12. Player
Chapter twelve
Player
Istroke Taylor’s back and stare at the ceiling. She’s gotten quiet and I don’t know why. Maybe a story from our past will draw her smile again. “Remember that time you made me take you out in the canoe at midnight because you wanted to see some meteor shower?”
She laughs softly.
I dip my head to catch her eyes, and it seems like just yesterday. She’s smiling, and I know she’s remembering it all, too. “I stood up and pointed at a shooting star, and the canoe tipped over.”
“We were soaked. We had to sneak you into your parents’ laundry room and hide your wet clothes.”
“I snuck upstairs in my sister’s track suit.”
“While I had to paddle home soaking wet. Beck caught me sneaking in and threatened to rat me out. He used that as blackmail for months.”
“Up until we flipped the canoe, it was a fun evening.” She giggles. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Anything to make you happy.”
I glide my fingertips along her back, content having her in my arms.
“I wish it had never ended,” she whispers so softly I almost miss it.
I rub her back until I hear her breathing change and know she’s drifted off to sleep. I stroke her silky hair and wonder how she’d react if I ever told her that her brother was the reason we had to break up.
My phone goes off, and Taylor awakens.
God dammit.
I twist and grab it off the nightstand. It’s a text from Drae.
DRAE: Girl that I know just saw your sister at Bally’s.
I sit up, my fingers flashing over the screen with a response.
ME: Bally’s? Clear up in Dover? What the fuck is she doing there?
DRAE: Tiffany said she’s at the Thunder Down Under show, and Sissy is sitting at the next table. She just texted me this picture.
A photo comes through with my baby sister clearly sitting at the table and half-naked men dancing on the stage behind her.
ME: WTF? She’s not old enough to get into a show like that.
DRAE: Don’t know. You want to handle this or want me to call Gage?
ME: Fuck no. I’ll deal with it. You up for a ride?
DRAE: Sure. I’ll meet you at the Exxon in fifteen minutes.
I toss my phone onto the nightstand and roll to Taylor, moving over her to kiss her. “I’m sorry that woke you. I’ve got to go rescue my sister. Stay here and keep the bed warm. Hopefully, it won’t take more than an hour or two.”
She looks stricken. “You’re leaving? Maybe I should go home.”
“Don’t even think about it. I’m not done with you yet, angel, and knowing you’re waiting in my bed is the only thing that’s keeping me from murdering my sister.”
She gives me a cute grin. “Okay, then I’ll stay.”
I give her another peck. “If I didn’t tell you earlier, I’m glad you stayed.”
With that I roll off and get dressed.
By the time I hit the Exxon, I’m fuming.
Drae looks amused. “I interrupt something?”
“Fuck, yes. I had Taylor in my bed.”
“Whoops. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Better me than Prez. Let’s go.”
We ride hell-bent for leather up the interstate to Bally’s Resort and Casino.
It’s almost an hour drive normally, but we cut it down to forty-five minutes.
Sure enough, on the marquee in two-foot-high neon letters proclaims the Thunder Down Under show, along with a shot of a dozen tanned, buffed, shirtless men.
I park and rip my helmet off, glaring at Drae. “I can’t believe I have to walk in a damn male stripper show.”
Drae chuckles. “You get to pay the ticket price for both of us, kid.”
When we march inside, the cashier tells me the price, and my jaw drops.
She hands them over and eyes our cuts with a grin, like we’re two gay guys from the Village People.
“She’s fucking dead,” I murmur to Drae.
We make our way inside. Standing at the back, we survey the crowd. A waitress tries to seat us, but I lean in and say we’re just meeting my sister.
“You have to take a seat,” she insists and leads us to the only open table, and we sit. The place is loud with a pounding beat and women screaming.
A moment later, Drae elbows me and points. “There,” he shouts in my ear.
I crane to look and spot Sissy. I don’t recognize any of the others at her table—at least not the girlfriends of hers that I’ve met.
“Hey,” Drae barks in my ear. “Is that Molly with her?”
