A ringing sound gets my attention. I look down at the bottom drawer of my desk. I dig the keys out of my pocket, unlock it, and grab the iPhone lit up with BOSS written across it.

“Hello?” I ask with a sigh.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jones yells into my ear.

I sit back in my seat, running a hand through my hair. I knew this call was gonna come eventually. “What needed to be done.”

“Case,” he growls. “There are rules for a reason. And you’re ignoring them. All for a piece of ass!”

“I am not,” I defend myself, but he has a point. And he is right. Isn’t he? I would have saved any woman in the position I found Taylor in. Would I have killed one without question? No, I have to admit that was due to the terror I felt when she screamed out in pain. The way my heart had beat in my chest as I watched the blood drip down her exposed chest. I snapped and shot him without thought. He deserved a more torturous death, but I don’t regret it. And the second guy? Would I have brought him back to my place of business, my home, just to beat the truth out of him? Maybe not. I can’t say. But I don’t regret that either.

“I thought I told you to fucking end it when I saw you earlier today? This is not ending it! This is making it worse.”

“You think I fucking had this planned?” I growl. “You think I wanted her to get hurt?” My voice begins to rise. “You think I wanted to fucking kill someone? I did what was right, and if you have a problem with that, then fucking fire me!” I finish with a shout, now standing.

He sighs heavily and takes a few seconds to respond. “I just need to know that when it comes down to it, you can do what must be done.” Click.

I fall down into my seat and take a deep breath as I run a hand over my forehead. He acts as if I have a choice. I knew what I needed to do when I started this job. Get in, get answers, and get out. But can I do that now? I had been one hundred percent honest when I told her she was mine. How do I let her go now? Especially since I now know someone is after her.

Tonight, I felt like she was being taken, ripped from me. I refuse to let someone take away what is mine. And she is mine. How will I be able to walk away myself?

My door opens and in walks Brecken. Blood covers his black security shirt, and he has a bar rag in his hands as he wipes the blood from them. “It’s done.”

“Thanks,” I mumble.

He starts to leave but turns back to face me. “Thigs are getting too deep,” he says softly. “I think it’s time you tell her the truth.”

I shake my head. I’m so tired of people telling me what they think I should do. “She’ll run. And tonight proved that she needs to stay with me at all times.”

He sighs heavily. “What are you doing, Case?” He frowns as he tucks the now bloody bar towel in the back pocket of his jeans. “This isn’t you.”

“If you’re referring to the man I killed tonight, save it. He wasn’t the first guy I killed, and he won’t be the last.”

He frowns. “That’s not what I’m referring to. How far are you going to let this go …”

“I don’t know,” I snap interrupting him. “But when I decide, I’ll make sure you’re the first to know,” I say sarcastically.

“Well, I’ll make sure to say I told you so when it blows up in your face,” he replies just as bitchy as he waltzes out of my office.

After Brecken leaves, I make my way upstairs to my bedroom. Even though she is still asleep, I make sure to be quiet, not wanting to wake her. I pull another bloody shirt up and over my head for the second time tonight as I walk over to my bathroom. Shutting the door behind me, I turn on the shower and let it warm up as I take my jeans and boxers off.

Once ready, I step in and shut the door behind me. I finally wash off the blood that covers my body—some from Taylor and some from the men who attacked her. The memory of that man holding her against her will with a knife against her neck has stained my mind. And it makes me think of Nicole. Was it like that for her? Did she cry out and beg me to save her? How long was she in pain? Is she still alive to this day? So many questions are unanswered. So many things I need to dig to find. I need to be there for Taylor as I should have been for Nicole. And if I tell Taylor the truth, she’ll run.

I can’t do what Brecken said. He knows it can’t happen yet. But things do need to change. And I know exactly what needs to change.

I get out of the shower, dry off, and look over at the bedroom. I slip on a pair of boxers and then crawl into bed next to her. She lets out a little whimper as she shifts in her sleep.

“Taylor, baby?” I ask, gently touching her warm arm. I watch her chest rise and fall through one of my t-shirts I dressed her in and I sigh heavily. This is all my fault. And I don’t know how to apologize for it.

She moves again, and I know that her pain meds from Doc earlier are starting to wear off. “Case?” her voice rasps.

I feel my heart break as I look at the handprint mark on her neck, and I wish I would have killed the guy I let Brecken turn over to the cops. The bastard is now in the hospital on pain meds himself. And that thought pisses me off; he deserves to feel every broken bone I gave him. “I’m right here, sweetheart.” I place a soft kiss on her cheek, making sure not to touch the bruise from where one of them slapped her. I hope it was the guy I killed.

She tilts her head to me and her eyes slowly open. Closing and reopening them a few times. “Where am I?” she whispers.

“You’re at my place.” Where you’re going to stay.

“I need … to go home.” She lets out a little moan as she shifts, trying to get comfortable.

I shake my head. “You need to stay here, Taylor. I have a doctor in the other room, and he’s going to take care of you.”

She sighs heavily, and I know I’ve won. She’s too tired to argue with me. “Are you in any pain?” I ask

She swallows and shifts on her back. “No. Just tired.”

I lean over and give her a soft kiss on her lips, but she doesn’t act on it. “Get some sleep, baby.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

 

TAYLOR

I wake to darkness. And the first thing I notice is how my body aches and my head pounds. I’ve only ever been hung over three times since I’ve turned twenty-one, and one of those times was just days ago after Case and I went to that club. This feels kind of like that but worse.

I sit up and place my hand on my forehead. Did I drink last night? I think back to what I remember and my fight with Case comes to mind. Then snapping at Rachel. My brother showing up. Another fight with Case. Then me walking out the back door …

I shove the covers off me and try to run to the bathroom, but I gasp at the pain that shoots through my body. I quickly look over at the bed where Case sleeps and let out a shaky breath when I see I didn’t wake him. I quietly and slowly finish making my way to the bathroom. I turn on the light as I shove the door shut. I gasp when I get a look at myself in the mirror. I have a bruise under my right eye and a white bandage on my neck. I pull up an overly large shirt that I know must be Case’s and my eyes widen as I take in the bruise on my side. That’s where the guy kicked me. I drop the shirt and my hands start to shake. I remember Case showing up and lifting a gun … did he shoot that guy? The man had asked where his friend was. Case had said dead … Did he kill him too?

I reach up and softly touch the handprint mark of the man who wrapped his hand around my throat. I swallow thickly. For as bad as I look, I don’t feel as bad as I should. I’m lucky. I’m very lucky Case saved me.

“Taylor?”

I look over to my right and hiss in a breath at the pain that shoots up my neck. I moved too fast.

“Taylor?” Case’s voice is frantic. “Where the hell did she go?” he demands.