Outplayed

by Rose, Lila

“Fuck. Did you have someone tail her, make sure she got home safe?”

  “I may be old, Travis, but I’m not stupid. She’s the first I like for you.” Donald had been working for me for years. He didn’t have a family of his own, which was how he came with me wherever I moved to. In a way, like Izzy, Link, and Trisha, he was a part of my family.

  “Thanks, Donald.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll inform you when she makes it home.”

  I ended the call and threw my phone to the counter after walking into the kitchen and grabbed myself a straight bourbon. Sculling it back, I took the bottle and glass with me and went to wait in the living room.

  I wasn’t sure how long I sat there in a foul mood until I heard the front door bang open. I stood and made my way into the foyer.

  “Rough night?” I asked, thanking fuck once more Donald was employed by me since Link showed up with his hands covered in blood.

  “Let’s just say Mr Sanders understood the message we delivered.”

  “Good,” I clipped, tipping back my drink. Turning, I went back into the living room, knowing Link would clean up first and then head to find me. Mr Sanders was a top-paying client. Apparently, he considered I would look the other way if he got rough with my girls. He was mistaken. I didn’t give a flying fuck about him or his money. My girls were to stay safe, no matter who the client was. If it wasn’t me, then Link would ensure the clients understood the message clearly.

  Link stomped in, stopped and crossed his arms over his chest. He glanced around. “Pity party for one?”

  “Yes.”

  “What did you do?”

  “Fucked up.”

  “How bad?”

  “Bad enough she left while I was in the shower.”

  “Christ, Trav, tell me.” His eyes narrowed. He came over and sat in the chair opposite me.

  Leaning forward, I dropped my glass on the coffee table between us, ran a hand through my hair, and clenched my jaw. “Dinner was going great. Then I fucked it up when Lenore and Liza came over.”

  “No.” He shook his head.

  “Mr Himmel thought it was a good idea to take the girls out together. You know the goddamn usual. He shows off money, gets them wet from it. They saw me. Thought they’d pop over.”

  “They spoke shit in front of Vi?”

  Vi. He was already giving her a nickname.

  “Yes,” I gritted through clenched teeth.

  “You let them.”

  I threw out an arm. “What was I supposed to do? They were with a client. I had to be pleasant.”

  “They spoke about you and them in front of Vi?”

  I nodded.

  “You motherfucking idiot.”

  “What was I supposed—”

  “Set them in their place,” he yelled. “You’re too soft on them. They’re employees. They need to know not to fuck with you around others.”

  “You used to be with me at parties while they hung all over us.”

  “That’s fucking different, and you know it. Violet wasn’t around. You were only pining over her, but she was in another fucking country.”

  Standing, I paced. “I know I fucked up, Link. I don’t need you on my case. I already hate myself enough.”

  “Good.”

  “What do I do?” I demanded. “I need her back.”

  “You love her?”

  Stopping, I scowled down at him. “You know I do.”

  “Tell her, show her, woo the fuck outta her in ways you’ve never done.”

  Growling under my breath, I said, “I’m not sure that’ll be enough.” I dropped my head. Words wouldn’t be enough; she needed to see. My head lifted.

  “You have an idea?”

  “I do.”

  “Are you going to bloody tell me?”

  Looking at him, I asked, “How would you like to take over the business?”

  His head jerked back. “The women?”

  I nodded. “The women. It’s time I put it aside. It was never going to be for me in the long run, not with Izzy being around. I’d like to make the move from it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  I scoffed. “Link, you practically run the show anyway.”

  “I do. But can you stay away from it all?”

  I stared at him. “For Violet, I can do anything.”

  He whistled. “Holy fuck, you actually do love her.”

  Rolling my eyes, I ignored him. “Call my lawyers in the morning, set up the contract. I’ll be signing it over to you. Be sure to let all the clients and girls know.”

  “If the girls want to see you?”

