Talon's Heart (16 page)

SKYLAR

Stark raving nuts that's Talon; I mean seriously, who gets married at the drop of a hat? my man is gonna make me crazy. Though I'm secretly thrilled at the idea I'm also scared shitless, what if we get into trouble? what if we're breaking some kind of law or something? I know he wouldn't listen he's so damn hot headed. I bit my lip and tried to think of something we could do that wouldn’t get anyone in trouble, dad hadn’t mentioned a contract when we asked, but Robert seemed pretty sure of himself and Talon was right. Dad was acting kind of strange about the whole sordid mess.

"See what I mean you're worrying about this shit." He started pulling on his hair like a crazy person. There was a knock on the door and Olivia came in with a garment bag over her shoulder.

"Skylar dear, if the caveman that is my son doesn't object I think this dress would be perfect, unless you brought something suitable for the occasion?"

"Uh no, no wedding paraphernalia, I didn't know I was getting married this weekend."

"Well this might need a little adjusting but I have someone ready to get on it right quick. Your grandmother is already making calls there're going to be a few disgruntled people in town, it is a holiday after all."

"They'll get over it this can't wait."

"You always were a fast mover son, come on Skye, it's best to just let him have his way lets go try the dress."

"But, doesn't it bother you that your son is getting married in a rush to someone he only just met a few short months ago?" I looked back and forth between them still not quite sure that this wasn’t all a dream and I’d wake up and laugh with Talon about it.

"Skylar as time goes on you'll realize this family is very unconventional. Let's just say the Averys, especially the men, dance to the beat of a different drum."

"There you go babydoll it's the drums now go with mom and let me handle the rest."

He actually rubbed his hands together like this was a good thing. I followed his mother out of the room still in shock.

"I'm not sure I know what's going on, I mean what if we're making a mistake?"

Olivia took me into her rooms where she already had one of the servants waiting.

"Ingrid good you're here already we have to work fast and I know you're good on the sewing machine." They helped me out of my clothes and into the dress that I presumed was Olivia's. It was gorgeous but too long and a little too wide, not by much though. I still wondered how anyone was going to be able to adjust it with such short notice.

"Now to answer your question Skylar, do you love my son?" 

I know the big sappy smile on my face gave the answer away before I could open my mouth but I couldn't help it.

"With everything that I am."

"Then believe it or not that's all that matters. I'm sure you know by now that Talon is a very take charge kind of guy, he likes things done a certain way, usually his. It's best when he gets like this to just stay out of his way, but know that you will never in all your life together have to doubt his love for you. He'll always put you first, no matter what. I can say this with all confidence because I've had the pleasure of witnessing the Avery men in action for quite some time and believe me, they're all pretty much true to form. But one thing you must know, we run the roost, they'll pontificate and bluster all day long but when push comes to shove their only concern is making us women happy and my dear girl you can't ask for more than that."

She made so much sense, but this situation was completely crazy, I mean who does these things? I'm a whole lot nervous right now, I don't know if I should call home or not. If I should try to get Talon to hold off, but knowing him nothing short of an explosion would move him from his position, but damn, this was all so fast.

My phone chimed just then with a text, it was him and he made me smile' stop worrying babydoll, it will all work out I promise.'

I put the phone away as Ingrid pinned the material in place before helping me step out of it again. I could hear voices out in the hallway, laughter; at least there was no panic among his family. I wonder how they really felt about this move? after all they hardly knew me, didn't they worry that I might be after his money or something? this was all too surreal.

While the dress was taken away and Olivia went to check on other preparations Kinsley came in to fix my hair. She was all excited and chatting away like her big brother got married at the spur of the moment everyday. Bianca came in next with makeup and a smile. Were these people mad? How can they be so happy about this, how can they so easily accept?

"Stop fretting Skye you'll get use to it, the Avery men are a lot to take in at once but they more than make up for it trust me. Now your husband to be got a little extra of whatever the rest of them have and that could be a very good thing in some aspects if you know what I mean." She wriggled her brows and grinned at me making me blush.

"Gross Bianca, just gross."

"Oh hush Kinsley, we're all grown ups here; now listen sometimes you're gonna have to rein him in because they can get crazy."

"You think?" I pointed to my face and hair that was being made ready for my impromptu wedding to a crazy person.

"Yes well, this is the least of it trust me, they can go totally overboard; now the way you handle them is by standing firm, they'll splutter all over their face but if you're against whatever it is, in the end he'll give in to you."

"I don't know Bianca."

"Trust me, he'll play the bear with everyone else, but when it comes to you he'll be a big old softy. Now don't get me wrong, he's still going to be all man and there'll be times you'll want to punch his lights out, but those times are far and few in between and they do love getting their way so you'll have to choose your battles. You follow those few little guidelines and you'll be good to go."

I listened as my two new sisters chatted away as if my life wasn't being changed in a very monumental way. They seemed to be taking things in stride and truthfully their calmness was helping to ease my anxiety.

As soon as I was dressed and they were both out of the room I caved and called home. I couldn’t let Talon make a mistake that would get him into trouble, I’d already caused him enough as it was. Mom answered on the second ring and turned everything on its head.

"Skylar if this is you I can't stay long, you need to hide baby. Your father and William got into a huge blow up and I overheard some things. Seems your father had some financial issues with the farm a while back, make a long story short they made a deal, if they get their hands on you you'll be married to that no good Robert Stark whether you like it or not." She hung up the phone quickly leaving me with a racing heart and bile in my throat.

"TALON..." I was off and running like a bat out of hell. Like hell I'll marry that two timing dog, next time I'll just let Talon kick his head in.

