Page 20

Aries

“Hellhound?”

I glance around the common room in search of Taylor, but she is nowhere to be found.

New Year’s passed by in almost a blur, both of us choosing to spend the night watching older Disney movies and taking a break from the madness. We have been at each other's side since, but for the past few days, she’s been quiet.

To anyone else, it wouldn’t be a concern, but to me, I know something is wrong, or she is up to something.

My head has not stopped imagining every infinity with her since our lips met. She is concerned and has dozens of fears, which are one hundred percent valid. Does that mean I’m going to stop chasing her? Hell no. Women like Taylor deserve to have men falling at their feet and begging for a mere glance.

Actually, no they don’t. Because no matter how much I say she has the choice and could run off with some goon, I don’t mean it. Taylor Sloane Morgan is meant to be mine and if she has to talk to every man on the goddamn planet to see that, so be it.

But the moment she gives me a millimeter of a chance to prove that our story is meant to be written beyond the stars, she better look out because I’ll be sprinting to dismantle and prevail through those walls she has so carefully constructed.

Indy walks into the common room pushing a cart full of game night supplies, Zoro trailing behind him.

“Prez. You looking for Tay?”

“Yeah. You know where she’s at?”

Indy glances behind him at Zoro and then back to me. A look passes between them and something tells me they know something, and I’m about to go from content to pissed off.

“She’s locked herself in The Heart. Says she is working on a case and doesn’t want to be disturbed, but I didn’t believe her. I tried to get a look, but she shooed me away and said she was skipping game night,” Indy explains, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Interesting .

“Thanks. And she will be at game night. You have all been busting your asses on back-to-back missions since Christmas. Hell, most of you skipped New Year’s. Hopefully, I’ll be back soon, but until then, everyone is coming to game night. Especially that stubborn brat.”

Zoro chuckles and shakes his head as he places a cigarette in his mouth. “Oh, this is going to be a fun night. Good luck, Prez.”

I make my way through the Clubhouse, on a direct path to Taylor. Whatever she is working on can wait. Everyone needs a break, especially Taylor. She has been busting her sweet ass for weeks nonstop.

Stopping in front of the doors of The Heart, I glance through the rectangular glass panes that span from top to bottom of the wooden door.

Zoro and Indy weren’t kidding. Taylor is sitting at the table, in my chair—an issue to address at another time, engrossed in her laptop.

Her long dark hair is up in a ponytail, curled tendrils falling in her face. Taylor rolls her eyes at something on the computer, her head falling into her hand that is resting on the table.

Suddenly, Taylor’s head snaps up and I think it's because she sees me and I’m about to get an earful for spying on her, but she doesn’t even look towards the door.

Taylor rises from her chair, pulling an oversized Braveheart hoodie over her head. The hoodie gets tangled in her hair; the struggle causes her graphic tee to raise, exposing her stomach lined with vines and roses.

My body stiffens, and I move my head from side to side, cracking my neck.

My teeth grit and I ache to feel her skin against mine.

Finally, she frees herself and tosses the hoodie on the chair opposite of her before returning to her chair— my chair.

As if my control wasn’t seconds from snapping, I catch sight of Taylor’s now messy hair. It looks as if someone ran their hands through it for the sake of desire with an utter need to devour her soft lips.

Cracking my neck again, I glance toward the ceiling, thinking about anything but Taylor‘s skin touching mine. Taylor’s lips against mine.

The images run rampant in my head and my cock hardens in my jeans.

Dammit. I can’t go in there and tell her to get her ass to the common room with a damn hard on.

I force myself to think about anything other than the tattooed beauty and walk the length of the hallway before twisting the door handle to the Heart.

Except I don’t make it far because the little brat locked the door.

Not bothering to knock, I free the set of keys from the chain connected to my jeans.

I move slowly so she doesn’t hear me, but I’m caught the moment I step foot inside. Her head pops up with a look of annoyance on her face as I shut the door.

I don’t approach her, instead I lean forward, my hands propping me up on the table.

“Whatcha up to, Hellhound?”

Taylor glances back and forth between her laptop before leaning back in my chair, her arms crossing over her chest. “Working. I thought I sent the memo that I wanted to be left alone tonight?”

Tilting my head to the side, I don’t allow her to escape my gaze. “I heard, but I didn’t accept that answer, so I came to find you and drag your ass to game night.”

She lets out a sigh and shakes her head. “I’m skipping tonight. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.”

Rising to stand, I slowly make my way towards her. Taylor’s eyes follow my every move. “Like I said, I don’t accept that answer. You know you have the upper hand when it comes to me, but not on this, Hellhound. You have been busting your ass with back-to-back cases, helping me escape my nightmares, and helping Reagan study for her exams.”

