OBSESSED WITH TAYLOR JAMES Page 19

  Her eyes burned into him. “How do I know it isn’t you?”

  The car swerved with her question. “What? You honestly think I am stalking you…seriously! Why would I do that?”

  “None of this started until I got involved with you. You have distrust issues, and clearly, you have a problem with Dillon and me being friends. You have been trying to get him out of my life since we started dating.”

  “Do you hear what you are saying? Why would I need to stalk you? We are dating.”

  She didn’t answer but yanked on the door handle. “Pull the car over and let me out, Mario!”

  “I’m not going to let you out of the car while you are behaving like a mad woman. We’ll be at my place in a minute, so chill.”

  Punching him repeatedly on the arm, she screamed, “Let me out now!”

  “Taylor, quit hitting me before I crash the damn car!” The car swerved as he tried to control her hands and steer at the same time. Hitting a bump in the road, Mario couldn’t control the vehicle and jumped the curb slamming into a tree.

  The air bags deployed instantly. Taylor touched the stinging on her forehead; blood stained her manicured nail, and she tasted the metallic substance seeping in her mouth. Unbuckling the seatbelt, she tried to open the door but it would not open.

  She looked over at Mario. His head was slumped against the airbag deployed from the steering wheel; he was bleeding from the head. “Oh, my God, what have I done? Mario, wake up!” she yelled shaking him. He did not respond.

  “Help!” She screamed banging on the window. People on the street ran over to assist but couldn’t get the doors open. Her heart raced with fear as she tried to locate a pulse on Mario’s wrist. “Dear God, please don’t let him be dead…please. I didn’t mean what I said,” she cried.

  Again, she tried to wake him. “Mario, get up! Don’t you die on me!” A man yelled through the window the fire department was on the way.

  Minutes later a fire engine was on the scene with firefighters working to get the driver’s side door open. A firefighter freed her first. “Ma’am, are you okay, can you get out of the car on your own?”

  Blood from her head dripped on her white shirt staining it. “I can’t leave my boyfriend. Please help him.”

  “We’ll get him out. We have to get you out first. Give me your hand.”

  She resisted the firefighter’s assistance and fought with him. “I can’t leave him. This is my fault!”

  Tired of fighting with her, he picked her up and carried her to an ambulance. Taylor sat on the gurney watching the firefighters work to free Mario from the wrecked Mercedes Benz.

  Chapter 16

  Sabrina found Taylor sitting alone in the emergency room. Running over to her, she hugged her. “Taylor, I got here as soon as I could. How bad are you hurt?” She asked.

  Taylor sat comatose. The bandage wrapped around her head covered the three stitches it took to patch the cut on her forehead. “I only have a cut across my head.”

  “I was terrified of what I would find when I got here. How is Mario?”

  Taylor hunched her shoulders, tears managed to escape her aching eyes. “They won’t tell me anything. Sabrina, this is my fault. I caused the accident?”

  “Did you get in an argument about Dillon kissing you?”

  “I didn’t tell him. What I did is worse, Sabrina. Seriously, I could go to jail for what I’ve done.”

  Sabrina scooted closer to her sister and out of earshot of the others in the emergency room. “Girl, what did you do?”

  Sniffing, Taylor wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “The whole morning is a blur.”

  “Start from the beginning.”

  “Well, Mario located cameras hidden in the house. He accused Dillon of installing them to watch me. I couldn’t think of anyone else who would do it, so we went to confront him.”

  “Damn, I never figured Dillon to be a pervert and snoop on you. I consider him more of a puppy dog lusting after you.”

  “He’s not a pervert. He’s sick.”

  “I would say so,” Sabrina said twitching her lip.

  “Not that kind of sick, Sabrina. He has a brain tumor, and if he doesn’t have the operation, he will die.”

  “Wow. I’m at a loss for words.” Sabrina’s voice cracked with sad emotion from the news. “We have to talk some sense into him.”

