Page 32 of Forgotten Comeback (Parisi Family #5)
Chapter
Thirty-One
Taylor
“Hey, Taylor. We’re hitting up the Diamond bar. You want to join us?” Coworkers ask me as I grab my purse from my locker.
“Thanks for the invite, but I have plans.” With my paintbrush. Now that the creative juices are flowing, I don’t want to stop.
Walking to the employee lot, I slide behind the wheel of my car. Curiosity has me driving by my old house, but I force myself to turn in the opposite direction before I reach my street. I’m not mentally prepared to see the carnage.
I’ve been holding my breath, terrified I’m one trigger away from a manic episode.
But my therapist is right: I know the signs, and thankfully, there haven’t been any.
I’m pretty proud of that, except a part of me worries I’m doing a little too well; that stability’s boring, and secretly, I like the chaotic turn my life’s taken.
Damn, if that’s the case, I need to be riding that roller coaster every day.
Arriving at Kat’s, I toss my keys on the table before walking upstairs and stripping out of my uniform. Throwing on my paint-spattered overalls and a painter’s smock, I head for my makeshift art studio.
A light shines beneath the guest bedroom door, and I freeze. I didn’t leave the light on. Or did I?
My heart’s beating a mile a minute as I fling open the door. “What the hell are you doing here?” I grab a paintbrush, holding it handle-side out as a weapon.
“Returning your plant.” Gavin jerks his head to Bonnie on the table, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “Saved it—”
“From yourself? When you blew up my house?” I shout at him.
“Dominic killed Mrs. Parker,” he says calmly, and I cover a gasp with my free hand. That was her corpse I saw. “Between her body and his, I had to clean up the scene.”
“A scene you created! Why? Why did you kidnap me and Kat?”
“Kat was who I was after,” he admits. “You, unfortunately, were at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“At my own fucking house?” I fume.
He shrugs.
“This is about the Parisi family, isn’t it?”
He remains silent.
My eyes nearly bug out of my head. “Gavin, are you trying to get yourself killed? Do you know who they are? Do you know who Kat is to them?”
“No, yes, and yes,” he says with amusement.
“This isn’t a joke!” I throw up my hands in frustration. “Did you kidnap Kat for ransom? Because no amount is worth it; her husband might be a bigger psychopath than you are.”
“Don’t sell me short.” He takes a look around the room. “I didn’t know you were an artist. Love the new collection.”
“How fucking dare you invade my creative space!” Please, God, don’t tell me he looked through my sketchbook.
“Especially love this one.” His lips curl as he strolls around to the front of my easel, admiring the spider painting.
“Don’t flatter yourself. It’s a work in progress; I plan on devouring the spider,” I inform him.
“But I thought fuckboys weren’t a part of your diet?” Gavin says with laughter in his voice.
It feels like my eye’s going to twitch, and I resist the urge to slap a hand over it. “Enough games. What are you doing here?”
“Came to tell you about the fight tomorrow evening. As the ring girl, you’ll need to be there early for the weigh-in festivities.”
“Just because you’re trying to get yourself killed, doesn’t mean I am. No fucking way.”
He crosses the room, and I grip the paintbrush tighter. “Easy. Don’t put my eye out. For a second time.”
I fling the brush at his head; he dodges.
“It’s a full-time job, being the ring girl, so you’ll have to quit dealing at the Diamond,” he continues. “You hate that job, anyway.”
“Love how you think you know me.” I stare him down and cross my arms, even though he’s right about that too.
“Pays more than dealing.”
“How do you know what I make at the Diamond?” I demand.
Gavin shrugs. “I have a way of finding things out.”
“Are we just going to pretend you’re not a psychopath who stalked me? Played me? Blew up my house?” I count off his transgressions on my fingers. “Kidnapped me? Threw me in a trunk twice? And killed Dominic? Am I leaving anything out?”
“The most important part.” He solemnly nods. “A man who made your pussy squirt like a fire hydrant.”
“It was a fluke,” I grit through my teeth.
“You mean two flukes.” He smiles smugly. “I’m still waiting, by the way.”
“On what?” I ask wearily.
“A thank you for saving you from Dominic. We both know what would’ve happened had I not been there.”
I grab the nearest paint stirrer, flinging it at his head.
Gavin ducks. “I told the fight promoter you’d get final approval on your ring girl outfit. Come on, Taylor, you need a little bloodlust in your life.” He eyes my ring girl painting.
“I hate that you nosed through my work without permission,” I hiss.
“Let me eat your pussy and make it up to you,” Gavin offers.
My hand slaps my forehead in disbelief. “Oh my God, you really are delusional.”
He shrugs. “I’ve been called worse. Pretty sure by you.”
“And yet here you are.” I stare him down.
“Here I am,” he agrees. “What’s it going to be?”
“Go fuck yourself. And for clarification, I’m not asking to masturbate with you.”
He chuckles, reaching into his back pocket.
“What’s that?”
“Something that’s going to help change your mind on the job offer.”
Crossing the room, I snatch the photo from his hands. All the blood drains from my face. It’s a photograph of me smiling brightly, holding the Round 2 sign above my head, with Gavin in his corner.
“It’d be a shame if this photo were to find its way to Fabio. What do you think the boss of AC will do when he sees this and believes you’ve been working for the family’s enemy all along?”
I wad up the photo and throw it at him; it bounces off his chiseled chest. “I’ll go to Fabio and come clean,” I say hotly. “I had no idea who you were.” And obviously, I still don’t know who this man is, other than someone who’s going to get me killed!
“You could,” Gavin agrees. “Depends on how big of a gambler you are. Stakes are pretty high; I’m guessing the only reason you’re alive right now is because of your friendship with Kat.”
It’s my turn to remain silent, because he’s right.
“But that friendship card’s already been played, and I doubt a mafia capo with the nickname ‘Venom’ will let you walk a second time.”
“Why are you trying to ruin my life?” I grit my teeth.
“All about perspective, Taylor. You can look at this as me ruining your life, or you can look at this as me presenting you with a golden opportunity.”
“You really are delusional,” I cry.
“Your income level remains the same, but now you have time to devote to your art,” he tempts me, a little devil perched on my left shoulder.
I tease my bottom lip with my teeth before asking, “How would I explain the ring girl income without a formal job? I’m assuming this is an under-the-table gig.”
I’m considering this insanity.
Why am I considering this insanity?