“How the hell do you know that?” she scoffs.

I stop at the seat that holds her sweater and lean against the high back of the leather rolling chair. “I know everything that goes on inside this compound when it comes to you, Taylor.”

She shakes her head and smirks before straightening and turning her attention back to her computer. “Careful there, Ace. You are starting to sound obsessed with little ol’ me.”

“I am and I don’t give a fuck who knows it. I’m just waiting for you to kick my ass to the curb, or realize you are just as obsessed with me as I am with you.”

“Hmm. Cocky and obsessed. A wonderful combination.”

“Only for you, Hellhound.”

She pays me no attention as her fingers fly against her keyboard.

This girl is going to make me drag her out of here at this rate.

In a flash, I step behind her, my hand moving to shut the laptop, but I freeze when I see her screen.

Immediately her body tenses and she moves to close her laptop, but I stop her with a hand on her wrist.

“What are you doing, Taylor?” I ask, trying to hide the anger and fear rising in my chest.

Her green eyes stare up at me as she says, “I’m not one to lie. It’s exactly what it looks like.”

My teeth grind and I turn her to face me, causing her to crank her head back to look at me. My hand reaches out, and to my surprise, she places her hand into mine. “Butterfly. I appreciate it, but you don’t need to do this.”

“Why the hell not?” Taylor rips her hand out of mine and spins back around, immediately clicking through multiple screens on her computer.

“Do you not see this, Ace? Do you not see how close I am to finding a piece of this giant puzzle?”

“I do, but you need to stop.”

Taylor's face morphs into anger, and I can’t help but glance at the computer.

Multiple windows are up, all displaying different angles of the house that was my unwanted home for months. Next to it, news articles of the fire that we set shortly after we left, and some type of legal preceding that I cannot decipher.

Fear laces around my heart and my nightmares of Taylor being taken from me by the masked devil flash in my head.

She is already too close to this and if she digs too far and it somehow triggers a reaction from the masked man and their crew, I can only imagine he will come out of hiding and make good on his promise.

Spinning her chair back around, I crouch down and stare up at her, my hands resting on her butterfly covered legs. “Butterfly, please. Whoever is behind this isn’t one to mess with. I am not one to run away when someone threatens everything I love, but until we know for sure who this is, we need to play it safe.”

Her shoulders fall slightly and she sighs. “I know, but we cannot be too cautious until we know. And I’m so close. I can feel it.”

“And I appreciate that. You know how I feel about your skills. We wouldn’t be here without you, but this is different. He threatened you and it would fucking kill me if something happened to you because of me.”

Her eyes soften, and she leans forward, taking me by surprise. “You know, if you spent half the time getting that head of yours screwed on straight instead of worrying about me, you’d be a lot happier.”

My hand inches slightly higher up her leg and Taylor’s breath hitches. “You know, if you spent half the time just accepting the fact that you’re mine, instead of getting lost in your head, you’d be a lot happier.”

A laugh escapes her, and she pushes me away. “Go on, Prez. Aren’t you supposed to be hosting game night?”

Standing, I reach around her and close her laptop.

“Hey! You can’t just come in here and demand I stop working just because you said so. Last time I checked, I don’t have to listen to your old ass.”

Defiance shines bright on her face as she crosses her arms over her chest.

This damn girl is going to be hell on wheels, but a fucking adventure.

Taylor turns to open her computer, but I stop her. My hands go to her waist and I toss her over my shoulder.

“What the hell, Aries! What happened to I’m in control here and I can make my own decisions?”

Her hands beat on my back, and I make my way towards the door.

“You can, but when I say you need a day off to protect that beautiful mind of yours, I mean it.”

Taylor twists and turns, trying to free herself from my hold.

Smack .

The sound of my hand smacking against her ass echoes through the Heart, followed by Taylor’s gasp.

“Ace.”

I can’t help but stare at my handprint on her gorgeous skin.

Fuck .

She squirms once more, and the movement goes straight to my cock.

Not now Aries.

And because I can’t help myself, I smack her ass once more and adjust her biker shorts that are riding up so high her entire cheek is exposed.

“Ace. Put me down.” Taylor’s breathless voice causes me to pause and for a second I contemplate saying fuck all the boundaries and taking it slow and throwing her on the table, fucking her into oblivion.

But I don’t. Taylor deserves this to be done right and on her own accord.

“Not a chance, Hellhound. I need a partner for game night. Boone convinced Rocky to be his partner and I will not lose to those fuckers.”

“Ugh.”

I don’t hide the chuckle that escapes me and walk out of the room.

Soon Butterfly. I can feel it. Soon you will be all mine.