“GET UP.” He roars, rising to his full height. “I was trying to do this the less painful way, but I can see that is going to get me nowhere.” Just like that, I have turned him into the hateful psychopath he really is. When I don’t immediately follow his instructions, Slasher walks forward and grabs me by my hair. In a shocking move, Taz opens his eyes before bringing his foot forward. The hit Slasher takes to the jaw isn’t strong enough to do much damage, but it surprises him. Letting go of my hair, he stumbles back, shaking his head.
“TAZ!” I holler, as he too stumbles to his feet, using the last of his strength to reach Slasher.
“She doesn’t have to say it,” Taz grinds out through his teeth. “I will. You will never beat me one on one, ASSHOLE.”
“You can barely stand, let alone fight me,” Slasher starts to mock him. “When I’ve finished kicking your ass, I’m going to fuck your woman in every hole she has, as you watch. Your little princess will never be the same again.”
Taz doesn’t bother replying. Staggering forward, Slasher lands a punch to his side. Taz is able to send one of his own to the side of Slasher’s mouth, forcing his head to jerk sideways, lip instantly splitting open, causing blood to run down his chin. Slasher licks it away with a grin on his face. Taz, faster than expected, doesn’t give him much time to recover. They exchange blow after blow, both of them refusing to give up. That is until the door upstairs opens, and someone can be heard running down the steps.
I see one of Slasher’s soldiers take a gun from his side, aiming it at both the men. “We have company, Boss. We need to get you out of here,” the man hollers.
Slasher shoves Taz forward, “Shoot him,” he commands.
“NOOOOOOO!” I scream, racing forward. When Taz’s body falls to the floor, shortly after a bang causes my ears to start ringing, I lose it. Seeing the blood run from a hole in his chest, sends a fresh wave of terror through my body that ends all sensible thinking. Fists flying, legs kicking, teeth biting, I barely acknowledge Slasher trying to pick me up. He just gave the order to kill someone I love; I’m not allowing him to leave here alive.
“Just leave her, man,” I hear a voice say.
With a low growl, Slasher stops my assault long enough to whisper in my ear. “I’ll see you soon, Princess,” his tone oozing confidence. With a hard shove, he tosses me to the ground. I land on my side, hard, Taz’s shirt, which he gave me to wear, soaks up the blood that is now surrounding him on the floor. Rushing to my knees, noticing he’s not breathing, panic starts to take over, and I do the only thing I can. Tilting his head back, opening his airway, I start to give him CPR. Just like I learned in school, I give thirty chest compressions before checking the airway and giving rescue breaths. The tears I’ve tried to hold back are now freely flowing, mixing with the crimson that is covering both the floor and my jeans.
“Serenity….” I hear someone say, but I continue to do my compressions, ignoring whoever is in the background. “Someone call the paramedics, NOW!”
I bend down, breathe into his mouth, just to rise again. “One, two, three, four….” I count, never realizing I’m doing it out loud. My arms start to burn, my chest is heaving, and the hollowness in my own chest starts to get worse. I have no way of knowing how long I’ve been down here, trying to save his life, but I know one thing. I can’t live in a world where he doesn’t exist, I refuse to.
“Serenity, baby, you need to move.” I hear a familiar voice say. Right now is not the time to let insanity take hold, my dad isn’t here. Just keep doing what you’re doing, Serenity. Don’t let Taz die. Then, an unsuspected touch to my shoulder has me screaming, “NOOOOOOOOOO,” before my brain registers that my dad really is here, kneeling beside me.
“The paramedics are here. Let them do their job,” he states, turning my attention to the men in uniform. I move out of the way, just enough for them to squeeze through. They begin to talk amongst themselves, going over all his injures, while taking over CPR. I silently sit, watching, until my father takes me into his arms. “Let’s get you home, Princess.” He states.
My stress filled mind doesn’t allow me to keep my emotions under control anymore. It’s like I know I can finally have my breakdown, and be safe. Pounding my fists on his chest, trying to break free from his grasps, I began to scream. “DON’T CALL ME THAT. NEVER CALL ME THAT!”
