Page 78 of Dismantle & Prevail
Boone chuckles under his breath, but I pay him no attention and continue. “You are to protect Taylor with everything you have. Do not let her get hurt. If even a speck of her blood spills, you’re done.”
Taylor throws daggers at me through her darkening green eyes, and I know she is biting her tongue not to say something.
Sorry Hellhound. I will do anything to keep you safe.
Tucker and Tombstone look at each other and nod. “We will protect her with our life, Prez. You have our word,” Tucker says, his voice even and calm, void of his usual humor and sarcasm.
Taylor smiles shyly, “Thanks guys.” Tucker and Tombstone return the gesture.
They both smile, everyone’s attention coming back to me.
Leaning back in my chair, I stare at the screen, which is still projecting an image of Clay from the masquerade ball.
“The man on the screen is Clay Rogers. But he often goes by multiple different aliases. He has perfected the art of being anyone he wants to be.”
Tombstone’s brows furrow in confusion. “Why does that name sound familiar?”
Boone, Indy, and Zoro’s heads snap to me, a look of sympathy written all over their faces.
I let out a sigh, trying to find the strength to say what I need to say, when movement catches my attention.
Taylor reaches her hand toward mine, taking it in hers, and squeezes slightly. Smiling, she sticks her tongue out and brushes her foot against my leg, sending tingles up my spine.
The nerves and sadness slightly disappear and I use the strength my girl has given me to explain.
“Clay is the reason Raynie is no longer with us. Tana, who is Rayne’s mother, got involved in his drug empire. I still have no answers as to why. I assume she pissed him off, and he took his revenge on my little girl.”
My voice hitches and Taylor shifts in her chair, squeezing my hand tighter.
Unable to look at her due to the fear of completely breaking down, I steel my spine and continue. “His name was on the deed to the house Rayne died in. Since he was nowhere in sight for me to rip him to shreds, Team Blackbird, Boone, and I burnt his entire operation to the ground. We have searched for years, but it’s like he became a damn ghost. Until now.”
The room falls under an uncomfortable silence.
Glancing down at the table, I absentmindedly run my thumb over Taylor’s hand.
I’m going to kill him. I need to kill him.
He took my innocent daughter away from a world where she was nothing short of the most loved little girl on the planet.
It’s only now that he has reappeared, I get to be the one that ends his sorry excuse for a life.
Boone is often the one who deals out cruel and deserved punishment, but I’d be lying if I said my hands didn’t ache to rip him apart, limb by limb. So slowly and painfully, he will wish he would have died in that fire.
“What’s the plan, Prez?” Tucker asks, his low tone cutting through the silence.
Giving Taylor’s hand one last squeeze, I turn my attention to the group and stand.
“It’s simple. Find him. Whatever means necessary. I want facial recognition running on every street corner in the US and Canada. If he so much as walks into a dive bar, I want to know within the hour. We have a lot of connections in this city and all over the world. Reach out and see what we can dig up.”
Everyone nods and I watch Taylor's fingers flex towards the computer as if it’s killing her not to start right this second.
“We want to find him fast, but that doesn’t mean anything if he finds us first. Now I didn’t see him until we were at the hotel, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t see me. Security needs to be increased by one hundred percent around the entire compound, and no one goes out alone. Understood?”
In unison, a chorus of, “Understood,” echoes throughout The Heart.
“Good. We will reconvene tomorrow morning. Get some rest. You’re all going to need it.” I give a curt nod and everyone stands.
Taylor moves to my side as everyone begins to file out the room. Boone stops just short of the door, glaring up at the photo of Clay before turning his attention back to me.
