“Then give me your number. When it’s charged, and you're feeling up to it, you can text me.” He looked around and moved over to the small area where the nurse worked on her notes. He wrote down his number on the back of a piece of paper he found and gave it to her. “Day or night, it doesn't matter."
With a shaking voice, Riley recited her phone number, watching as he entered it into his contacts. The simple act felt monumentally important, as if he were giving her a direct line to safety.
"What if …" Riley swallowed hard, forcing herself to voice her deepest fear. "What if I can't handle this? What if I'm not strong enough? I’m so afraid."
Talon's hand covered hers where it still rested onhis arm. His skin was warm, calloused, real. "Riley, you survived something that would have broken most people. You're already stronger than you know. It’s okay to be afraid. You’ve faced the worst already."
She didn’t feel that way. She felt weak, overwhelmed, and scared. So damn scared. "How can you be sure?"
"Because I've seen strong, and I've seen broken. You're not broken. Hurt, yes. Scared, absolutely. But not broken." His thumb traced gently across her knuckles. "And you won't be alone. I meant what I said. You can text anytime. I don't care if it's three in the morning or if you just want to know someone remembers you exist. I might not be able to respond right away if I’m on a mission …" He let his words drift for a moment. “But Iwillanswer.”
Fresh tears spilled over, but these felt different. Cleaner somehow, some of the pressure sitting on her chest lifted a bit. "I don't even know your last name."
"King. Talon King."
"Riley Shoemaker," she said formally as if they were meeting for the first time.
"Nice to meet you, Riley Shoemaker." There was a ghost of a smile in his voice. "Now, get some rest. Doctor's orders."
He started to pull away, but her grip tightened. "Talon?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. For everything. For finding me and not thinking I’m crazy."
His expression grew serious, intense. "I would never think that. What you’ve been through … I know people who’ve been where you are. It doesn’t make you crazy; it makes you a survivor. Remember that."
After he left, Riley stared at the ceiling, her phone and his number clutched in her hands like a talisman. For the first time since her nightmare had begun, she felt something other than fear or pain.
She felt hope.
And maybe, just maybe, she felt the beginning of trust.
“Did you hear that?”Talon asked as he walked down the hospital’s corridor. “She’s the fucker’s daughter, and he didn’t think to mention she was on the boat.” Dude’s deep voice growled. It got that way when he was pissed.
Talon glanced over his shoulder toward her room. “Maybe he didn’t know.”
“Want to take a bet on that?” Jug said.
Talon glanced over at the old SUV his team was using at the moment. “No.” He walked across the parking lot and got in the front passenger seat.
“He knew the ship had been held for over a week,” Stryker swore bitterly. “What kind of father doesn’t know where their kids are?”
“She isn’t a child.” Hammer held his hands up when four sets of eyes swung back to look at him. “Hey, does your mom know where you are?”
Stryker shook his head. “No, but I’m not a woman.”
“Wow. Sexist much?” Wolf said.
“What the fuck ever,” Jug said and started the vehicle. “Glad you gave her your number, Skipper.”
“Don’t call me Skipper,” Talon corrected him again.
“Why, Skipper?” Wolf taunted him.
“Skipper, I’m hungry.”
“Are we there yet, Skipper?”
