OBSESSED WITH TAYLOR JAMES Page 17

  Still staggering from the implications Kelly placed upon her, she fumed, “I want out of this damn city and away from crazy ass people.”

  “Taylor, are you going to explain why you want to leave? You’ve been talking about opening a law firm soon.”

  Thankful the sunglasses stopped Sabrina from seeing the tears brimming, she swallowed to keep her voice steady. “That will be a mistake. I should have taken the position in New York the moment I found out Dillon was working at Cartwright & Associates.”

  Sabrina held Taylor’s hands that were shaking. “Tell me what happened between you and Kelly. I saw her as I was walking over here. I spoke, but she blew me off.”

  Taylor removed her hand to drink a sip of lemonade. “Be grateful she didn’t stop to talk to you.”

  “Well, she seemed upset and nearly ran me over.”

  She took another drink trying to calm her nerves realizing plain lemonade was not going to get the job done. “She better be glad she was able to walk down the street and not need EMS to pluck her ass from the one of these walls. Lord, I have never wanted to punch a person as much as I want to punch Kelly and her stupid ass boyfriend.”

  Sabrina signaled for the server. “Girl, I have a feeling we are going to need something stronger than lemonade once you tell me this story.”

  “I have to go back to work.”

  “You are in no shape to work, Taylor. Behind the big dark sunglass, I see the tears in your eyes. You don’t cry. Kelly must have really pissed you off to make you cry.”

  “If I never see her or Dillon again, it wouldn’t bother me!” She said aloud.

  Sabrina pursed her lips. “Um…”

  “What did you do, Sabrina?”

  “I sort of invited them to the house for the Fourth of July picnic Edward and I are throwing. Taylor, I didn’t know you were mad to the point of breaking ties with them until now.”

  “Why would you even invite them? You don’t invite them to anything else you have.”

  “They sent us a wedding invitation. I was being sociable and invited them to our barbeque. I had extra invitations and stamps.”

  She moped. “This is just great.”

  “I’m sure they won’t come seeing how today went. Anyhow, forget them for a minute. Why do you think you might be fired?”

  “Oh God, this is going to take all day and one glass of lemonade will not get me through it,” Taylor said removing money from her purse. “You are right; I’m in no mood to work. We’ll order a pizza and go back to my place and have an old-fashioned bitch-fest with hard liquor.”

  Chapter 13

  Taylor waited for Mario to finish with his phone call. Still upset, she stood at the window woozy and a little tipsy from drinking with her sister. Edward had just picked up Sabrina to take her home. The James’ clan liked to drink, but were responsible and would never drink and drive.

  Mario’s gaze followed her as she walked around the living room languidly. He didn’t like seeing her upset or worse yet, drunk. “Amor, this has got to stop before it tears you apart.”

  She shrugged her shoulders. It’s too late for that, Mario,” she said strolling over to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’ve been pushed over the edge and can’t stop the fall.”

  “Baby, what happened?”

  She didn’t release him but tightened her arms around his neck. “I had a really bad day and I’m glad you’re here now.”

  “I gathered that. You and Sabrina were drinking pretty early in the day.” He patted her back. “You could use a nap.”

  Taylor dropped her arms from around his neck. “I don’t need a nap; I need a change of scenery. I had a great life, Mario. What happened to it?”

  He walked her to the sofa sitting down with her. “Your life is the same, Taylor. I’d like to think I’m adding to it, or is it me you’re complaining about?”

  She patted his cheek slurring her words. “Baby, you’re the best thing to happen to me in forever. We clicked right away and get along now that we’ve come to an understanding. I’m a lucky girl that gets groovy sex at night and wakes up next to a handsome man in the mornings.”

  The sting of the heavy alcohol vapors wafting from her mouth smacked him in the face. “Okay, if you are happy with all that, why are you drunk?”

  She yawned slumping against the cushions of the sofa. “Cause I hate Dillon. You were right. Baby, that man….that….man I believed was my friend, is out to destroy me. One stupid mistake years ago is coming back to haunt me,” she mumbled.

