Chapter 10

Taylan

I've barely fallen asleep on her hard-as-rock fucking couch when her ear-splitting scream pierces the air, forcing me to leap to my feet and draw my gun. I rush down the small hallway and kick her door open. I dart my gaze around, searching for the intruder but all I see is her screaming and clawing at her throat as she lays there.

She's having a nightmare .

I stow my gun in my waistband, eliminate the space between us and try to shake her but she still continues to scream and won't wake, so I resort to drastic measures and cover her mouth with my hand. It takes her two point five seconds to snap her eyes open. The second they do I remove my hand. She sits upright gasping and darting her gaze around the room.

"Slayer?" She screams and scoots across the queen bed, looking at me with pure fear that has me stumbling back a step and raising my hands. A few seconds pass before she registers that it's just me and no one is here to harm her. I stand here and watch as she feels her chest and throat. Her breathing is erratic, I can tell from the look in her eyes that the nightmare is still fresh in her mind.

I know exactly how she is feeling and how much it must be weighing on her.

"The nightmares won't last forever," I say quietly.

Her gaze cuts to me, a deep groove forms in the center of her brows. "What?" she rasps out.

"I'll bet good money that you closed your eyes and saw the faces of the men who you killed." Shock colors her features. "Was it scarface that was choking you?"

Her mouth is ajar as she studies me like I'm a science project. I can tell she doesn't trust easily and in turn, that is shit for me because I need her to open up about this Koda thing so I can find the cunt, kill him and get Kimber's kid back so I can go home. Gage and Bishop made it clear that I'm the pawn in this and me being here is the only way they are going to trust Knox and believe him not having anything to do with this situation.

"He was here… in my room," she says barely above a whisper, the hint of fear that laces her tone has me softening slightly. I keep my hands raised as I move to sit on the edge of the bed, she stiffens but doesn't pull away.

"The nightmares will consume you if you let them."

She swallows audibly. "How do I stop them?" The hard set of her jaw shows me she hates having to confide in me but she doesn't have any other choice right now.

"Time. I know everyone hates hearing that answer to a question but it's the truth. Over time you will learn to train your mind to block out the faces." Silence encases the room for a while until she clears her throat and draws my attention back to her.

"Who hurt you?" Her question is simple and should be easy to answer but it's a double edged blade for me. Only three people know the truth about me, Knox, Xan and Wave. I've never spoken a word about it to Lake, Mom or anyone else and I sure as fuck don't plan to make her the fourth person to know my story.

"No one, go to sleep," I grit out as I stand, but she leaps across the bed and grips my arm, stopping my escape. I look from her hand to her and raise a brow. The terrified look on her face has me lulling my head back and staring up at the ceiling groaning. "Fine. Move your ass over." She releases me instantly and shifts to the other side of the bed. I peel off my shirt and push the borrowed sweats down my legs and climb beside her in my boxers. I can feel her staring at me but I ignore her. If she doesn't like me sleeping next to her like this I'm more than happy to return to her uncomfortable couch and leave her here to suffer on her own.

I place my arm behind my head and close my eyes, ready to sleep for a fucking week. I'm sore and angry that those Russian fucks got the jump on me. Just as I'm about to cross over into the blackness of a dreamless sleep I feel her cuddle into my side. I remain still and say nothing when she wraps her arm over my waist and rests her head on my chest as she pulls the covers over us.

"Body heat, that's all this is," she declares. I can't help but smile.

"Whatever you say, Slayer. If this position gets you to shut your mouth and sleep, then snuggle away."

The sun beating down on my face is what rouses me from sleep. I arch my back and try to turn but something is weighing my arm down. I snap my eyes open and frown at the sight of a mess of blonde hair splayed over my arm and chest.

Destiny.

I drink in the sight of how peaceful she looks, it's been a long time since I felt like how she looks. After she cuddled into my side we were both out within minutes and she didn't have another nightmare. I look around her room, able to see more now thanks to the sunlight. She has a pin board above her desk in the corner of attractions from all over the world but the one in the center is a picture of the Eiffel tower. I didn't peg her as the type of girl who wanted to travel, all she has talked about is how much she wants to fight and make it big in the octagon.

