Part 10 The mall was a a mass of milling people pushing and shoving their way here and there, loud chatter drowning out anything but shouted strains of conversation. Different scents mingled, the most potent were the greasy thick smells from the food court. It all combined to set Vince's nerves on edge. Not one for patience, he decided to wait outside the Gap for Taylor. Leaning against the brick wall, hands shoved in his jeans pockets, he scanned the faces as they passed. Just when he would have pushed away from the wall deciding to see if Taylor was finished in the store a face appeared out of no where, fleeting but he was sure he recognized it. Vince recognized it as Lance Tran. His eyes narrowed, glued to the darker features, noting the sure, malicious smile on the other man's face. "Hey..." came Taylor's voice a fraction of a second after her warm wet lips made contact with his neck and he stiffened. "V? What's wrong?" Cutting his eyes to her he met her concerned gaze and smiled. Looking to where he was sure Lance had been standing, there was nothing now but a group of teenage giggling girls. "Nothin, baby. Nothin." He pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her neck as she sighed. "You done here?" he whispered. "Here? This Store? Yes. Shopping? No." She laughed softly, her voice almost musical. "I like spending your money." She slowly pulled away from him. Taking his hand she smiled mischievously as she tugged him into the flow of the crowd around them. "Spend all you want. What I got is yours, Taylor. You know that, right?" he whispered near her ear as he pulled her against his side as they walked. She turned her head, a curious gaze leveled at him. "What are you saying, V? Ours?" He gave her a curt nod as he reached up with his free hand running it through his dark hair nervously. "I want....Shit, I wanna say this right..." "Then just say it, darlin. It's me you're talkin to." She smiled, her heart racing inside her chest as she reached up and caressed his bearded jaw. With that a low growl came from his throat and he maneuvered her against the nearest pane of window glass, pressing her back there, his hands splayed on either side of her. He couldn't touch her while he said this or he'd lose his nerve and drop it, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. "I want something more permanent. What Dom and Letty have but more...I want more with you.." he tried, stumbling over the words. Taylor simply smiled and pressed against him, leaning up to whisper in his ear, a suggestion. He nodded and instantly pressed his lips to hers, devouring the interior of her mouth. He was weak with relief in that moment. "You want that?" he asked, needing to be sure it's what she wanted to. "Yes. That's what I want, Vince. I asked you, didn't I?" She giggled, grabbing his shirt and pulling his lips back to hers for more plundering. Moments latter they parted and again were walking along between stores when she spotted THE store she wanted to visit. There was a low moan from Vince as he saw which store she was pulling him into. "Shit, baby, I don't know....." "V! You'll like! I swear!" she began, moving along the racks and grabbed several items heading for the dressing room, leaving Vince to actually blush with the each glance that settled on him. Hurry...hurry...hurry! He silently pleaded, looking towards the dressing room every few seconds. Minutes passed and customer after customer left the store until only Vince and the sales woman were left. She began to make her way over to him. Noticing her he turned his back on her. Then there was a relieved sigh as he saw Taylor's hand appear around the dressing room door, crooking her finger for him. Looking around, he walked towards the room. Taylor stood smiling as he pushed his way into the small room. His eyes went wide, the breath knocked from his lungs. There she stood in white all sheer and lace, bustier hugging her tits to perfection. Lower, the garter wrapped around her hips in a seeming kiss, securing the silk stockings at her thighs. "I missed you, V," she sighed, nibbling at her lower lip sweetly. He heard her words but couldn't form any of his own as coherent thought was lost to him. Instinct, pure, male, and primal took over as he stalked her for a moment with his eyes. A low growl issued from his throat as he advanced on her. His arms wrapped tightly around her as he dipped his mouth to her neck. "I think you missed me too..."A giggle floated from her lips that was quick to turn to a heady sigh. Then he lifted her urging her thighs around his waist, roughly pinning her to the wall of the dressing room. One hand went between them to free his raging erection from the confines of his jeans as the thong white panties she wore were pushed to the side. He was buried inside her in one wild upward thrust, sucking in lung fulls of air to keep from spilling inside her instantly. "Vince....Please...Vince!..." she was gasping, tightening her thighs around him. Her pleas were to create the delicious friction she needed. The thready sounds filled the dressing room and several shocked gasps could be heard inside other rooms. With a wild gruntled groan he began thrusting hard and deep inside, the rhythm uneven and rough with the rush of hot excitment that coursed through him. He pushed his face against her neck as he worked her body hard below. "Tay...Taylor...I can't.." he panted into her ear, trying desperately to hang onto his slipping control, wanting to take her with him to the hard climax that was quickly approaching, but knowing he couldn't hold out that long, not here, not like this, with her hot moisture wrapped so tightly around him. "It's ok, Vince...It's ok..." she whimpered, digging her small crescent nails into his shoulders. And that was all he had to hear to send him over the edge, he came long and hard gasping her name. Once all was composed, Vince steady and able to handle coherent thought, Taylor breathing at regular intervals and standing on her own, he gathered up all the