Chapter 32

WALKER

I watched Hayden on the beach, kneeling to pet an old couple’s collie, while I enjoyed my coffee on the deck.

Hayden had woken up in high spirits this morning, especially when I told him we had Tayla’s jerk of an ex-boyfriend locked up in the basement.

I heard a footstep behind me and didn’t move as Dominic leaned on the deck rail next to me.

“I’ve done what you asked,” he said.

He looked down at Hayden, who was still fussing over the dog.

“You do realize that you’ll probably never fully earn our trust, right?” I told him.

He nodded.

“It’s better than being in exile,” he mumbled.

“Want some advice?”

Dominic turned and looked straight at me.

“You know Tayla’s here and what she means to us?”

He nodded.

“Don’t touch her unless you want Hayden to lose it on you.”

“I have no plans of touching her, especially for that reason,” he chuckled.

I smirked, understanding exactly what he meant.

My gaze returned to Hayden, who was now jogging back towards us.

“Any more tasks for me?”

“No. I’ll get in touch soon,” I told him.

Dominic left just as Hayden jogged up onto the deck and came over to me.

I sipped my coffee and watched him glare at Dominic’s retreating figure.

“Easy, tiger,” I said, firmly.

The darkness in Hayden’s eyes was clear as day to me, and I knew he’d happily put a bullet in Dominic’s head if I asked him to.

“Not that one,” I reminded him.

Hayden turned to me and took a deep breath, calming himself down.

I finished my coffee, and we both froze as Tayla stepped onto the deck wearing my dark shirt from yesterday.

She smiled as she approached us, and I noticed her long hair was wet, indicating she’d just showered.

“Think she’s wearing any panties?” Hayden whispered to me.

“I sure as hell hope not,” I growled back.

“Good morning,” she said, softly.

“It is now, baby girl,” Hayden beamed, kissing her cheek.

Her eyes met mine, and instantly my cock hardened in my shorts.

I was definitely going to marry this girl!

I wanted to wake up to those eyes every morning.

“What would you like for breakfast, little one?” I asked her.

She thought for a moment and then smiled again.

“I’m craving pancakes,” she told me.

“I can do that,” I told her.

I would tear this world apart for her if she asked me to!

I left the rail and walked back into the kitchen, with Tayla following me and Hayden trailing behind her.

She suddenly squealed, which told me Hayden had pinched her ass, probably to find out if she was indeed going commando?

I moved to the cupboards and gathered the ingredients I needed to make Tayla’s pancakes and started to mix them.

“Blueberry or chocolate chip?” I asked her.

“Chocolate chip, please,” she answered.

Just as she was about to sit on a stool, Hayden rushed over and slid on so she sat in his lap.

She giggled and turned her head, kissing him softly as he wrapped an arm around her, holding her close.

Hayden deepened the kiss, their mouths open, not helping my growing erection as I focused on making my girl’s pancakes.

Tayla pulled away from Hayden’s mouth and gently touched his face.

“I need coffee,” she told him.

He practically shoved her off his lap to do as she commanded, and I watched her sit on the stool with a giggle.

As I mixed the ingredients in a bowl and watched her, it hit me like a punch to the gut.

I was completely in love with Tayla!

I slammed my pan down a little too hard, breaking the handle, causing both Hayden and Tayla to jump in surprise.

“Sorry,” I said, wincing as I tossed the broken pan in the trash.

I got a new pan, placed it on the stove, and heated it up.

“You ok?” Hayden asked, coming to my side.

“Yeah. Forgot how strong I am,” I laughed.

He went back to making Tayla’s coffee.

“Walker?”

I closed my eyes at the sound of her voice, sweet as honey, and turned to look at her on her stool.

A strand of her dark hair had fallen near her face, giving her an innocent look that made me want to hold her in my arms and kiss her.

“Lose the t-shirt,” she said to me.

Innocent my ass, I thought.

“As you wish,” I purred at her.

I took off my t-shirt and flexed my fists, showing off my arm muscles.

“You too, Hayden,” she ordered.

Hayden took off his shirt and she sat there, openly ogling us both.

“If I’m going to move in here with you both, then this is how I want breakfast every morning,” she told us.

“Then you’ll have to do something for us,” I told her.

She looked at me and then over my broad chest before smiling like a cat.

“While you’re in this house, you won’t wear panties unless we say so,” I told her.

Hayden came over and high-fived me with a grin.

“I swear I was thinking the same thing,” he told me.

Tayla frowned and then hopped up onto the island.

She sat on the flat surface and then swung her legs around before spreading them wide.

“Deal,” she said, grinning.

Damn!

Hayden and I both stared right between her legs, at her clean-shaved pussy on full display.

“Your pan is smoking,” she told me.

I turned around and turned the heat down on the pan and saw Hayden was spilling her coffee on the floor.

His mouth was slightly open as he stared at Tayla spread open on the island.

“Dude?” I said, touching his arm.

He jumped, breaking his gaze, and looked down at the spilled coffee on the floor.

Tayla smiled smugly before sliding back down onto her stool.

Hayden snatched a towel, mopping up the spilled coffee before pouring the remnants down the sink. He began brewing another pot as I poured batter into the pan, whipping up pancakes.

Tayla was going to be the end of us if she kept up with her antics!

Not that I was complaining. I was quite fond of her wild side.

My mind drifted back to the jerk in my basement. How did a guy like him ever manage to snag Tayla?

Hayden handed her a fresh cup of coffee and slid onto the stool next to her, his hand instinctively landing on her bare thigh.

I sprinkled the sizzling pancakes with chocolate chips, flipped them, and soon had a nice stack ready for us.

Carrying them to the island, I divvied up equal portions before sliding onto the stool opposite Tayla.

“Thank you,” she whispered in my ear.

I turned my head and planted a quick kiss on her before we all dug in.

“I’d like to visit Jess this morning and maybe pick up some of my stuff from Logan’s?” she proposed to both of us.

At the mention of Logan’s name, Hayden shot me a dark look.

“Maybe one of you could drop me off?”

“You’re not our prisoner, Tayla. You’re free to come and go as you please,” I reminded her.

Hayden shot me a ‘are you out of your mind’ look.

“I’ll go with you,” Hayden volunteered.

“No need. I’m sure you both have things to do while I’m gone?”

I noticed her eyes flicker towards the basement door and I inwardly groaned.

Did she know her ex-boyfriend was down there?

I certainly hoped not.

“Sounds good,” I agreed, hastily.

Hayden’s jaw dropped and I tried to shoot him a warning look.

“I don’t like the idea of Tayla being anywhere near Logan right now,” Hayden ground out through clenched teeth.

“I can handle him,” Tayla assured us.

“Just make sure your phone is on you and call us if you need anything,” I instructed her.

Hayden looked like he was sulking.

“Great. I’ll be back by lunchtime. That should give you time to take care of...whatever you need to do,” she said, sliding off her stool.

Hayden watched her glance at the basement door and realization finally dawned on him.

Shit, he mouthed at me.

I shot him a ‘you think?’ look.

Tayla headed to Hayden’s room to get dressed.

“I don’t think she knows who’s in there, but she must’ve seen Dominic come in last night,” I explained to Hayden.