“She’s in shock.” Someone hollers. When I’m able to get free, I look down to notice there is no, Taz, just a puddle of his blood left lying where his body was. Gazing around at the familiar faces that belong to the club members, I can only imagen what I look like. Blood covering my clothes, hair nasty from sweat, sticking to the side of my neck, and tears trailing down my face.
“WHERE IS HE?” I start to shout, needing to know what happened. Looking down in confusion, I reassure myself he was just there, being worked on by paramedics, but now he’s gone. I’m not crazy.
“Serenity, he’s on his way to the hospital. The paramedics took him,” my dad says, trying to take a step towards me. I know deep down I’m not in any danger, not anymore, but I’ve completely lost all sense of reality.
“DON’T COME NEAR ME!” I holler, placing my hand up to stop his forward motion.
Mia takes a tentative step, now standing beside my dad. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she silently asks him to let her try. With a nod of his head, she takes another step forward. She leaves plenty space between us, knowing that is what I need.
“Serenity, we need to get you out of here, okay. I know it’s hard, I know what you’re feeling, but it’s not safe here,” she says, looking into my eyes, and letting the truth ring through her voice. This is my friend, someone that has experienced this before. She is someone I can trust to be on my side.
“Take me to him,” I demand, not able to say Taz’s name. It’s not needed, she knows who I am referring to. I see the sympathy enter her gaze, as she opens her mouth to say something.
“We need to take you home first,” my dad demands before Mia, can continue, causing me to bring my attention back to him. My body is tired, my mind is strained, and the shock of what just happened is starting to ware off. Relaxing my shoulders, I do what Slasher would have me do. Dropping to my knees, I bow my head. “Please,” I start to beg, “please, I’ll do anything you ask, just bring me to him.”
“What is she doing?” Someone questions.
“What he had her do. Beg for what she wants,” a female voice replies.
“Serenity, I’ll take you to him,” My dad whispers, closer to me then he was a moment ago. “You don’t have to beg, Princess.”
The nickname has me glaring up at him. “Don’t call me princess. That’s not my name,” I state, rising to my feet. With a crowd of people watching me, I stagger up the stairs, having no choice but to believe my father. He said he would take me to see Taz. That’s the only thing allowing me to place one foot in front of the other.
Taz
Her skin is as smooth as the finniest leather, and just as flawless. While caressing her legs, stomach, and hips I concentrate on taking my time. I want to explore every inch, memorize every freckle and dip, and when I’m done, she will know I have claimed what’s mine.
Her rosy pink nipples erect. The tips high in the air, begging me to taste their sweetness. The longer I think about how good they’ll taste, the harder it is to keep a slow-pace. The hint of vanilla on her skin has my mouth watering, and I wonder if she wants this as bad as I do. Then, she arches her hips, silently begging me to touch what no other man has, and the growl I’ve tried to hold back releases from my chest.
“You’re fucking killing me,” I grunt out spreading her knees wider. My dick is harder than it’s ever been, throbbing with a need to be buried in her wet heat, and she knows it. It’s written in her vixen-eyes which stare at me under long lashes.
“I need you, Taz,” Serenity whispers while arching her back more.
If I fuck her like I want, she’ll never be the same. This is the only wom
an I refuse to use like a whore- hard and dirty. She deserves soft and sweet. Serenity deserves something I’m not capable of. To me, sex is the best way to release all my pent-up rage. The feelings of anger I hide every day from a past that haunts me every night.
She slowly starts to trail delicate hands down her sides, across smooth skin, stopping inches from her mound. Need shines through those bright blue eyes of hers. Then, my angel starts to spread her folds, allowing me to get a better look of her perfect pussy.
“I want you to be my first, Taz,” she states, forcing my gaze to move from her beautiful pink pussy back to the blue irises shining with desire. Studying her closely, trying to gauge her emotions, I tell myself this is a bad idea. No way will this end well. She is my president’s daughter, way too young for me, and a virgin. I’ve done things Serenity has probably never imagined. I’ve been with countless women, none of them twice. Serenity deserves better than a male whore, better than me.
