by Erin Trejo
Paddling out a little more, I get into position and look over my shoulder. As soon as I see the setup, I paddle and get ready. When I pop up on the board, a feeling of euphoria rushes me. This is what I was born to do. Not many people can say the same, but for me, this is life. I move through the wave with ease, a slight smile on my face. In the matter of seconds, it’s all taken away from me. Someone drops in on me and hits my board. I fly off and slam into the water with force. The waves crash above me as I try to swim to the surface but another wave is coming in rapidly. I grab a breath and dive back under as my ribs scream in pain. I come back up and finally get my bearings in time to see someone paddling toward shore quickly. Stupid fucker. My head aches and my ribs protest from the slap against the water as I swim toward shore.
“What the fuck was that?” I didn’t even see him standing in the sand when I was out there. Triton looks downright pissed.
“Some asshole dropped in on me. Fucked my set,” I tell him as I unhook the leash from my ankle and grab my board.
“I’m gonna fuck him up!” he snaps, heading in that direction. I can’t help but giggle a little. Triton must have heard me because he turns to look at me. “What?”
“Nothing. You’re going after him for no reason, Triton. Shit happens,” I tell him and shrug. I head toward my truck when I notice him right behind me. I don’t say anything else, because frankly what the hell can I say?
“You gonna just ignore me all the time?”
Tossing my board in the back of the truck, I grab my shirt out of the front seat and slip it over my head. Reaching around the back of my neck, I untie my bikini top, reaching behind me to do the same and pulling it free. Triton watches me as I toss it in the front seat before grabbing my shorts.
“I’m not ignoring you.”
“You are and now you’re just fuckin’ with my cock.” When I look up into his eyes I can see that flare. That lust that dances in his pretty blue eyes. Triton steps into my space, pressing me against the truck.
“You just gonna strip right here, huh?” His hand comes to my side and slowly slides up under my shirt until I wince. Triton pulls back, yanking my shirt up.
“Fuck,” he hisses as I follow his gaze. My ribs are already starting to bruise like I figured they would. “Should have beat his ass.” His fingers move slowly and gently over my ribs, causing a shiver to race down my spine.
“I’ll live. I just need to rest.”
“You will be. In my bed.”
“Triton, I can’t keep doing this,” I tell him. Saying the words was harder than I thought they would be but I had to. We can’t just keep using each other for sex. There was a moment of clarity out there in the water. Clarity that I think I needed. I can’t keep focusing on Triton; I need to focus my attention on surfing not him.
“Yeah, we can. Stop bein’ stubborn, Say.”
“Took a fall, huh?”
I close my eyes and inwardly cringe just hearing that voice come anywhere near me. Triton steps back and turns to see who it is.
“You wouldn’t know anything about it, would you?” I ask, glaring at Marshall like the piece of shit he is.
“Are you accusing me of something?” he asks, stepping closer to me. I can feel the tension rushing off Triton, and to be honest, I’m surprised he’s been so silent.
“I don’t know, Marshall should I be?” Crossing my arms over my chest, I glare at the asshole.
“You should watch your mouth, Saylor. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to you before the qualifiers.” The way he says it shouldn’t affect me but it does. I know what Marshall is capable of and I know that he would do whatever he had to to give him and his girls an advantage.
“You threatenin’ her?” Triton steps in front of me and mimics my stance. His wide arms are crossed over his chest; his feet spread and ready to react.
“What are you, her bodyguard?” Marshall laughs, pissing me off a little more.
“Might be. You keep fuckin’ with her and you’ll find out. Why don’t you take a walk before I really get mad, yeah?” I look around Triton to see what Marshall’s face looks like, you know, needing a good laugh but the look I see is far from anything I expected..
“Watch your ass, Saylor. You didn’t want my offer but it still stands.” Marshall spins on his heel and walks away when Triton turns to face me.
“Who the hell is he?” The pissed look in his eyes is amusing. It’s almost as if he gives a damn.
“None of your business.” I open my door and start to climb in my truck when his arm wraps around my waist, pulling me back into him.
