Chapter 7 - Taylor

Waving my hands in the air like a maniac, I try to hail a cab as my phone is dead.

I thought it would be easy to do in New York City but to no avail. It seems like no taxi is willing to stop for me.

The air is crisp outside as I stand there in the dark. My eyes prickle with tears from the wind. I didn't know it was so windy out, but as I stand stock-still with my arms up, I feel at a loss.

What am I doing here?

I should never have come out with Shane. I should have known that his friends were no good. It was a huge surprise to find out that he is still friends with TJ, but it is an even bigger surprise that I've enjoyed myself tonight.

I don't like to admit that, but playing pool and darts wasn't too bad. If only the night wasn't ruined by TJ and his antics.

A big yellow taxi drives by and I wave my hands again before lowering one to my lips and letting out a loud whistle.

I make eye contact with the male driver, but he keeps going.

Son of a bitch.

Why didn't he stop?

Just my luck. I can't get out of here soon enough, and no one is stopping for me.

"That's quite the whistle you've got there."

I jump before turning and am met with deep blue eyes.

TJ is standing behind me with his arms crossed.

"Ugh," I groan out, throwing my hands in the air.

Why is TJ always around?

I start to walk down the street, hoping to get away from him.

I hear footsteps behind me.

"Why are you following me?"

"I don't know how things are in D.C., but here, the streets at night aren't safe for a woman like you."

His words cut me deep. Is he just trying to insult me?

"Woman like me?" I shout at him.

TJ stops walking and raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, attractive woman can draw in the wrong types of people," TJ shrugs.

Attractive? Like he actually thinks I am.

A guttural grunt comes out of my mouth.

"Come on, let me give you a ride home."

"Why would I go anywhere with you?"

"Because you have no one else to give you a ride."

"I can get Shane to drive me home," I say, matter-of-fact.

TJ and I stare each other down.

"Fine, at least let me walk you back inside."

Rolling my eyes, I shoulder past TJ and make my way back into the Sitting Duck.

Once inside, my eyes zero in on Shane.

My stomach deflates as I spot him chugging a beer as TJ's friends cheer him on.

"Chug! Chug! Chug!" they all call out in between laughs.

Shane finishes the beer and I hear hoots and hollers.

"You're the man, Shane."

"No way he chugged more beers than Pat. They've got to go again," Damon calls out.

"No man, look at him, he's drunk -drunk," Liam points out.

Running to my brother's side, I catch him as he starts to fall out of the booth.

"What did you guys do to him?" I demand. "He's barely conscious."

Holding on to my brother, I can't believe these people would let him drink as much as he has. I know Shane is a grown man, but honestly, these people are terrible influences on him.

"He bet he could outdrink, Pat and it looks like he did," Lex shrugs.

I glare at the men I am suing. They are despicable.

"How am I supposed to get home now?" I ask no one in particular.

"I can drive you two," TJ enthuses.

"Why would you drive her home?" Damon asks with wide eyes.

"Shane clearly needs a ride, and they live together at the moment, so I might as well drive her, too," TJ explains.

I look at TJ.

Why is he acting like he had not just offered to drive me home anyway five minutes ago?

My brows scrunch together, but Shane and I really need to get home, so I nod. "Fine, but no detours."

TJ holds his hands over his heart. "Cross my heart. I'll get you home in one piece."

I want to roll my eyes for what has to be the millionth time today, but I refrain. TJ is doing me a solid, even if I'd rather anyone else was driving.

"My car's at the office, we can walk there together."

I grumble, "Really? I might as well walk home."

TJ snickers. "It would be a long walk for you and Mr. Drunk Guy over here."

TJ has a point, but I just toss my hair over my shoulder and walk towards the exit.

The night air is cool as the three of us walk slowly toward Druk Technologies.

Shane has an arm draped over TJ's shoulder as the pair walk ahead of me. I watch the two of them. Shane is putting most of his weight on TJ, but TJ is having no trouble holding him up. If I didn't know any better, I would think TJ is a good guy just helping a friend, but knowing TJ, he is just helping Shane to keep up his savior act.

