by Wilder, L
When I broke free from our embrace, I could see the want in her eyes, but I refused take advantage of it. I knew I’d end up hurting her if I took this any further. I couldn’t tell her the thoughts that were racing around in my head, so I just stared at her in hopes that she would understand. She didn’t say a word as she settled back into her previous position beside me. She didn’t push me or ask questions. She seemed to know what my silence meant and didn’t press me for more.
We watched the rest of the movie without really talking. She grabbed my leg during a couple of scary parts, and laughed when I almost jumped out of my seat during the birth scene. It may have been the worst movie I have ever seen, but she seemed to enjoy it. Other than the few awkward moments after the kiss, it was a great night. I really didn’t want it to end.
“Can you stay here tonight? I really don’t want to be alone after watching that,” Taylor asked. I could tell she was nervous, and there was no way that I was going to leave her after watching the birth of that demon spawn. Hell, even I was a little freaked out.
“Yeah, I’ll sleep on the sofa, but I gotta get up early so I can finish the bike. Sheppard will have my ass if it’s not ready on time.”
“Okay. Thanks again for tonight. I hope you aren’t gonna go AWOL again. I hate it when you don’t come around.”
“I’ll be around. We have a party at the clubhouse Saturday night. I’ll come by and take you.”
“Great. I’m looking forward to it. I’ll probably head home after that. I’m feeling a lot better, and there’s really no reason for me to stay here.”
“You’re not going back. I don’t trust your friend to leave you alone just yet.”
“You might as well face it, Renegade. He lives in the same town. We’re going to cross paths at some point. I can’t hide out here forever.”
“There’s no reason to rush things either, Taylor. I’m not ready for you to go back yet.”
“Why not? Is there another reason you don’t want me to go?” Taylor asked. She was trying to push my buttons, but she was right. I had to let her go.
“I’ll get Bobby to go to your place this weekend and set up the new security system. At least that will help while you’re at home. I’ll get Bulldog to go with him, so they can bring your car back.”
“Okay. Thanks, Ren. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I really do think it’s time for me to get back to the real world. I can’t keep my life on hold just because Gage is an asshole. I can handle it.”
“You know you can stay here as long as you want. It’s up to you. I’ll always be here when you need me.”
“I know that. That’s one of the things I love about you.” She kissed me on the cheek and headed for the bedroom. She looked back over her shoulder like she was hoping that I was going to say something else. I wanted to tell her to stay, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Chapter 14
Taylor
At this point, I have two choices. I can step up my game and push Renegade to accept what’s going on with us, or I can just walk away without turning back. I’ll only be here a few more days, so I don’t have much time. If I’m ever going to make my move, it has to be tonight. I hadn’t seen Renegade since our kiss, so this may be my last chance to make my move.
There’s a party at the clubhouse tonight, and everyone will be there. I have on my dark denim jeans and a wrap-around knit shirt that shows off way too much cleavage. I decided to wear my brushed leather boots and several silver bracelets that hang loose around my good wrist. I left my hair down with wavy curls and sprayed on just a hint of my favorite perfume. My makeup is light, but I wore my eye shadow dark so it would show off my eyes. The sleeves of my shirt are loose enough to pull down over most of my cast, so it isn’t quite as noticeable. I know everyone can still see it, but it makes me feel better to cover it up as much as I can.
Renegade offered to come by and pick me up, but I decided to ride over with Courtney. I want to be able to make an entrance. He’s going to have to work for it tonight. I’m not going to fall all over him like a lost puppy. I know most of the guys, and it’ll be nice to hang out with them some. If that makes him a little jealous, then it will all be worth it.
Courtney was about 15 minutes late when she pulled into the driveway. I walked outside and met her at the car.
“Damn, girl. You’re dressed to impress tonight! I love that top.” She was smiling ear to ear, and I could tell she was excited about tonight.
“It might be a little much, but I decided I needed to spice things up a bit.”
“I’m a firm believer in showing off what ya got. You can never go wrong when you let the girls out to play,” Courtney said with a wink.
“Well, I hope you’re right. I need the girls to work their magic.” I hoped that I’d get Renegade’s attention tonight. Hopefully, it would all work in my favor and not completely backfire. I’d hate to see this all blow up in my face considering I don’t exactly have a great track record where Ren is concerned anyway.
“We’d better get rolling. Bobby hates it when I’m late. He might as well get used to it. I’m late to everything. I don’t mean to be, but I guess you could say that I’m just easily distracted.”
“I think it’s in our genes to be late. Guys just need to get over it and plan on us taking longer than we say.”
“I like your way of thinking, girl,” Courtney said smiling.
Everyone was already at the clubhouse by the time Courtney and I walked in. Several guys were playing pool while the others were drinking at the bar and sitting at the tables scattered throughout the room. Tessa was sitting with Bishop at the bar, so we went over to say our hellos.
“Hey there, chickeroo! What’s shakin’?” Courtney asked.
