Page 37

Aries

I watch in silence as Tana sits across from Taylor, who is glaring daggers at her.

No one says a word and judging by the look on Tana’s face, I can tell she is anxious as hell to get out of here.

Too bad the only way she is getting out of here is from the backseat of a cop car to spend the rest of her pathetic life in prison.

I tear my gaze away from them for a brief second to check on Rayne, who is passed out in my bed. Despite Zoro and Indy sitting on opposite sides of her, I still had Taylor set up a camera, so I could keep an eye on her.

I just got my baby girl back and I refuse to let her out of my sight for even a second.

After spending hours playing games and watching Rayne and Taylor consume their weight in ice cream, Rayne passed out on the game room couch.

I didn’t want to leave her, but knowing Tana and Clay were both under my roof forced my hand.

The second I got my hands on Clay, I refused to let go. Thankfully, I had my team behind me to help us get out of the burning building. I have no clue how the fire started, but if I was a betting man, I suspect Clay started it as a diversion.

The moment the explosion blew the roof off, my heart sank. The only thing running through my head as I beat Clay within an inch of his life was Rayne. Had I messed up? Did she get out? Was she even there to begin with?

Boone must have seen something on my face and the second Clay passed out, he tied him up and sent me looking for Rayne.

I swore for a moment I was imagining her until Taylor’s light green eyes met mine. And just like that, everything faded away. All that was left was my girls.

And now all that is standing in the way is getting rid of this vile piece of garbage sitting a few feet away. For the rest of my life, I will never forget the terrified look on my daughter's face at the mention of seeing the woman who is supposed to be her protector.

Guilt eats me alive and I know that no matter how much time passes, I will always feel a sense of blame for Rayne seeing that much evil in her early years.

Not allowing myself to go down that dark tunnel, I focus on Taylor, who is staring at Tana, unwavering, her face full of malice.

Footsteps sound behind me and I see Tombstone walking towards me, his phone in hand. “Dylan is here. Do you want to meet him outside or have him come get her?”

Dylan is the chief of police at the local police department. Once we established a home base here, Landon quickly convinced him to be an ally rather than a roadblock. He was a big reason we could get away from the warehouse fire without a million questions.

“You can walk her out. I don’t even want her breathing the same air as my little girl anymore.” My words are meant for Tombstone, but I direct them towards Tana.

Tombstone steps around me and Taylor rises from her seat, making her way around the table to stand in front of Tana.

Turning Tana’s chair to face her, she leans down, balancing one arm on the cushioned armrest, while her injured arm is secured against her torso.

“Um. Prez. Tay has that look on her,” Tombstone whispers as I place my hand on his arm, stopping him from entering the room fully.

I simply shake my head, glance down at Rayne, then back to Taylor.

Taylor leans forward with a wicked smile on her face, causing Tana to tug on the ropes that are restraining her to the chair.

“You’re lucky that Aries has a conscience and didn’t kill you on the spot. Because if it were up to me, you would be drowning in a pool of your own blood.” Her voice is low and to anyone else, it would terrify them, but to me, it only makes me love her more.

And turns you on.

“Get out of my face, you stupid bitch. You don’t know what you’re talking about! You don’t know my life. I had no choice!” Tana exclaims.

Taylor shakes her head, a chuckle escaping her. “That’s where you’re wrong. I know exactly who you are. You are a pathetic human who traded her daughter’s happiness for some pills.” Tana’s teeth grit, but Taylor doesn’t stop. “Was the high worth it? Was the look of constant sadness on your little girl's face worth it? Was selling yourself to the devil and dragging an innocent child along for the ride worth it?”

As the last words leave Taylor’s mouth, she is almost yelling.

To the rest of the world, Taylor is speaking to Tana on behalf of Rayne. To me, she is speaking on behalf of not only Rayne, but herself and all the other kids that were subjected to a life full of turmoil at the cost of their parents' selfish decisions.

This is Taylor finally getting vengeance on the woman that did the same to her.

“Shut up, you dumb bitch!”