  “He’s not accepting the news well but I’m sure Kelly will get him to have the surgery.”

  “I’ll call him later. Now tell me what caused the accident?”

  Taylor folded her arms across her lap bending over rocking back and forth. The sickness in her stomach churned realizing the severity of her actions. “Mario and I were going to his place and discussing the cameras and who could be watching me. I snapped, Sabrina. I snapped and accused him of being the stalker. I started hitting him when he wouldn’t let me out of the car. He lost control and hit the tree.”

  Sabrina jumped from the chair. “Taylor! What is wrong with you?”

  The tears flowed heavier. “I know and I’m sick about it. He was helping me, and I did this to him. Sabrina, I didn’t mean to hurt him….I snapped. He was laying there bleeding, and there wasn’t a thing I could do to help him. I sat and watched firefighters cut him from the wreckage. Sabrina, he wasn’t moving.”

  “Lord have mercy, you are in big trouble,” Sabrina said shaking with fear. “You are a lawyer for Pete’s sake. Have you talked to the police?”

  “Not yet. I don’t know anyone in Mario’s family to call and let them know he’s in the hospital.”

  “This whole story is crazy and ridiculous. Why is this happening to you? You aren’t famous or have a stream of men knocking down your door every night. It can’t be a jealous wife or could it be?”

  Taylor shifted her eyes to her sister. “I have never dated a married man in my life.”

  “Not a wife, but a jealous girlfriend who blames you for ruining her future.”

  Taylor sat up straight. “Kelly? No, she wouldn’t risk losing Dillon.”

  “Think about it for a minute, Taylor. Dillon has keys to your house. Kelly is on summer break from school. She has time on her hands and motive.”

  Taylor shook her head feeling the stiffness settling in her neck. “This is silly. How would she know how to install surveillance cameras?”

  “She could hire someone to do it.”

  “My neighbors would have noticed suspicious work vehicles around my house.”

  “Don’t rule out her installing the cameras herself. Did you and Mario go inside their house?”

  “Kelly was outside when we drove up, and Dillon came outside. I suppose he heard us arguing.”

  “Or, Dillon could have been disposing of the evidence. Mario may be onto something, Taylor. Without his help, we might not be able to solve this. Kelly has been tipped off and will get rid of everything.”

  “Stop it, Sabrina. Neither, Kelly, or Dillon is not spying on me. He didn’t know what we were talking about and what would Kelly gain by spying on me? Dillon is home with her every night.”

  “Do you know that for a fact?”

  “I know for a fact he isn’t with me at night. If she did plant those cameras, she knows he isn’t with me.”

  “It makes perfect sense to assume them, Taylor. You don’t want to look at them because Dillon is close to you. I am stunned you would suspect Mario. You told me you were falling in love with him.”

  The last person sitting in the emergency waiting room left allowing them the freedom to talk without whispering. Taylor walked to the window. Seeing her reflection and the blood staining her shirt, she swallowed. “I do love him. I wish I could click my heels and start this day over.”

  Sabrina smiled when saw the nurse and an alert Mario walk into the waiting room. She started to say something to him. He silenced her by holding up a hand and following the nurse to the front desk.

  Sabrina hugged Taylor from behind knowing everything was all right with
Mario. She said, “Have you told Mario your feelings for him?”

  “That won’t do me any good now. I’m sure he will press charges against me and never speak to me again.”

  “Don’t be negative, Taylor. If you love him, you have to fight for his forgiveness. And, if he loves you, he will forgive you. He will understand how overwhelmed you are with this stalker business and didn’t mean to hurt him.”

  Taylor rubbed the sore spot on her neck. “A person can only be so understanding, Sabrina. I have ruined every relationship I’ve had. This one will be the hardest to get over because I really love Mario. I don’t know how someone so educated can be so freaking stupid.”

  “We can talk later. I’m going to take you home with me so you can rest. You probably could use some food too; I hear your stomach growling.”