“Enjoying my free weekend! Mom has the kids, so Bishop and I have the weekend to ourselves. It’s been awhile since we’ve been alone, and I’m looking forward to our alone time,” Tessa said, giving Courtney a wink.
“I bet! You two have been pretty busy these past few weeks. Are the kids doing okay?” Courtney asked.
“They’re doing great. They’re getting excited about Thanksgiving break. Christmas is just around the corner, and they’ve already started making their lists. Izzie is so excited about Santa. It’s so much fun having a little one that loves Christmas.”
“Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. It was the one time when we all spent time as a family. Mom would make cookies, and Ace would eat them all before we had time to set them out for Santa,” I said laughing.
“Are you planning on being around for the holidays this year?” Tessa asked me.
“Well, I’m planning on heading home in a few days. I’ll come back to visit, but I think it’s time for me to get back to the real world.”
“The real world sucks hairy donkey balls. I wish you’d stay here for a while longer,” Courtney said as she nudged me with her shoulder.
“I’ll see how it goes. Maybe something will happen to change my mind,” I tell her. I grin as I think about my plan for tonight. If it works at all, maybe I will be here for a little while longer. If it blows up in my face, I head home with no regrets. I’ll know that I tried, and that’s all I can do.
“I think the girl has something up her sleeve!” Tessa laughed.
“You could say that. Wish me luck!”
“Girl, looking like you do tonight… you don’t need luck,” Courtney said with a wink.
“I think I’ll go see if anyone wants to play me in a game of pool,” I told them.
“Sounds like fun. I’m going to see if I can hunt down Bobby and scrape Cindy off of him. She’s always crammed up his ass. It drives me nuts. I don’t know when she’s going to get it through her thick skull that he’s with me now.”
“She’ll figure it out. Just give it time,” Tessa said.
“I may have to help her figure it out if she doesn’t back off soon. I trust him, but damn. The girl needs to give it a rest.”
Doc and Goliath were in the middle of a game when I walked over the pool table. Goliath looked up at me and grinned. Damn, the man was hot. His gorgeous brown eyes sparkled when he smiled. His brown hair was thick and just barely brushed the tips of his shoulders. He had the kind of hair a girl likes to tangle her fingers in while they press against his hard abs. He obviously worked out. The muscles in his arms rippled as he bent over to make his next move. His jeans stretched tightly over his ass, and I couldn’t help but stare at the great view. My attention was drawn over to Doc when I heard him laughing. When I looked at him, I realized he was laughing at me. My cheeks felt warm, and I knew I was blushing from embarrassment.
“You see something you’re interested in there, doll?” Doc asked. “I thought you were Renegade’s girl.”
“I guess you thought wrong, Doc. I’m nobody’s girl at the moment,” I said resting my hand on my hip.
The sound of the balls hitting the corner pocket let me know that Goliath had finished the game. Doc huffed and said, “I’m taking a break.” He headed over to the bar, leaving me alone with Goliath.
“You wanna play a round?” Goliath asked. Damn this was going to be easier than I thought.
“You bet. That is, if you don’t mind losing to a girl,” I told him as I began gathering up the balls. I’d have to make some adjustments with the cast, but I could still give him a run for his money.
“Confidence… I like that. Too bad there’s no way you’re gonna win,” Goliath said as his hips brushed against my ass. He was reaching for the small block of chalk, and he made a point to touch me when he did. I got the impression he was interested in me by the way he was watching my every move. He couldn’t take his eyes off of my ass when I bent over to make my first move. I made a point to give him a good show. He even leaned over and helped me make a few shots. I was actually doing pretty well, even with the damn cast. I’d made several moves before I noticed Renegade sitting at the bar. He was staring at me with an intense look in his eyes. He was not happy. Cha-Ching! One point - Taylor.
I knew that flirting with Goliath like that was a shitty thing to do when I had no real interest in him, but he didn’t seem to mind. I took every opportunity to put my hands on him whenever I could. A brush across his arm, a bump of the hip as I leaned in for my next play, or lightly hitting his shoulder when I laughed at something he said. Yes, it was obvious that I was flirting pretty heavily, but it was kind of fun getting a rise out of Renegade. I could tell that he didn’t like it, but he hadn’t done anything to stop me. So, I kept playing the game.
Courtney sauntered over to me with a mixed drink, smiling because she knew what I was up to. She didn’t call me out on it, though. Instead, she encouraged it.
“Looks like y’all are having a good time tonight. Can I grab ya a beer, Goliath?” Courtney says, giving me a smirk.
He gave her a nod as he leaned in for his next shot. He was really concentrating then, because I was beating him pretty bad. Ace and I had played all the time, and he’d taught me all of his tricks. I’d gotten really good over the years, and I had caught Goliath by surprise.
He looked a little flustered when he missed his shot. “Damn! I can’t catch a break,” he growled. He looked my way with a raised eyebrow. “If you make this shot, you’ll win the game.”
“Oh, I’ll make the shot. Don’t you worry about that.” I stick my hip out to the side and fling my hair over my shoulder. I give him a wicked grin before I sink in the final ball, winning the game.
