Talon (Ashes & Embers Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

corner. "You want a drink, Amber?"
    "It's Asia."
    "I was close. What'll you have?"
    "Just water, please."
    "Water? That's a first."
    My dress feels as if it's gained fifty pounds since our vows, like it's dragging me off my own feet. I slowly sit on the couch and eye him nervously as he pours himself a drink and then brings me a bottle of water.
    "Thank you," I say politely.
    He leans against the wall, slowly sipping his drink, staring at me intently, and I do the same back. He's got some incredibly sexy dark eyes, and even with a tux on, I can see he's got a muscular body.
    "Well, this is more fucked up than I thought it would be," he finally says, grinning.
    I nod in agreement. "Yeah." I have no idea what to say.
    "Do you know who I am?"
    I shake my head. "No. I don't think so. Should I?"
    His full lips curve into a sexy, albeit sarcastic, smirk. "Most people do."
    "Are you an actor?"
    "No, but you're getting close, honey." He finishes off his drink and walks back to the bar to pour another one.
    Christ. I hope he's not an alcoholic. I specifically asked for a nondrinker and made it clear during the interviews that it was very important to me not to be married to any sort of substance abuser.
    I sip some of my water. "Look, can we not play games? This is nerve-racking enough. And I kinda don't like being with someone who drinks. At all," I say cautiously. "I put that on my questionnaire thing."
    He stops midpour. "Are you kidding?"
    "No, I'm serious."
    "Can I ask why?"
    I take a deep breath, not expecting to be talking about any of this now. "My father was an alcoholic. He used to get drunk and beat my mother and me. The mere smell of it makes me feel sick."
    He closes his eyes for a few moments and then puts the bottle back down on the bar. "All right," he relents. "I can't argue with that, especially after I just agreed to love, honor, and obey . I guess I'll have water, too."
    "Thank you," I reply softly. "So…who are you?"
    He turns on his heel and saunters back across the room with a wicked grin on his face. He definitely knows he's good-looking and it's obvious he uses it to get attention.
    "Talon Valentine," he says.
    Asia Valentine . I test it in my head. My new name. "Well, I like my new last name. It's very pretty."
    "You really don't recognize my name?" he asks in disbelief. "Or me? Come on."
    Ah. An ego is emerging, it seems.
    "No, I'm sorry." And seriously, I don't recognize this guy at all. He's not in any way the type of man I would normally ever be attracted to. He's way too wild-looking and has trouble stamped all over him.
    Smiling, he shakes his head. "Well, they certainly did their job in making sure the girl didn't know who I was. At least they got that part right." Uh-oh. Sounds like I'm not what he ordered from the menu either. "I'm the guitarist in Ashes & Embers."
    I choke on my water and it spews out my nose. "Oh my God, what?"
    I wipe at my wet face with my hand, feeling like a total idiot. I look around for a box of tissues or something, but there aren't any.
    "Here." He hands me a napkin from the bar.
    "The rock band?" I ask in disbelief, dabbing at my face and hoping I haven't ruined the makeup job Kat spent almost an hour on.
    "Yup."
    No, no, no. This cannot be happening. I wanted quiet. Normal. Family man. Suit and tie. Someone stable, not someone wild and crazy.
    Not a freaking rock star!
    I close my eyes and shake my head, hoping maybe this will all go away. "Why would you want to do this? You're, like, practically famous."
    This guy doesn't seem like the type who would want a wife—or have any trouble finding one if he did. This has to be some kind of PR stunt. I'm going to demand to talk to Dr. Hollister. Maybe even get a lawyer and sue for distress. I endured detailed interviews, questionnaires, meetings with psychologists and sex therapists for almost half a year for this. Months of my life—just gone. And now I'm legally married to someone who probably did this for publicity and not