Chapter 5 - Taylor

"Taylor honey, you haven't touched your food," my mother whines as I move my mushy peas around my plate.

It has been a few days since I met with Druk Technologies and TJ Rubens re-entered my life. I have been working double time on this case so that I can be ready for the trial.

There is nothing I will enjoy more than seeing TJ Rubens and his coworkers lose. I try not to be smug before a case, but I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of relief knowing that this case will not only help my career but help my inner teen get some justice.

"Taylor is off in dream land," Shane says with his hand covering his mouth full of food.

Someone so put together makes me wonder why such a successful psychologist is still living at home. He claims he has been saving up for a house, but I think he is in it for the free meals.

I stay silent as my family makes small talk about their lives and days. I wish I had a friend here in New York City. The only person I know is Dylan, and I am definitely not hanging out with a client outside of work.

That would be inappropriate, and while Dylan seems like a nice guy, there is something off about him.

Making an excuse to leave the dinner table, I get up and run to my childhood room. Being inside these walls just reminds me of how insecure I used to be. All because of TJ Rubens. Just thinking about him makes my stomach hurt.

I cannot believe that after all these years, I see him again, and he doesn't even know me and hits on me. What a jerk.

Going over the case, I read through all the evidence again and try to find new angles. I will be asking each member of Druk Technologies questions, and it is my job to get them to crack. KobiTech hired me because they know I am the best in the business, and I am determined to prove them right.

Over the next hour, I highlight like a fiend, trying to find holes in their statements and connect the evidence.

I am interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

The door opens and Shane shimmies into the room.

"Hey, little sis."

I look up from my laptop, surrounded by papers.

"What?"

Shane is leaning against my door frame wearing black pants and a tight white t-shirt with a leather jacket.

"Why are you all dressed up?" I ask with a frown.

Why is he even in my room?

"I'm heading out to this place called the Sitting Duck and was wondering if you wanted to come. I bet you could use a change of scenery."

He wasn't wrong.

"Where is it?"

"In the city. I can drive us, but we're leaving in thirty minutes."

"Fine, I'll change."

"Maybe put some makeup on too."

I flip him off as he walks out of my room.

I lay my head down on the ground and groan. He is right, I could use a break and a change of scenery. It would be nice to look cute and get a drink.

Standing up, I open my suitcase. I don't have much in terms of going out outfits that aren't work-related. I pull out a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a red loose-fitting blouse.

These will have to do.

I quickly change and brush out my long brown hair. I line my eyes in charcoal and then paint my lashes. Red gloss will have to do for my lips, as I don't have much time to do anything more than my eyes.

"Hurry up! I'm leaving in five," Shane yells through the bathroom door that we share.

With a huff, I shove the door open and hit him with it.

"Wow, you clean up nice."

"Thanks," I say with sarcasm. "I live to impress."

I strike a pose, sticking my tongue out and throwing up a peace sign.

Shane just shakes his head and reaches down to mess my hair, but I evade his hands.

"None of that," I say, slapping them away.

Shane just smiles. "Come on, let's get out of here."

The drive to the Sitting Duck goes by slowly. I keep my eye out the window as Shane rambles on about some hangout he had with his friend the other day. I couldn't care less about Shane's friends, even though I am about to meet them soon.

"Is there anyone I should avoid?" I ask.

Shane side-eyes me but finally shuts up.

Glancing his way, I wonder what got him to quiet down.

We spend the rest of the ride in silence, my eyes staring out the window and Shane's at the road.

"We're here," Shane says.

Looking up, I see the bright neon sign that reads ‘The Sitting Duck' and swallow.

I know Shane is a good guy and I hope his friends are better company than the ones he used to keep.

"Seriously though," I stop my brother. "Is there anything I should know before we go in?"

Shane shoots me a wink before sauntering into the Sitting Duck.

Lead fills my gut at his vague response. I trust Shane, but I haven't seen him in New York City in a decade. This place doesn't look too seedy, but you never know.

Entering the Sitting Duck, I see some pool tables off to the right, a bar to the left, and then seating to the back with a small area in the middle that must be for dancing.

Shane heads toward a table in the back and I follow, looking around the establishment. My eye catches on a dartboard. Someone misses the board and the group with him laughs.

It isn't until the person who threw the dart turns around that I make eye contact with Lex Hutchinson.

The head of Druk Technologies.

Taking a step back, I stumble in shock.

Before I hit the ground, a pair of warm arms wrap around my waist.

"Careful," a deep familiar voice says into my ear.

My entire body tenses.

TJ Rubens's arms are around me, and everyone from Druk Technologies is watching us.

"Get off me," I mumble, righting myself and shooting TJ a glare.

TJ holds his hands up and approaches Shane.

"What are you even doing here?" Damon asks from a spot in a booth.

"She's my sister," Shane speaks up with a wicked grin on his face.

"Yeah, thanks for inviting her," TJ says as he and Shane bro hug.

Realization hits me like a truck.

TJ knows exactly who I am, and he had Shane bring me here. The two are obviously still close. My stomach sinks. I am stuck here. I thought I could trust Shane, but clearly not.

Turning my back, I strut towards the exit.

"Taylor, come on, just have a drink and relax," Shane says as he grabs my hand.