"TJ, you're the best," Shane slurs out once we are a block away from the Sitting Duck.

"He sure thinks he is," I mutter under my breath.

I hate how Shane seems to worship TJ, even though TJ is clearly closer to his work friends than he is to Shane. Given the opportunity, I doubt TJ would pick Shane over any of them. That realization hits home. Shane and TJ were close growing up, and Shane clearly still sees TJ as his best friend, but TJ does not feel the same, which is a shame. Shane may be insufferable, but he is family.

"I think we should just get a cab," I start to say.

"You had so much luck last time you tried to hail a cab," TJ quips back at me.

My mouth snaps shut. TJ may be right, but hearing him say that makes my gut burn. I wish I could put him in his place, but we need him to drive us home.

"How much further?" Shane moans out, interrupting us.

"Another two blocks," TJ explains.

Shane groans but keeps walking with his head lolled to the side.

Is he okay?

Of course, he is. He is just drunk, I remind myself.

I have never seen Shane drunk before, but he is being a big baby, holding onto TJ for dear life and whining. It would be adorable if TJ wasn't with us.

Shane lets out a loud burp.

Okay. Maybe not adorable.

The three of us spend the next five minutes in silence until we make it to the parking structure attached to Druk Technologies.

Seeing the place after dark is eerie, especially the parking garage.

It's dark, damp and silent. It feels like we aren't supposed to be here.

"Are you sure this is safe?" I ask.

"Why, you scared?" TJ teases me.

"Of course I'm not scared, but don't you guys have any lights in here?"

"It is dark, man," Shane says as his head rolls back into an upright position.

"See, I'm not the only one sketched out by this creepy garage."

There are no cars to be seen until an engine revs from our right, causing me to jump.

Parked there is a silver Tesla.

Of course TJ would drive a rich person car.

"Man, that's a wicked ride," Shane slurs.

Shane isn't wrong, but I am so not about to compliment anything of TJ's. I don't need to, anyway—TJ is already grinning ear to ear.

"Thanks, I bought it a few months ago. It drives like a dream. Only rule is no throwing up in my car."

Shane laughs out loud at that, and a part of me hopes that Shane does vomit all over these white leather seats.

TJ goes to the driver's side as I help Shane into the back. "We'll be home soon."

"Thanks, sis."

Shane hugs me tightly as I try and lay him down, and it causes me to laugh. There is just something endearing about my brother, goofy as he's close to passing out in a Tesla.

"It's getting late," TJ says as I buckle Shane in. "We should get going."

I roll my eyes, but TJ isn't looking at me, but at himself in his rearview mirror. He really, truly is self-centered.

I have no clue why.

He may be conventionally attractive, but his personality definitely could use some work.

"Fine, you're the boss."

I shut the back door, and as I reach for the passenger side handle and pull, I realize that it is locked.

Seriously?

Is TJ this much of a man-child?

I glare at him through his tinted windows and see him laughing his ass off before the doors unlock and I get in the car begrudgingly.

"You're an ass."

"Sorry, Taylor, I just had to. Shane and I always do that to each other, but he is currently dead to the world in my back seat."

Turning around, I see Shane dead asleep with his mouth wide open.

Seeing my brother in such an innocent state brings a smile to my face, and I almost forget about TJ's childish antics.

"You ready?"

"I've been ready, you're the one who has been delaying this whole time."

TJ just shakes his blonde hair out of his eyes before zipping out of the parking structure, causing me to hold onto the seat for dear life.

"Slow down!"

"Honey, we're in a Tesla, there is no slowing down."

TJ doesn't talk while he drives, his eyes glued to the road. While he is speeding like a maniac, I am thankful that he keeps his eyes straight ahead.

The ride gives me time to think about the case.

