Chapter 29
“Iknow you’re lying,” Mase’s dad spit out.
He wore another ill-fitting suit, but his hair was wild as if he’d been caught in front of a leaf blower. My heart pounded in my throat, and I took a step back.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said calmly, despite my racing pulse.
When I shifted to go around him, he mirrored my movement, blocking my direct route with his bulk. “You’re moving to Baltimore with your freak of a mom. Mason is going to Portland, so you won’t be around to handle Andrew. You’re only lying now to stop me from taking what’s rightfully mine.”
My skin turned to ice at his accusation.
I hated the way he referred to Andrew as a possession, and how did he know those details about me?
He clearly hadn’t been in the arena or he would have heard me tell Valor to shove it.
This guy thrived on fear. He needed to feel like he was in control, but I wouldn’t let him have the pleasure.
I cocked my head and faked a confidence I definitely didn’t have.
“I don’t need to lie. You’re not getting within an inch of Andrew.”
He snarled and started advancing one slow step at a time. “If you won’t admit it, I’ll make sure you won’t get in the way again.”
My bravado quickly faded as he approached. I ducked between the truck and the car next to it, but William hadn’t lost as much of his speed as I’d thought. He lunged after me, grabbing a handful of my T-shirt.
I jerked back, pulled off my feet, and collided with his chest. One beefy arm wrapped around my waist, holding me on my tip toes. I sucked in air to scream, but I didn’t get the chance. His fingers wrapped around my throat and squeezed off any sound I planned to make.
With no leverage and black dots flickering in front of my eyes, I clawed at his hand. The diamonds in my ring caught the light with a brilliant sparkle, and the pressure around my neck eased.
He let me go, and I fell to the asphalt, coughing, trying to get my throat to work again. As I wheezed on my hands and knees, he wrenched my hand up and took the ring off my finger. Not satisfied, he twisted my wrist back until it popped and a sharp pain shot up my arm.
I cried out and tried to jerk away, but he held tight.
“This is a lesson of what happens when you disobey me. It’ll be hard to play your fake sport with an injured wrist. How much harder would it be with broken fingers?
Your mom is learning a similar lesson right now.
” He pocketed the ring and leaned down to whisper.
“So easy when she doesn’t leave the house. ”
He yanked my arm up, causing another shock of searing pain, and I used the gasp to suck in enough air to fill my lungs. William jerked back when I screamed Mase’s name. None of my training had helped, but I knew he would come.
“Taryn!” he shouted, followed by the slap slap of running feet.
William scowled at me and let go, but he was too late. Mase rounded the line of cars and tackled his dad as if he played football instead of hockey. Both men went flying, and William’s head cracked into the side panel of Mase’s truck.
I cradled my injured wrist and levered myself up using the minivan. “Mase, wait. We need to call my mom right now.”
Mase stopped mid-punch and glanced back at me from his position crouched over his dad. The raw fury on his face should have scared me, but concern took over when he zeroed in on the way I held my wrist. His dad tried to sit up unsteadily, but Mase shoved him back to the ground.
“Did he hurt you?” The cold calm in his voice didn’t reach the rage in his eyes.
“I need your phone. Mom is in danger.”
“Here, use mine,” Ilona said from just behind me. I hadn’t noticed her or the other Queens approaching, but they stood around me in a semi-circle, some wielding car keys between their fingers as makeshift weapons.
I carefully dialed Mom’s number, holding my breath as the phone rang.
“Hello?” She sounded cautious, but fine.
The air whooshed out of me. “It’s me, Mom. Are you and Andrew okay? I think you’re in danger.”
She laughed. “We’re fine, honey. I was in danger for a brief moment when a strange man tried to break through the backdoor, but Tara—Mrs. Lipnicki—handled it. She saw him sneaking through the gate, called the police, and did her own sneaking over here to bash him in the head with her frying pan.”
Voices said something I couldn’t catch behind her, and Mom responded by telling them she was talking to her daughter. My mind couldn’t wrap itself around the idea of Mrs. Lipnicki assaulting a random dude in an attempt to help my mom.
“The police are here now, and Tara and I are having whiskey in our tea. That tournament stream was certainly exciting. I can’t wait for you and Mase to get home so we can talk all about it.
” There was a subtle warning in her voice that she’d give me shit for not telling her sooner, which I’d fully expected, but I was so glad they were safe I simply didn’t care anymore.
I’d talk to her until my voice gave out, which wouldn’t be long considering the strain it took to make words happen in my injured throat.
Distant sirens started getting closer, and I figured they were heading our way. I fully planned to press charges against Mase’s dad, so hopefully Mase was on board with that plan. Mom didn’t need to know all the details yet. Let her enjoy her boozy tea.
“Okay, Mom. If you’re fine, we’ve got to deal with our own stuff here, then we’re going to dinner because I need a very big margarita.”
“You’ve earned it, honey. I’ll tuck Andrew in once everything is settled here.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said, my voice scratchy as I tried to control my crashing emotions. “I love you.”
