24. Taylor
Chapter twenty-four
Taylor
Cici and I are sitting at the bar, bored.
I’m on my third cup of crappy coffee when the sound of two Harleys vibrates the building as they thunder up.
I’m off my stool in a flash, but Sleaze grabs my hand and holds me back.
“You don’t know who it is. Wait a damn minute.” He moves to the window and checks, then throws the bolt. “It’s them, darlin’.”
I race outside.
Player is off his bike and flinging his helmet across the ground when I slam into his body, desperately clutching him.
“I missed you so much,” I whisper.
His arms wrap tightly around me and lift me clear off the ground. When he sets me on my feet, he gives me a long, passionate kiss, then breaks off and cups my face, searching my eyes. “Got here as quick as I could. You okay?”
“Yes,” I reply, frowning, wondering what he means.
He takes my hand and moves my sleeve up, revealing the white bandage.
My head swivels to Cici who followed me out and is standing near Drae. She shakes her head, letting me know she didn’t tell Player.
“Let me see,” he says, and the expression on his face tells me he won’t take no for an answer.
I peel the tape off and lift the gauze. It’s healing, but it still looks red and gnarly.
The sound of his breath sucking between his teeth lifts my eyes to his face.
“I’m gonna kill that motherfucker.” His voice is a low, rough vibration that cuts through me. His eyes lock on my face. His jaw tightens into a murderous, rigid line.
“How did you know?” I whisper. I drop my eyes to the ground, my body quivering as the blistering heat of his body steps into my space and presses flush against mine.
“Zayden texted. You and Cici were in his shop looking to cover a bad burn with a tattoo. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to when you got home.”
He tips my chin up, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. “Tell me his name.”
I swallow, dreading telling him about the man.
“I already know, Tay. Talked to your sister, Kayla. I just need you to confirm it.”
“You talked to Kayla? When?”
“After I heard from Zayden. Figured she might tell me more than you. Figured you would hold back on the full extent of the story.”
“So, you already know.”
“Say his name. I want to hear it from your lips,” he growls, his voice dropping a lethal octave to a dark, raspy demand I can’t ignore.
“Randall Cunningham.” I suddenly realize he and Drae are the only two here. “Where is the rest of the club?”
“Drae and I hauled ass. They’re comin’ behind us. Probably be here before the end of the day.”
My hands move instinctively, my palms flattening against his waist, feeling the rough leather of his cut. I slip them underneath and press them to his t-shirt. I can feel his hard muscles. His body vibrates with the tension rolling off him. “You came for me? That’s what this lockdown was about?”
His arm locks around the small of my back, hauling me against his hard body. The scorching heat of him pressed flush against my front is dizzying.
“It was about keeping you safe. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my woman.” He leans closer, brushing my ear with his mouth. “I’m going to find him, Tay. And when I do, the last thing he’s ever going to see is what happens when someone touches what belongs to me.”
I’m frozen in place. I believe every word.
“Come on.” He takes my hand and leads me inside. He doesn’t stop at the bar, moving until we’re in his room and he’s locked the door behind him.
Player closes the distance between us. “We’ve got a lot to talk about, but right now, all I can think about is fucking you.”
He cups my face and kisses me again, his tongue chasing mine.
It’s a kiss that fires my desire and makes me wet.
Finally, pulling back, he strokes his thumb over my lip, and his eyes drop to my chest. “Show me your tits, pretty baby.”
I don’t hesitate, tugging my shirt up.
“Goddamn, sweetheart. Do you know how gorgeous you are? I want to fuck you, but I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.”
He bends me over the end of the bed and tugs my pants and panties down with a jerk, frantic for me now. I hear his zipper, and the head of his cock circles the entrance to my pussy. “Goddamn. You’re good and wet, and I’m about to explode.”
“Take me,” I pant, and he thrusts into me, his warm palm moves up my spine.
“There’s my girl. So hot and ready for me.”
He moves slowly, dragging each stroke out until I need more and push against him.
He grabs my hips, his fingers digging in and holding me immobile. With every stroke, he hits that magic spot that has me writhing and bucking against him, needing more.