I reach around her back and wrap my arm around her, liking the way she feels pressed against me. The moment is shattered when the iMac on her desk begins to ring with an incoming FaceTime call. I quickly drop my arm and feign sleep when she bolts upright. I remain still but I can feel her staring at me.

"Fuck," she grits out before she pushes off the bed and stumbles over to her computer. I blink my eyes open and smirk at the sight of her bent over her desk, the bottom of her ass cheeks are hanging out the bottom of her shorts. "Yeah?" she says when she answers the call.

"Clearly you're not a morning person," a girl quips.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I forgot we were supposed to meet up today. Give me thirty minutes and I'll meet you at the gym," she rushes to say and steps aside. The girl's mouth hangs open, on the computer, when she spots me in the bed.

"Dest!" she screams. I dart my gaze toward the wardrobe where she has her back to me and strips off her shirt.

"What?" she calls back as she pulls on a sports bra.

"Who is that hunk of juicy meat in your bed?" Destiny freezes and slowly turns around to face me. Her eyes are wide and she looks like a deer caught in the headlights, but the moment I smile her face morphs into a vindictive mask.

"No one, I'll see you soon," she clips out as she rushes to end the call and finish getting changed.

"Did you forget I'm your new bodyguard and where you go I go?" I ask as I stand and stretch. She stands there running her gaze up and down my body. "Take a picture, Slayer, it will last longer."

"Asshole," she snarls as she crosses the room to enter the small bathroom that is attached. I take my time changing and making use of the other bathroom down the small hallway, I need clothes and a phone stat. As I exit the bathroom, I call out to her but she doesn't answer. I search the apartment for her but don't find her.

"Bitch ditched me!" I snarl. She is going to pay for that fucking stunt as soon as I get the essentials and a fucking phone, I am going to that gym to show her that she is going to listen to me whether she likes it or fucking not!

With no fucking phone I can't even order an Uber. I'm forced to walk and the longer it takes me to get to the store the angrier I become. I don't know why I am so pissed off, maybe it's my abandonment issues or the fact the little bitch was able to sneak past me, whatever it is has me wanting to strangle the fucking life out of her. If she gets taken again, then it's my fucking neck on the chopping block, not hers!

I pull up to the front of the gym a couple of hours later and sling the duffel bag of clothes I just got over my shoulder and nod to the Uber driver. Before entering, I pull out my phone and sigh with relief that the fucker has finally finished uploading all my contacts—losing your phone fucking sucks, let me tell you that. I hit Knox's number and place the phone to my ear as I watch people file in and out of the gym. The place has definitely had a makeover and it turns a good profit judging from the amount of people coming here but we all know this palace is just a front to wash their cash.

"Who the fuck is this?"

I smile at the grumpy fuckers tone. "It's me."

"About time you got a fucking phone."

"Did you miss me, Knoxy?" I tease.

"Shut up, asshole. What the fuck is going on, Taylan? After you bailed last night I was left standing there trying to answer questions I didn't have the answers to."

"Like?" I push.

"Like why the fuck you said you were Royal Murdoch?"

I scrub a hand down my face. "I knew they'd take me with her if they thought I was him, no one knows who the fuck the Memento Mori is and they were smart keeping their identities secret." I fill him in on everything that happened and how we got away.

"Who the fuck is this Koda, Tay?"

"No fucking idea, dude, but I plan to make this little bitch talk," I vow.

"Taylan, you need to reign in that fucking temper, you can't treat her like shit and whatever you do, do not get involved with her."

I cringe. "Yeah… Uh…"

"Fuck me sideways, you already fucked her, didn't you?" I rub the back of my neck and scrunch my face up.

"Yeah, but she consented, I made sure."

He sighs and I can picture him tugging on the strands of his hair as he tries to calm his temper. "Tay, she doesn't know you and what happens when things get tough for you. If you plan to sleep with her again, you need to make sure she knows your triggers, be honest with her and explain everything."

I scoff. "She ain't someone I plan to keep around, Knox, I'm good with just fucking bitches."

"Taylan, the only girl you have slept with more than once is my fucking wife!"