items she had brought to the dressing room and proceeded with her to the sales counter. The sales assistant behind the counter smirked eyeing the two, word already traveled through the store what they had been up to in the dressing rooms. "Did you find everything you needed?" she asked, a laugh edging her voice as she looked between Vince and Taylor. "Yeah, she'll take all these," he spoke up, smiling over at Taylor. Pulling her close he slid his arms tightly around her waist and lowered his face to her neck. With the shopping mission behind them Vince drove across town, drove back to Dom's. Pulling into the driveway he smiled as he saw Dom in the back cleaning the grill. "Chicken for dinner." He glanced over at Taylor. "Yeah, I better get in there and help Mia and Letty." She smiled, starting to slide from the car and then turning back to him. Leaning in she delivered a deep lingering kiss to his lips, gripping his thigh and kneading, knowing the effect if would have on him. "Shit......" he hissed as she pulled away, caressing the throb below the zipper of his jeans. "That's not fuckin fair, Taylor. You gonna just leave me like this?" She nodded her head, nibbling sweetly at her swollen pink lips. "Gives you something to look forward to." She left the car and hurried into the house through the back door. Dom and Leon stared after her, grinning from ear to ear as they noticed Vince walking slowly up the drive. "Looks like he survived, man," Leon teased, slapping Dom on the shoulder. "Don't see any wounds. No bite marks. No scratches." Dom chuckled, cutting his eyes to Vince. "Didn't look close enough, brother," he laughed, shoving his hands into his pockets, watching Dom. "So?" Dom turned on Vince, hand braced against the lid of the grill, eyebrows drawn together questioningly. "So, she can take me shopping any fuckin time she wants." He squared his shoulders and met Dom and Leon's curious gaze with a secret he'd never share with any of them. It was him and Taylor, it was their moment, a moment special and shared, to always be treasured. All three men turned their attention towards the house as a loud squeal that was clearly Mia, echoed out to them. Vince simply smiled, knowing in all likelihood what the excitement was about. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 11 ********** The morning sun broke through Taylor's window and she turned wrapping around the warm heat at her back, smiling as she pushed her nose against Vince's neck and inhaling. "Morning," she whispered, her fingers teasing along his chest. "Mornin, Beautiful." He turned in her arms and began kissing a trail down her neck, cupping a hand around her bare posterior and kneading the soft flesh. Time passed without the slightest notice from either as they enjoyed the languid feel of the morning. Vince found his way between her thighs, teasing her, playing along her wet heat. His mouth dipped to the dusky pebble that topped her sleep warmed breast. Easing into her body, he began a slow building rhythm, cherishing the feel of her body around him. "V.." Mia's voice came through the door just before she knocked. In the same instant a shared groan came from both. Vince dropped his head between her narrow cleavage, stilling his body against hers. "What Mia?" he shouted as he lifted his head. "Phone." "Take a message. Hell, Mia, tell 'em I'll call 'em back later," he barked as he began pushing into Taylor again, his body burning with the need for release. "V! It's Dom..." she yelled through the door again. "He says get your ass on the phone now." "Fuck!" Vince spat. Taylor sighed, running her fingers through Vince's hair knowing the spell of the morning had been broken. "Go, V," she whispered. "I have class in a couple of hours anyway." There was a groan of regret as he pulled from her and eased from the bed, shoving his legs into his discarded jeans. "V! Come on!" Mia shouted through the door again. "Shit! Wait a minute, Mia!" he yelled, his temper getting the best of him as he worked himself into the tight constraints of the jeans. Across the room Taylor giggled at the slightly pained look that crossed his face as he buttoned up. Throwing the door open, he jerked the phone from Mia's out stretched hand and just as quickly slammed the door on its hinges. "You're welcome!" she yelled through the thick wood. Taylor slipped from the bed as Vince pushed the phone to his ear and a conversation started with Dom. Grabbing the rose colored satin robe at the end of the bed, she made her way to him kissing his opposite cheek and whispering, "I'll be in the shower." Vince hadn't been as careful to keep his attention to the conversation as he should have, instead watching Taylor's nude form gathering her robe. Her body was distracting enough but when she moved against him, robe open, he lost all pretense of paying attention to Dom on the other end of the phone. Just as she tried to move away he gave her round posterior a gentle squeeze, a promise of later love making, more stolen moments as soon as he could manage them. Tossing a smile over her shoulder she strode towards the door and left him to talk to Dom unobstructed. In the bathroom she turned the shower knobs and pushed her hand under the water, feeling the soothing warmth splatter her skin. Moving across to the mirror she threaded her fingers into her smooth tresses, staring at herself, her happy self. A soft dreamy sigh escaped her lips as she thought about Vince and the day to come. Turning back to the shower she slipped under the spray of water. With lathered shampoo in her hair, eyes closed, her mind turned to lost moments that morning. Moments that could have made her forget about the rest of the day, made her forget anything and everything except Vince's body above her. As she rinsed the dark trail of hair a voice came deep and low from the other side of the curtain. She sucked in a harsh breath, her body reacting instantly. In the next moment Vince pulled the barrier between them away and was staring down at her wet curves. "Didn't think you could look any better than just wakin up," he growled, his head dipping forward to capture a puckered slicked nipple. Her head fell back on her shoulders as he bit gently at her, sucked her deep into his mouth. Her fingers found their way into his hair and tugged gently. "Vince..." she gasped out, trembling under the cascade of water. Lifting his head, a playful warm grin crossing his lips. He shook the water from his now wet hair. Sighing, she lost the thick sensual veil he wove around her and giggled at the sudden look of boyishness in his face that echoed in his eyes.. "You sure wanna do this today?" he asked, staring into the deep rolling green of her eyes. "V?" She tilted her head, reaching behind her to shut of the stream of water. "Are you sure this is what you wanna do at all?" Concern taking up her gaze. