21. Player
Chapter twenty-one
Player
It’s been a long fucking day, and I’ve finally got a minute to breathe. We’ve been out here three days, and it’s our last night in Cali. We pull out tomorrow, and it can’t come soon enough for me.
The guys are gathered around a bonfire, and I walk off into the darkness on the edges, light up a smoke, and check my phone. I smile, seeing I’ve got a text from Taylor.
TAYLOR: Hey sweetheart. I’m tired and going to bed. Just thought I’d say goodnight before I fall asleep. I miss you so much. I love you, baby. Goodnight.
An image of her tucked in bed and fast asleep fills me with happiness. This text is the bright spot in my day. I think about calling her, but I don’t want to wake her.
Checking my other messages, I see one from Zayden and frown.
He does all the club’s ink, and yeah, I guess he’s got my number, but we don’t usually communicate much, and I can’t imagine why he’d be texting me. Opening it, I find he’s sent a photo and a long damn text.
The photo is one taken in his shop of two girls standing at the wall, looking at designs. Looking closer, I realize it's Cici and Taylor.
What the hell?
ZAYDEN: I know the club headed out for your national meet, so you’re not around, but I wanted you to know your sister came in the shop and introduced me to “your girl, Taylor”.
That was news to me. Congrats. Not the reason for the text, though.
They wanted to know if I could cover a scar with a tattoo.
If you can see the white bandage in the photo on Taylor’s arm, it hides a wicked burn.
Cici said Taylor’s ex-boyfriend burned her with a curling iron.
Didn’t get the full story on how that happened, but he sounds like a fucking dick who needs to be dealt with.
The burn looked fresh, like maybe it happened after you left town.
She said she’d been to the doctor. Told her once it heals completely, we could talk about covering it, if that’s what she wants.
Just thought you’d want to know. Been wrestling with whether or not to get involved, but I know I’d want to know if that were my girl.
White hot fury surges through my body. I don’t know who the fuck this guy is, but he’s a dead man walking. No one touches Taylor and gets away with it, and no one fucking burns her and lives. I think about calling her right now and getting the story, but another thought hits me.
I’ve got her sister’s number, and she may give me more information than Taylor will.
I dial her number, disregarding that it’s 2:00 a.m.
It rings four times before it’s picked up. I can imagine her staring at the number and trying to decide whether to answer it.
“Hello?” her voice comes on the line, filled with hesitancy.
“It’s Player. What the hell happened to Taylor?”
“Um. What do you mean?”
“Don’t bullshit me, Kayla. I know all about the burn.” I tell her about Zayden’s text and the visit to the tattoo shop and the reason they gave him.
“She wants a tattoo?” Kayla snaps.
“Who the fuck burned her, Kayla?” I bark, disregarding her damn question.
“His name is Randall.”
“Who the fuck is Randall?” I growl.
“She was with him in Virginia. He’s an asshole, and she’s been trying to get away from him.
She thought she’d be safe from him here because she’d never told him about her hometown, but somehow he found her.
He showed up at my mom’s house while we were at the hospital.
Taylor said he was waiting for her when she walked in the door after I dropped her off. ”
“She’s with him now?” I roar, flinging my cigarette.
“No, he’s a long-haul trucker. She told me he left on a run to the West Coast. I’ve been hoping you’d return before he does.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you contact me?”
“I should have. When are you getting back?”
“We’re leaving first thing in the morning. Even if I haul ass, it’ll still take me at least two days to cross the country, and I’m not leaving her unprotected for days.”
“Well, I tried to get her to come to my house, but she refused.”
I rake a hand through my hair and pace. “Goddamn it, I should have left her at my place, but she said she needed to be with her mother.”
“Mom is at my house now, so I can take care of her. I’ll try again tomorrow to make Taylor come home with me.”
“Fuck that. I’ll handle it.”
“How?”
“Gonna have the prospects go get her and take her to the clubhouse. She’ll be safe there.”
“She won’t go.”
“They won’t give her a choice.”
“She can be stubborn.”
“She can try,” I snap. “Keep me posted if that asshole shows back up.”
“I will.”
I disconnect and call Sleaze—the prospect I trust most.
He answers on the second ring.
“Yes, sir?”
“Gonna text you an address. First thing in the morning, you and Black Jack are going there, getting Taylor, and taking her to the clubhouse. She may give you trouble, but don’t give her a choice. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re keeping her on lockdown until I get there. I’m pulling out tomorrow. Gonna haul ass, but it’ll still take me a couple of days to cross the damn country.”
“Lockdown. Yes, sir.”
I pace some more. “You might want to get my sister to keep Taylor company. Tell her that’s an order from me.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You wait on them hand and foot, understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Don’t let anyone into the clubhouse. Got that? You understand lockdown, right?”
“Yes, sir. No one in or out. Got it.”
“Anything happens to those girls, it’s gonna be your ass, prospect.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You got this, prospect?”
“I’ve got this, sir. We’ll handle it.”
“Good. And don’t let anyone know the club is on the way home. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Call me tomorrow when you’ve got them.”
“Yes, sir.”
I hang up and look up to see Drae approaching.
“You okay, VP?”
“No, I’m not okay.” I tell him everything, and he tilts his head.
“How about you and me break from the group and head out separately? We can cover more miles with just the two of us.”
I nod, considering it. “Gotta clear it with Gage.”
“I’ll talk to him.” He clasps my upper arm, then walks off to do it.
I stare into the flames of the bonfire, considering a hundred different ways to kill a man. One thing is for certain: Randall won’t live long enough to hurt my girl ever again.