"Lake is different and you are always there! Don't throw that shit in my face when you both wanted it. Fuck you for bringing it up!" I snarl as I end the call, my anger from earlier resurfaces as I stomp across the lot to the entrance of the gym, ignoring my phone ringing. He knows about my past and what I went through, for him to bring that shit up and throw it in my face like that is fucked up. The sound of flesh hitting flesh is music to my ears. I look around to see people on the weights, sparring on the mats but my attention is snatched when I see the ring—it's who is in the ring that holds my attention.

Destiny has her hair piled on top of her head, her navy blue sports bra and some tiny as fuck spandex shorts on. She's in the ring with her dad and another girl, the girl from the call this morning! I make my way over to them but keep myself concealed behind a pillar, if I'm going to train her I need to see what she has and judge if she even has a chance to win this fight against Tiana " Prime Time" Lawson. That bitch I've seen fight and she is dirty as fuck. She toes the line perfectly to the point the ref can't call her on any of the moves she makes because it's not illegal in the ring it's just unethical.

"When she comes in and charges you, wait till the last second and then drop down and sweep her legs out from under her," Gage instructs her. He steps back and motions for her friend to come at her but she's too slow and winds up getting a hook to the ribs. "Doll?" Gage shouts across the room. I follow his line of sight and balk at the sight of Kiara Murdoch. I've heard the stories about her and how she used to fight in the underground but I thought it was just bullshit stories to make the Don's wife seem tough.

"Yeah?" Kiara calls back as she makes her way toward the ring with gloves on and a similar outfit to Destiny's, but her long raven hair is loose and flowing around her.

"Can you give me a hand with Dest for a few minutes?" Gage asks.

"Anything for my beautiful niece, plus my class just finished so I'm all yours until Bish arrives." Destiny is grinning like she won the lottery as her aunt climbs in the ring and her friend steps out. I look around and notice that Kiara's presence in the ring has garnered the attention of almost everyone in this place. They all abandon what they were doing and crowd around the outside of the ring.

"I can't hit my aunt!" Destiny says. Kiara and Gage both smirk.

"If you can land a single hit on her, I'll even pay your new trainer and give you Sunday's off." Destiny scowls at her father.

"I never take days off and if I hit my aunt, Mom will kick my ass," she defends.

"Honey, your mother knows what I am capable of and I promise you that I will pull my punches and this will stay between us." Destiny's jaw is slack as she stares at her aunt. I shake my head. She is underestimating her opponent and that is going to be her worst mistake. I grind my teeth knowing I should stay out of this and let her get her ass beat, but I also need to prove to her and Gage that I am an asset and can help her win against Tiana.

Fuck it.

I push my way through the crowd and drop my bag down beside the ring before climbing up, drawing the attention of the three Murdochs in the center. Gage and Kiara look surprised to see me but Destiny looks annoyed that I'm here. That shit makes me giddy, knowing I'm under her skin. I duck down and climb through the ropes and come to stand beside the little shit as I look at her father and aunt.

"Give me two minutes with my fighter." I don't wait for their response as I grab Destiny's arm and drag her to the side of the ring. She tries to break free of my hold but stops when I push her in the corner and crowd her space. To anyone watching it just looks like I am coaching my fighter, but her and I know this is a power move and unless she wants daddy dearest to know I've slid between her sheets she won't make a fucking scene, even though her eyes spit fire at me.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she hisses at me.

"Helping you not get your ass beat by your own aunt."

The defiant little shit rolls her eyes. "That's not going to happen."

"Don't test me right now, Slayer. I'm already pissed off enough about your stunt this morning." Her eyes twinkle in delight, earning a growl from me. I press in closer, brushing my lips against the shell of her ear. She tries to fight her reaction to me but the shiver that works its way down her spine gives away how she feels having me this close. "You will be making it up to me tonight when we get home." I don't give her a chance to respond before I pull back and stare into her eyes. "Your aunt will have you on your ass in two seconds flat if you keep underestimating her. I've heard the stories about how she fights and I'm sure you have to."

Her dazed outlook vanishes and is replaced by a fierce look of determination. "Either help me or get the fuck out of my way."

"One minute," Gage calls out.

"Listen to everything I say and you may just make it out of here with your pride intact," I say.