“You jumped off a goddamn ship. You only come around when you want a good fuck, and now you got some asshole threatenin’ you? Do I have it all covered?” he asks, his lips so close to my neck I can feel his breath dancing over my skin. I could melt into this man. I could hide in the arms of danger but for what?
“Seems about right. What more could there be?”
“Oh, darlin’, there could be so much more if you’d stop pushin’ me.”
“You want to rehash a past that had nothing to do with either of us, Triton. It wasn’t your fault and I don’t want to hear that it was. Is that what you want from me? You think you can fix my past?” Spinning in his arms, I glare up at him. I can see the pain in his eyes, but that pain isn’t his to hold onto.
“It was my fault, Say. I know it was. I wish I could change it for you, but I can’t and I’m fuckin’ sorry that it cost you your mom.”
“I always thought there was something more that I didn’t know when I was growing up. There was always a strange tension between me, Trin, and my dad, but I never got it. Not until you told me.”
“Have you talked to him?”
Shaking my head no, I have no urge to either. If I blame anyone it’s him; I blame my dad for the loss of my mom.
“He made his choice about Trinity’s dad. I don’t know what I feel, Triton. I don’t know what I should feel.” Telling him the truth is hard. I never wanted to share this part of myself with him, but I have feelings for Triton that I can’t deny no matter how hard I try. I don’t know exactly when it all happened but I felt it deep inside of me on that ship. There was more to him, more that I wanted. His hand comes to rest on my cheek, his thumb slowly caressing me.
“I can’t tell you what to feel, baby. I don’t know what to say, either. There are days when I feel like shit for what I’ve done and others that I don’t give a shit. None of them deserved what they got but this is who I am. I’m not a good person.”
“But you are. You have watched out for me since the day we met. You are raising your little sister into an amazing person, Triton. You are better than you think.” He chuckles but doesn’t move his hand.
“I’m fuckin’ that girl up. I’ll be lucky if she graduates, and even then, what the fuck have I given her? She lives in a goddamn clubhouse with club whores walkin’ around half-naked all goddamn day. She lives with killers and drug dealers. We could be raided at any time and where the fuck would that leave her?” The pain in his voice is evident. He’s struggling with all this.
Raising my hands, I rest them on his chest. “You’re a smart man, Triton. You have priorities but you also have a heart. You care about your sister and I have no doubt that you will figure things out for her. Regardless of what you tell yourself, I believe in you.”
Chapter 14
Triton
Her words ring in my head as I stand with my gun pointed at this lying asshole. She believes in me? What a fucking joke. There is nothing to believe in.
“How much?” I ask, noting the glossy look in his eyes.
“Come on, Triton. It wasn’t even that much, man,” Rich slurs every word he says. It’s not a surprise to me considering he’s always been into drugs.
“It never is, is it? You always say it’s not that much. Neo sent your ass to rehab four times, Rich! Blade sent your ass two times when he was prez. How much more of our shit do you need to steal and sn
ort before we kill your ass?” Shooting Rich wouldn’t faze me. If Neo gives the order, I’ll pull the goddamn trigger, that’s just who I am now. Remorse for killing doesn’t sit high on my priority list unless it’s about Saylor. Anyone else? I don’t really give a shit.
“I’ll stop! Neo, come on, brother.”
Neo chuckles and walks up next to me, eyeing him the whole time.
“No, Triton’s right. We are losin’ too much and you are just fuckin’ around, man. We don’t need that shit. Take him out before you head up north,” Neo says before turning on his heel and walking away. I take a deep breath and do what I do. I pull the trigger and watch as Rich’s body falls to the floor in a heap. Shoving my gun back into my jeans, I turn on my heel and leave the mess for the guys to clean up. Stepping out into the hot Daytona sun, I pull my sunglasses down over my eyes.
“Who is ridin’ up north with me?” I ask Neo before taking the joint he’s offering. I bring it to my lips and inhale before passing it back. Blowing out a ring of smoke, I look around the area.