  He shook her on the shoulder. “Taylor, don’t fall asleep! What stupid mistake and did Dillon do to you?”

  “We had…” She passed out cold before finishing the sentence.

  Twitching the muscle in his jaw she passed out before finishing her sentence, Mario maneuvered her until she was over his shoulder and hauling her up the stairs like a sack of potatoes. Taking her to the bedroom, he laid her on the bed to remove her shoes and taking all her close off except her underwear. He turned up the air conditioner then covered her with the bedspread and left the bedroom.

  Downstairs he noticed her cell phone on the coffee table. Not wanting to do what was on his mind, he did anyway. He scrolled through the contacts until he located the number he was looking for. Grabbing his keys from the dining room table, he left the house to get answers.

  Speeding from the driveway he narrowly missed hitting Taylor’s neighbor who was pulling into his driveway. Sebastian shook his head as the maniac sped down the street.

  *****

  Be nice. Apologize profusely and do not side-step the truth if confronted was the mantra Dillon repeated walking the slow gait to Mario’s office. It didn’t matter how many times he repeated it; it would not sink beneath the surface of his skull to penetrate his brain. He knew Mario would pulverize him to a grain of sand if they got into a fist-fight. Taylor must have told him what transpired earlier, and now he wanted to confront him. What he didn’t understand was why he wanted to do it at work and after hours.

  He knocked on the door before going inside. “Hey, um, you wanted to talk.”

  Mario looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was around. “You know what this is about,” he said positioning the door where Dillon could get inside.

  Dillon eyed him strangely. “Is this about Taylor? I apologize for my actions on Saturday. I want you to know where I stand when it comes to her.”

  “Look, Dillon. Whatever is going on between you and Kelly is affecting Taylor in a bad way and therefore it is affecting me. I don’t appreciate seeing my woman drunk in the middle of the day.”

  “I asked Taylor to stop worrying about me. Kelly and I are working through a rough patch, but we’re cool.”

  Mario shook his head disagreeing. “No, you’re not cool. But, then again that’s your headache….not mind.”

  Stewing in his own juices he saw Mario’s dark eyes were hooded as he watched him intently. “Mario, I don’t have a clue where you’re going with this. Kelly and I are not fighting, and Taylor told me she asked you to join us on the cruise. This will be cool, man! I’m looking forward to us having a great vacation together.”

  Mario chuckled. “Wow, you’re learning to lie and smile while doing it. Anderson is grooming you well for the legal field. But here is the real deal…Taylor and I are skipping the cruise. You and Kelly go alone and have that great vacation together without us.”

  The smile on Dillon’s face faded. “Are you speaking for Taylor now? She didn’t say she wanted to cancel the cruise.”

  “Put your feet in Taylor’s shoes for a minute. Would you enjoy your vacation sitting across the dinner table laughing and toasting glasses with the person who may have gotten you fired?”

  Dillon listened concluding this conversation and Taylor’s inebriation was to do Saturday’s event and not today. Crossing his hands behind his back, he shrugged his shoulders. “Mario, I can’t take back what happened Saturday. I wish it never had. I’m going to tal
k to Anderson and get it all straightened out.”

  Mario folded his arms across his chest to match Dillon’s machismo. Using a nonchalant tone he said, “I know something happened today and it involves you. She will not tell me what exactly happened, but it had to be bad enough for her drink herself into a stupor. Your name was the last she sputtered before she passed out. I will be a better man and give you a chance to tell me what happened or we can do this when Taylor is on her feet. The choice is yours.”

  “All right, this morning we had words regarding last Saturday; that’s it. I tried to apologize, and she wasn’t having it. She is pissed, and I don’t blame her. Once she cools off, let me just talk to her. Taylor and I have been friends for years; we’ll work it out,” he said stepping closer to the door.

  Mario placed his hand on the door blocking Dillon from opening it. The tone of his voice laced with ire, said, “You will not talk to her. I will not allow Taylor to be a pawn in your sick game or let you manipulate her anymore.”