"Why did you invite me?"

"Come on, Taylor, relax. TJ filled me in on you suing him and I thought it would be funny if you saw them here."

My brother is not just an idiot, but a cruel one.

"And you thought that was funny, why?"

"You are so uptight now and I knew you needed a night out. These guys are the kings of fun, and I thought that, yeah, seeing them would make you mad, but you would grow to like them like I do."

I glare at Shane with my hands on my hips. There is no way he thought this was a good idea.

"Plus, it was technically TJ's idea."

Shane rubs the back of his neck, looking guilty.

That makes more sense. Shane wouldn't want to do this to torture me, but whenever TJ is involved, Shane does dumb things.

"Just take me home."

"Taylor, don't kill the vibe. Let me buy you a drink," TJ approaches us.

I shoot a glare at TJ. How dare he come over here with that smirk on his perfectly symmetrical face and offer to get me a drink?

"Please," Shane begs me. "You'll like them once you get to know them."

Realizing that I am outnumbered and carless, I cave.

"Fine, but I'm getting an expensive drink."

I walk over to the bar and order the most expensive martini they have on the menu. As the bartender gets my drink ready, TJ comes over.

"Dance with me."

It doesn't feel like he's asking me a question but more like making a demand.

I scoff. "You wish."

I down the martini and walk over to the dartboard.

"Mind if I show you how it's done?" I ask Lex and Nic.

Lex frowns and Nic nods.

I walk over and Lex hands me two darts. One is already on the board, but way to the left.

Taking a deep breath, I hold the first dart up and throw it. I just miss the center.

"She's pretty good," I hear Nic say to Lex.

"Beginner's luck," he grumbles.

I take the second dart and line it up before throwing it and hitting dead in the center.

Bullseye.

"That's how it's done."

I walk away from the duo and see Liam and Pat playing pool.

"Mind if I join?"

The guys make eye contact before nodding.

"We can do teams," TJ comes over and interrupts.

I open my mouth to decline, but the other two agree.

"Taylor and me against you two buffoons."

We spend the next half hour playing pool. TJ and I are solids and Pat and Liam are stripes. We all take turns hitting the balls with the cue ball. Pat is pretty good, but Liam isn't, so TJ and I have an easy time staying in the lead, but we cannot help but argue at every turn. I find myself having fun and laughing, but I try to keep myself in check. If Dylan finds out I am out with the people I'm suing, he will have a field day.

"Just the eight ball left and we win," TJ shouts to me from across the table.

"Duh," I respond with a roll of my eyes.

"Don't miss," Pat grumbles, and I laugh.

Shane shoots me a thumbs-up from the booth where the rest of them are sitting and I smile.

I pull the cue back and line up the cue ball with the eight ball. Pulling back, I release and watch as the eight ball rolls straight into the corner pocket.

"Ugh, we suck," Liam moans out, and my grin grows even wider.

If they are this easy to beat at pool, they'll be even easier to destroy in the courtroom.

TJ comes across the table and raises his hand in a high five, and I find myself high-fiving him back.

"Since we won, what do I get?" TJ asks with a glint in his eyes.

"I won it for us, so what do I get?" I tease him.

TJ looks me up and down.

"How about a dance?"

My smile fades and I shake my hair out. What is with his obsession with dancing with me?

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? I promise I won't grind on you."

TJ waggles his eyebrows up and down.

I'm tempted to walk away, but Shane approaches us.

"That was pretty cool, seeing you two kick their butts."

"We make a great team," TJ explains, and I scoff.

"You mean I am great, and won, while you basically did nothing."

"I made three balls in."

"And I made four plus the eight ball. If I was playing alone, I still would have won."

"Goodness, it's just like old times," Shane voices.

The mention of old times causes me to stiffen. I do not want to relive any of my old times with TJ.

Most of those old times were decent memories, sure, but the last year at the summer beach house tainted any positive memories I had of TJ.

"Yeah, and just like old times, you should be nicer to me, which means saying yes to a dance."

"I said no."

"We'll be right back." Shane grabs my hand and pulls me back to the bar. "Two shots over here."

"What are you doing?"

"You need to loosen up and have some fun."

My blood starts to boil. I played darts and pool, what more did he want from me?

"I am having fun, I just kicked your buddies' butts in pool just like I'm going to do in the courtroom."

Shane's face turns red. "Taylor, you can't sue my friends. You have to realize how wrong this is."

"I'm just doing what I was hired to do."

"But you know TJ, and suing his company just isn't right."

Part of me starts to deflate. Shane does have a point.

This might be a conflict of interest, but I want to take TJ down for all the ways he treated me as a teen. He made me feel inferior, and I want him to lose.

"You don't understand."

"Fine, but the least you can do is be nice to them and get to know them. They really are cool guys."

"Okay," I lie through my teeth. "I will dance with TJ, but then you are taking me home."

Shane smiles and downs his shot. I follow through and down my own. It burns as it flows down my throat, but I welcome it.

I walk to TJ. "Follow me."

I make my way to the dancefloor, shimmying my hips without looking back. I move to the rhythm of the rock song playing as the alcohol works its way through my body. This night will be over in less than five minutes, but I plan on torturing TJ with every minute that is left.