by Sam Crescent
Taylor rolled her eyes. “I’d ignore her. She hates all guys at the moment. Don’t know why though. Have you got a secret admirer you’re not telling us about?”
Carla shook her head. “It’s nothing, okay? Nothing at all. Men and boys—because that’s what they are most of the time, right? Boys—are just childish and immature, and I don’t like them. It’s as simple as that.”
“And you’re not sounding immature right now?”
“I have a right to sound immature and a right to be a little jealous.” Carla pulled Taylor against her chest. “Aren’t you curious in the slightest who they’re coming from?”
At first, she’d thought it was a prank. She’d tossed out the rose but kept the letter, keeping it in a safe box to read whenever she felt like it. Then, when no one made a big deal about it, she’d kept the rose in a slim vase until it died. She loved the flowers so much, and her mother hated roses so they weren’t even allowed in the garden.
“I don’t know. What if it’s someone I don’t like? Or don’t know?” Taylor asked.
“What if it’s the janitor?” Paul said.
Taylor burst out laughing. “Yeah, that would be creepy. I don’t know. I like the roses, and the letters are always really sweet. I’m not freaked out yet. I imagine that will come much later.”
“I’ve got to head to geography. Catch you at lunch,” Carla said.
“Yep.”
“That’s my cue to go as well. See you at lunch,” Paul said.
She walked down the long corridor going toward math. It was the only class where she didn’t have either Paul or Carla. Inhaling the sweet scent of her rose, she hummed to herself all the way to class. She was the first to arrive, so she took a seat, one from the back. It was her usual chair.
Pulling out her books, she flicked her pencil on the table, looking out across the field. The track was closed as they’d had a huge rainfall, which had made the grass way too slippery and a hazard.
“Nice rose.”
She frowned, looking up to see Axton pass. “Thank you.”
He ran his fingers over the white petals. She held her breath, but he didn’t say or do anything as he took the seat behind her, like he always did in math. Actually, whenever they had classes together, he always sat behind her.
****
Present day
Pulling her heels on, Taylor listened to Paul and David once again berating her. At least this time they weren’t in her apartment. She wouldn’t have to do the introductions for Axton when he arrived.
“Are you kidding me, right now? This has gone on for long enough. You’re clearly not going to find anything,” Paul said.
“I’m starting to think Paul is right on this, Taylor. Don’t put yourself in danger. You’ve not found anything out.”
“Because I’ve not been given the chance to,” she said. “I know I’m onto something. I know they’re hiding something. I’m going to find out what it is.”
“But how?” Paul asked. “It’s not going to change anything.”
She was getting tired of his moaning and no good attitude. “I’m trying here, Paul. I want answers.”
“Then why don’t you come out and ask them, Taylor? Why not just say, ‘what did you have to do with Carla’s death?’” Paul asked.
David chuckled. “You really think he’d come out and tell her the truth if they were in fact part of it?”
“I don’t know, okay? I don’t know fucking jack squat anymore,” Paul said. “All I know is it has to be better than her sleeping with the man.”
“There’s not going to be any sleeping involved,” David said. “Not if I taught her right.”
“Guys, these calls are getting boring now. We’re all arguing over the same old stuff,” Taylor said. “I’m doing this whether you like it or not, Paul. I’ve told you this. David, thank you.”
“Remember all the warnings I’ve told you about.”
“I know. I know.” She wriggled her boobs in the bra and ran her hands down the dress. “The clothes are starting to get a little tight again.”
“Go back on your runs,” David said.
“I can’t. Someone is watching, and I freak out just by being here. I don’t want to make a mistake out there. It’s bad enough as it is.” She had to purposefully walk to the car as if she wasn’t thinking about someone watching her, stalking her every single move.
“You’re going to be okay, Taylor. You’ve got this.”
“I think you’re both fucking fools,” Paul said.
The knock at the door silenced them all.
“I’ve got to go,” Taylor said.
“If I don’t hear from you by tomorrow morning, I’m coming looking,” David said. “I’ve been doing some inquiries about the Four Kings’ Empire, and I don’t like what I’ve heard.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I’ll do whatever is needed to keep you safe, Taylor. You’re my friend.”
“Believe it or not, I agree with him,” Paul said. “Catherine was difficult out of fear of what they had on her. She’s not to be trusted, Taylor. She wanted to sell their secrets to the highest bidder. No one likes a rat or a sell out in business. And no one wants to get hit by the Four Kings’ Empire. They’re capable of ruining everyone who dares to stand up against them.”
She took a deep breath. “Wish me luck.”
Hanging up the call, she pocketed her cell phone in the small bag and made her way toward the door. Pushing her raven hair off her shoulders, she released a breath. “You’ve got this.”
Opening the door, she smiled, seeing Axton dressed in a tux. She saw him in a suit every single day, but this was far more dashing than she thought was possible. He was cleanly shaven. The suit molded to every single muscle, and the look of it just screamed wealth. He looked out of place in her modest apartment.