“Well, I guess you proved me wrong, even with that damn cast. I never thought I’d see that happen. You did good, babe.”
“You didn’t do so bad yourself. You’re really good. I thought you had me there for a minute.”
“Doubt that. Where’d you learn to play like that?” Goliath asked as he walked over closer to me. Before I could respond, he leaned over and whispered in my ear, “You know… you look damn good playing pool like that. I think your little plan might be working.”
I was a little thrown by his comment. He stood there staring at me like he could see right through me. I couldn’t believe he’d known all along that I was using him to make Renegade jealous, and he’d never let on. That made me like him even more.
I smiled and asked, “You knew what I was doing the whole time?”
“I had my hopes up there for a minute, but you haven’t been able to take your eyes off him all night. It was a hit to the ego, but I get it. I don’t know why he isn’t admitting that he feels the same way. I know he’s crazy about you, too.”
“Well, thanks for playing along. I had to give it one last try before I gave up entirely. I’ve tried everything.”
“How far do you want to take this? We can really give him something to think about if you’re up for it.”
“That sounds interesting. I’m game for anything at this point.” I wasn’t sure what he had in mind, but I’d gone that far. There was no turning back now.
“I think it’s time for a dance,” Goliath said as he cocked his head.
“Mmmm…. Yeah, I think that’s a great idea. Let me run to the bathroom first.”
When I turned around, I noticed Renegade was still at the bar, but he wasn’t alone. Jessica was standing between his legs whispering something in his ear. Renegade’s eyes met mine, and jealousy surged through me. I had no business feeling that way. I had practically thrown myself at Goliath right in front of him, but it still pissed me off. Jessica wasn’t part of my plan. I gave him a quick smile and headed off to find the bathroom.
Chapter 15
Renegade
The night had gone from bad to worse. Taylor showed up looking hot as hell in her tight jeans and low cut shirt. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. Her tight little body has had me on edge all night. Every time she bent over that damn pool table, I couldn’t help but think of all the ways I wanted to fuck her. To make matters worse, she hasn’t even spoken to me all night. Now, Jessica was trying her best to get my attention by shoving her tits in my face.
“Why don’t we go back to your room and finish what we started a few days ago?” she whispered in my ear. She ran her hands up and down my thighs as she tried to wedge her hips between my legs.
“I don’t think so, Jessica. I’m not up for it tonight,” I said closing my legs, preventing her from getting any closer.
“Oh come on, Renegade. Let me make you feel better. I know just how you like it.”
“Jessica, just give it a rest. I said no,” I told her as I pushed her away.
“I don’t know why you’re being like this. I know you’ve seen her. She’s been all over Goliath tonight. Why are you even wasting your time?” she snapped.
“Woman, I said get the fuck away!” I shouted. I didn’t need her telling me what I already knew. She stormed off towards the back. I was glad she was finally gone. I hated myself for ever getting mixed up with her in the first place. She was great for a quick fuck, but she was a real head case. I didn’t want to deal with her shit tonight.
I was finishing off my beer when Taylor walked back into the room. She walked straight over to Goliath and never even looked my way. It was killing me that she was ignoring me like this. I knew she was just playing me, but I was totally falling for it. That damn outfit had been calling out to me all night, and I was aching to take her back to my room and see what was underneath.
I hated myself for watching her, but I couldn’t make myself look away. Goliath had just touched her again, and it was taking everything in me not to go break his goddamn neck. He knew she was mine, and he was gonna pay for putting his hands on her
.
“I told you this would happen,” Bishop chided as he sat on the stool beside me and handed me a new beer.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“You know damn well what I’m talking about. You asked for this shit, and you know it. Maybe if you had pulled your head out of your ass and claimed her, Goliath wouldn’t be over there putting his moves on her.”
“I don’t know what to do, Bishop. I want her more than I have ever wanted anything in my life, but I just don’t know how I can make this work. She’s worked hard to put her life back together. I don’t want to be the one to fuck it all up.”
“Who’s to say that you’d fuck it up, Renegade? You’re the only one standing in the way. If you want her, go get her.”
He stood up and walked over to Tessa and Courtney. He looked back to me and nodded his head in Taylor’s direction. When I turned to look, Goliath was taking her across the room to dance. The anger began to boil up inside me, and I had to get some distance between us before I did something I would regret. I grabbed my beer and walked over to the corner of the room away from the crowd.
I stood there watching her like some deranged psychopath. I didn’t even feel like the same person. I was filled with anger and jealousy, but I had no right to feel that way. She was in his arms, and I couldn’t stop wishing she was in mine. I couldn’t take it any longer. I was done with this little game of hers.
Chapter 16
Taylor
I was washing my hands when the bathroom door swung open, slamming into the wall behind me. Jessica stood in the doorway staring at me with a disgusted look on her face. I knew she was one of the Fallen girls that stayed glued to Renegade whenever I came to visit Ace, and I really didn’t have anything to say to her. I quickly looked away and stared into the mirror, acting like I was fixing my hair. I did my best to ignore her vicious glare.