According to KobiTech and Dylan, they have really solid evidence. When solid evidence is involved, I know for sure that I can make a compelling case.

I am a great lawyer, and evidence just makes it easier to win; I can win a case without it if I really apply myself, but this one should be a piece of cake.

Glancing at TJ, he looks the epitome of peace. His jaw is relaxed, and his eyes still fixed on the road. The only indicator that he isn't entranced by the drive is him glancing at Shane in the rearview mirror every few minutes.

A drive that should take close to twenty minutes takes just under fifteen due to TJ's speeding.

"Thanks for the ride," I mutter as I see my childhood home outside my window.

TJ nods before parking and running to the back seat door, helping Shane up.

"I can take him inside," I explain, but TJ shakes his head.

"He's a heavy guy and my friend. I can help."

Not wanting to carry a man bigger than me up to the house, I welcome TJ's assistance.

Shane mumbles incoherently as we walk around to the back of the house, where it will be easier to get to Shane's room.

I unlock the door, and TJ, Shane, and I enter the house. Together, TJ and I help Shane maneuver his way up the stairs to his bedroom.

As I lay Shane down, TJ starts to untie Shane's shoes.

I watch, enthralled by TJ's long fingers undoing the knots.

He is being quite helpful, and it is throwing me for a loop.

I know they are friends, but they can't be close enough that TJ would untie Shane's dirty shoes. I shudder at the thought.

"You can go now," I say as Shane lays his head down on his pillow and pulls his shoeless feet away from TJ.

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone to deal with him. He can be a real menace when intoxicated," TJ says with a laugh, like we have an inside joke.

My nose crinkles. "I'll be fine. Thanks for the ride. See you in court."

At the mention of court, TJ's face falls, and he turns on his heel and walks out of the room.

Good riddance.

I run my fingers through Shane's hair. "How are you feeling?"

"You should be nicer to TJ," Shane says.

I didn't think he was conscious enough to notice our exchange.

"He really helped me out when Jennifer dumped me last summer. I was a mess, and he was there for me when everyone else was sick of my crying."

While Shane is slurring his words, I get the gist, and am shocked.

TJ did seem to care about Shane tonight, but it still startles me just how much he seems to be there for my brother. But just because he's Shane's friend doesn't change my feelings toward TJ. He treated me like trash as a teen, and just because he is decent to my brother doesn't make him a good guy.

Right?

I am starting to have some doubts. How can I sue someone who just drove my drunk brother home and took off his stinky shoes?

Doesn't that show that TJ thinks about others?

But just because he does doesn't mean his company isn't guilty of using the KobiTech app illegally, I remind myself.

I am filled with confusion as I make my way to my old bedroom.

The familiar walls are discomforting, but I ignore them as I stare up at the ceiling.

My thoughts are jumbled, and I have trouble falling asleep.

There is just something that keeps my mind awake.

I know exactly what is, but I will never admit that TJ's face is all that I see as I try and fall asleep.

Tonight was indeed fun, but it was also stressful.

TJ Rubens causes me mixed emotions, and I'm not sure I will ever be able to put my finger on them.

***

Somewhere miles away

His eyes burn as he watches the blonde drive away from the girl's house. They have met.

He wonders if they could feel the spark burning between them or if they are unaware that they are meant to be.

Knowing that they have met is like an arrow to his Achilles heel. He is meant to keep them apart, but he is failing.

"What do we do now, boss?" Genevive asks him.

His minds blurs with rage.

What will he and his ally do?

The mates have already met. There is no stopping their draw to each other save keeping them from meeting, and they failed at that.

"No one can have a mate. There is nothing worse than a dragon with his mate. We have to tear them apart before they complete the mate bond."

Genevive nods. "How do we do that?"

"We waste no time. We stay watching them, but we must plan. The blonde clearly knows where his mate lives, and that is no good. If we keep them apart, we won't have to take drastic measures, but I will not stop. We will not stop!"

Genevive smiles as she texts someone without Carnelian knowing .