Page 34 of Bratva King's Secret Twins

"Wait, why are you living in a motel?"

"Because where the hell else am I supposed to go?"

Kelsey's eyes bug out of her head, and she sits up, looking at me as if I had just grown a second head. "Taylor."

I sit up with wide eyes and shake my head feverishly. "No, I am not calling Taylor."

"The hell you are not!" Kelsey yells back. Another screen pops up, and I can hear the ringing of another call to join FaceTime.

Taylor is my best friend from law school because he was always in second place to me until I left to deal with my dad's debt. We also have done some strip study sessions, which always ended with him butt naked and me with just one shoe off. We even attempted to date once, but our relationship felt more like a legal battle than a romantic connection. So we made a pact to be best friends instead, but now I can't help but feel a twinge of regret every time his name flashes across my screen.

"Kels, I haven't talked to him since I dropped out," I scold, balancing my phone on my thigh and pulling my hair into a ponytail.

Kelsey clicks her tongue at me, and the deafening sound of the ring vibrates on my lap. The call clicks, and I see Taylor's shaggy brown hair enter the frame, a big smile on his face. He is in his kitchen, cutting up an array of vegetables.

"Well, if it isn't my two favorite ladies!"

"Tay Tay, how are you, darling?" Kelsey pops up, talking to Taylor, and the phone almost tumbles out of my hand as I try to hide my dingy hotel room.

"I'm well, just missing two of my favorite people in the world." He smirks, looking at the camera from the corner of his eye. "Hey, Gwen."

"What's up, Tay?" My voice sounds more awkward than cool and confident, as I intended, and I want to smack my forehead in frustration.

Taylor's smile falters as he catches the strained note in my voice. "Gwen, are you okay? What's going on?"

He sets down the knife and leans closer to the camera, his eyes searching mine for any signs of distress. Kelsey shoots me a pointed look, silently urging me to spill the truth.

I fall silent, and Kelsey huffs in frustration, looking at me with knitted brows. "Taylor, guess what?"

"What?" Taylor sings, obviously confused, but that playful golden retriever smile radiates across the screen, and I catch myself smiling at him.

"Gwen is in New York!" Kelsey says as if we are teenagers, and she is telling him I have a crush on him.

Taylor stops cutting his carrot and looks at the screen with so much excitement that my heart somersaults my chest.

"And she needs a place to stay."

"Yes. Gwen, where are you?" Taylor brings the phone close to his face as if he can look around the room and determine my exact coordinates.

"Taylor, you don't have to worry about it," I say through a gritted smile as I plan Kelsey's funeral.

"No, no, send me the address where you are, and I will pick you up," Taylor demands, and I hear the clink of keys as hemakes his way to his front door. “And you better text it to me because I am already on my way."

Taylor hangs up the phone, and when the call is just Kelsey and me again, my eyes narrow on the screen.

"I am going to kill you."

"You are going to kill me freshly dicked down on Egyptian cotton sheets. I think that is a good death my mother will be proud of." She nods, waving her eyebrows as she teases me.

"Don't you dare kiss my children with that dirty mouth."

"I'll wash my mouth out with soap first, Mama Bear, don't you worry!" She winks, and I hang up the call with an I love you and a promise to call tomorrow to talk to the children.

I send Tay the address and he promises to be there soon. I walk around my room and pack the few items I have taken out, ready for his arrival. As I make my way out of the room and into the hallway, I see a flier for a job at a club calledJohanna's.I steal the paper off the bulletin board and stand out front.

Taylor pulls up in a sleek, black Mercedes Benz and immediately hops out with a swoon-worthy smile.

"As gorgeous as ever, Gwenie." He beams, walking over to me, and his arms loop around my waist. He then brings me into a large hug and spins me around. "God, I missed you."

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