Page 110 of Dismantle & Prevail

She’s been hanging out with Tucker too much.

Rayne squirms in my arms, and I let her go. The second I do, I am being lifted off the ground and wrapped in Aries’ warm embrace.

The crowd erupts in applause and I hide my face in Aries’ shoulder.

“Mama! Daddy! Cake time please. I’m starvinggggg!!” Rayne begs.

Ari and I both laugh and he sets me down on my feet. Together we make our way to the bar where Boone is lighting a big purple, pink, blue, and gold sheet cake littered with every color sprinkle.

Rayne hops up on a stool and holds her hand out towards me as the crowd sings “Happy Birthday.” And together, with my favorite girl in the world, we blow out the candles. Saying hello to what I know will be the best year of my life.

Sitting on the porch, the sun sets in the distance and I wait for Ari to finish putting the birthday girl to bed.

Today has been incredible.

I place my cool drink down on the concrete and stare at my ring. I have a fiancé and a daughter. Aries Clark, the man I once thought hated me, is the man I get to spend the rest of my life with.

What a twisted turn of events.

“Tay?”

Glancing over my shoulder, I see Boone in the doorway. “Come with me please, birthday girl.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond before turning around and making his way back inside.

What the hell?

Quickly, I grab my drink and scramble to my feet and go in search of Boone. He stops outside the door to The Bastille and holds his hand out.

Hesitantly, I place my drink in his hand and make my way down the dark stairway.

Just as I reach the last step, I call out, “If this is some birthday scare prank, know I am not responsible if you end up in Doc’s office.”

Just as my foot hits the concrete leading to the door of the main torture chamber, Ari steps out of the shadows.

Jumping backwards, I flip him off. “What the hell, Ace?!!”

A devious grin spreads across his face, and he holds out his hand. My knife sits in the center of his palm. “Ready for your last birthday present?”

Taking the knife, I stare at him, confused. Ari unlocks the door and gestures for me to head inside.

The air is cooler and the moment I see who is strapped to a chair in the center of the room; I glance back at Aries.

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, he nods towards the soon to be dead man. “Figured you might want a little taste of revenge? Why not do it with the man who started it all?”

My fingers spin the knife in my hand and I turn back to face the man, who looks like he is about to piss himself.

Taking a step closer to him, I kick him in the balls, eliciting a groan from him. “Fancy meeting you here.”

He bucks against the chair, and I punch him in the face. “No need to protest. I do have one simple question for you, though.”

Spinning my knife in my hand once more, I grip the handle and glance back at Ari, who is staring at me with a heated gaze.

My eyes make an obvious track down his body and when my gaze locks with his, I wink at him, my hand swiping behind me.

Glancing down at the man who sold me for the sake of making a dime, I shrug at his lifeless body, blood flowing from his neck.

Turning back to Ari, I skip towards him, dropping the knife somewhere along the way, and jump into his outstretched arms.

Hugging me tightly to his chest, I wrap my arms around his neck and stare down at him. “Oops. I forgot to ask him the question.”

THE END