  “I don’t give a fuck what they want. What happened tonight shouldn’t have happened. They either accept you as their boss, or they go elsewhere. Make sure they know I’m not to be contacted about the changes either.”

  He grinned. “I will.”

  “Good. Right, I have a lot of kissing arse to do.”

  “Lucky it’s a nice arse to kiss.” When I snarled, his hands shot up. Laughing he said, “All yours, mate. All yours.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Violet

  I sat at my desk thumbing through some paperwork, trying to figure out where to start, when the front door opened.

  “What the fuck do you want?” Warden boomed.

  My head shot up and I spotted Travis standing just inside the door. Why Warden was so protective, I didn’t know. It wasn’t like we sat down for coffee and chatted about our misfortunes. He didn’t know Travis was a huge gaping arsehole. Though, I was sure he’d learn if Travis didn’t get out of my business.

  “I’ve come to talk to Violet.”

  “Not happening, motherfucker,” Warden warned. “You think I don’t know you’ve done something? She don’t talk about her life, but I fuckin’ know when she’s hurtin’, and I don’t fuckin’ like it or you. Back the fuck up and get out.”

  “Violet, please listen to me.”

  Warden started for Travis. He slipped through the small gated-off area to block off the front reception and shoved Travis.

  “Violet. Just a quick word,” he pleaded, his eyes searching mine. I shook my head and looked back down at the paperwork.

  I didn’t want to hear his words. Him begging for forgiveness. If I did, I would forgive him, and where would that leave me in the long run? We’d be out again, his women would see him, approach him, and fawn all over him, while I stood there like I was nothing.

  Maybe he didn’t think to introduce me at the start because he just didn’t want me in that part of his life.

  Fuck no. I wouldn’t make excuses for him.

  In time, yeah, I would probably listen, but I was stubborn enough to not want it now.

  The front door opened and Warden walked back in. I hadn’t even heard them leave, too lost in my own thoughts.

  “Thanks,” I said, with a pathetic smile that wavered.

  Warden grunted. He went to his desk and started to work again. That was it, no questions, nothing, but he had my back.

  For that, I loved him like a brother.

  When my phone rang, I glanced at the screen, ready to hit the Cancel button if I saw Travis’s name, but it wasn’t. Thinking of brothers, mine was calling.

  “Talon.”

  “Why haven’t we seen you? You’re back in my life, Violet, you’re not backin’ out now.”

  Smiling, I told him, “I’ve been busy.”

  He snorted. “Busy? But you can still call my woman to check in on her. So call your brother every now and then to let me know you’re doin’ okay. Got it?”

  “Got it,” I whispered, my chest warming. My brother cared as much as I did for him, finally again.

  After work, I decided to take my brother’s advice. Knowing he would be with Zara at the hospital, I headed there. On the way to her private room, I quickly bought some flowers and chocolates from the store.

  Knocking, I heard, “Enter,” clipped. Shaking my head, I walked in. Talo
n stood beside Zara’s bed with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face. Zara smiled warmly as Talon stalked towards me. He cupped the back of my head, leaned in and kissed my cheek. My heart stilled. “Good to see you. I’m goin’ for a fuckin’ coffee before I pull her outta that bed and tan her goddamn arse. Talk some sense into her.”

  He walked out. I glanced back to Zara and watched her roll her eyes. I made my way over, placing the flowers and chocolates on the rollaway table in front of her. “What’s happening?” I asked.

  Her arm came out, her fingers gesturing me closer.

  Shit. Did she want a hug?

  I didn’t hug people.

  However, for her, I would. Sighing, I leaned in and hugged her close. “How are you?”

  “Better again since the last time you called.”

  I sat in the chair next to her bed. “You want to talk about my brother? As long as it’s nothing sexual, I’ll listen.”

  She smoothed out her sheet. “He wants to teach Pick a lesson. I don’t want him to.”

  “Pick, as in the brother who betrayed Talon and his club for money?”