“Take Ransom and Rebel. They need a break anyway. If shit goes south, call in. We’ll get someone up there,” Neo tells me. I nod my head and grab a cigarette and light it up debating the question I’m about to ask him. He’s my president, my friend, and my brother, but when it comes to women, I don’t typically talk about my problems.
“You gonna spit it out or what?” I chuckle nearly choking on my smoke.
“I found some shit out about Saylor.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“When I was ordered to kill to prove I was worthy of the patch.” I glance off into the distance before pulling myself back. “We got the order from an outside source, it was a paid hit. That same night, Saylor was out with her mom. Her mom heard the shots and took off with Saylor thinkin’ someone was after her. Went out on the boat but a storm came up. She died out there but they saved Say.”
“Fuck, brother. That’s some messed up shit. Why did she think that someone was after her?” I shrug because I don’t know that part.
“Don’t know. Even more fucked?” I glance over him. “The guy I killed was Trin’s real dad.” Before I can even try to cover up what I just said, the gasp we both heard turns to sobs. I turn to find Trinity standing there with tears running down her face.
“Who the fuck brought her?” I growl, pissed at the fucking world now.
“Me,” Neo says but doesn’t make a move to go toward her. “We were headin’ out for the night when we were done here.”
“Trin,” I say her name softly but she shakes her head.
“My whole life has been a lie. I knew he wasn’t my dad but fuck. I never realized…” Her voice trails off before she takes off running. Neo sighs and starts walking toward her.
“I just keep fuckin’ up!” I roar and stomp toward my bike. Everything in this life is a complete fuck up. It’s my fault that everything is falling apart, and there is nothing I can do to fix any of it.
Jumping on the road, I ride as hard and as fast as I can. Fuck everything. Fuck the ride up north. I need her. I need to hold her and wrap her in my arms. That’s the only time I’m calm. I know where she lives, but I never went to her house. I’ve never had the fucking balls to just show up in her safe place, yet that’s exactly where I find myself stopping. Say lives in a tiny shack out on the beach away from anyone and everyone. I park my bike on the road and walk until I find it. It isn’t much but I suppose it’s hers. I don’t bother with knocking, just shove the door open and storm inside. There’s a storm brewing in my chest that I don’t know how to handle, and when I see Say curled up in the middle of her bed wearing my shirt and a tub of ice cream in her hands, I lose it. Her eyes jerk to mine but she doesn’t say a word.
“I thought I could handle this shit. I thought I could move on and do what the fuck I do but I’ve fucked up Piper’s life, your life, and now Trin’s! I’m losin’ it, Say! I’m fuckin’ drownin’ in this shit and I don’t know how to stop it. Fuck!”
Tugging at my hair, there are far too many emotions raging inside of me for me to calm them all. I feel like my life has been sent into a tailspin and I’m on the losing end of it. I thought killing would make me feel at least a little better but I don’t. Say motions for me to come to her but I shake my head no. She raises her eyebrows and cocks her head until I move. I walk over and sit on the edge of the bed when Say climbs into my lap. She straddles me, grabbing my face in her hands.
“You are way too hard on yourself, Triton. I don’t think you see the goodness in yourself.”
“And you see it?”
She nods with a soft smile on her face.
“I saw it when you stood up to a man you didn’t even know for me. I saw it when you stood up for your sister in that restaurant. Whether you see it or not, others do. I do.” She leans in, pressing her lips to mine and the world melts away. I could hold Saylor forever and feel this comfort. If only it were possible. I wrap my hands around her waist, and keep her in place as she rests her head on my shoulder.
“Why is my life so fucked up?” I whisper.
“It’s not so bad. You have people who care about you, which is more than I can say,” she whispers back. I pull back so that I can look at her, needing her to see what I feel.
“You have people who care, Say.”
“Trinity doesn’t count; she’s my sister, she has to care.” She giggles.
“Not just her. I care, Saylor. More than I should, but I fuckin’ care.” Her eyes slowly fill with unshed tears and leak down her tanned cheeks.