His fingers come around my hip and dive between my legs. He works my clit, knowing just the right amount of pressure and speed. That combined with what his dick is doing to my g-spot, I’m barreling toward an orgasm.
“Oh God. Yes. Yes.”
His fingers ramp up their speed, and I fly over the edge into ecstasy, using the cushions to muffle my screams.
I fall back to earth, panting, all my nerve endings super sensitive from the orgasms that just rocked my world. I can feel the wetness coating him as he still slides in and out of me.
He pulls me up, so my back is pressed to his chest. It changes the angle, making it even more intense on my g-spot. I moan and wiggle.
Ripping my shirt over my head and jerking my bra down, Player cups my breasts, his thumbs strumming my engorged and sensitive nipples.
It feels so damn good. His arms lock around my ribs, pinning me, and then he picks up his pace until he’s ramming into me, our skin slapping together.
Player curls forward and bites my shoulder. I moan and come hard. He grunts, and with three strokes, he’s right behind me.
I drag in a ragged breath, feeling like I could sink to the floor, but his strong arms keep me on my feet.
He kisses my temple. “Goddamn, baby. That was good.”
“So good.”
He turns me to face him and strokes my hair from my face. “You get that anything I do, I do to keep you safe and protected, right?”
I nod. If there’s one thing I know about him, it’s that.
We strip and crawl into bed, and I snuggle against his hot skin.
Exhaustion is clear in the lines around his eyes.
“Rest, baby,” I whisper, and soon he drifts to sleep.
I cuddle close and follow him.
Hours later, I wake to find Player’s fingers stroking my arm absently as he stares at the ceiling. I’m pressed to his side, his warmth seeping into my skin. I feel safe and at peace in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. We’ve spent all day in bed together, and now darkness is falling.
“Why didn’t you tell me about him?” His voice is low.
The words catch in my throat, and he turns to capture my eyes.
“Tay, I’d do anything for you. I wish you felt you didn’t have to hide shit like this from me.”
“I wanted it to be over with him. I wanted it to be my past. I wish I’d never met him. I just wanted to leave all that behind me.”
“’Well, it didn’t stay there, and now I’m going to deal with him.”
“How?”
“He’s a dead man walking, babe.”
“You can’t kill him. I don’t want you to risk going to prison over scum like him. He’s not worth it.”
“Taylor, don’t you get it? It’s not him. It’s you. You’re the one who is worth it. You’re worth everything. I will keep you safe. I will not let that man continue to breathe the fucking air after what he did to you.”
“Please, Player. Promise me you won’t commit murder for me.”
“Don’t fucking ask that of me, Tay. I can’t give you that, and if you knew me at all, you’d know that.”
He swings his legs over the side of the bed, and I sit up in a panic and press myself to his back, my arms wrapping around him. “Don’t go. Please. I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight.”
He squeezes my hand. “I don’t want to fight either.” He kisses my knuckles, and the sound of motorcycles carries to us through the window.
“That’ll be Gage and the club. I’ve gotta talk to them.” He stands and slips into his jeans.
“Talk to them about me? About Randall?”
My phone on the nightstand vibrates with a text before he can answer.
Player picks it up and reads it, then shows me.
RANDALL: I picked up a load of Power Life Batteries to deliver to Richmond.
You should see this trailer. It’s painted up just like the company’s NASCAR racecar.
All neon green and black. Looks cool as hell with my black and silver rig.
See you in a couple of days. You better be there when I get back.
There’s a selfie of him and the trailer.
Player takes my phone and types a response from me.
TAYLOR: Where are you now?
RANDALL: Cincinnati
Player sends the photo to his own phone, then finishes dressing.
“What are you going to do?” Now he knows where Randall is, and I’m afraid Player is going to do something that leads him down a road there’s no turning back from.
He turns and cups a palm to my cheek. “Gotta go talk to the club. Wait here. Get some sleep. I won’t be long.”
After he leaves, I sink into the covers, my mind a whirl. It feels like everything is spinning out of control.