  “Yes, but he also took a bullet for my brother and Julian.” She lowered her voice. “He shot Vic to spare my family. He’s proved to me he can be trusted.”

  Dragging my top teeth over my bottom lip, I had to think of a way to make Zara understand where my brother was coming from. Usually, over this type of situation, I wouldn’t condone action if it wasn’t legal.

  Only, I knew now, in recent days, Talon’s morals were rock-solid to the core. His were about family and protecting them. If he didn’t get his way on this, Talon could look weak to his brothers.

  I tapped Zara’s hand and then clasped my fingers together on her bed. “You were taken from him.”

  “I know, but—”

  “No, Zara. You were taken from him and his brothers, which caused you anguish. Hell, not only you, but the kids, your brother, and Julian. His own brothers did this. Brothers he trusted. He can’t let this slide by with a slap on the wrist. Not for him, but nor for the rest of Hawks either. If people know there’ll be no retribution for what Pick did, it could lead to something like this happening again. I’m not talking just from within Hawks, but others who would have heard about it. Others who would want to cause Talon trouble. One day it might not be you they take. It could be just Maya on her own. People need to see Talon won’t let anyone fuck with his family.”

  Zara’s eyes glistened with tears. “Okay, Vi.” She sniffed. “I hate it, I really do, but I understand it better than him just telling me he was going to beat the frig out of Pick.” She sighed, rested her head back for a moment and then looked at me. “Now, tell me all about Travis. Have you seen him?”

  It was my turn to roll my eyes.

  Her hand landed on my arm. “I didn’t notice before because your brother was pissing me off, but I see some sadness going on. What happened?”

  I wasn’t one to open up, but Zara always made me feel comfortable around her, wanting to—I inwardly cringed—“girl talk,” so I told her everything that had happened. She sat silently listening until I finished.

  “What are you going to do?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Do you know what I think?”

  Smirking, I asked, “What?”

  “I think, in the end, when you’re not angry, hurt, and wanting to kill him, you’ll see how you really feel. Though I have a feeling you already know, but you’re worried because being in a relationship is a scary thing. Especially when a child comes with it also.” She smiled. “I also know you’ve never spoken about a guy in the time I’ve worked with you, until now. Travis has worked his way into your heart, again. You just have to figure out how you want to deal with it. I’m sure he’s willing to wait while you do.”

  “I’m not sure.”

  She slapped my arm, and I glared up at her. “He’ll wait because he sees something special in you.”

  Thankfully, before things got too mushy, Talon walked back in. Zara blurted, “I understand. Do what you have to do.”

  The scowl lifted, his eyes widening as he glanced to me. After a chin lift to me, he smiled warmly at his girlfriend. “Kitten,” he said softly, and Zara got a dazed look in her eyes.

  “I do love staring at your cute butt, boss man, but I’d like to get by to see my pumpkin pie,” we heard from behind Talon. He shifted in, and Julian walked through, along with Deanna. I stood.

  “My time to go,” I announced and received an air kiss from Julian and a middle finger from Deanna, which I returned as I fought a smile. It was good to be around real people. Without thoughts of Travis or my emotions getting the better of me, I almost felt normal for a moment there.

  * * *

  Later that night when I arrived home, after surveying my neighbourhood to make sure Travis wasn’t around, I found another delivery on my front porch. More flowers, some chocolates, and a small box.

  Sighing, I unlocked and opened my front door. Picking up the items, I struggled through the entryway, since the bouquet was monstrous. I made my way to the kitchen, opened the bin and threw the flowers in.

  The chocolates I would keep since they were my favourite. The box I sat on the counter and went about getting a whisky. My eyes kept drifting to the box not far from me. It taunted me, wanting me to open it. Frowning, I took a sip of my drink while glaring at the box.