  Dillon’s head pounded as sweat beaded on his face. “Nobody is playing a sick game, Mario. I jumped to conclusions before thinking. I’m sure we can smooth this over once and for all.”

  Mario’s pupils were black as tar. He leaned closer to Dillon. “Leave her alone. Taylor won’t tell you to fuck off, but I have nothing to lose by not being your friend. So I don’t have a problem saying it…vete al carajo, Dillon. I hope we won’t have this chat again.”

  “Taylor has a mind of her own and doesn’t need you to speak for her. If I want to talk to her I will,” he said in a challenging manner. “This conversation is over!” Dillon attempted to shuffle Mario aside to escape the office.

  Mario shoved his hands in Dillon’s chest pinning him against the door. “Listen, I wouldn’t let the expensive suits and education fool you into thinking I won’t rip your heart from your chest with my bare hands personally. I won’t need to make a phone call for that to happen.”

  Dillon threw up his hands coughing from Mario’s hand tightened around the collar of his shirt. He looked at Mario with the same fear Taylor looked at him, only she stood her ground where he caved. “All right, I’ll back off. We don’t have to get physical. We both care about Taylor and want the best for her.”

  Mario winked a mocking eye. “I’m glad you’re coming around. Now I have one more thing to say before you go change your tidy-whities. Kiss and make good with Kelly. It will make our relationship a lot easier around the office,” he said fixing the collar of Dillon’s shirt.

  Dillon closed his eyes taking in a breath. The image of Mario’s smirked face burned his retinas. His dislike for the man just soared to heights beyond retrievable.

  *****

  The paranoia set in as Dillon drove home. He knew nothing about Mario Infante. The man wasn’t from Cleveland but obviously had connections in Miami and Puerto Rico with seedy people. For all he knew, he could be a former gang affiliate or knew people that belonged to Puerto Rican gangs and would hire them to come after him.

  He turned into his driveway to see Kelly entering the side door carrying grocery bags. She disappeared into the living room when he entered the house. He walked heavy-footed down the hall in search of her. Wasting no time, he threaded his arms around her body, pushing her down to pin her on the sofa. His hand balled a bunch of her hair yanking her head back, as he pressed his lips against her neck. “Here or upstairs,” he gasped against her skin.

  “Dillon, you’re hurting me,” she cried struggling to breath under his weight.

  He pushed his hips against her pelvic bone. “I’m ready to give you what you’ve been asking for.”

  He got off her dragging her to her feet and up the stairs to their bedroom. Dillon threw her on the bed straddling her so she couldn’t move. Looking into his lust-glazed eyes as he stripped off his shirt, Kelly at first was frightened of his intentions. Then he demanded. “Kiss me. Kiss me like you mean it.”

  She reached up and clutched his shoulders drawing him down to meet her mouth. The mélange of their tongues and their flavors spread. Everything he was doing to her now, he normally would pretend was Taylor. Not this time. The primal instinct to have sex cleared his mind of Taylor.

  He ripped the thin material of her blouse exposing her breasts, squeezing them with rough hands. Kelly bit her lip. He grunted watching the pinkish-brown nipples swell under his fingers, before sucking one into his mouth.

  Kelly’s hands worked fast to unbuckle the belt of his pants and push them down his hips. She wasn’t sure what had come over him to act so animalistic. Once he got her skirt and panties off; he drove into her, causing her to cry out from the dry penetration.

  She whispered into his ear. “Baby, don’t be so rough.”

  He continued his frenzy, biting the lobe of her ear. “Do you want it or not?”

  She closed her eyes and let him have his way. He had not made love to her in months, and she was not going to miss this opportunity by complaining.

  *****

  Kelly made sure Dillon was sleeping before getting out of bed. Tiptoeing down the stairs, she went to the den and closed the door. She sat behind the desk and opened the middle drawer removing a phone book. She needed to help Dillon, and there was only knew one way to do it and have it be permanent.