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her. "Fuck yeah. Think I would have gotten this far and then backed out?" "V, I'm just asking," she smiled reassuringly as she stepped from the white porcelain tub, moving against his bare chest, water from her torso soaking into the front of the faded denim jeans he wore. "Don't ask again, baby." He leaned his head to her shoulder and nipped tenderly. " I want you and I want this." He worked a trail up her neck and ending at her lips, whispering. "Today, Taylor?" She sealed her lips against his, deciding the answer to his question could wait, wait until they both broke for air. "Today," came her gasped reply. "Ok..." He wound his arms around her, palming her bare backside with one hand and caressing her cheek with the other. "Dom needs me at the garage for awhile but I'll pick you up at school and then we'll...." He leaned in and kissed her silencing his own words. "Damn, I can't wait, Taylor." "I know, V, I'm just as excited." She sighed against his lips. "Mia, Letty, and Dom ?" Pulling quickly away she snared his gaze with her eyes full of anxiety. He laughed. "They'll be there. Dom said they'd met us there after I picked you up." She nodded, a sigh of relief tumbling from her lips. "The Library at 4?" "Yeah. I'll be waiting." ******************** Taylor sighed and looked at her watched for the dozenth time in as many minutes. Time seemed to slow to a snail's pace as she sat in front of the illuminated monitor, pulling up page after page of useless text. Pushing back from the table where she sat she threw her arms over her head and stretched. Another sigh and she tried her best to focus. Across the library a matronly woman at the desk was directing a young man towards her, his arms filled with a stark white box. "Excuse me, miss." He tapped Taylor on the shoulder. She jumped slightly and turned in her chair towards him. "Yes?" "Are you Taylor Boudreau?" "Yeah, that's me." She smiled sweetly and promptly had the box shoved at her. The boy turned and quickly strode away. "Thanks," she whispered, knowing he wouldn't hear her or see the sarcastic smile her lips turned to. Laying the box on the table beside the monitor she whipped the single crimson ribbon from it. Pushing the lid out of the way she stared gapping at a dozen red roses. Laying across the thorny stems was a small card. She plucked it away and opened it to read the simple sentence printed inside. I'm waiting for you. Taylor gathered up the box and a single book rushing towards the main exit, rushing to meet Vince. Navigating the high set of marble stairs outside she glanced around, searching for him. From beind a hard hand clamped over her mouth, cutting off any protest, any scream for help. Then there was the blunt end of metal pushed hard against her back and the all too familiar voice that stalked her dreams, turning them to nightmares. "You're gonna be a good girl aren't you, Taylor." She nodded slowly, feeling bile rise in her throat. Lance had managed to be forgotten in her new found happiness for a moment, a moment that cost her dearly. Dropping the roses and the book to the ground she allowed him to shove her around the side of the building where one of Johnny's sleek black racers was parked. "You shouldn't have forgotten who you were, Taylor. A Tran ," he said calmly, shoving her into the driver's side and over the console to the other seat. She shrunk away from him as he followed, the barrel of the gun he held leveled at her, keeping her in place until he withdrew a shiny silver pair of hand cuffs. In the blink of an eye he had them clamped around her wrists, painfully bitting into the delicate skin there. "I didn't forget who I was, Lance, I was never a Tran. Not really," she hissed, working at the cuffs inspite of the pain. He shrugged, exuding the same unshakable calm that had never failed to make the hair on the back of her neck rise. "You don't have to worry about that anymore." And with that he started the car and pulled away from the library, pulled away from her hope. She glanced at the place where her book lay and a hot stinging tear slipped down her cheek. She screamed his name inside her head, willing him to hear her, willing a connection to breech the miles that seperated them. Vince. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 12 Row after row of books stretched through the large building, their slight musty smell clinging to the air, silence reined so loud it was unnerving. Vince hated places like this, they never failed to make him feel inferior, just the dumb ass he thought himself to be. Stuffing his hands in his pockets he ambled through the library hoping to catch sight of Taylor so they could make a quick escape. He ignored the main desk, not even fathoming asking for her there. He sighed as he checked among the long line of tables with computers taking up some of the tops. His eyes went to the clock high on the wall and he released another frustrated sigh, and pulled his hand up to push it through the dark mane of his hair. Vince continued searching for Taylor, continued until he couldn't take the stifling atmosphere of the library. He searched until he knew there was