“How would we work?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore, Say.” Saylor wiggles in my lap and snuggles into me. I never thought I’d like having someone do that but with Saylor, all things come as a surprise.
“Stay with me tonight,” she asks, her words softly ripping another hole in my chest.
“I gotta make a run up north.”
“So, take me with you.” Once again I pull away and look into her eyes. She isn’t joking. “I could use a break too, Triton.”
“You’d have to stay at the hotel while I handle shit. It’s dangerous.”
“Maybe I like danger,” she coos, wiggling against me once more.
“You should talk to Trin before we go. She overheard me talkin’ to Neo about shit.”
“She texted me. I know all about it. She’ll be fine, Triton, she’s a tough girl.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that she had to overhear it.”
“That’s my fault. I was going to talk to her but I just, I just didn’t know how to,” she adds.
“When are we leaving?” she asks a little more excitedly. I almost laugh.
“Now.”
“Good. Let’s get out of here. I need a vacation,” she says before kissing my cheek and climbing out of my lap.
“Put some clothes on, you’re ridin’ on my bike this time.” Say turns toward me, her mouth hanging open and a smile on her face.
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Get your ass movin’.”
Chapter 15
Saylor
Danger has a way of wrapping itself around you, holding tight and not letting go. Being on a surfboard poses its own danger, but holding onto a man, on the back of his bike knowing he willingly kills? That’s a danger that I crave. Triton has been a temptation since the first time I laid eyes on him, but the more I know about him, the more I want him. It’s an intense feeling but it’s also easy. I can’t exactly explain what I feel, but with Triton, all the wrongs are right. He pulls into the hotel parking lot, and I yawn not realizing just how tired I was.
“I’ll be right back.” Triton climbs off the bike and heads inside the office.
I climb off and stretch my legs and back, needing a good hot shower and sleep when someone grabs my ass. Alarmed, I spin around ready to fight when the man chuckles.
“Hot chicks on bikes are my thing, sweetheart,” he slurs. The smell of stale liqu
or and cigarette smoke are like a slap to the face.
“Sorry, but drunken assholes aren’t mine.” I turn to look over my shoulder to see if Triton is about done, needing him to hurry up before this turns ugly, but he’s still standing at the desk. Suddenly, hands wrap around my waist, jerking me into a hard body. I wince and try to pull away, but his breath dances along my skin and I’m stuck in his hold.
“I like fighters, too,” he snarls near my ear.
“Well, I suppose that’s good since I like to fight!” I hiss and kick my legs.
Landing one to his shin, he releases me. I move quickly away from him and toward the door when he grabs a handful of my hair and jerks me back. I stumble and fall to the ground when he climbs on top of me. His hand comes to my chest, grabbing my breast roughly in his filthy hands. Just as I’m about to open my mouth, he’s ripped away from me. A hand is extended and I gladly accept it. Triton pulls me up and looks me over before his eyes darken. In the matter of seconds he turns and grabs the guy off the ground. I watch in a stunned silence as he pounds the hell out of him. When the man is barely moving and blood is spraying from his face, I reach for Triton’s arm to pull him away. I notice the woman in the lobby watching as well and I don’t want him to get in trouble. She’s eyeing the scene and panic seeps into my pores. I don’t want Triton to get into trouble.
“Stop!” I scream, trying to catch his attention. I grab his arm again and yell his name, “Triton!” His arm keeps swinging with me attached. I’m thrown to the ground and only then does he stop and notice what he’s done. His eyes are as dark as I’ve ever seen them but he isn’t all here. This is the darkness that he’s told me about, the killer that lives inside of him.
“Fuck! Fuck!” he roars, kicking the man one last time before coming toward me. He lifts me easily and presses a key card into my hand.
“Go.” He nods toward the rooms, and I follow his orders. I don’t want to see him like this. It’s scary to see, but most of all, it’s an eye opener. This is what he is. I walk toward the rooms in a hurry listening to Triton yell at the man before I hear the bike rev up. I don’t stop to look, just keep heading toward the room.
