Page 74 of Caruso

She sighs, her hands clasping the water glass as she whispers, “He is older than me—I kind of make a habit of that, I guess.”

My mouth twitches, but I remain impassive, and she shrugs. “We used to meet behind the barn in Scooter Barlow’s field. He taught me how to fight; I owe him a lot for that. It helped get me out of difficult situationsand gave me the confidence to defend myself should the need arise.”

“He taught you well.”

I’ll credit him that because it’s a given that Taylor has the ability to defend herself to the point of murder.

I’m curious about her attitude to that; she appears so cold, indifferent even.

“I told Jason everything. About my mom, stepfather and what happened there.”

“What happened there?” I close my eyes to calm my rage because picturing Taylor in that environment is not sitting well with me.

“The other kids had no time for me. I wasn’t able to keep up with the latest fashions, parties on birthdays, clubs, etc. I was left to my own devices most of the time and was merely the scruffy kid from the rough side of town. Nobody wanted me as their friend.” She sighs. “Until Jason.”

“Why did he take an interest in you?”

“I don’t know. He felt sorry for me, I guess, and he was as much an outcast as I was. His father was a drunk and used to beat the shit out of him most days. When Jason learned to fight back, the beatings stopped, and verbal abuse took over. That’s why he taught me, I guess. So the beatings would stop, and to a degree they did.”

I clench my fist, wishing like hell Carl Bridge were still alive so I could kill him again in a far more long drawn out and painful way.

“We never spoke much, just fought really, but I appreciated his interest, and I suppose I built it up to befar greater than it was. When he wasn’t there anymore, it was even more obvious that I had nobody. Mom was dead, Jason was referred to as dead and all I had to look forward to was taking Mom’s place in Carl’s bed.”

“So you ran.”

“Wouldn’t you?”

I nod, wondering why it took her so long.

“Anyway–” She sighs. “I made it out eventually, and until I met you, I was still running from that life. It appears that I attract trouble.”

“In what way?”

“Men mainly.”

My blood starts to boil.

“I’ve worked at many jobs over the past four years in Vegas. Bars, shops and stores, other housekeeping jobs. I was even a receptionist at a tattoo shop. They all ended the same way.”

“Which way?”

“The boss would hit on me or one of the senior staff. They would attempt to force me down a more lucrative path—for them, anyway. Most of them wanted extra favors as if it were their right because they paid my wages. They couldn’t understand why I said no.”

“And then you met us, and we forced you down the same path.”

I remind her what this is, and she shrugs. “It’s different.”

“How?”

“Because I want to be here, and I wanted Matteo to be the one to take my virginity.”

I swear my vision blurs as I imagine his hands on her and she sighs. “You should know I slept with Giorgio too.”

“Slept?” I raise my eyes, and she giggles.

“Sex then. It happened yesterday, and I’m not apologizing for that. I’m not ashamed, and I told Matteo as soon as I could.”

“I’m not judging you, princess. You make your own choices in life and must live with the consequences of them.”