Chapter 8

Taylan

I know without even making it down the stairs that Gage will know I've fucked his daughter. That isn't even the part that has me worrying, it's the fact I got so wrapped up in her pussy that I forgot to tell her to keep her mouth shut about Kimber. Before we can round the corner into the kitchen I grab her arm and pull her back. She spins around and glares at me ready to tell me to fuck off, but I press on before she can, making sure to keep my voice low enough for only her to hear.

"I'll keep my mouth shut about Koda if you don't say anything about Kimber." Her nostrils flare in indignation, her eyes even darken as her anger begins to rise.

"Why the fuck would I care if you told them about Koda?" I release my hold on her and cross my arms over my chest pinning her with a smug look.

"Does daddy dearest know you fucked him?" Her jaw locks, if looks could kill there is no doubt in my mind that I would be burning alive right now.

"You just made an enemy out of the wrong Murdoch, you bastard. Your bitch is safe for now," she grits out, but I can tell she isn't done. She presses in closer so we are flush against each other. "You've just become my main focus after I take the head off that snake. Run while you can, Taylan, because unlike my family, I don't sneak or hide my tracks. You'll know it's me coming for you when the time is right." She pulls back, shooting me one last scathing look before she marches off. I stare at the back of her head in surprise. I didn't expect her to be so… intriguing but fuck, she is holding my attention without even trying and given what her last name is, that is fucking dangerous.

To not make it so obvious we were just together, I wait a minute before following in after Destiny. The moment I enter the room, I spot her wrapped up in her father's embrace. A hand lands on my shoulder pulling my attention from Gage and Destiny to see Royal and Sin standing beside me.

"Glad to see you in one piece." I turn and shake Royal's hand and nod to Sin.

"Yeah well, that's all thanks to your cousin over there." Royal's face pinches.

"Destiny?" he questions, clearly shocked by my admission. Sin's face mimics his shock.

I shrug my shoulders. "I guess she isn't just a badass in the ring." I spy her looking at me from the corner of my eye. I give her my attention and smirk when she sneers. "Clearly the constant resting bitch face runs in your family." Royal snorts a laugh while Sin promises to gut me if I ever say that shit again. Worst part, I actually believe that Chanel would do it, she isn't exactly known for making idle threats. Kimber moves to stand next to me. Rather than letting everyone know there is a divide between me and her, I shift so she is included in the conversation. Once Gage's men finish their sweep of the house, we are all ushered outside. I climb into the car we stole so we can dump it on the way. Kimber joins me, but as I start the car and put it in reverse I have to slam on the brakes when I see Destiny standing behind the car in the rearview mirror. She stands there for a second longer before she climbs into the backseat.

Before I can ask her what the fuck she is doing she speaks. "Drive now before my dad realizes I'm not with Royal."

"Why?" I ask.

"Because you owe me an explanation about why I'm not ratting the bitch out that got me kidnapped." I grit my teeth, doing as she says knowing if I don't, it's Kimber's life on the line. The three of us remain silent for a couple of miles until Kimber finally breaks it.

"Why would you help me?" she asks Destiny.

She keeps her gaze focused out the window as she answers. "I never said it was you I was helping," she claps back.

Kimber growls. "Why the fuck are you helping at all then?"

Destiny pulls her gaze from the window to glare at Kimber. "Because your bodyguard is blackmailing me and if I am to go with this, I want to know why you are being protected." I roll my lips over my teeth, she's a lot smarter than I gave her credit for.

I answer instead of Kimber. "Where we come from we don't turn our backs on people we care about because they made a mistake."

Destiny scoffs. "I'd like to go to that place." Her answer brings a frown to my face. "If I agree to help you lie to my family and hide her treachery, what assurances do I have that the bitch won't sell me out again?"

Kimber slouches in her seat, making the smart choice to keep her mouth shut and leaving me to deal with this errant demon. I mull over her question for a while trying to come up with a good answer but the one conclusion I keep coming back to doesn't exactly work in my favor, but when I see Gage flashing his headlights behind me, indicating to pull over and dump the car, I know I'm out of time.

"I'll train you for your title fight. I know you need a trainer and believe it or not, I'm fucking good at what I do." Her face scrunches at my reply.

"I'd rather forfeit than have the likes of you training me," she snarls.

