Page 65 of Tainted Essence

“Of course I will.”

Destiny

Taylan pulls his car to a stop in front my mom and dad’s house. When he kills the engine, I make no move to get out, feeling suddenly unsure about my decision. He reaches across and grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze to draw my attention to him. His eyes shine with love and seeing that look on him has butterflies taking flight inside my belly.

“I got you, baby.” His words have me exhaling and nodding.

“I need you beside me the entire time, I need to know he can’t get to me. With you there, I know it won’t happen.” I can see the guilt churning inside him. Twice now he has had no choice but watch me be hurt at the hands of the prisoner currently sitting in my family's bunker. I know it pains him to think back to those times but none of it was his fault, without him there with me I don’t know if I would have made it out with my mind still intact,

“I promise, I won’t let you go,” he says, then leans over and presses a kiss to my lips that has me relaxing slightly until knuckles rap on the window behind me. We break apart, sighing. “Come on, he’s already glaring at me,” he mutters as he climbs out of the car. I fight back my laughter as I open my own door but before I climb out, I grab Taylan’s gun from the console and stash it inside the pocket of the hoodie I wear, then climb out, only to be met by my dad standing there with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He runs his gaze over me and frowns. I'm in one of Taylan’s shirts with his hoodie on and a pair of his sweats. I don’t have any clothes at my place so this was the best option since he had a bag in his car.

“If he makes you happy then… I won’t hurt him.” Taylan scoffs but dad doesn’t take his focus off me. “I just want you to be happy and safe. I guess after learning what I did yesterday, I took that anger out on him. I never want to be the cause of your pain but I can see now that I was and I’m sorry, Champ, I mean it.” I wrap my arms around his waist and press my cheek against his chest, Dad sighs and returns my embrace.

“I love you, Dad.”

“Love you too, baby girl. Whatever you need, we are here. I know it’s gonna be hard to hear but with your mother it was different helping her heal.” I pull back and stare up at him.

“How?”

“I could hold her while she had bad days. Sometimes she would go months without thinking about it but when she did, I was there to hold her and tell her how perfect she is and remind her that she is the strongest woman I know.” My heart melts inside my chest hearing how my dad helped my mom overcome the horror she lived through. I have always envied their love, they are the perfect pair.

“You can still do that for me, you know.” He smiles sadly and shakes his head, then shoots a look at Taylan over the roof of the car before looking back at me.

“I would love to be that rock for you, baby girl, but unfortunately I think you went and found someone of your own to remind you of all those things. It pains me to admit it but I think he is the one you need to remind you of how truly fucking amazing you are, hearing that stuff from your old man wouldn’t be the same.” Love and warmth spread through me at my dad’s acceptance of my relationship with Taylan. I know it’s going to be hard for him to get used to the fact that I have a boyfriend—it feels so weird saying that—and he isn’t going anywhere. Dad pulls me in for another hug and presses a kiss to the top of my head, no matter how old I get I will always be my daddy’s little girl.

“Are you sure about this?” Dad and I break apart at the sound of his voice.

“I am,” I answer honestly. He looks reluctant to accept my answer but nods. “I also have something else I want to tell the both of you.” Dad steps back and stands beside my mom and Taylan comes to stand behind me, he doesn’t touch me but his presence alone offers me the support I need. “After my fight against Tiana, win or lose, I am hanging up my gloves and going to law school.” Dad looks devastated but proud while my mom just looks… stumped.

“You don’t want to fight anymore?” Mom asks quietly.

“I love fighting and I will never give it up fully but I also don’t need to use fighting as a way to escape my past. I already proved that bastard wrong.” At my declaration Taylan wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me back flush against his chest, I melt into him.

“You proved he didn’t break you years ago by surviving.” The conviction in Taylan’s voice makes me love him even more.

“I’m just grateful you don’t want to be a housewife like Nytress and Unique.” I snort at my dad’s answer. Uncle Rook had plans for his girls to study and become librarians or some shit but instead, he got two girls who want to be kept women and he fucking hates it.

The four of us walk to Uncle B’s house and the closer we get the more my nerves grow. Before we can make it inside, Taylan uses his grip on my hand to pull me to a stop. I stare up at him in question.

“We walk through that door, you put your game face on, you don’t let him see any cracks in your armor. You are the feistiest, most aggravating woman I know.” I narrow my eyes. “But, you are strong, loyal and have me and your family here to protect you. He is your past, leave him there and don’t allow him into our future.” I roll my lips over my teeth and nod. He turns and leads us inside after my parents. My mom shoots me a smile over her shoulder, clearly liking what she heard from Taylan.

We walk through the living room and head straight out the back where my aunts and uncles all stand waiting, each of them shooting me smiles as we walk past. They fall into step behind us, their support in this moment means more than they will ever know. A surge of strength races through me knowing I have my man and family with me as I face the nightmare of my past. Uncle Luka is manning the door of the bunker and at our approach, he opens it and winks at me.

“You got this, Dest,” he murmurs as I walk past. I shoot Uncle Luka a smile and follow my parents through the door. When we approach the second door, Billy opens it for us. Taylan squeezes my hand, offering me his strength and reminding me he is right here with me. My parents step aside as we enter and my breath hitches.

Koda is strapped to a chair, naked except for his boxers, purple and black bruises covering his entire body. His left eye is crusted with blood and sealed shut from the swelling. His lips are chapped and split. They have sliced him with a knife. The wounds are clear on the tops of his thighs but it’s the sight of the pin marks seared into his ribs that have me raising my brows.

“Cattle prongs,” Taylan whispers in my ear. Well, that’s very resourceful. Koda lifts his head and I can see it takes every ounce of strength he has to do it, but at the sight of me his right eye widens slightly, clearly surprised to see me here but when he looks to the man standing at my side that eye narrows.

“Suka,” (Bitch.) he snarls at Taylan, who tries to step forward but I use my grip on him to hold him back.

“You told me I was special.” Taylan tenses beside me at my words. “You told me I had the power to bring the most powerful man to his knees and I did.” A smug smile crests his face. I snort. “I wasn’t talking about you.” The smile vanishes from his face as he looks at Taylan, catching exactly what I’m putting down. “Unlike you, he didn't have to hurt me to get the answers he needed.”

“Ty byl vsego lish’ peshkoy v igre mesti svoye materi.” (You were nothing but a pawn in a game of revenge against your mother.) My mom and dad both shift closer to me, wanting to pulverize Koda but a look from Taylan has them both stopping.

“Yi vy ostanetes lish dalekim vospominaniem. nicto yi nikogda nay vspomnite, kto the, krome tvoyei doceri.” (And you will be nothing but a distant memory. No one will ever remember who you are except for your daughter.)

At the mention of his daughter he begins thrashing in his seat. Uncle B and Dad step forward and each clamp a hand down on his shoulders, holding him in place. Fear spurs to life inside me. Taylan drops his hold on my hand and pulls me in front of him, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face in the crook of my neck.