Page 5 of Only for You: Tap and Taryn

“Taryn! Open up!” The shouts were accompanied by a fist pounding against the front door.

Tap only had to glance at Taryn to know who it was. Her face was bloodless, hands lifting and falling, like a broken bird in flight. “I got it, baby. Step back.”

She nodded but stayed where she was, halfway across the room from the door. Still too close for Tap’s liking, but he understood.

“Taryn! Open the goddammed door!” More pounding, and what sounded like a kick.

Tap’s blood boiled. He yanked the door open, finding himself towering over the slick-suited man. “Time for you to vacate the property.” As the man tried to see around Tap, he moved to more fully block the door. “You need to leave. She’s done with you.”

The man stopped shouting and looked Tap up and down. His mouth pulled down on one side in a sneer. “Who are you?”

That was an easy question to answer. Tap smiled softly. “I’m hers.”

“What does that mean, asshole?” He tried to push past Tap, and immediately found himself on his ass in the front yard. “You assaulted me!”

“Nope, you were attempting to break into Taryn’s house, and she specifically doesn’t want to see your face ever again.” Tap clenched his fist, making sure the little man saw. “I’m good friends with the sheriff, want me to give him a call?”

Taryn pressed against Tap’s back, and she spoke in a flat tone Tap had never heard from her.

“Go, Ricky. You know it’s over. This doesn’t benefit anyone. Go.”

Ricky climbed to his feet, giving Tap a wide berth. “Baby, I just want to talk to you.”

“The lady has made her desire clear. You’re on private property, and as of now I’m saying you’re trespassing. Take a hike, dude.” Tap stared him down, Ricky giving up easily.

“You’ll come crawling back.” The man threw that statement at Taryn like a spear.

“Bet?” Tap laughed at the expression on Ricky’s face. “Get the fuck out of here. You’ve got about sixty seconds to vacate.”

He stayed in place as Ricky limped down the sidewalk to where an enormous SUV waited. It wasn’t till the vehicle had turned out of the driveway that Tap moved. He twisted around and wrapped Taryn up in a hug. She buried her face against his shoulder, shuddering sobs rattling her whole frame.

“He’s gone, honey.” Tap whispered and placed a series of kisses against the side or Taryn’s head. “Gone and won’t be coming back.”

“I’m so glad you were here. Thank you for doing all that.” Her arms gave him a squeeze. “Thank you.”

“Why would he show up like that?” Tap shook his head. “Man had all kinds of a maditude.”

“He’s been calling and I’ve sent him to voicemail. I guess he got tired of talking to himself.” She laughed harshly. “Maditude is about right.”

Tap’s hackles went back up. “He’s been calling? You didn’t say anything, Taryn. Why wouldn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted it to just go away.”

“Knowing him as you do, did you really think he’d be put off by a few voicemails? Really?”

“I don’t know, Tap.” She started crying harder.

“I know now. I’ll keep watch out, maybe ask a couple of troopers if they could do drive-bys for a couple of nights.”

“That seems like too much.”

“Not if it keeps you safe, honey.”

When it was time for bed, Tap rolled to his back and pulled Taryn against his side, relaxing as she nestled her head on his shoulder. “I’ve got a couple of questions, Taryn.”

“Okay.” Her voice quavered a little. “Ask.”

“Are you sure about this? About us?”

She jerked away from him. “What? Yes, Tap. Yes.” She rolled to her stomach and rose up on her elbows. “Do you not trust me?”

He must have paused a beat too long, because tears filled her eyes.

“Tap.” She pulled away, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. Head in her hands, she asked, “Do you not trust me?”

“I want to, but this is you keeping secrets.” He pushed up, back to the headboard. “You never said a word.”

“I just want it, want him to go away.”

“Then we make him go away.” Tap held out a hand. “Together.”

She came easily, face tipped up for a kiss. He met her halfway, pressing a kiss to her lips that felt just a little desperate.

He repeated himself, wanting to make himself believe it. “Together.”

Next morning, Tap sat at the kitchen table with Taryn, phone laid on the surface. The call rang a couple of times before connecting.

“Paul Sommers.”

“Hey Paul, it’s Tap.” Sommers was a talented attorney focusing mainly on troubled divorces and stalking cases.

They spent the next hour filling Sommers in on everything going on with Ricky Sanders, starting with the last years of marriage and ending with the late-night visit. Sommers had good questions, and before they got off the phone he had laid out a plan that sounded amazing.

“That’s good, right?” Taryn had managed to get through the conversation without tears, but Tap saw them glistening in her eyes now.

“It’s very good, honey. Sommers will be all over Sanders, run him back home with his tail tucked between his legs.”

“But he’s not going to be hurt, right? Not physically, and not in a way that would impact his reputation?”

Tap stared at her for a moment. “Won’t impact his reputation? Taryn, he’s a controlling asshole. I suspect everyone who’s dealt with him knows that fact.”

Her phone rang and the moment her eyes lifted from the device he knew who it was, and what she was about to do.

“Don’t answer that.”

“Tap, I have to.”

“Don’t.”

She hunched over her phone, and Tap saw her finger slide to accept the call. He turned and walked out, climbed in his truck, and drove home.

Before he even got there he regretted the decision.

“I’m a stupid asshole.”

Nothing inside the truck argued the fact.

Alone in his house, the emptiness hit, and desperation twisted his gut. He needed her like air.