Tana leans her head back and I think she is about to headbutt Taylor, but she doesn’t. Instead, spit flies out her mouth, landing right on Taylor’s face.

This fucking bitch.

Everything in me wants to change my mind and allow the guys to put an end to this woman, but I can’t. I refuse to do that to Raynie.

Taylor’s maniacal chuckle echoes through the room and it sends a shiver up my spine and judging by Tombstone rolling his shoulders, I suspect it does the same to him.

Taylor doesn’t move to wipe the spit dripping down her face. “Oh, you sweet, sweet idiot. Rayne is so lucky to never have to see you again. I promise you, you are the worst thing that ever happened to her. Soon you will be a distant memory fading away behind a wall filled with love, happiness, and a lifetime of laughter. Now get the hell out of here.”

Taylor stands, wavering slightly, but her gaze never leaves Tana’s. I glance down at the camera to check on Rayne again.

Suddenly a crack sounds throughout The Heart, followed by a pained cry. My head snaps up and I see Taylor cracking her wrist.

My gaze shifts to Tana and I see blood streaming down her face and her nose sideways.

“Oops. My hand slipped. Stupid sling made me lose my balance.” Sarcasm laces Taylor’s voice, and I hold back a chuckle.

Tombstone snorts and Tana cries, “You fucking bitch! You broke my nose!”

Taylor shakes off her bloodied hand, then wipes at the spit which is now on her neck. I watch in awe as she smears the spit covered hand mixed with the remnants of Tana’s blood onto Tana’s face. Tana continues to cry and Taylor simply shrugs. “That sucks. I think I fixed your face a little, though. Call it a trash facial. Key ingredients, bodily fluid from pieces of shit like you.”

She wipes her hand clean on Tana’s pant leg and smiles. “Have fun in prison, scumbag. You’ll need all the luck in the world to convince people to take you in with that fucked up face.”

Taylor is about to walk away but pauses. Leaning forward, she pushes her finger against Tana’s nose and a painful cry escapes from Tana. “Oo. Crunchy. Oh well. Have a horrible life.”

Tombstone and I can no longer hold in our laughter as Taylor walks away with her head held high. She places a kiss on my lips as she leaves the room.

Briefly, I glance down at my phone once more just as Taylor is climbing into bed next to Rayne.

My two girls are together. How could life get any sweeter?

“I know. Taylor was a big ol’ meanie. Too bad I don’t give a fuck. Let's go.”

Tombstone grabs my attention as he untangles the ropes from around Tana. Guiding her to stand by pulling on her cuffs and forcing her to walk out of the room.

He brings her to a halt right in front of me and she looks to me with pleading eyes.

“C’mon Ari. I’m your daughter's mother. Are you really going to let them take me away from her? She needs me!”

“She doesn’t. No one does. You are a pathetic excuse for a mother and human being. You have never cared about her other than when it benefitted you. If you were a true, loving mother, you wouldn’t have faked her death and took her away from a stable, loving environment. People like you are the reason I have a purpose on this earth. And that is to save innocent individuals from people like you.”

Tana bucks against Tombstone. “You fucking piece of shit! I—”

“Yeah. Yeah. I’ve heard it all, Tana. You should be grateful I am thinking of our daughter and putting her first. Something you have lost the concept of. If I was half the man I used to be, you’d be joining your boyfriend in hell.”

“I–”

Tana tries to argue once more, but I’m done.

I need to get to my girls and this piece of garbage needs to be off my damn property before I lose all sense of control and actually kill her.

Dismissing Tombstone with a wave, I breathe a sigh of relief when he hands her off to Dylan, who is waiting at the end of the hallway.

Now onto punch Clay’s ticket to hell so I can get to the two girls I love most in this world and figure out what our new normal looks like.

Cracking my knuckles, I steal one last look at a sleeping Taylor and Rayne before heading down to The Bastille.

Time to pay the price, Clay. Or should I say, masked devil, that I refuse to let haunt my nightmares a second longer?