Chapter 48

WALKER

The next week was a calm one. Hayden, Tayla, and I fell into a comfortable rhythm. Tayla took care of the house, cooking and cleaning, and we all enjoyed each other’s company in the bedroom. If she needed anything, we made sure she got it. Life was good, and business was steady. Logan hadn’t caused any trouble, and it seemed like he’d taken our warning about Tayla seriously.

One morning, I was sitting in the kitchen, browsing engagement rings on my phone. Hayden came up behind me and peeked at my screen.

“Thinking about marrying Tayla?” he asked.

I looked up at him as he took a seat next to me. “Yeah, I am,” I said.

His face fell a bit, and he let out a sigh. “You don’t think that’s a good idea?” I asked.

“No, it’s not that,” he said. “I just wonder what it’ll mean for us.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if she’s your wife, you’re supposed to be faithful to her ‘til death do you part,” he said, quoting the traditional vows.

“She’d be our wife,” I corrected him.

“But she already is, in a way. Why do we need a wedding?”

He had a point. “Because I’ve never felt this way before,” I said.

“And if she says no?”

“That won’t change how I feel about her. I’ll love her until the day I die.”

“I get that,” Hayden said. “She’s amazing. And kinky as hell.”

“Would you marry her?”

“Not if it meant losing what we have with her.”

I nodded and set my phone down on the counter. Just then, Tayla walked into the kitchen. I watched her stir a big pot of soup on the stove, filling the room with the smell of chicken.

“Can you guys try this soup for me?” she asked.

Hayden groaned. “I’m so sick of chicken soup,” he complained.

Tayla had been trying to perfect her chicken soup recipe for the past three days, in an attempt to outdo Dominic. Hayden and I were tired of being her taste testers.

Tayla set a bowl of soup on the table and handed us spoons. I took a spoonful and tasted it. As always, it was perfect.

She nudged Hayden, and he reluctantly tried it. Just then, my phone rang. It was Dominic.

“Can I come over? I need to talk to you about something.”

“Sure. But you need to call off this soup bet with Tayla. It’s driving us nuts,” I said.

“I’ll be there in ten.”

“Is Dominic coming over?” Tayla asked.

I nodded. “If he doesn’t end this soup bet, I’m going to shoot him,” Hayden muttered.

“I’m with you on that,” I agreed.

Tayla’s phone rang, and she pulled it out of her pocket. “Hi, Jess!” she said.

Hayden rolled his eyes and made a face. “Hold on, I’ll check,” Tayla said.

Here we go, I thought.

“Can Jess come over for lunch? We’ll eat on the beach so we won’t be in your way.”

“As long as you feed her all the chicken soup,” Hayden joked.

Tayla swatted him on the arm and looked at me for approval. I nodded, and she blew me a kiss before getting back to making lunch.

I watched her move around the kitchen, so at home in our space. Then Dominic walked in.

“I made the soup!” Tayla announced.

“Did you now?” Dominic said, grinning.

He took a seat at the counter, and Tayla brought him a bowl of soup. He tasted it, and we all held our breath, waiting for his verdict.

“Fucking perfect!” he declared.

“So mine’s the best?”

“Absolutely,” he said.

Tayla clapped her hands and went back to making lunch. Dominic looked at me and made a face.

“Not even close,” he whispered.

Hayden burst out laughing, and I had to work hard to keep a straight face.

“What’s so funny?” Tayla asked.

Hayden jumped off his stool and swung Tayla around, giving her a kiss. She giggled, a sound I loved, and Hayden held her close as she continued making lunch.

“I need to talk to you alone,” Dominic said.

“On the deck,” I said.

We left Hayden and Tayla in the kitchen and walked over to the railing, out of earshot.

“I found out someone’s stealing from you and selling your stuff to a rival gang,” Dominic said.

“Who?”

“The Black Skulls.”

The Black Skulls were a gang from a neighboring town that had been enemies with my father years ago. They’d been quiet for a while, but it looked like they needed a reminder of who was in charge.

“How’d you find out?”

“I saw one of your guys in town talking to one of them and followed him.”

“You saw him make the deal?”

Dominic nodded. “I’ll talk to Hayden about this. In the meantime, keep an eye on our guy and find out what you can,” I said.

“There’s one more thing,” Dominic said. He pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket and handed it to me. It was a DNA test. For Dominic and me.

“I took your DNA from a beer bottle. Turns out, I’m your half-brother,” he said.

What the fuck!

“We have the same dad,” he explained.

My heart pounded in my chest. My father had an affair with Dominic’s mother?

“I guess that’s why your dad didn’t kill me for stealing. He knew I was his son?”

“He knew?” I asked.

“According to my mom’s diary, he did.”

I have a brother?

Dominic?

And I was in the dark about it all this time?

My stomach twisted into knots, and I could feel my pulse throbbing in my temples.

“Holy shit!” I muttered under my breath.

I folded the letter and tucked it into my jeans pocket.

“If you need more evidence, I can show you the secret passage my mom used to sneak into your...well, our dad’s house?”

“Where?” I asked.

“Underneath the house. It leads to the basement.”

Just then, Tayla emerged with Hayden trailing behind her.

“Later,” I shot at Dominic in a low voice.

He got the message and nodded.

Hayden scooped Tayla up by the waist and plopped her onto his lap as he settled down next to me.

“Why don’t we hit the dance floor again soon?” Tayla proposed.

“Or you could give me a private show in my bedroom?” Hayden teased.

“How about tomorrow night?” I chimed in.

“Sounds like a plan,” Hayden agreed.

“Want to tag along?” I asked Dominic.

Dominic blinked a few times as if he hadn’t quite caught my question, then nodded.

“I can play chauffeur and drop you guys off and pick you up?” he offered.

“No! I mean, why don’t you join us? Like, actually hang out, have a few drinks, dance, socialize?”

Both Tayla and Hayden were giving me curious looks.

“I...uh..”

“For fuck’s sake, dude! Yes or no?” Hayden demanded.

“Okay,” Dominic agreed, looking taken aback.

“Great. You can crash in the guest room too,” I offered.

“Okay. I’m going to go take care of that job now,” Dominic said, still looking a bit shell-shocked.

The three of us watched him walk away.

“That was really sweet,” Tayla commented.

“We used to hang out all the time when we were kids, and I thought it would be nice to invite him out,” I explained.

“I guess he’s not so bad,” I heard Hayden mumble before he started tickling Tayla’s sides.

Tayla shrieked with laughter and tried to swat Hayden’s hands away before he pulled her close and planted a deep kiss on her.

“Knock! Knock!” Jess called out as she climbed up the deck steps.

“Jess!” Tayla squealed, jumping up from Hayden’s lap.

We watched the two women embrace before Jess planted a kiss on Tayla’s cheek, causing Hayden to let out a low growl.