"I'm your best option. I give you my word that you will win that title with me as your trainer as long as you keep your end of the deal." I pull over and put the car in park but don't move to get out, waiting for Destiny to answer me.

"Prove to me you're worthy of the chance to train me and I'll consider it but make no mistake, Tay Tay, I won't be fucking you again." I smirk as I meet her gaze in the rearview mirror.

"Find em, feel em, fuck em and forget em is my motto, Slayer." Her cheeks redden at my reply, clearly pissed off that I brushed her off without a second of hesitation.

"I guess you won the bet," Kimber breathes out before she exits the car. I keep the anger from splaying across my face. Destiny looks confused for a second before I tear my gaze from hers and climb out of the car, shooting Kimber a scathing look over the roof.

"You'll pay for that," I vow. The little bitch just shrugs.

"She's outta your league and you and I both know it. Best to set the boundaries now." If we didn't have an audience, I would have my hand wrapped around Kimber's throat right now. The bet was made as a joke… kind of but I know Destiny won't see it that way.

That bet is going to bite me in the ass, I can just feel it.

The ride to the Murdoch compound is filled with tension, my mind is reeling over what is going to happen. I need to speak to Knox first before talking to Bishop, he needs to know about what happened and the deal I made with Destiny to keep Kimber breathing. If the Murdochs found out she ratted out one of their own they would kill her on the spot. It's going to be hard enough explaining to them why she was there to begin with.

As we make our way through the gates that are manned with armed guards, I spot the six houses that line either side of the road. It's true, they all really do live in their own community. Gage drives past the houses and comes to a stop in front of the largest house at the end that is separate from the six. I can see a small guest house just off to the side of it. What draws my attention is the sight of Knox leaning against his car in front of us with Wave, Xander and Trey beside him.

Thank fuck!

As soon as I climb out, I reach back inside the car and grab Kimber's arm, dragging her after me. Wave shoots me a look of warning not to hurt her friend but I choose to ignore it. We are in this shit because of Kimber not trusting us enough to come clean and ask for our help. If she had done that we would have helped her and got her daughter back but instead, we're all here trying to keep the peace and work out a way to keep the Murdochs in the dark.

"You good?" Knox asks when I come to stop in front of them.

"Yeah. She needs to get out of here now," I say. Wave nods and motions for Kimber to get in her car. Kimber shifts to face me but I refuse to look at her, keeping my gaze on Knox.

"For what it's worth, I am sorry, Taylan, but my daughter means more to me than anything in this world." I slowly turn to face her, the look on my face has her backing up a step and Wave creeping in closer ready to put me down if I make the wrong move.

"You meant something to me !" I grit out in an even tone, her eyes turn misty. "I would have helped you. I would have gone to fucking war for you, Kimber. That's what you meant to me but you broke that when you lied to me." Her bottom lip trembles but she doesn't allow her tears to fall. She shoots me one last pleading look before nodding and making her way to the car with her head down. I can hear Gage and the others behind us making their way into the house but I don't make a move to follow after them.

"If they try to come for her, you let them know that they will be at war with the Da Luca Crime Family. I don't give a fuck what their last name is or what she did, she is my family and I will protect my own, Taylan, regardless of what you think." Wave's tone leaves no room for argument. She doesn't stick around for my answer as she goes after Kimber, leaving the four of us here with mere minutes to spare before we are summoned to meet with the Don of the biggest crime family in the US.

"They try to come for her, we won't stand down. I won't let my girl go to war without me by her side," Xander decrees.

"No one is going to war, if they try to go after my sister then they will be at war with the Re Della Strada as well," Knox snaps. "My wife is pregnant with your kid. Remind my sister of that fact would ya before she starts something she can't finish on her own." Xan and Trey both shoot my best friend an angry look.

"You don't think we fucking know that? Wave has moved our entire operations to Canada so she can be closer to Lake through the pregnancy. Nano is running things in Ireland until after the baby is born. Don't ever use our kid against us again because it won't be a war that ends you, Knoxville, it will be me!" Trey snarls before storming off after Wave.

"He's right. Wrap this shit up here and do whatever you have to so that a war doesn't break out because I'm not losing my girl or putting Lake and the baby in harm's way because Kimber fucked up." Xander storms off leaving me and Knox to deal with this shitstorm.

"I'm getting real fucking sick and tired of everyone thinking they can get away with demanding shit from me and talking to me like I won't put a fucking bullet in their heads." I shoot him a deadpan look.