“Taz,” she whispers, “do you want me?”
The question is simple. There is no grey area, it’s black and white, yet I can’t bring myself to answer. Honestly, I want to spread her legs as wide as possible, and pound into her until there is no doubt left between us. I want to feel her cum with my hand wrapped around her throat, having complete control over her body.
The passion in her gaze is more than I can bare, and easily proves what a weak man I am. Reaching for her wrists, grabbing them roughly, I pin them above her head.
“You’re going to regret this,” I threaten while bending forward, forcefully taking one of her nipples into my mouth, and biting down hard enough to make it sting. I wait until she wiggles before adding more pressure. The sweet sound of her sharp inhale tells me it now hurts. The pain may seem unbearable right now, but once I let go Serenity will love the sensation that follows.
“Arghh,” she grunts out, trying to pull her hands from mine. I lesson the pressure on my jaw before soothing the sting away with my tongue. The goose bumps rising across her skin, and the suggestive angling of her hips feed my inner-beast with confidence. Kissing my way to her other erect peek, I give it the same attention.
Her skin that I’ve craved for so long tastes sweeter than any fruit Zeus himself could produce. I want to leave my mark on her body, and let everyone know I was here first. My lips, my hands, will forever be the one’s she remembers. The sounds ripping from her throat encourage me to continue my path down to her folds. I hope to find them slick with want and need, silently begging me to touch, lick, and taste every inch of her untouched pussy.
Leaving a trail of kisses across her ribs, I order, “keep your hands above your head,” before freeing her wrists. The only reply she gives is a sexy moan. Knowing she heard me, yet hoping she chooses to disobey, I continue my exploration.
“Taz…Taz,” Serenity groans out, wiggling underneath me when I get to her lower abdomen. Thinking she is enjoying my touch, I continue.
“Taz…STOP!” she shouts, her body now lying completely still. Jerking up to a sitting position, I gaze at her tear-stained face. Her hair is matted, and sticking to the sides of her neck and shoulders. The skin I was just worshiping is now covered in a thick layer of dirt and grim.
“Look at what they’ve done to me,” she whispers, no longer able to move her hands because of the thick rope now tied around her wrists. “Why, Taz? Why did you let him claim me?” she asks, forcing my eyes to follow her gaze down.
The once white sheets are now stained crimson, signaling my failure. Had I been a better man, someone deserving of her, Slasher wouldn’t have been able to carve his name into her abdomen, forever marking her as his. The name taunts me while blood continuously inches its way down her sides, pooling onto the mattress.
“You’re not his. YOU’RE MINE 1” I shout, ripping pieces of the sheet to stop the bleeding. Placing them gently on her wounds Serenity continues to stare at me, crying.
“I could never be yours, Taz. You couldn’t save me. You left me to die, just like her,” she whispers.
“No…No... I didn’t leave her, and I’m not leaving you. I will save you, Serenity,” I state, shaking my head, forcing myself to keep my mind on the here-and-now. I was too late once; I won’t allow that to happen again. No longer crying silent tears, her wails of agony rip from her throat and start bouncing around the room.
My soul cracks while whisper reassurances I don’t even believe., trying to soothe her, and trying to keep her from bleeding-out.
S L A S H E R
His name is carved into her skin as a constant reminder of who he is, and what he’s done. Another woman that owns a piece of my heart is going to die because of me.
“Taz…Please...Please,” Serenity starts whimpering. Her once agonizing screams leave her voice sounding raw and painful.
“Please wake up.”
It’s quiet, too quiet.
My bedroom light is off, along with all the other lights in the clubhouse. Lying next to me is some woman I barley know. She was a good distraction for the few hours we spent together, but it can never happen again. Women are better off without me in their life. It’s a harsh reality, something I had to learn to adapt to, but it’s mine. Is it easy? No, but that’s the fucked-up world we live in. Nothing is ever easy; you just have to be stronger than the shit it throws at you.
I don’t bother waking the stranger up, I took her harder than I should have last night. The marks on her hips cause a hint of guilt to bloom in my chest, but just as quickly as it appears, I smother it down. I was upfront with her and explained what I was looking for. She was ready and willing. There’s nothing for me to feel remorseful about.