  She used her cell phone instead of the house phone to make the call. Nervous she waited for the person to answer, and when he did, she was afraid to ask for a favor. “It’s me. I need to talk to you. Where can we meet?”

  “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

  “I have to help Dillon. He is not well, and I can’t stand to see him suffering anymore. If this will help him then I have to do it.”

  “Okay, I will call you tomorrow on were to meet. I will call; you do not call me again.”

  “Okay, I won’t call you anymore.”

  The next morning, once Dillon left for work Kelly, drove to the spot indicated by the mysterious caller. She got out of the car holding her purse close to her body. A homeless man sleeping under the bridge kept her close to her car. She was in an area of town that she never visited, and a white woman alone would stand out as peculiar.

  Two men approached from across the vacant lot. The one man she knew the other she didn’t. “Do you have it?” she asked clutching her purse tighter.

  “Yeah, I got what you want. You got the money?”

  She went in her purse and removed the envelope containing the money. “How many Oxycodone pills are there for a $1000?”

  The unidentified man counted the money after handing her the pouch containing the illegal drugs. “You got a month’s supply.”

  “That would only be $900?”

  “Handling fees ain’t included.” He walked away leaving her and the other man together.

  She turned to the man saying, “Thank you.”

  “Watch him with that stuff. He could get addicted and kill himself. Is that all you needed?”

  Kelly nodded. “Yes…no. Can we go somewhere else and talk? I have another problem I want to discuss with you.”

  “I’m busy today. We’ll have to do it another time.”

  “Okay. Give me a call when you have a chance.” She turned and got inside her car drove off with the man watching her.

  Chapter 14

  The next morning Mario awoke first. Taylor was sleeping soundly next to him. He sat on the side of the bed deciding to let Taylor sleep instead of waking her for work. He shook his head listening to her light snoring. She would not be able to keep her mind on work suffering from a massive hangover.

  He went into the bathroom to shower. Turning on the shower water to warm he went to the sink to shave first. Dropping the shaver on the floor, he kneeled down to get it from under the pedal sink where it rolled.

  He looked closely at the substance lying on the floor. Wetting his index finger, he dabbed the substance and held it under the light. It was particle dust from the plaster. Mario turned up the hot water in the shower. The
steam from the shower flowed upward to the ceiling revealing tiles in the ceiling were slightly different in color.

  “Maldita sea!” He cursed quietly.

  He rushed from the bathroom to the bedroom. Closing the curtains facing the bed, he searched the walls of the room. The noise he was making caused Taylor to shift on the bed, kicking off the covers to expose her body clad only in skimpy underwear. He continued to search conspicuous places to hide a camera, trying to be quiet. The light switches were flat on the wall so that would not be a good place to hide anything. He searched the lampshades and perfume bottles on her dresser. The picture frames and various knick-knacks on shelves. He came up with nothing.

  Taylor sat up looking dazed. “Mario, why are you making noise?” She asked in a ragged dry voice.

  He jumped on the bed pulling the cover over their heads. “Baby, did you replace any ceiling tiles in the bathroom lately?”

  “What are you doing?” she asked trying to remove the cover from over her head.

  He put his finger to her lip to quiet her. “Keep your voice down.”

  “What are you doing and why are we whispering? Who is here?”

  “Taylor, cut it out and listen to me. I’m dead serious…think baby. I know you’re dealing with a massive hangover but push past it and clear your head. Have you done any work in the bathroom or anywhere in the house requiring you to hire workmen?”

  “I haven’t done anything lately. Why?”

  “Promise you will stay calm when I say this. Don’t jump or scream; we have to stay quiet.”

  She licked her lips. “You’re scaring me, Mario.”

  “I know, and that’s the last thing I want to do, but I believe you are being watched.”

  “What? Who would want to watch me?” She asked. Scratching her head, she sighed when he lifted an eyebrow. “You can’t seriously believe Dillon snuck in my house and installed cameras to watch me.”

  “Who else is infatuated with you to the point of obsession?”

  She put her hand over her mouth. “Excuse my breath because I know it’s bad, but what did you find in the bathroom?”