  It would get the better of me. I knew it would. I may as well open it. It would probably be more jewellery. I wasn’t sure what Travis was thinking sending me all this shit. He couldn’t buy my forgiveness. I made sure to collect all the jewellery in a pile near the front door. I was going to mail it back as soon as he stopped trying.

  Would he stop?

  He’d have to once he knew I wouldn’t be bought from shiny things.

  I grabbed the box and pulled it towards me. Undoing the bow, I lifted the lid.

  Sucking in a sharp breath, my hands shook, my eyes widening.

  He’d kept it.

  All this time, he’d kept it.

  The box was new, but what was in it wasn’t.

  I pulled out the first photo.

  It was of us, on our first date back in university. My hand was over my mouth. Water slipped through my fingers because Travis had just said some corny pickup line, and I’d just taken a drink and about sprayed the whole table with it. Travis looked down at me smiling widely.

  My heart skipped a beat taking in the image.

  The next photo was of us at the park. We’d skipped class to relax on a rug with beer and Cheetos. We were lying back, and Travis took the photo as he leaned over to kiss my cheek.

  My chest warmed.

  The next photo was of me. I stood with my hands on my hips and a pissed-off look on my face. Laughing, I shook my head as tears threatened. Travis always took me at my worst, when my temper got the better of me. I’d been pissed because he got pineapple on the pizza; that was all it took to set me off. He’d told me, when he showed me the photo, he loved looking at it because no matter what mood I was in, he still wanted me.

  My bottom lip trembled.

  The following photo was of us that someone else had taken. I couldn’t remember who, but I remembered that night. We stood on the dance floor in some club. People around us had been dancing crazy while Travis and I just held each other, swaying to the music and gazing into each other’s eyes.

  It was that night he told me he loved me.

  That night we didn’t fuck. We’d gone slow and made love to one another.

  It was that night I knew I never wanted to live without him.

  Only a year later, our lives changed. But I knew now it was for the better we’d gone our separate ways. I wouldn’t be where I was today, and Travis wouldn’t have had Izzy.

  There was another photo of us hugging at a picnic bench. One, which someone else took, of us fighting outside a stadium. He hadn’t liked it when I punched a guy for coming onto
me since it was apparently his duty to take care of me. My anger hadn’t lasted long. How could it when he wanted to be the one to protect me? I wasn’t used to that from another man other than my brother.

  So many photos, so many memories flashed through my mind.

  We had been completely in love with each other.

  It was no wonder my emotions were stronger in just a few weeks since being around him.

  It was also no wonder I hurt the way I did.

  Never had Travis paid another woman attention if I was around. I had to remember people changed.

  She had been his employee, but I couldn’t get the way they talked, the way they looked at one another, nor the way he let her touch him in front of me out of my mind.

  Sniffing, I shoved the photos away.

  Damn him for this.

  Damn him for making me remember what we’d had.

  The love we’d felt.

  Damn him.

  I didn’t know what to do about this, what to feel. What I did know was that I still wasn’t ready to see or talk to him.

  I was probably holding a grudge, protecting myself from more hurt, but I couldn’t stop. I wasn’t ready.

  Maybe with time, I would be.

  Only, would Travis still be around then?

  I jolted when my phone rang. At first, I didn’t want to look to see if it was Travis, but Chuck was out with Butch on a case, and I had to make sure it wasn’t either of them.

  That was what I told myself when I reached for it.

  It wasn’t anyone I thought it would be. “Jim,” I said when answering.

  “Violet. Long time no talk.”

  It had been. Jim and I used to date before he left to see what city life was like in the police force instead of the country. Sometimes when I took cases out of town, Jim and I would catch up for a quick fix. We weren’t serious, but we liked each other enough to sleep with one another. “How are you?” I asked.

  “Good, honey. Coming to town in a few weeks, would love to catch up. Want to do dinner?”

  Did I?

  Jim was great to talk to. I had always enjoyed his company. “Sure. I’d like that.”

  Chapter Twelve