no way she was in the building and his heart hammered hard inside his chest, he couldn't shake the raw gnawing apprehension that was rolling along his skin, sinking deep into the pit of his stomach, something was very wrong. It was as he was walking back to the car that he remembered Taylor had taken her phone with her, had grabbed it from the nightstand. Sprinting the rest of the way, he reached through the open window and grabbed his cell from the console and hit her number. He waited, listening for that beautifully familiar voice, waited to hear Taylor, hoping with each ring. Suddenly, the ringing stopped and there was nothing, nothing but silence from the phone and he pulled it away from his ear staring at it like it was a coiled snake. He dialed the number again and a recorded message came back to him, cold and not at all what he wanted to hear. Tossing the phone back into the car, he slammed the palm of his hand against the deep blue of the car's "Where the fuck are you, Taylor?" He dropped his head, trying to think past the swell of emotions inside. Had she changed her mind? Had she decided she didn�t want him after all? Questions tumbled quickly one after another through his head and with it came a panicked anger. He grabbed the door of the skyline and swung it open with such force that the hinges groaned under the stress. "Fuck!" He hissed, jamming the key into the ignition. As he shifted the car's gears with an effortless grace, he sent the car screaming out of the parking lot and out onto the street. He headed for the only place he knew help would be waiting, the only one he could count on, he headed for Dom. As he drove, wind channeled from the window to dry the beading sweat that clung to his skin, his over wrought mind thinking the worst. She'd left him, he had managed to convince himself by the time that he pulled into the drive at Dom's. He stepped from the car, his face an emotionless mask as he looked to where Dom stood leaning against his own car. "It's about damn time, gonna be late for your own wedding..." Dom smiled as he turned his attention from Letty to Vince. A curious stare lingered on Vince and the car, the other man smelling something was wrong. "V?" Dom pushed off his car and strode towards his friend, towards his best friend. Where's Taylor?" Vince shrugged and pushed past Dom, anything he would have said cut off by the hurt and pain lodged in his throat. Mounting the back steps of the house, he paused and shook his head, running his hand through his hair as he tried to soothe his shattered nerves, tried to gather the pieces of his broken heart. He wouldn't let them see, wouldn't let them see what she'd done to him. His heavy steps carried him into the kitchen, to the fridge where Mia found him tossing back his second Corona. Poised in the open door, chilled air swirling in damp currents around him Vince cut his eyes to her, taking in the form fitting navy blue dress she wore. The dress she and Taylor had gone shopping for and his gut twisted painfully. "Vince, where's Taylor? She's only got a few minutes to get dressed now." He gave her a narrowed gaze as he reached into the cold and withdrew another beer and then slammed the stark white door closed. "How the hell am I supposed to know?" He moved into the other room and practically fell onto the couch. Mia followed and sat down gently beside him. "What'd ya mean, V? You were supposed to pick her up at the library." "Yeah, that's what I thought too." He growled, keeping his eyes on the fresh beer clamped in his hand. "Got there and couldn't find her. I looked and waited, she never showed. Just my fuckin luck...." Mia sat staring at him, her heart aching for him and then it registered what he was truly saying, what he was thinking. "....Finally gonna do it. Gonna do the whole settling down thing and shit and she takes off...." "Vince!" Mia's mouth hung open in disbelief. "You don't REALLY think Taylor would do that do you?" She laid a comforting hand on his arm. "I talked to her this morning before she left, V, and she was so excited and so in love. She wouldn't leave you. Not for the world she wouldn't." Vince turned red leaking eyes to her and a slight sniffle came from him as he tried to keep it all in. And Mia, with her tender heart, couldn't stand to see him so torn and desolate and leaned over wrapping her arms around him. "If you really love her, Vince, you gotta have faith. You gotta trust her. She loves you. She says it so much I'm sick of hearing it," she whispered as he laid his head on her shoulder. Just then the squeak of the screen door drew their attention and Letty shuffled through the kitchen watching the two. "Hey man, you ok?" she asked as Vince lifted his head and turned towards her. "Yeah,." he answered quietly , swiping at the wetness that was on his cheek . "Good, cause I think you better come hear this." Letty hitched her thumb towards the back door and turned. Outside Dom stood leaning down to the window of the black Toyota that had pulled along the curb shortly after Vince had returned. At the time he was intent on ignoring the familiar car and it's driver in favor of finding out what the hell had happened with Vince. But when a motion from the drivers side window didn't draw him in, his name shouted by Johnny Tran did. He turned his face twisted with angry frustration and moved towards the car. "What the fuck you want, Tran?" Dom bellowed, wanting nothing more than to put his hands around the man's throat and squeeze. "Look, Toretto, I know we don't exactly get along but..." He looked from Dom to the girl that sat beside him in the passenger seat. Dom cut his eyes in that direction and a fierce growl came from his throat. The last person on earth he wanted to see was Tran's sister. "Tell him.." He heard her say and Johnny turned back towards Dom. "I don't wanna see that friend of yours get hurt. She's nice and doesn't deserve what�s goin down...." Vince was moving up behind Dom , ears turned to the conversation in progress. "...Taylor..." he