Getting out of bed, slipping on a pair of boxers that were lying next to her discarded clothing, I gingerly make my way toward the kitchen. Should I be walking around half-naked this time of day? No. Do I care? No. I often wake up feeling restless over a past I’ll never be able to change. That alone makes it easy to be an asshole. Sometimes, just when I think I might be able to deal with it, not forget, just learn to ignore the constant ache in my chest, my harsh realty comes flooding back. My mind reels from the images being played on repeat, so vividly I have to remind myself it’s been six years, nearly a decade. I tell myself the perfume my brain is trying to convince me I smell is not hers. The words still ringing in my ears, forcing a hollowness to form inside my chest so deep I sometimes wish it would swallow me whole, are not hers.
Fists clenched so tight my knuckles have turned white, I begin to beat on my chest. Anything to get this feeling to go away. I know what I look like, standing outside the kitchen doorway, pounding on my torso- a pathetic man not capable of dealing with his weaknesses. I’m usually better at hiding my faults. I can force a smile on my face, and say the right things when needed. No one has a clue what I actually feel, the monster that hides inside, unless I want them too. So why am I breaking right here, right now? Why can’t I close my eyes without seeing her?
“Lucas,” I hear someone say. The desperation lining her voice shatters another piece of my soul. Should I turn around? Am I strong enough to appear unfazed?
“I love you,” she cries as her voice grows more frantic.
My arms are now hanging limply at my sides. No amount of self-harm will ease what I’m about to witness again.
Turning around, the clubhouse is no longer in view. What once was the bar is now an old concrete bridge. I can see the barriers, lined with yellow reflectors, which remind passing cars of the cold water beneath them. The rustic ceiling has been replaced with a black sky. Stars twinkle in the distance, reminding everyone who are the true watchers of the night. They are the only witnesses to someone’s world ending. A cold wind has now creeped into the air, causing goosebumps to spread across my bare arms.
“Have you forgotten about me?” I hear.
Up until this point, I’ve avoided looking to my right because I know what I’ll see. She will be standing on the edge of the bridge. Her dark brown hair blowing in the win
d, stray strands whipping around her face. Her arms crossed over her chest to keep the cold from sinking into her bones while looking down into the water that is just as dark as the sky above. The cars that pass illuminating her profile enough to see the tears streaming down her face.
“The world is a scary place, Lucas. People scurry from one place to the other none the wiser, never seeing the evil that lives amongst us, but I do,” She says never looking at me. “Do you believe in heaven, Lucas?”
I don’t bother replying because I know what’s about to happen. I know there is no way for me to stop it, to turn back time like I’m rewinding an old movie.
“I want you to believe. When you think of me I want you to picture us together living in another realm, happy. This isn’t over for us. I will learn from my mistakes, and you will have time to live this life the way you deserve. Until then, I need you to believe in our paradise. I love you, Lucas. Never doubt that.”
“NOOOOO!” I shout, rushing forward. But I’m too late. I’m always too late. The water below swallows her cries. Her voice now blowing in the wind for the world she always hated to hear. I tried to be strong enough for both of us. I tried to be her voice of reason, but I failed. Throwing off my jacket, knowing it will only slow me down, I climb the barrier she was just on. I’m more than likely signing my death warrant, yet I can’t force myself to care. Just as I’m about to jump, knowing a world without her in it is not one I care to live a set of arms wrap around me.
“Get off me!” I holler. “I have to save her!”
“Wake up, Taz,” I hear a familiar voice say. “Wake up so I can kick your ass for trying to leave,” he jokes, but his voice lacks the laughter the words were meant to inspire.
Serenity
Two weeks have passed since we were rescued from that dungeon. Fourteen days since I last saw his emerald eyes staring back into mine. Eight hundred and forty hours have passed by without the sound of his voice to soothe away the worst of my pain. Fifty thousand and four hundred seconds living in the agony of not knowing whether he can hear my pleas for him to wake up.
Taz (Tarnished Souls MC Book 2) Page 3
