Double Crossed

eleven

Written by: @shiningjustforyou13  

Travis' POV

A relieved sigh burst from my lips at the sight of Taylor unharmed when I turned to look. Rattled, terrified, but unharmed. She was cowering against the headboard of the bed, lip trembling like she might burst into tears any second. I quickly dropped the gun, praying she wouldn't be scared of me. I might do this to others but I would never do it to her, and I hope she knew that.

"Tiger are you okay?" I whispered and Taylor nodded, but she still looked scared. "Tiger I won't hurt you."

"I know." She swallowed. "I know you wouldn't. I'm just...him." Her eyes flickered down to the man lying in a pool of blood, eyes open, blank. "I never thought I'd see him again and to hear the things he was saying." Taylor shuddered.

"He'll never hurt you." I sat down on the bed, resting a hand on her knee. Taylor swallowed and nodded, seeming a little reassured but still shaken up. "Tiger what was the secret?" I had to ask. "What does he know about you?"

"Travis I..." Taylor paused like she didn't want to tell me, and I stayed quiet. I of all people knew the value of secrets, and even though Taylor wasn't involved with the mafia like I was, she had still been put in danger because of me. I would understand if she didn't want to tell me, but I wanted to give her the chance if she needed to get it off her chest.

I just watched her as she sat there, staring down at her knees, which were balled up to her chest. Whatever that asshole had known about her, she was scared of it, which made me think something really bad had happened with them, or he'd abused her. I tried to look for signs to indicate even a vague idea of what it might be, but Taylor had drawn back into herself and I just couldn't pick anything. She was a closed book when she wanted to be, and I was still re-learning her.

"We were together...a few years ago." Taylor mumbled, still staring adamantly down like she was ashamed to even admit it. I couldn't blame her. From what I'd seen before shooting enough holes in him to be called swiss cheese, the dude was a complete asshole. "He's a lot older than me, but I was young and I thought we were in love. It wasn't really a bad relationship, but somehow I got pregnant and even though Jake didn't really want kids, he let me keep the baby. I told him I wouldn't get rid of it and he gave in, but I..." She hiccupped, and I didn't need her to finish the sentence. I knew what had happened, but I stayed quiet and let Taylor speak. "I lost him." She whispered. "I lost my baby boy and he was so beautiful. I was eight months pregnant and I was so close to giving birth, and Jake..." Taylor dissolved into sobs and I moved closer as she slumped against me, crying.

"It's okay Tiger." I murmured, wrapping my arms around her trembling body. "You don't have to tell me."

"I need to." She whispered through her rushed breathing, and I nodded a I rubbed her arm. "He..." She sniffed. "He didn't care when I told him something might be wrong. I was in so much pain and he wouldn't take me to the hospital, and when I eventually got someone else to take me, it was too late. My baby was gone, and I had to..." Another hiccup interrupted her, and Taylor sniffed, struggling to calm down enough to speak. "I had to give birth to him anyway and he was so small and still and I held him for so long but they had to take him away. And Jake didn't even care. He just told me that's what I got for trying to baby trap him, and then when I told him to be a little more sympathetic because I'd just lost our baby, he hit me."

God, I was glad I'd killed that motherfucker. Even as the little kid I'd known, Taylor had been born to be a mother. She'd loved dolls, taken care of them like they were real babies. I knew how hard that must have been for her to have a baby with someone who didn't want kids, and then to lose the baby so close to having him in her arms. And then for her asshole of a boyfriend to hit her...I spared a glance down at the body on the ground. I should have shot him more.