Page 5 of Outplayed

Chapter Two

Violet

It was late when my phone on my work desk rang a few weeks later. I was still in the office trying to catch up on paperwork. I glanced to the screen to see Zara’s home number flashing.

“Lo,” I answered.

“Why ’ello there, Miss Marcus. You know, I really should have taken notice of your last name more because it’s just like Talon’s.” Last week, shit had hit the fan in Zara’s life. Her arsehole ex, who used to beat, belittle, and rape her, had discovered Zara’s whereabouts. At least we believed he had since her parents had not long died and her brother found her because of it. We all suspected her brother, Mattie, could have been followed, leading David Goodwill right to her doorstep. I found the information out the day Zara didn’t come into work, and I’d called. Only, instead of speaking with Zara, I got her annoying friend, and when she told me Zara wasn’t coming in and to mind my own business, I knew something was up. I went to her house and found my brother in her living room. At first I was shocked to see him. However, I should have realised it was only a matter of time before Talon had his sights set on Zara since she was always her stunning, goofy self. I’d learnt it’d taken him two years. Talon must have lost his touch with women. Then again, Zara had a past where it caused her to be standoffish with men.

By the end of it, Talon and I both agreed Zara would have protection, not only from his Hawks members but from me and my crew.

Smiling, I knew she was drunk from her slurring words. However, to mess with her, I asked, “Zara?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you drunk?”

“Maybe a wee little bit, and I thought, I’m having a few drinks with Deanna and Julian, and I was missing someone, and that someone was you. Now get your behind here and drink with us,” she ordered.

My nose screwed up at hearing her friend’s name Deanna. She and I had a hate-slash-hate relationship. I thought the woman a bitch, but Zara seemed to like her. At least I could give Deanna shit and she took it or gave it back. That was entertaining. “I doubt Barbie”—my name for Deanna since she looked like one—“wants me there.”

“Oh, don’t mind her. She’s all full of shit bein’ a hater.”

“No, I’m not,” I heard Deanna yell in the background.

Rolling my eyes, I told her, “I can’t anyway. I’m still at work and I’ve got some filing to finish.”

Of course, Zara being Zara, she got her way in the end. She decided a trip to work was what was needed. At least then I could keep an eye on her while she was here. I also knew she’d show with Hawks men at her back, and she did. Griz, Pick, and Blue wandered in after Zara, Deanna, and Julian, who was Zara’s brother’s boyfriend and a hoot to be around.

It didn’t take long, after numerous drinks, for the conversation to shift to dirtier things.

The current was our first experience having sex. Julian had just told his tale and it was my turn. Only that wasn’t the one I wanted to talk about.

“It wasn’t until I met Travis that I was introduced to receiving it hard. God, I loved it when he used to pound into me, and let me tell you, he was huge. Delicious.” I licked my lips at the thought of hot Travis back in university.

He was the one I would always miss. The one I could have married if our lives hadn’t changed and our ambitions were different.

Regret always flew through my chest when I thought of Travis.

Only I knew, from searching, what his life was like nowadays, and I didn’t want any part of it, or him.

That thought saddened me too. Why did he have to change so much?

I blinked and jolted when Griz clipped, “Enough.” I glanced around, obviously missing something. “I don’t wanna hear any more of this shit.”

“Aw,” Julian cooed.

Pick groaned. “No offense, man, but we had to hear about your first time. That was enough.”

“You know what?” Zara said.

“What?” Julian, Deanna, and I asked at the same time, causing us all to laugh.

“I need music.”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “That’d be a grand idea. I want to dance.” I smiled. A distraction from my thoughts would be awesome. Only my smile faded when I realised something. “But I haven’t got anything here to listen to it on.”

“Not even a radio?” Julian asked.

---