He’d always looked out of place in King’s Ridge.
“Hey,” she said.
“I brought you a gift.”
She watched as he pulled one hand from behind his back to reveal a single red rose.
“Oh, wow,” she said. Her heart pounded. Could he have been the rose leaver all those years ago? Staring into his dark eyes, she had to wonder for just a second it if was him. No, it couldn’t be. Axton Farris would never, ever, leave her something like this. She was getting way ahead of herself. The rose was left by a mystery man. Axton couldn’t. Pushing those thoughts aside, she breathed in the scent. “It smells lovely.” Closing her eyes, she felt relaxed and calm. “Will you wait while I put it in some water?”
“Sure.”
He stepped over the threshold into her apartment. Taking a deep breath, she turned away about to leave, but he caught her arm, stopping her. “You don’t have to be afraid of me.”
She looked at the hand on her arm then up into his eyes once again. The promise within them tightened something deep within her.
“I’m not afraid of you being here, Axton. Make yourself at home.”
He released her arm, and she missed his touch instantly.
Stepping into her kitchen, she found a small vase and placed the flower inside it. When she got home tonight she’d move it to her bedside.
She walked back into her sitting room and smiled at him. He stood in her sitting room, looking at her artwork. The apartment had come fully furnished, and she’d only added a few pieces to make it more “her.”
“No pictures?” he asked.
“I don’t keep much around, to be honest.” She folded her arms beneath her breasts, stepping up beside him. “I’m not much for personal touches. You?”
“You’ve seen my office.”
“It’s the only thing I’ve seen.”
“That’s true. To get to my apartment you have to be a really good girl.”
This made her chuckle. “You say that to all the women you’re taking on dates?”
“Who said I’d ever been on a date?”
“Come on, Axton. You can’t
pretend that you’ve been celibate all your life.”
“I didn’t say anything about fucking, Taylor.” He leaned in close, his lips near her ear. She closed her eyes as his breath fanned across her neck. “I take what I want and I fuck who I want, but I don’t date.”
“Then I must be special then,” she said, grabbing her bag. “Because you’re taking me out on a date.” She stood at her front door. “After you.”
“I remember a time when you’d have run away.”
“I’ve never been afraid of you.”
“In high school?”
“Not even then.”
“I don’t believe you.”
She smiled. “There are a lot more things that are scary in this world than four little boys who think they controlled a town. The world is a lot bigger than King’s Ridge, Axton. Surely you know that.”
“I know a great deal, Taylor. More than you’ll ever know.”
“We’ll see.”
They stepped out of her apartment, and for a few seconds, she was nervous. This was taking things to the next level. Work wasn’t there to keep her safe, nor were David and Paul.
She was on her own, going out with him.
No one would be there to help her, or to stop him.
Are you really afraid?
Stepping onto the elevator, she chanced a glance at him, and the truth was no. She wasn’t afraid of him, had never been afraid of him.
Most people in high school had done whatever they could to avoid him or to steer clear of him.
She’d never felt like that. If he sat behind her, he sat behind her.
If they crossed paths, they crossed paths.
She never treated him like a king, nor would she now.
He wasn’t a king, not to her, not yet.
Neither of them spoke as the elevator descended to the underground parking lot. One of the reasons she loved this apartment block was the tight security.
Stepping out of the elevator, he took hold of her arm once again, moving toward his car.
She recognized it.
“Isn’t that the car you had years ago?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Can’t you afford to buy, like, a fleet of cars that are all different?”
“I can afford to have a car in every single make, model, and color. Not going to happen. I like my car.” He opened the door. “Climb in.”
“I never thought the day would come when I climbed into your car,” she said.
“You’re the only woman I’ve ever allowed in my car.” He slammed the door closed, and she frowned, watching him round the vehicle to climb behind the wheel.
“What does that mean?”
“It means what it means. I don’t take women out in this car. This is always saved for special occasions. Buckle up.”
She quickly strapped herself in as he pulled out of the lot, heading onto a main road, going further into the city. There was a lot of traffic, so she relaxed back against the leather.
“Where are we going then?”
“I thought a little Italian would be right up our street.”
“I like Italian. Love pasta, all kinds of it.”
He glanced over at her. “I know.”
“How?”
“I have my means.”
“You’re getting in too deep. Axton is not known for letting people get away with hurting his business. This could end badly for you.” One of Paul’s many warnings flittered through her head, once again reminding her of all the trouble this could cause.
She has a right to know.
Carla’s parents had a right to know the truth.
“That’s not creepy at all.”
“Everyone loves pasta, Taylor.”
“All of your dates love pasta?”
“Nope, and I told you, I don’t do dates.”
“You never took them out for a meal?” she asked.
“I’ve never needed or wanted female company unless I want one thing.”
“So I really am special.” She batted her eyelashes.
“What about you?” he asked.
“We’ve already had this conversation, remember? You asked me why I wasn’t seeing anyone. Yada, yada, yada.”
“I did, but surely that’s not the whole story?”
