Taylor: Ridiculous and right. Admit it. I can feel your afterglow all the way down in Los Angeles.
Me: Fine.
That was as good as she was going to get.
Taylor: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I knew it!
Light laughter floated out, and I glanced around at the silent apartment. I didn’t know why it felt like this conversation had to be covert. I guessed it felt like an extension of what Taylor was going through. The truth that she was taking a risk by trying to help me. I’d put her in a bad spot, but I needed her help.
I hesitated, then let my fingers fly across the screen.
Me: Do you know anything about Papa having connections in Russia?
It took a second for her to respond. My heart thudded in my chest while I waited. Nerves rattling. I could feel it, we were right there.
Taylor: No fucking way. He wouldn’t. You know that. His pride is too big for that.
Me: Jarek went at least four times this last summer.
Taylor: SHUT. UP.
Me: That’s what we’ve learned, at least.
Taylor: And you need to know why.
I could see her brain spinning.
Me: Yeah.
Taylor: And you think the why is in that bag.
She didn’t even phrase it as a question. Her mind was already adding it up and coming to the quick conclusion.
Me: I have to believe something is in there.
Taylor: Don’t worry because I think I figured out how to get inside.
Antsy anticipation slipped beneath my skin.
Me: How?
Taylor: I’m going to seduce the biker.
My heart nearly popped out of my chest when she sent a picture of the scariest guy I’d ever seen. He was outside the house I’d lived at for the last seven years, leaning against the wall with a cigarette dangling from his mouth and his motorcycle boot kicked back on the brick. Dark hair, covered in ink, the patch on his cut claimingDemon’s Day.
Taylor was right. He looked like kicking kittens was his favorite hobby.
Me: Are you insane? You cannot seduce the biker.
Anxiety clawed through my senses. I couldn’t exchange the safety of one of us for the downfall of the other. It was insanity.
A second later, her response buzzed through.
Taylor: Why can’t I have sexy times with an uber hot biker if you get to?
Me: Logan is not a biker.
Taylor: Oh, please, that boy may wear a suit, but he has biker blood all the way down in his soul. Piss him off and see what happens.