Chapter 41

TAYLA

Hayden had us—Walker and me—on a strict bed rest that afternoon. He only allowed us to lounge on the living room couch, watching movies.

He catered to us, bringing drinks and food, even calling Dominic back to whip up more of his soup.

“I can make it better,” I whispered to Walker, as we sat on the couch.

“I know you can, little one. But wait until you’re better, at full strength. Then your soup will kick his ass,” he reassured me.

I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest, as Dominic brought in a tray with our soup.

“Orders for the invalid and his lovely lady,” he joked.

“Fuck you,” Walker growled at him.

Dominic just chuckled, setting the soup before us and heading back to the kitchen.

“This is good stuff. I hope he makes it in batches,” I said, digging in.

“Maybe we should hire him as our full-time chef?”

I shot Walker a dirty look and continued with my soup. I wanted to be the one cooking for Hayden and Walker once I was back on my feet, not Dominic.

Hayden walked into the living room, my phone in his hand.

“It’s Jess,” he said, handing it to me.

“Fuck!” I exclaimed, grabbing it from him.

“I’m so sorry, Jess,” I apologized.

“Shit! You sound sick,” she said, hearing my voice.

“I’ve got a cold,” I admitted.

“No worries. We can reschedule when you’re better,” she suggested.

“Definitely,” I agreed.

“Logan came back last night, drunk as a skunk, and hasn’t left his room yet,” she informed me.

I pursed my lips, glancing at Walker, who was busy with his soup.

“Oh…yes, we’ll have wine,” I said, quickly changing the subject.

“Is one of them there? Can’t you talk?”

“Yes!” I replied, nonchalantly.

“Ok, no problem. Text me to arrange dinner another time. See ya, Tayla tot!”

I ended the call and watched Walker put his spoon down.

“You don’t have to be secretive if you need to talk about Logan, Tayla tot,” he said, sternly.

“Apparently, I’m not very good at it if you heard anyway?” I retorted.

“I have amazing hearing,” he replied.

“Dominic asked if you both want any more?”

Hayden’s voice startled us. We hadn’t heard him come in.

We both shook our heads, and he disappeared back into the kitchen.

“Apart from when it comes to that fucker,” Walker muttered under his breath.

“How does he move so quietly?” I wondered.

He turned towards me a little and shook his head.

“I’ve been asking that same question since he got the drop on me when we were twelve at school.”

I chuckled, picturing them as twelve-year-old boys.

“But he’s good at what he does, and there’s no one else I trust more than him,” Walker confessed.

“Not even Dominic?” I asked.

Walker frowned.

“You trusted him with me earlier?” I reminded him.

“No!”

Now it was my turn to frown.

“But I trust you with him,” he clarified.

“Hayden doesn’t even like him, let alone trust him,” I pointed out.

“Pointing out the obvious there, little one,” he agreed.

Suddenly, a loud yelp came from the kitchen. I jumped up and rushed in to find Hayden grinning like a Cheshire cat, a drying cloth in his hand.

Dominic was glaring at him, rubbing his behind.

“Am I missing something?” Walker asked, coming up behind me.

“He dared me not to hit him, so I did,” Hayden explained, playfully.

Walker groaned.

“You snapped the cloth at me, you prick!” Dominic accused.

I bit my cheeks to stop myself from laughing and gave Dominic an apologetic look.

“I’m bored,” Hayden shrugged.

“Fuck,” Walker muttered under his breath.

“You fancy wrestling me?” Hayden challenged Dominic.

“Not a good idea!” Walker interjected.

Dominic glared at Hayden as he stepped forward, but I blocked his path.

“I won’t hurt you. Just a few light punches if you’re man enough to take it?” Hayden taunted.

“How about a drive in the jeep?” Walker suggested.

“I’m more of a man than you are!” Dominic snapped back.

“Prove it! Fight me!”

“No! I’ll do it,” Walker volunteered.

“You’re sick; it wouldn’t be fair,” Hayden reasoned.

“Maybe you should go?” I suggested to Dominic, gently.

Dominic looked at me, and I mouthed please.

Nodding, he turned and walked towards the front door.

“Anytime you need to prove it, Dom, I’ll be waiting!” Hayden called after him.

I turned and glared at Hayden.

“Why are you being a dick?” I asked.

“He’s not being a dick. It’s this condition he has. If he’s bored or not working on something, he turns a little crazy,” Walker explained, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Don’t they have medication for that?” I asked, confused.

“They do, actually.”

Walker walked forward and punched Hayden in the face, making me jump.

Hayden turned his face with the impact and then slowly looked back at Walker.

He moved forward, keeping his eyes on Walker as they circled each other in the kitchen.

Both stared at each other, waiting for the next move, and I stepped back against the glass doors leading to the deck.

“Do you both really have to do this?” I asked.

Hayden lunged forward to grab Walker, but Walker dodged him.

Turning quickly, Hayden landed a punch on Walker’s arm, sending him backward a little.

Walker suddenly grabbed Hayden around the neck and pulled him back against his chest, exposing his neck.

“Score one for me, little bro,” Walker grumbled, his teeth gritted.

“Screw you, jerk!” Hayden spat back, squirming.

This was ridiculous!

I pushed open the deck door and stepped outside, shutting it firmly behind me.

They could carry on with their nonsense; I didn’t want any part of it!

I strolled over to the railing, gazing out at the ocean.

The storm from last night had swept the sky clean, leaving it devoid of any clouds.

A gentle breeze wafted in from the sea, the salty air clearing my nostrils.

The beach was deserted, and for a few moments, I just stood there, mesmerized by the rhythmic ebb and flow of the waves.

A seagull’s cry echoed from above, and the sound of a scuffle followed by gruff voices drifted from the kitchen behind me.

I never could comprehend why some men felt the need to assert their dominance or why they had these sudden, inexplicable urges to destroy something.

Walker did mention that Hayden had a condition.

Should I be worried about this?

My gaze wandered down over the railing, and I noticed Dominic looking up at me.

He put a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.

“I thought you’d left?” I said, puzzled.

“I needed to check on something, but I’ll be leaving soon,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

“What are you checking?” I asked him.

He waggled his finger at me, and I bit my lip.

“I’ll show you,” he offered.

“They’ll lose it if they catch us together,” I warned him.

“The cameras don’t cover this area,” he assured me.

Should I go and see?

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Walker and Hayden still tangled up on the kitchen floor and promised myself I’d be quick.

I nodded and descended the deck steps onto the beach.

Circling around the front of the house, I spotted Dominic beneath the structure.

The house was propped up by massive, sturdy metal beams that supported the deck and plunged deep into the sand.

A shadowy area under the house provided some shade until it met solid rock.

“It’s a secret door that leads to the house’s basement and a tunnel that goes somewhere else,” he explained.

He extended his hand to me, and without a second thought, I took it, letting him guide me further under the house.

As we approached the solid stone, a silver door materialized in the darkest corner, and I realized it was cleverly hidden back here.

Unless you ventured close enough, you wouldn’t even know it existed.

I noticed the door had a coded handle, and watched as Dominic swiftly punched in the numbers.

He pushed, and the door swung open, revealing a narrow passageway.

“How did you discover this?” I asked him.

He shrugged nonchalantly.

“Do Walker and Hayden know about it?”

Dominic shook his head and turned to face me, closing the gap between us.

“Promise not to tell them?” he requested.

“Why?”

“Because I’m planning to use this space for something secret,” he revealed.

“Are you scheming against them?”

“No. You just have to trust me, and I’ll explain everything later.”