"You gonna kill Xan and your sister?"

He narrows his eyes at me. "No, but I would kill Trey and deal with my sister's tantrum."

I smile and shake my head. "You hurt Wave and your wife would murder you." He throws his head back and groans.

"I had to go and fall in love with a ball-busting hardass, didn't I?" I laugh at his stupidity and watch Wave and the others peel out of here just in time as King shouts for us to get inside. Knox and I share a loaded look before we walk side by side into the lion's den, praying we both make it out of here without any new holes in our bodies. As we enter the house, I feel a bit of hope spur to life inside me at the sight of Royal, Sin, Chaos, Artemis, Cronos and London. Knox has grown close with Chaos and the Argyros twins and even Royal. Sin tolerates us but London is a wildcard, you can never get a read on her crazy ass.

"Fuck that! I am not a doctor you can just call on whenever the fuck you want to!" I spin toward what appears to be a living room to see King facing off against his daughter Amelia, who looks like she is about to fuck shit up. It doesn't escape my notice that Cronos separates himself from London and his twin as he moves closer toward Amelia.

"I didn't have a choice!" King defends.

Amelia throws her hands in the air. "You always say that! What part of stop fucking calling me don't you understand? I don't want to be at your beck and call, I made something of myself, even if it is under a fake name. I have a legit fucking life and you can't just keep sending your men to drag me out of my workplace so I'll patch up your men."

"It wasn't just anyone, Meelz, it was Luka," Rook butts in. I frown at the sight of blood on Rook's shirt. Luka is his brother in law and Bishop's right hand man after King.

Amelia looks to her uncle and some of her anger vanishes as she stares at him. "It's because it was Luka why I didn't shoot the fuckers the moment they shoved me in the car," she bites back.

"They laid their fucking hands on you?" Cronos growls drawing all our attention to him, if possible Amelia looks angrier when she meets Cronos's gaze.

"That's none of your business, you and my dad can both stay the fuck away from me and lose my number." She turns back to face her father. "I'm done. I don't want you calling me or showing up at my apartment or where I work." The plea in her tone is clear and I feel kind of sorry for her. I gaze around the room at all the faces to see them all looking guilty, well everyone except for Sin and London. Bishop, Knight and Vincent make their way into the room followed by Kiara, Allison, Koby and Anya, who rushes toward her daughter. Allison moves to stand beside her husband with tears in her eyes as she looks at her daughter.

"Meelz—"

Amelia cuts her mother off before she can continue. "No, Mom. I have done everything this family has asked of me whilst trying to pull away so I can live my life free of the burden of being a Murdoch, but you all keep sucking me back in. Royal, Chanel, Chaos and fuck, even London love this life but Destiny, Nytress, Unique and me don't. Destiny has a chance at a career in the MMA but because of her last name she is limited. I can't use my real name at the hospital or I will lose my job the second they know who my father is. I am begging you, Mom, let me go and make him stop dragging me back into this shit."

"Angel, you can't escape your fate," Cronos pushes, earning a tearful glare from Amelia.

"I can and I will. You know better than anyone what this life can take from you." Cronos's face blanks in an instant at her words.

"Amelia Queen Murdoch, you are hereby granted leave from this family." Everyone turns to Bishop. King rushes his brother but Gage, Knight and Rook hold him back.

"You stay the fuck out of this, Bishop, she is my daughter!" King roars.

"It's because she's your daughter why I am granting her this wish. She hates us, King," he bellows. Amelia flinches but doesn't deny his claim, instead she drops her chin to her chest. "She is not to return here. She is free to live her life without being weighed down by being born into this family." Bishop lifts his gaze to look at his niece. He looks almost pained as he stares at her. "This will always be your home, Meelz. I'm sorry that you have been burdened by the weight of this family's last name. Should you ever wish to return, you know you can, but until then, your freedom is your own. Live your life how you want to and on your own terms."

"Thank you," she chokes out. As she turns to leave, Cronos snaps his arm, blocking her path. King rages but my focus is on his daughter and Cronos. They share a look I can't decipher but no words need to be spoken. You can tell from the way they stare at each other that there is something between them. Amelia sighs and places a kiss to his cheek before brushing past him and not stopping when her parents call for her to come back.

Amelia Murdoch just earned my respect for not bowing to the easy way in life and choosing to live on her own terms.