“What can I say, I never really got a lot of attention.”
“And now?” he asked.
“I get some. It’s all a lot of fun.”
He pulled up outside of a very well-known Italian restaurant. Paul had taken her to it for her twenty-first birthday and also to celebrate the success of his latest technology deal. That had been one of the few occasions they spent together. There were times she’d wanted to reach out to him over the past ten years, but studying and life got in the way. Whenever they were nearby though, they hung out for a few days, and then something would pull them away. Paul’s company was a massive success, and she was working on her own career as well. The time Paul had taken her here, he’d talked all night long about his company, and for a short time she forgot about her plan. There had been a few times over the years where she had thought about forgetting her plan, of moving on. Then she’d have a dream or a memory, and she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t bring herself to forget.
The waiting valet opened the door. Taking the man’s hand, she climbed out, but Axton was there, removing his hand and taking over.
“She’s my date, and I know how to handle her, thank you,” Axton said, his tone telling the other man not to even argue.
“That wasn’t very nice,” she said. “I’m not a thing for you to handle.”
“I wanted to help you out of the car.”
“Does it really matter who helps me out so long as someone does?” she asked.
“It matters to me.”
“Bossy.” She tucked her arm against his, pressing her breasts close.
Axton didn’t show any sign of interest. They walked into the restaurant, and she tried not to be disappointed. She was following all of David’s advice to lure him in. Showing temptation, offering herself up, flirting, all things he said worked. Axton wasn’t impressed though. He wasn’t falling for it.
Be yourself.
She was only ever herself around Paul.
Even David didn’t get to see the real her. She spent most of her time practicing with him.
Paul had known her since they were kids.
Releasing her hold on Axton, she decided to do this her way. Tonight, the plan needed to be put on hold. Axton suspected something. She couldn’t ruin all of her hard work by falling now. Flirting didn’t come naturally to her and especially not in David’s way. If Axton suspected something, she’d have to be extra careful about what she let slip. If he thought something was wrong, the other three would know.
Before leaving, she’d seen all three go to Axton’s office.
There hadn’t been a scheduled meeting.
This had been for something new.
Pushing some hair out of her face, she nibbled her lip as the maître d’ showed them to their table. Axton took charge once again, pulling out her chair, and she slid into it, smiling up at him.
“Thank you.”
He stared at her for a few seconds before finally taking a seat.
Picking up the menu, she opened it up, and her mouth watered. Chicken alfredo, fettucine, Italian meatloaf, pot roast, risotto. From comfort to luxury to impressive, everything was there with a little note on the bottom to say that they were made on request.
Oh, yum.
“See anything you like?” he asked.
“The entire menu.”
He laughed. Glancing over her menu, she liked that she’d been able to make him laugh.
“I do love Italian food. It has been a long time since I had some pasta though.”
“Why?”
“I’m not a very good cook. I’ve been focusing on my career and other things. I didn’t take the time to learn how to cook it. There was this little Italian place
near the college, and believe me, their meatballs were heaven. I think if I lived there any longer, I’d have turned into a meatball.”
Staring at the list of tempting food offers, she couldn’t believe she’d just done that, told him about herself and about her life. She had to keep remembering her plan.
The plan.
Yes, of course. It always came back to the plan.
“You’ve always had a killer body, Taylor. You shouldn’t hide it, meatball or not.”
“You’re speaking like you know me,” she said.
“I do know you.”
“We were never in the same circles.”
“Didn’t mean I didn’t notice you, Taylor.”
The roses?
The letters?
“If you’ve got something to ask me, just ask. Remember, be prepared for the answers.”
“Why did you help me out of the lake?” she asked. “Why did you make it seem like it wasn’t a big deal?”
She saw his jaw clench at her question. She wouldn’t be pushed down again, not over this.
“I don’t think you’re ready to know the answers to that.”
“You said you’d tell me the truth.”
“I will.”
“Then tell me what happened that night,” she said.
“I helped you out of the lake, Taylor. I was the one that heard you when you screamed. That’s what I did.” He shrugged. “Nothing more. I had no idea who it was that you were holding or what had happened.”
She stared at him.
“I can’t imagine what that must have been like. I’ve got Easton, Karson, and Romeo. I’d never want to pull them out of a lake.”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure. I found it really rather difficult, especially after. Even now, I sometimes get nightmares.”
“What happens?”
“This is not really date conversation.” Keep it about him. About sex. About the temptation. You want to lure him to do what you want.
“I want to talk about it. I don’t believe for a moment you really talked to anyone. Did you see a doctor, a shrink?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“I was there. This is something we share. It’s a bad thing, but it’s still something.”
She glanced around the restaurant before taking a deep breath. “She’s screaming for my help. In my dream. We’re at the lake. It’s cold and dark. She’s in the water, and I’m there watching. Seeing her start to drown, only she’s screaming for my help. I dive in, and no matter how hard I swim, she’s always far away. I can’t get to her. When I finally do, I wake up.” She stared down at the menu, licking her lips.