“Love you too. Be safe.” She hung up, and I handed back Ilona’s phone.
Mase stood with his foot on his dad’s chest, keeping him on the ground, though the older man didn’t look in any condition to fight. He grasped the back of his head with his eyes closed, laying very still.
“Did you kill him?” I asked, only partly joking.
“No. He hit his head a couple of times, but he’ll probably be fine. Unfortunately.”
His dad chose that moment to try to buck Mase off him, which resulted in Mase shoving him into the truck again.
He leaned down into his dad’s face and growled at the prone man. “Don’t you ever touch my wife again.”
Ilona fanned herself and murmured, “Jesus. I need to find me a hockey player.”
We didn’t have to wait long for the police to show up thanks to one of the Queensguard ladies who’d been on the phone with 911 the whole time.
I thanked them for rushing to Taryn’s rescue with me, and the moment the police had dad in custody, I picked Taryn up and carried her to the ambulance parked behind my truck.
“I can walk,” she insisted. “And I still want to go to dinner.”
“I know,” I told her, setting her down gently between two paramedics. “You’ll get your margarita as soon as you get treated.”
I’d never been as scared in my entire life as when I’d heard her scream. One second, I’d been fending off Ilona, the next I was sprinting. I didn’t even remember making the choice to run.
Seeing Dad looming over Taryn with his hands on her, hurting her, I’d wanted to slaughter him. If he’d broken his neck against the truck, I wouldn’t have a single regret. I’d kill to defend Taryn in a heartbeat.
I was glad, though, it hadn’t gone that far. I’d never been fully sure of my ability to control my anger. An insidious voice always whispered what if… What if I couldn’t stop? What if I liked hurting people?
Now I knew the answer. I’d punched Kane last year, and I’d slammed my dad’s head into the ground. But I hadn’t enjoyed it.
The police came to ask us questions while the paramedics set Taryn’s dislocated wrist and gave her a brace.
They took down our information and assured us they were in contact with the group at Taryn’s house.
Dad was under arrest for assault, theft, and a slew of other charges related to the guy Mrs. Lipnicki had handled.
Portland wasn’t going to be too happy, but knowing their relationship, they’d probably send their best lawyers to defend him. They were going to lose. This time, Dad had gone too far, and he was going to pay for it with jail time.
Taryn refused to go to the hospital, as expected. The paramedics made her sign a form documenting her refusal, gave her some pain meds, and left to deal with Dad. She hopped off the back of the ambulance, rubbing her sore arm, and nodded at the ladies still waiting for us in the next lane.
“What do you think of them?”
I didn’t take my eyes off her. “You won’t have to worry about being attacked with them around.”
Taryn slid her arms around my waist, and I hugged her close. “I should have trusted my instincts. Two assaults in a row. Now I’ll never be able to compete without freaking out.”
I stroked her hair, acutely aware I’d failed at my job. “Yes, you will. If I have to duct tape myself to your side for every event, you’re going to keep competing. I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
She reared back. “This is not your fault. Mase, this is not your fault.”
The guilt refused to budge. I’d let her out of my sight for five minutes, and my dad had done exactly as I’d feared. If she hadn’t been able to scream for me, things would have been much worse.
Taryn pinched my chin with her non-injured hand and forced me to meet her gaze. “You asked me if I wanted you to come, and I said no. So you’d better share some of that blame with me. None of it matters though, because when I needed you, you were there. Just like I knew you would be.”
Her utter confidence in me made my chest ache with yearning. We’d decided to do the engagement thing for the benefit of Andrew, but I wanted it to be real. I wanted it all to be real. I’d fallen in love with her a while ago, but I was too scared to admit the truth.
I wasn’t scared anymore.
“I’ll always be there. I love you. You don’t have to say it back or even feel it, but I wanted you to know. I will never be my father. I will never hurt you, or Carrie, or Andrew. I decided a long time ago I didn’t want a family, then one fell in my lap. And I’ll never go back.”
Tears shimmered in her eyes. “I love you too, hot shot. Guess we’re in this for the long haul.”
I kissed her palm, then her lips. We still had some future problems looming, but we’d tackle them together.
Ilona shouted from behind my truck. “Are you two lovebirds done yet? I have enchiladas to eat.”
Taryn laughed against my mouth. “I’m going to accept their offer. It’ll probably make things more complicated, but I know we can handle it.”
With a grin, I scooped her into my arms again to meet up with the group. “I think I’m starting to like the challenge. Don’t tell Sunny. Or Andrew. Or hell, Hudson. And definitely not Reece…”
She sighed. “For a partial vampire, you have a lot of friends who cause trouble in the daytime.”
“Oh, I’m aware. Luckily, I’ve found a cure for my vampire ways.” I leaned down to kiss her neck. “You know I’m never letting you go, right?”
She pulled me down for a real kiss. “You better not, hot shot.”