heard Tran saying and then everything went red. Rage - hot and deadly boiled through him and he charged the car, his hand snaking out for Johnny. "Where the fuck is she?...Where?..." He was yelling. It took Dom a split second to shake the surprise at being shoved aside so easily and that Vince was determined to kill Tran then and there. Recovering, he clamped a thick arm around Vince�s middle and pried him from Tran. "Relax, man! Relax!" He growled into Vince's ear. "Let him talk, brother. You ain't gonna find out shit like that." Vince remained tense but stilled his fight to get free of Dom and renew his attack on Tran. "That's right, Toretto , call of your dog!" Tran hissed, rubbing in agitation at his neck. "Got something to say Johnny you best..." Dom started only to be interrupted by the other man. "Lance." Johnny sneered, then shook his head knowing he shouldn't be betraying his family, his blood. "Lance grabbed her this afternoon on campus. He's been watching her for months." "What the fuck did he do to her?" Vince tried to surge toward Johnny again and still Dom restrained him. "Far as I know just taking her on a plane ride. But I thought...." "Where Johnny?" Dom asked with a deadly calm, a calm that set even Tran's nerves on edge. "Tokyo." Johnny answered after a long moment, pausing long enough to give the impression he was handing over the information in his own sweet time, on his own terms. "Why? Just as easy to keep her here." Dom countered, now with only a restraining hand on Vince's shoulder. Johnny tilted his head at a cocky angle and stared hard at Vince and Dom. "You don't get it. It's home." A brief smile twisted Johnny's lips. "If he makes it to Tokyo with her you'll never get her back. My uncle is a Triade, Toretto. He'll protect Lance once he's home and protect anything that belongs to Lance." Sobering at the thought Johnny went on. "If Lance gets tired of her the Triades will use her till there's nothing left." Vince nearly doubled in pain as Tran's words hit with more impact than a well aimed fist to his gut. He paled and turned away from Johnny taking a deep breath and tried to pull his raw, over worked nerves together. Running his hand through his hair, he gave a rough tug to the thick thatch before dropping his hand and cutting his eyes to Dom. "I gotta find her, Dom" His words were a feral growl but there was a pleading in his eyes that Dom recognized, it was the same plea for help that he'd seen the summer they'd turned twelve. The summer Vince's step-father beat him so bad, he broke his arm in two places, beat him so bad he couldn't even stand on his own. Dom had been the one to take care of him then and Dom would be the one to take care of this, the one to put Taylor back where she belonged - with Vince. Mia stood beside Letty farther along the drive, listening, hoping that Johnny could give them some idea where Taylor was, help them get to her before it was too late. At her side, she knew Letty was torn. Tran's sister sat inside the car devouring Dom with her eyes and she could do nothing about it without risking loosing Johnny's help. "Where is she, Johnny?" Dom asked, his eyes were hard points of light but his voice smooth and even, betraying none of the anger and concern that whipped around inside. Tran looked to his sister. Her smooth round face smiling with a sense of accomplishment as she leaned across him and presented her palm out the window to Dom and Vince. Dom nodded his thanks as he dictated the flight information that was written carefully across the woman's hand. "You owe me, Dom," she said with sugar sweetness, her eyes lingering on the more erotic areas of his anatomy. "I don't owe you shit," he growled, and turned his eyes back to Johnny. "Thanks." "Just find her before Lance gets her on that plane," he replied a fraction of a second before pulling away from the curb and rolling down the block. Vince stood there, hands lance behind his head as he spun towards Dom in Frustration and agitation , feeling his throat constrict with renewed panic, fear rising up to choke off his air. I can't loose her...I can't loose her....Please, god... I can't...Just let her be ok...Fuck! So many things I wanna tell her.... She's gotta be ok...... "Come on, V, we got two hours. That's plenty of time." It was Dom standing there beside him trying his damndest to make the world right, to fix Vince's life like he always had. He stood their and took Vince�s disaster as his own. Brothers. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 13 Vince! "Lance?" "What?" "Let me go." "No." "Please! No one knows yet. You can still just walk away from this." Vince! "You know I'm not going to do that, Taylor. I have plans for you." Lance Tran turned a wicked plotting smile on her. "I have plans for us." "What plans?" She trembled in the seat beside him, unable to help herself, unable to get free with hands cuffed securely in front of "None of your fuckin business. Just enjoy the ride." His eyes stayed on the road ahead, his expression unchanged . Taylor realized this was nothing to him. He was calm and uncaring, not the slightest trace of nervousness, of uncertainty present. He had been planning this for a very long time, she reasoned. "Lance, these hurt. It feels like my hands are about to fall off. Take 'em off?" She tried her best compliant voice and forced herself to smile. At her wrist, red-swelling patches of skin screamed for relief from the chaffing pain of the steel, but there was nothing to be done. She knew the chances of Lance releasing her hands were small. Vince! "No." She fell quiet for long solitary minutes as she tried to formulate another line of reasoning with the obviously unstable Lance. She watched the pavement roll by in an unending line, watched the cars with families going their own ways, living their own lives, safe in cars going anywhere but where she was. Then it struck her and she lifted her hands and began beating at the glass in front of her frantically, trying to gain the attention of the people in