Chapter 18

TALON

"What the fuck! Babe what's wrong?" I heard her screaming for me from all the way downstairs; by the time I met her in the hallway on the second floor I was well on my way to a heart attack. I grabbed her as she came barreling towards me.

"My mom, on the phone, she said..." She was babbling and out of breath and her body was shaking like a leaf. None of this was good to me and I still didn't know where the threat was.

"Calm down babe, come 'ere." I pulled her face into my chest and held on, now my heart was racing. Something had scared the fuck out of my baby and the way this day was shaping up I wasn't in the mood for any more surprises.

"Okay now take your time and tell me."

"Mom said dad made a deal, he sold me to William Stark and if they find me they'll force me to marry Robert." Her words ran together but I got the gist of it all and all I could think was, yeah okay, that fucker must be tired of living, the fuck. I'd like to rip her father a new one while bitch slapping the Starks but that'll have to wait; Skye looked like she was about to fall the fuck out so first things first.

"Okay throttle back babe, first off they can't find you here because they don't know where we live. Avery Landing isn't exactly on the map and all your parents know is that we're in New York a few hours outside of the city. Second if by some miracle they should find us they'll never get past the gates and beyond all that, Damien already told us that whatever your father has going with them is not legally binding. We'll be married in less than an hour this is our day, look at me. This is our day we're not thinking about them and when we're done, once my ring is on your finger, the fight's mine...stop crying babe I got this."

I need to have a pow wow with the men in the family but that too could wait; nonna had done her thing and the officiant was waiting downstairs. I hadn't even had time to notice how beautiful my girl looked in her wedding dress before the women acted like the house was on fire when they caught us together and dragged her away.

Standing in a corner of the garden that my family hastily hooked up for us I took stock. I thought I would be nervous on this day but somehow I'm not, I just want to get it done. It's like once I make shit official there's nothing standing in my way. To someone watching this shit from the outside it's fucked up, I just met my baby what a few months ago? I could hear the critics now like I give a fuck! This is what I want and I don't need to answer to anyone for the shit I do end of story. My family was happy for us, my girl was happy if not a little dazed at the hurriedness but I knew what I was doing, my gut said this was the way to go. I never went against my gut.

She came down the makeshift aisle that someone had made out of a runner strewn with rose petals and little tea lights, on my father's arm. Stunning, that's the word that flashed through my head at my first sight of her; my heart puffed up with pride that this woman was mine and if we were both really blessed we might get at least fifty, sixty years together. I can't fucking wait.

Her hand held a slight tremble when dad passed her off to me so I gave her a squeeze and a reassuring smile. We hadn't had time to prepare vows so the officiant did the original sermon which was fine by me, as long as at the end of his rhetoric she became mine and I hers it was all good.

I never stopped looking into her eyes the whole time because I knew what was there; what it was she would see, and that's all that was needed on this day as unorthodox as it was, as hurried and unconventional. We had it all, a love that knew no bounds, and a commitment that I felt to the depths of my soul. This was right, we were right and it didn’t matter how long we’d known each other.

With the I dos said and our signatures on the dotted line I was ready for part two.

"How long before the papers are filed?"

"First thing tomorrow morning son but not to worry, it's been witnessed and signed the filing is just for legal purposes which shouldn't be a problem."

If only he knew.

Mom produced a cake from somewhere and we did the whole cutting of the cake thing; Rye took a million pictures and my girl was happy. I was in fucking warrior mode at this point but I wanted her to have her moment, then I would deal with the Starks and her father.

Chapter 19

TALON

This holiday shit sucks my ass, I need to get shit done and people are stuffing their faces with turkey and fuck all, I'm not that big on waiting to get shit going. Mom and nonna dragged my wife off somewhere, probably initiating her into the rituals of how to keep the Avery men on lock for life. Whatever, she's mine now, every last beautiful inch. This Avery one woman one man thing is no fucking joke just saying; she owned my ass with one look and look at me now, a member of the witless brigade.

"Well bro like we said earlier, welcome to the ranks of the whipped."

"Shut it Rye you ass, I look whipped to you?"

"Look around you bro, it is what it is." He slapped me on my shoulder as he passed me a beer.

"I do have to say though little brother that you've outdone us all, from zero to sixty in a couple months give or take a few days, I think dad had the record before that, he lasted three months, I'm still reigning king I held out for a solid six months."

"That's because Bianca wanted her dream wedding, that didn't stop you from whining like a little bitch for the four months after you proposed."

"Semantics bro, semantics; so enough with the small talk, what was the scream about?"

I looked around to make sure none of the girls were around before answering him. Then I filled him in on what was going on.

"What a dick."

"Which one? they're all fucked, as soon as I have those papers filed tomorrow it's all out war. Her dad lied about that shit, told me there was nothing to Stark's boasts, and that little prick better never let me lay eyes on his ass again in this lifetime."

"What're you gonna do when you go back to school in a few days bro? they know where you are."

"There's nothing they can do, she's my wife, her father will just have to figure out his shit one way or the other, it doesn't have anything to do with us, I just don't want her living in fear ya know."

"I can't imagine how it must feel believing your own parent would force you to marry someone who did some shit like that to you."

"Well it's a moot point now, in fact I think I should call and let her father know she's off the market. I'm gonna need you and dad later though I have to come up with some kind of strategy in case the Starks decide to play hardball."

"You know we've got your back, any ideas on what you want to do?"

"Other than beating the shit out of everyone involved no, Damien already assured me that there's nothing they can do legally but from what she says her mom is afraid they'd force the issue. It's left to be seen whether or not the fact that we're married will make a difference to them, either way I want this shit done. It's not gonna be hanging over her head for too much longer. I won’t have that shit."