Page 74 of Dismantle & Prevail
“Fuck. I think I just fell more in love with you. Boone, help!” Indy says, dramatically slumping into the table.
“Rather not. But I think we can do better than a knife to the dick. I’d prefer slow dismemberment,” Boone says nonchalantly before turning his attention to me as Indy and Zoro murmur in agreement. “Prez? What do you think?”
“I don’t care, but I will get the first crack. He–He killed my daughter. He burned my entire world to the ground, just like I burned his pretty little operation. I want him to suffer, so when he finally gets to the gates of hell, the devil‘s torture will seem like child’s play.”
“Understood. Now what did you see?” Indy asks.
“Taylor and I were watching footage from the party. We knew everyone on that guest list because Taylor had pulled it the night before and I didn’t recognize a single name. So when I saw his face, I thought I was seeing things, but then he turned and I saw that damn tattoo.”
Indy furrows his brows and looks around the room. “What tattoo?”
“Clay has a tattoo that most will not notice with the naked eye, but if you are looking at him from the right angle, or a security camera, you can see it. It's a small smiley face with x’s for eyes, nestled right on the top of his head. His hair is normally buzzed down to the skin, so if it’s even grown out by a quarter inch, it’s hard to see. It was one of the first things we noticed when we were reviewing camera footage from the house he kept Raynie in,” Boone explains.
Indy and Zoro nod in understanding before looking to me.
Leaning back in my chair, I clasp my hands and rest my elbows on the armrests. “Since we won’t have Taylor, we will need to rope in Tombstone so we can get facial recognition going on every street corner in the US and Canada. If he is spotted, I want feet on the ground and in the area a—.”
“What’s going on here?”
Our heads snap up and see a very pissed off Taylor standing in the doorway. Judging by the daggers she is throwing at me through her darkened green eyes, I can tell this isn’t going to go well for me.
Standing from my chair, I motion for the guys to remain in their places and turn my attention to Taylor.
“Hellhound. Everything is fine. I will meet up with you in a little while. We can watch a movie or you can kick my ass at Mario Kart again,” I say, keeping my voice calm and lighthearted.
Biting the inside of her cheek, she moves to the end of the table, her hands propping her up as she leans forward. “Don’t lie to me, Aries. We may have just started this relationship, but I’ve known you for a while. And I know when you are keeping things from me. So tell me what the hell is going on or I swear to—”
“Nothing is going on that I need your assistance with.” The second the words leave my mouth, I instantly regret them with the glare she sends me.
“Nothing going on? Or nothing that you are willing to tell me because you don’t trust me?” Taylor asks, her voice cold and void of any emotion.
Tilting my head to the ceiling, I let out a sigh. “Taylor Sloane Morgan. I have told you time and time again that you are an asset to this team. We wouldn’t be Braveheart without you. You go on every mission and help lead the team in ways that none of us could ever come close to. It’s just—”
Standing, Taylor raises her hands in surrender and backs up. “It’s just that I am not needed on missions regarding the man that says he loves me. The missions where trust and confidence are needed most, I just don’t fit the criteria.”
Taylor’s words hit me like a ton of bricks as she spins on her heel and leaves the room, slamming the door shut behind her.
Silence fills the room and I instantly regret not including her.
I knew I was taking a risk not telling her, but the fear of something happening to her outweighed everything.
I see now that was a grave mistake, and I know exactly what I have to do. Because I’ll be damned if I let ego or fear stand in the way of having a chance with a woman like her.
Taylor
The cool flooring of the gym sends a shiver up my spine, but I pay it no attention.
Heading straight for the table in the corner of the room, I begin taping my wrists, anger coursing through me at rapid speed.
Ari, the man that I trust with every ounce of my body, can’t find it in his heart to let me be there for him when he needs me the most.
For the second time, I’m being shut out when all I want to do is take a step inside and experience the unexpected love that Aries Clark claims to hold in his brave heart for me.
Slipping on my gloves, I tighten the strap around my wrist and move to the punching bag hanging in the middle of the room.
As soon as my fist hits the bag, anger rises to the forefront of my mind, causing my punches to follow in rapid succession.
How could he? How could he constantly show me that I am the girl he has been waiting his entire life for, only to keep me locked out as something dark wades in the shallow waters behind his eyes?
