to swim.”
Cody beamed and looked from me to Talon, so I moved my gaze to Talon also.
“Kitten, get your ass over here.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Talon, I don't have time for this; I need to go. Maya,” I yelled.
“Comin'!” she yelled back.
“Kitten.” There was a tone of warning in his voice.
I sighed, “Yes, Talon?”
“Get your ass over here. Kiss me, and then you can go. I'll bring Cody with me in a moment; I just gotta see to something at the compound.”
“Oh, okay.” I grinned, walked over to him, and gave him a quick peck on the mouth. Talon wasn't having any of that. As I went to pull away, he brought me closer and really kissed me, so thoroughly that my legs went wonky and my fandola sang "Let's Get it On". Then I remembered we had an audience.
I stepped away and glared at him. “Talon,” I snapped. “None of that in front of Cody—”
“He don't mind.”
“That's beside the point. I do not neck in front of our children.”
His eyes went extra soft. What had I done or said to receive that response from him? I wasn't sure, but I knew I liked it.
Though, then I remembered. “And do not say the a-word again, mister,” I said, jabbing him in the chest with my finger.
“Babe.” he smiled. “Let's leave the cursing lesson ‘til later, when you're not going to be late.”
I gasped, looked to the clock on the microwave, and yelled, “Maya, let's move it.” I gave Talon a quick peck, Cody a hair ruffle, and over my shoulder I said, “See you there.”
Maya met me in the lounge; she said a quick goodbye and we left.
Maya was in the poolroom that was glassed off from the parents. I was in the sitting area watching through the glass, which I found was better for the children because they were able to concentrate on their teacher without having parents yelling orders. I also thought it was wonderful because it blocked out the noise of rowdy kids for half an hour. I was in the back row near the front door, so it was easier for me to keep an eye out for Talon and Cody while watching Maya.
I grimaced as Maya dove in—well, more belly flopped in. I glanced over my shoulder once again to see some woman run out of the centre, when I spotted Cody walking through the door. I smiled and waved him over.
“Hey,” I said, as he sat down next to me.
“Hi,” he whispered. Something was wrong.
“Um, Cody,
are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
Alrighty.
“Uh, Cody, where's your dad?”
He looked over his shoulder, and as he did, his top lip curled up in a look of disgust. “Coming,” he said.
I looked behind me to see that Talon was coming in, but with him was a blonde haired, blue eyed, big-boobed bimbo. She was dressed in the tightest of tight jeans, where anyone could see her camel-toe and a tight white tee. I turned my attention front and center, and tried my best not to jump over the chair and rip her apart for touching my man. Unfortunately, they stopped too far behind us for me to be able to hear what they were saying.
“Who's that, buddy?” I asked Cody.
“Dunno. But don't worry, Zee. Dad likes you better.” He looked at me with concerned eyes.
I smiled and patted his arm. “I know, bud.”
Whoever she was, she had to go. It was making Cody uncomfortable and upset.
“Be back in a sec,” I whispered to Cody. “Can you watch Maya for me?” I pointed her out. He didn't say anything, only nodded.
I got up, plastered a big smile upon my face, and walked up to Talon and Pamela Anderson-wannabe.
Before she noticed me, I heard her whisper, “So, when are you gonna give me another chance to have that cock of yours?”
“Pam,” Talon sighed. His eyes were on me as he added, “I already told you, I gotta woman now—”
“I don't mind sharing, you know that.” She smiled and leaned her tits into his arm.
I took a deep breath and stopped in front of them; she looked at me and glared. “Hi.” I grinned. “I'm Zara Edgingway, Talon's woman. Can I ask that you refrain from rubbing up against my man? I don't like to see it, and his son doesn't like to see it. Actually, I find it disgusting that you would even act such a way in front of these people. Do you have a child here?”
“Yes,” she hissed.
“You better run and be a good mother then, instead of coming onto a man that already said he was taken, and acting like some dog in heat.”
She stalked off without a word.
I glared up at Talon with my hands on my hips and snapped, “I am seriously thinking of tattooing a sign on your forehead when you're asleep that says 'Property of Zara'.” Then I walked off, leaving Talon chuckling behind me.
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