Arrow's Hell (Wind Dragons MC #2)(76)

“All right,” he says. “I’ll see you then.”

I get dressed in my favorite pair of worn, ripped jeans and a plain black tank top. I don’t bother with any makeup, and leave my hair down, letting it dry by itself. As I leave the bedroom, I notice the clubhouse is quiet. Talon has left me a few messages over the last month, and I got the impression that he wanted to spend some time with me. I think that even though we aren’t blood related, he still sees me as family. I know he loved my dad, and sees me as a connection to him. He isn’t a bad guy, so after a month of his reaching out I decided why not, I could have Talon in my life. It didn’t cost me anything, and we were connected in a weird way.

I see Arrow and Rake having a drink together and try to walk by unnoticed.

“Whoa, where do you think you’re going?” Rake calls out, making me stop in my tracks.

“I’m going to have a coffee with Talon,” I tell him.

Arrow’s face flashes with worry, before he’s able to mask it. He turns away from me and concentrates on his drink instead. “You’re not f*ckin’ going alone, Anna. I’ll come with you.”

My eyes narrow. “You can’t come with me, Arrow. He’s not going to hurt me. Besides, I’m going to a public place, that same café where I saw him last time.”

Today is the anniversary of Mary’s death.

Arrow has been broody all day, and I know he wants to be alone. When I’d asked him if he wanted to talk about it, he said no. When I followed him to the bar, he didn’t say a word to me. He’s stuck in his head, and he needs time to work through it. Time that I will give him. Whatever he needs. I decided I’d make myself absent, and since Talon had contacted me again just the other day, I thought why not. My brother wasn’t any happier about it, but I was curious about why Talon wanted to reach out to me so badly. Maybe he was just feeling alone and wanted to talk to someone. Since Damien now avoids me like the plague, I could always use another friend.

Rake’s jaw sets stubbornly. “Blade is taking you and that’s final.”

I point a finger at him, then drop it. There’s no point arguing with him. “Tell Blade we’re leaving now.”

Rake nods and leaves the room.

I stare at Arrow’s back. I can’t just leave him like this. I know he doesn’t want me to see Talon but it’s something that I want to do, and he can’t be controlling my every move. I walk over to him and touch his shoulder. “I’ll be back, okay? Nothing has changed, Arrow.”

He turns his head and smiles sadly. “I love you, Anna,” he says. “Just remember that. Don’t let that f*cker mess with your head.”

Did Arrow think that I am going to change my mind? That suddenly I am going to hate him for what happened with my father? Because I’m not. I meant what I said, and forgiveness is forgiveness. I wasn’t bringing up what happened again unless one of us wanted to talk about it, never in anger or using it as a weapon against him. I’d never do that to him.

“I love you too, Arrow, and I know you love me,” I whisper, kissing him on his cheek. “He’s my stepbrother, and he wants to talk. It has nothing to do with how I feel about you; my feelings for you won’t change. I know today is a hard day for you, so I want you to have your space. If you want me to come to the cemetery with you later, let me know. Or if you want to go alone, or with Faye, that’s okay too. If you need me, just call me, okay?”

I run my hand down his back, then leave the clubhouse without another word.

*

For the first time ever, Talon is without his usual smirk. He sits there, in the exact same seat he occupied last time, looking a little unsure. I pull the chair out next to him, the sound of it scraping the floor making him glance up.

“Hey,” he says, pulling the chair out a little more for me to sit.

“Hey,” I say, sitting down. “Did you order something to eat?”

“No,” he says, shaking his head. “I was waiting for you.”

We both order a burger and some fries, then stare at each other as soon as the waitress leaves.

When our meals come, he opens his mouth to say something but then shakes his head and eats a fry instead.

“You and Rake ever going to talk?” I ask.

Talon smiles sadly. “I doubt it. He doesn’t feel any connection to me. I’m surprised he let you come.”

I point outside. “There’s a prospect keeping an eye on me from the car. And what do you mean ‘let me come’? I am my own woman, you know.”

Talon laughs then, a deep, musical sound. “You’re precious cargo, that’s why.”

“I love him,” I add slowly.

“Rake?”

“Well, of course I love Rake, but I meant Arrow.”

His lips tighten. “He killed our—”

“He killed your father. And if he knew, he wouldn’t have done it,” I add.

“You’re defending a murderer? Who killed someone of your own blood?” he asks, brows furrowing.

“He did it because your men killed Mary, someone who was important to him. Besides, are you telling me you haven’t killed anyone?”

He shakes his head no.

“Beaten anyone? Threatened anyone?”

“Of course I’ve done those things, I’m not innocent, but I’ve never taken a life,” he says.