  “Sabrina, I can’t leave without word on Mario. My stomach is growling with guilt. Damn, I’ll never get over this. Maybe the stalker will get me and put me out my misery.”

  “Then your family will suffer. Is that what you want, Taylor?”

  She turned around at the sound of Mario’s voice. Her eyes welled with tears. Scanning his body, she saw a bandage placed on his temple, and a dark bruise formed around his cheek. “You’re okay? I didn’t kill you?”

  “I don’t feel dead but I’m sure by morning I will. The airbag knocked the wind out of me. Besides some bruises, I am okay. How are you?”

  She wanted to hug him, touch him but kept her distance. “Just a bump on the head and whiplash but I’m okay. Mario, I am sorry for what I said. I did not mean any of it. I’m pleading temporary insanity and will not fight any charges you press against me.”

  Mario pinched the nerve between his eyes. “Taylor, I’m not pressing charges against you.”

  “No, I deserve to be punished for the crime.”

  “You know the law. The judge will take your lapse in judgment into consideration and agree you may have been in danger.”

  “Mario, I cannot believe you.”

  He stopped her from talking. “However, believe I am hurt you questioned my loyalty to you. I would never hurt you based on an incident that happened in my past. I don’t hold grudges and definitely not against someone that did not harm me.”

  His words slapped her harder than the car’s airbag. Taylor had no rebuttal because he was right. She had wronged him and the consequences she faced losing him were her fault and hers alone. She turned away from him, but Sabrina pulled her back.

  Sabrina stood between them. “You are both lucky to be alive. That fancy car with all those airbags saved you guys. Why don’t we get out of this depressing place and go to my house? I will fix you both a nice meal and put you to bed.”

  Mario put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Thanks for the offer, Sabrina but I’m going home.”

  Sabrina insisted. “At least let me take you home, Mario. I want to make sure you are okay.”

  “Gracias, but no thank you; I will call a taxi.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to leave you alone.”

  “I need to be alone.” He cracked a weak smile hugging her. “I will be okay, don’t worry about me.”

  She looked at Taylor who appeared to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. She had never seen her sister broken and defeated. She broke the hug saying, “All right, if you insist. I want to take Taylor home so she can clean up and rest. Is it okay if I call to check on you later? I promise I won’t be a pest.”

  “Si, you may.” He started to walk away and stopped. “Taylor, I’m elated you weren’t hurt other than the bump on your head. Take care of yourself.”

  She opened her mouth to respond, but Sabrina stopped her. She watched him walk away and disappear from her view and her life forever. Sabrina took her hand. “Taylor, give him space to breathe. If you two are meant to be together, you will find your way back to one another.”

  *****

  The sounds of crickets chirping filled the stuffy night air. Inside, the house it was dark and quiet as Sabrina and Edward slept. Taylor sat on the deck sipping a glass of chardonnay looking into space. Only the brightest stars were able to penetrate the layers of clouds floating across the full moon.

  For whatever reason, she wasn’t afraid sitting outside alone in the vast darkness. Sabrina and Edward lived in a two-story house abutting dense woods. A few deer had wandered in the yard in search of foliage. Taylor kept quiet not scaring the animals away but observing them.

  Taking another sip wondering how life would be as a deer or other animal. She visualized the majority of their days were spent searching for food or teaching their young survival tactics. Household pets had it easy too. Their only worry was when the human would be home to feed them or let them out to play.

  She watched the deer chew at a small bush. The deer had no idea how fortunate it was not to be human. No stress of careers or paying taxes. No credit problems or competing for popularity, and the best, no broken hearts to deal with.

  She drained the wine glass refilling it from the bottle sitting on the table. She sat the bottle down hard startling the deer eating dinner. Its head popped in her direction, paused, and ran for cover in the woods.

  Sorry about that.

  She drank half the glass waiting to see if the deer would return to finish eating. Her cell phone vibrated on the table. It was a text message. She stared at the text message she assumed was from Mario, hurried, and typed him back a reply.

