Page 29

Aries

Taylor sits to my right, her fingers tracing the small rabbit’s ear tattoo on the top of my hand.

After apologizing profusely until Taylor shut me up with her soft lips on mine, we took a shower, then came to The Heart.

As much as I hate that she is once again being roped into my mess, I know I am better with her by my side, even if it scares the hell out of me.

I watch in awe as she traces every line of the tattoo that represents my sweet girl. Taylor knows exactly how to make me feel like she just punched me in the gut while also giving me the best hug of my life.

And with the smile on her face and starry-eyed look in those gorgeous green eyes, I know this girl could ask me for the moon and I’d hijack a damn spaceship just to get it for her.

As if she can feel my stare, she looks up; her smile growing wider.

Damn, I love her.

Simultaneously we lean in, our lips inches from each other when the door flies open with a thud, stealing our attention away.

“Don’t stop on my account, lovebirds,” Indy says, falling into his seat and waggling his eyebrows at us.

Boone, Zoro, Tombstone, and Tucker file in and shut the door behind them.

Boone moves to Taylor’s side of the table. He ruffles the hair atop her head before taking a seat next to her. “You’re in my seat, Tay. You’re lucky I love you or I’d kick your ass to the end of the table,” he says, chuckling and giving me a smirk over her head.

Tucker falls back in his chair, the wheels squeaking against the floor. “Wow. Playing favoritism right in front of me? If I did that, you’d dump my ass on the floor, then laugh.”

“Yep,” Boone says, dismissing Tuck before turning his attention back to me. “So Prez. Want to tell us why you called this emergency meeting?”

“Yeah Prez. I was right in the middle of kicking Zoro’s ass at Call of Duty,” Tombstone complains.

My mouth opens to tell him to cut the complaining, but Taylor beats me to it.

“Hey. Did you or did you not say you want me to train you to be my right-hand man?”

Tombstone perks up in his seat, his eyes going wide with intrigue. “Yes. Absolutely.”

“That’s what I thought. If you want that, I don’t want to hear a damn word out of your mouth whining about not being able to play your stupid video game. Got it?”

Taylor’s eyes subtly shift to me, a look of hesitancy and fear that she overstepped evident on her face.

Reaching under the table, I squeeze her knee resting against mine and nod.

Tombstone nods rapidly. “Of course, Tay. Sorry.” His gaze shifts to mine. “Sorry Prez. Won't happen again.”

“No worries, Tomb.” Looking around the room, I ask, “Anyone else have any grievances they need to express before I tell you why you are all here?”

“No,” everyone says, collectively. Their attention now locked on me.

Pushing Taylor’s laptop towards her, I reach into the middle of the table and plug it in; her screen projecting on the wall behind Taylor and Boone.

“The reason I brought you all here is because you are the best of the best for various different reasons. Most of you know why, but I know some are curious.” I pause, turning my attention to Tucker and Tombstone. “It's very hard for me to trust someone, so when I say this, know that I mean it. If you fuck this up, your ass will be mine and you will be out of here faster than you can say a damn word.”

A swift kick to my shin from under the table has me wincing. Taylor glares at me, and I know I will be paying for that later.

We came to a compromise. I agreed to bring her into this mess, but only if she allowed me to assign her the utmost protection, even if she believes she doesn’t need it.

She only gave in once I agreed to let her pick the people, but I guess my delivery wasn’t acceptable.

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.

“What about the other issue at hand?” he asks, a pensive look on his face.

My disappearance. The masked man that still haunts my nightmares.

Winding my arm around Taylor’s waist, I pull her tightly to my side. “Nothing is more important than finding him. We may never get a chance like this again.”

Boone nods, glances at the photo once more, and a devious smile spreads across his face. “His blood will spill and he will regret the day he messed with a Clark.”

His words are like venom and ice mixed into one, sending a chill up mine and Taylor’s spine.

As he walks out the room, Taylor rises to her tiptoes and whispers, “Why is he so damn creepy sometimes?”

A chuckle escapes me, and I hug her to my chest. “He may be creepy, but vengeance is a dish best served with revenge.”

Her eyes light up, a smile matching Boone’s splaying across her beautiful face. “It truly is.”