those passing cars. "Help me! Help me!" She mouthed over and over. At her back came Lance's laughter. "You really thinking that�s going to do any good?" He reached across and wound his hand in her thick hair and yanked her back into the seat, twisting her face to look at him as he spoke. "No one is going to help you, Taylor. NO ONE. If they try..." Releasing her head, he lifted the black mat steel from his lap and pointed it at her. "Well, you get the picture." OH GOD VINCE! "Fucker!" She hissed, spitting into his face, eyes smoldering with the deep seeded hatred she felt for him, the desire to do him the worst kind of harm. She longed to see him dead and mangled - a cold corpse. The thick glob of her saliva slid down Lance's cheek and he tensed. It was the disrespect that he wouldn't tolerate from her, wouldn't allow. She belonged to him, owned property, his to train and he decided there was no time like the present. She saw movement a fraction of a second before the sharp crack crossed her cheek, and with it a wild searing burn took up residence trailing up into her eye. The hard slap left her momentarily dazed but not dazed enough not to see what he intended to do next. Sending the car racing across three lanes of traffic with cars breaking hazardously behind them, he hit an off ramp and sped onto the near deserted street below. He made a series sharp turn and they were in the parking lot of an industrial park. One that was, more than likely, under construction at some point in time but sat looking like some Jurassic skeleton now. Vince! Vince! Vince!!! Lance hit the brakes with particular viciousness The abrupt stop threw her forward in the seat as she struggled anew against the cuffs. Before she could do more than turn her head, he was around the car and pulling her from the passenger side. Strong, punishing hands wrapped around her upper arms and shook. The sentence started simple enough but it had a profound effect on Taylor. "Don't ever......" Lance sneered into her face. His hands tightening with every shake, as he head snapped back and forth now like a worn rag doll. In that one moment with his hands digging into her arms, those words rolling over his lips, she found something she thought she would never get back - something she wasn't at all sure she wanted back. She had told Vince she'd lost a year of her life, a whole year and that meant everything to a little girl that woke one day in a world she doesn't know. Now it all came rushing at her, like a wall of ice, threatening to crush the life out of her. She clenched her eyes tight and saw him, saw the man that had caused it all, saw her father. There she was, eight years old with pigtails and freckles sprinkled across her small upturned nose. She stood in the dust outside her daddy's garage, scared and trembling, knowing nothing good ever came of being in the weather beaten building. Many a whippings had come to pass inside, and she shivered anew with the memory of them. Today was different, she decided as she looked over her small sun kissed shoulder to the house where screaming and shouting could be heard in a mixture of thick Arcadian and accented English. With a heavy sigh, she tilted her head, knowing it would last for hours. Daddy had come home from town, as mama would say "Two sheets to the wind." He was stumbling drunk, reeking of corn grain alcohol. "Come on, Bo. Lets have us a look, huh?" She patted the head of the big, mangy Shepard at her side. Cocking his head up, he lapped at her fingers in reply, his tail wagging eagerly. Taylor moved towards the dark yawning doorway of the garage. Inside sat the big, black car that fascinated her to no end. It was the very car her daddy had told her to never touch. Inside her head, she heard his voice. "Petite, that there is my car.. Mon! Do' you ever...EVER...touch 'er. You hear?" Now, here she was walking along her sleek black side fingers running along the smooth paint. Stopping at the door, she tried the handle, knowing inside would be the cool unsampled air of the chilled bayou morning, the cool air that was in hard contrast to the sweltering heat of the garage. Pulling against the door, she finally managed to open the heavy metal door and slide in behind the wheel. With a rebellious smile, she grabbed the wheel and let her mind imagine she was driving along in the powerful black sedan at break neck speeds. There was a moment of fear as she dropped her hands away from the wheel and lay against the cool vinyl seat, knowing her father treasured the car above all else, above her. When exactly she fell asleep she didn't know but suddenly the car's door was being jerked open and she was being hauled out by her thin willowy arm, fire coursed along the limp with the brutality endure in that grasp. Her father stared down into her face, his eyes cloudy and dazed with liquor. "Queest-ce que je vous ai dit, fille?" He shouted into her face, grabbing both of her fragile arms and dragging her into the air, face to face with him as he continued the tirade. "Huh? Wha' did I tell you, girl?" He spat, his eyes wild now, looking for that flicker of fear that would have him on her like a coyote on a wounded rabbit. "Don't touch!...Don't touch!...Please, daddy!...Don't touch!" She finally broke and began to scream, feeling her neck straining with the force, her head pitching back and forth. Below Bo growled menacingly at the big man, teeth dripping saliva waiting for the chance to sink those ripping crushing teeth deep into flesh. "You didn' listen, chere? You remember next time, non? You REMEMBER next time!" He shouted once more and then things would slow to nothing for Taylor. She would feel the air swallowing her up as she soared through it, soared with the force at which her father had thrown her across the garage. Nothing could compare to the horror of the moment, so small, so helpless, there was nothing to do but wait for the pain. Screams - large and small - echoed across the rural landscape. The sounds of a man being torn to bloody shreds