  Taylor: I am up. Why aren’t you sleeping?

  Text message: too much on my mind to sleep.

  Taylor: You should rest.

  There was no response from him after ten minutes. She put the phone down thinking he must have forgot he was mad at her or meant to text someone else. She stretched grabbing her shoulder; it hurt from the accident. Her back and legs were sore also. She glanced at the clock on her phone. It was 2:30am. Drinking the rest of the wine in the glass, she put the cork on the bottle and slowly got up from the table. She had to make an appearance at work and to show up bruised and hung over would not go without questions.

  She went inside the house locking the patio door. A crack of thunder and bright lightening lit the dark sky. She looked out the door. Large raindrops fell upon the wooden deck. Another big flash of lightening streaked across the sky. Taylor’s blood turned cold. A human image appeared along the edge of the woods boarding Sabrina’s backyard. Was the wine making her see things or was there a man standing in the rain watching her? Shaking and afraid to look again, she closed the blinds and ran upstairs locking the bedroom door. Large tears fell from her eyes as she sat on the floor praying. Please God, please make this stop.

  Chapter 17

  Taylor arrived early for work wishing she had called off again but was afraid to stay home alone. She had not slept a wink last night. The concept of a man in the woods watching her, kept her curled on the floor the rest of the night. The aching in her body came from the accident and lying in a crouched position on a hard floor.

  Getting her coffee, she hobbled to her office like an eighty-year old woman down on her last leg. Turning on the computer, she tried to log in. The system refused her logon and password. It was too early to call tech support; it was only 7:00am and the department didn’t take calls before 8:30am.

  A knock on the door got her attention. “Come in,” she said surprised anyone was around.

  Todd opened the door. “Good morning, Taylor.”

  “Good morning, Todd. You’re here early.”

  He took a seat across from her desk. “I know you come in early, and I wanted to talk to you privately.”

  “She leaned forward holding in the pain with each breath she took. “I know what this about. This morning, I can’t log into the system, but I’m surprised my ID worked downstairs at the security gate.”

  He noticed her stiff movements. “Taylor, are you hurting?”

  “I was involved in a car accident yesterday, but I’m okay. Do you have the paperwork for m
e to sign?”

  “Is that why you were out yesterday?”

  “Yes, and I don’t want to talk about it if that’s okay with you.”

  “Of course, your personal life is your business.” He didn’t hinge on his original purpose of business. “Taylor, I hate to say this, but Anderson is terminating your employment with Cartwright and Associates. Whatever is going on between you, Dillon, and Mario Infante is disruptive to the firm. Anderson determined the only way to restore peace is to release the person with the least seniority. Unfortunately, that is you.”

  Taylor didn’t bat an eye at the news of her dismissal. “Naturally it would be me; I’m not a partner. “I’ll be gone as soon as I pack my personal belongings. I knew this was coming and had my assistant clean my files so the distribution of my workload would be smooth as possible.” She stood up wincing. Holding her hand for Todd to accept, she remained professional. “Thank you for the years of friendship. I’ll never forget how you battled Anderson for the people you respected.”

  “Taylor this didn’t end well for either one of us. I’m retiring at the end of the month instead of waiting until the end of the year. Anderson is controlling the company in a way I don’t agree with. It is best I sever ties while I have my sanity.”

  Taylor’s eyes brightened. “If that is true, Todd, please call me when you make a formal announcement. I have a proposition for you.”

  He stood buttoning his suit jacket. “I will do that. I will see that a messenger handles your boxes and other items you want to take home. Goodbye, Taylor.”

  She gave it a second and walked out her office and down the long hallway. Passing Dillon’s office it she was it was dark. She took a deep breath and kept walking until she got to Mario’s door. He was sitting behind the desk drinking coffee. The bruise on his cheek had darkened to a purplish black color, and he’d removed the bandage from his temple. She knocked on the door.