I can’t get a clear view. I’d go drag her out right now, but dancers are moving down the aisles, working the crowd. Women my mother’s age are slipping bills into the G-strings of oiled-up dudes wearing cowboy boots, hats and not much else.
So help me God, if one of them shakes his junk in my sister’s face, heads are going to roll.
Finally, the number ends, and the dancers go back up on stage for a finale.
A waitress comes by to take our order. I try to wave her off, but she insists there’s a two-drink minimum.
I lean to ask her a question. “When’s the show over?”
“This is just intermission. They’ll be out again in fifteen minutes.”
I shove a hundred-dollar bill into her tip glass, and she leaves us alone.
When the lights come up a bit, and women head to the restroom, Drae and I stand and weave through the crowd.
I catch a surprised Sissy by the arm, but her companion disappears into the crowd before I can confirm if it was Molly. Why the hell would she be here? I’m sure she’s never met my sister before. What would Sissy be doing with her?
Sissy’s eyes widen to saucers when she sees me and Drae. She says something, but I can’t hear her.
She’s smart enough to know the jig is up, and she’s not going to get to see the rest of the act. I’m just thankful she comes along without making a scene.
I march her out and don’t stop until we’re out in the parking lot at the bikes.
She’s wearing a sparkly cocktail dress that barely covers her ass and spiky heeled shoes to match.
My eyes skate over her from head to foot. “What the fuck are you wearing?”
She doesn’t answer. “Does Dad know I’m here?”
“Not yet, he doesn’t.”
“Please don’t tell him, Josh.”
“Give me one reason I shouldn’t.”
“Because it’ll kill him. I don’t want to see that look of disappointment on his face, and he’ll blame himself.”
That last part gets me, because it's true. I know her prime motivation is to save her own skin, but our father will blame himself and think he’s failed her since our mother died. Maybe he has. Maybe we all have.
Raking a hand through my hair, I grit my teeth and look at Drae. “She’s gonna freeze to death. You got anything?”
He digs in his saddlebag and comes up with a hoodie.
She stands still while he pulls it over her head and straightens the neckline, being sweeter to her than she deserves. It’s not the first time I’ve thought he was sweet on her. Gage would kill him if he dared try anything, so if he does have feelings for my sister, he’s screwed.
Just another damn problem I don’t need to deal with tonight. I dig her out Taylor’s helmet.
Drae takes it from me and puts it on her, and I see the way their eyes connect as he buckles the strap under her chin.
“This was really stupid, princess,” he mutters to her, and her eyes glaze.
I throw my leg over the bike. “Get the fuck on.” There’s no way I’m letting her ride home on the back of Drae’s bike. She climbs behind me and holds on tight.
We’ve ridden about thirty minutes south when Drae motions to an exit in Milford.
I follow him into a gas station, and Sissy runs inside to pee while he fills his tank.
He looks over at me. “Let me go on and take her over to your dad’s place. Slaughter Beach is out of your way.”
It gets me home to Taylor that much quicker, but I’m not sure I should let her go with him.
He tilts his head and gives me a look. “Come on, Player. You can trust me with her. You know that, right?”
“Can I? Can you look me straight in the eye and tell me there’s nothing between you?”
“She doesn’t know I’m alive, VP.”
I shake my head. “That wasn’t an answer, and if you believe that, you’re blind.”
His jaw clenches. “I’m just takin’ her home. She’s had a hard time with this whole move. It broke her, VP. In a way I’ve never seen. Even when your mother died. It’s like this was the final straw.”
A part of me knew it would hit her hard, but maybe it’s worse than I thought. “So how do we fix it?”
“We don’t. We give her space and make sure she’s safe.”
I blow out a breath. “All right.” Then I step into his face. “I’m trusting you. Do not let me down. Understand?”
“Absolutely.”
I throw my leg over my bike and ride off, leaving Drae to get Sissy home. I hope I’m not being a selfish asshole. I hope to God it's the right thing. I’ve yet to hear the explanation of how and with whom she went up there, but that’s a problem for tomorrow.
Right now, I have a naked woman keeping my bed warm, and I need to get back to her.