and a girl falling to earth. When the pain finally came it was in the form of searing heat, fire burning across Taylor's back, rolling across the skin without end. She lay with a weight far to heavy pinning her to the dirt flooring, pinning her beneath the garage's large kerosene heater. It had been left on carelessly that morning, no one bothering to check to see that it was extinguished, no one caring that a child may happen upon it. That day was the beginning of a year alone and filled with pain beyond imagining, beyond what a child of eight should have been able to endure but Taylor had and she�d survived. Long months of hospital rooms turned into years of foster homes. Years that were far better than living with parents that worked at ignoring and hurting her. Another hard crack against the cheek brought her back to the present. Lance's hand shoved her against the car and raised again to deliver another blow against the stinging firey patch across her face. ".....Do exactly what I tell you to..." He growled with deadly calm into her face, and it was the last thing she heard before darkness closed over her, pulling her into the soft embrace of unconsciousness . __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 14 The sky was filled with the sound of jet wash, the sight of silver flashed through the air, people fighting to get here and there. Vince growled in frustration. Weaving in and out of the traffic his eyes cut sidelong to Dom, gaining some sanity as the situation slipped further and further out of his control, gaining a moment of calm from the strength of his best friend. He willed time to stand still until he could get to her, until he found Taylor, and then he found a break in the sea of rolling steel. Determined he pushed the sapphire colored machine speeding along the asphalt. Dom sat with a white knuckled grip on his own knee. His mind kept replaying Tran's words. Taylor was in trouble, real trouble and he wouldn't let Vince see how much that affected him, feeling like he had let them both down. He told himself over and over he should have seen it coming, should have done something. There was a combined sigh of relief as the terminal came into view. "Take it easy, V. We got time. We'll find her." Dom reassured, not really feeling the certainty of his own words. "Yeah, brother...Yeah, I'll find her..." he said, practically running the car onto the walk way in front of the terminal. Jumping from the interior, he was met with yelling. "Hey! Hey! You can't leave that here!" "Fuckin tow it!" he yelled back over his shoulder as he sprinted inside the massive building, a hopelessness quickly gripping him. Then he turned to find Dom beside him and the feeling faded away, vanished with a nod from the other man. "You take that way.." Dom pointed opposite him. "And I'll go this way..." He clapped Vince on the shoulder and they parted, each jogging away from each other, eyes scanning the mass of milling people. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Handcuffs were refastened around cold smooth metal. Taylor was shoved down in the chair beside Lance with her head down, his jacket lying over her wrists to hide the chaffing cuffs. She sat there with tears coursing down her cheeks with her mind focused squarely on Vince. What would he think? What would he feel? Would he blame her? I love you, V. "Lance..." she began, trying once more to free herself before it was too late, before she sat aboard some air liner looking down at the fading landscape, looking down on the life she might of had before Lance won. "Shut up, Taylor," he responded blandly, flipping the pages of a high performance magazine he held between loose fingers with disinterest. Dropping it into the empty seat next to him, he stood and stretched. "Lance, I have to use the restroom..." she said, keeping her voice low and slightly pleading. "Hold it," he growled turning his menacing gaze on her. "Just shut the fuck up and sit there." He leaned down to her, hands braced at the chairs arm rests, face dangerously close to hers. "You still want to know where I'm taking you?" "Yes.." She quickly nodded her head, fear lending a renewed trembling to her limbs. She wanted to know, wanted to be prepared for what was to come. "I'm taking you home." He took that moment and clamped his lips over hers, shoving his tongue past the barrier of her lips, plundering the interior of her mouth. Instantly, she felt bile rise, hot and stinging, to her throat. Home? That could only mean one place, Tokyo. She tried to shrink away from the intrusive kiss, the invasion into her mouth but nothing would stop him, except.... "Mr. Tran? Mr. Tran.." Lance lifted his head just in time to see the streamlined blonde from the ticket counter. Her long hair bounced around her shoulders as she proceeded at a quick clip towards him. "I'm sorry, Mr. Tran, but there seems to be a problem with the purchase of your tickets. It seems they are refusing your credit card." The blonde told him, hands folded casually in front of her. "If you'll follow me to the ticket counter I'm sure we can get this straightened out to your satisfaction." Lance nodded lowering his eyes to Taylor, raising his shirt for her eyes and her eyes alone, reinforcing all the threats he'd leveled at her. The glimpse of the malicious tool he held so close to his body sent a clear and deadly message. Slowly, she nodded her head in understanding all the while trying to swallow back her horror at what that instrument could mean for her. "I'll be back. Don't go anywhere." He told her, a twisted laugh coming from deep inside as he leaned down and applied another unwanted kiss to her pale chilled lips. The ticket agent quirked a brow at the display, honeymooners they were not that was clear, but said nothing as she lead the way to back to the counter. No more than three feet from the counter and she caught a flash of movement from the corner of her eye. Before she could react she was thrown backwards, hitting the floor with a bruising impact. ************ Face after face was searched with no recognition, no familiar form, none the love of Vince's life. One foot pounded the carpeted floor in front of the other, sprinting through the unending terminal. His stomach rolling, sickeningly, with each passing second that he couldn't touch her, hold her, the fear of loosing her overwhelming his senses. Behind him, trailing, Dom had turned on instinct and followed instead of taking his own route, instead of splitting the search effort. Vince wouldn't notice him, wouldn't see, his focus on one end and one end alone, Taylor. Down the corridor, smiling as he walked, turning at just the right instant, Vince caught sight of the man that fired a murderous rage inside. A red haze blurred his vision as he charged forward, slamming hard into Lance Tran and sending the woman in front of him bouncing onto her ass away from the two. Lance was always on guard, ready for the unexpected, ready for the demon that lurked around every corner. This time the demon happened to be expected, happened to be his rival for Taylor. Lifting his knee as he plummeted to the floor, he landed a hard blow to Vince's mid section. Vince�s reflexes were quick, just as quick as Tran's and both scrambled from a hold on the other, an advantage. Tran landed a blow against Vince's nose that sent a stream of crimson covering the lower half of his face. But he didn't get a second of opportunity; it was Vince that threw a punch that had Lance's head snapping backwards, the fleshy sound of the fight fueling the air around them. Another damaging blow and Vince had split the other man's eye at the brow. The advantage didn't hold for a third mauling impact. Instead, Lance's knee came up to slam hard into Vince's ribs. There was a sharp breath stealing pain as he felt the bone give with the blow. With a grunt of pain Vince, momentarily, lost his hold on Tran and the other man scrabbled from below him, only to be grabbed and shoved face first to the floor. "Where is she you sonofabitch?" Vince shouted as he wound his fingers through Lance's hair and slammed his head, with a grotesque thud, against the floor. "Huh?" Around them chaos broke out. The ticket agent was screaming as she scrambled to her feet. Another agent had appeared to assist her but opted to try and pull Vince off of Tran, in turn, yelling for someone to call security. In the distance, there was another scream that mingled with the ones around him, feminine, familiar, a voice he would have known instantly if the world hadn't narrowed to the thirst to inflict pain, to see blood from Tran. Dom couldn't believe how suddenly heavy his own feet felt, how the corridor around him seem to stretch for miles instead of feet and a minute wound into hours as he rushed towards Vince. He watched the whole scene unfold, from V's charge to Tran's head being bashed against the floor, now in a repetition that could only end in one way. Behind him he heard the heavy pound of more feet rushing towards the scene and he stopped short of Vince, casting an appraising eye over his shoulder and then he heard it, heard her screams for Vince. Whipping his head in the opposite direction, he saw the object of their search. Taylor had been slowly testing the cuffs that bound her wrist when the commotion yards away had captured her attention. Her mouth fell open when she saw him, a wave of sickened relief rolling through her and then the fight had begun. She was screaming before she even realized it, jerking wildly against the unforgiving steel at her wrist, not caring as they dug deep into flesh, grinding against bone. The only thing that mattered was getting to him, getting to Vince. She didn't know exactly when the large form materialized next to her, drawing her attention from her thrashing struggle. She turned pleading eyes upwards. "Please, Dom! Please......" Without so much as a thought, Dom planted a hand against her chest and pushed her as far from the rooted chair as her arms would allow, without being pulled from their sockets. He slammed his foot hard against the metal arm, again and again, until it gave way under the assault,until Taylor jerked her bound wrists over the edges of the twisted metal. There was a moment his own anger got the better of him as he saw the congealing blood that smeared the cuffs. Vince gave an enraged howl as he was hauled by brutal hands off of Tran, wrestled to the ground his own hands brought behind his back. Across from him, he watched from the corner of his eye as Lance received similar treatment. But as the other man was brought to his feet a flash of green shimmered in the light for a split second before the object made contact with the floor. Vince stared, his vision narrowed on the knife that lay on the carpet at Lance's feet, jade honed to a deadly double edge and was ornately sculpted from handle to tip. He could have killed her. She could be dead. Thoughts flashed through his brain like a lightening strike, tearing at the thin fabric of his sanity as he was lifted to his feet. The a slight weight plowed fully into him,a head burying itself against his chest, tears soaking into the cotton of his shirt. "God, Vince, are you ok? Are you hurt?" came Taylor's frantic voice. He would have laughed at her questions if the acute relief he felt didn't have him near passing out. She had been the one that Tran had abducted, had tried to take her out of the country and here she was asking him if he was okay. "Yeah, baby. I'm fine. I'm good. Are you okay?" His words tumbled from his lips as he realized that he couldn't touch her, that he couldn't hold her. "God, Taylor..." Then he noticed her wrists bound too and groaned, knowing they were so close and still kept from the comfort each sought. Nearby Dom stood with the security personnel explaining the events that had lead up to the two men being in custody, his eyes darting to Vince every few seconds relaying a silent message. I'll get you outta this, brother. ---------- TBC |
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