by Tammy Lewis
Turning to face me, angrily, Marcus replied, “are you kidding
me right now. If I hadn’t have just pulled you through the
window of the ladies’ bathroom, god knows what would have
happened to you tonight. Dom’, it’s not safe out there
anymore. None of these cases are straight forward. There are
too many sickos. Dom’ I just can’t bear the thought of
anything happening to you, I would never forgive myself…”
Placing my hand on to Marcus’s shoulder, lowering my head,
finally realising the severity of this evening. I heard the rear
door of the car open beside me. Turning to see Quinn, peering
in, he asked “Domini, are you okay?”
His face filled with grave concern.
“She’s fine,” yelled Marcus from the front seat, still seething
at the nightmare, that tonight had been.
Now with the interference of Mr Pretentious, he was at
boiling point. Trying to alleviate the tension, Quinn asked
both Marcus and I to join him for a stiff drink. Sure, that we
all needed one right now, I looked to Marcus for an answer.
Shaking his head, Marcus replied, speaking slowly with a
grave urgency, “please Dom’. I need to get you home.”
Nodding, turning to Quinn, I agreed with Marcus, apologising
I replied “I think that we need to get back. Do you want to
join us for a nightcap?”
Watching Marcus’s entire face, once again hit boiling point,
consumed with anger, hearing Quinn reply, “sounds great, I
will follow you.”
Feeling the car speed off at a great force, as soon as the door
hit its frame, Marcus yelled out “Dom’ are you kidding me
right now. I have just got you out of harm’s way, only for you to go ahead and feed yourself to the lions. Are you forgetting
what guys like him are all about?”
Sure, that every word that Marcus spoke was the absolute
truth, yet so immensely grateful for the part in which Quinn
had played tonight. I replied, “if he hadn’t alerted you and
told you our objectives back story, then one way or another
tonight, I would have met an unbearable fate.”
Watching the tears appear in Marcus’s eyes, knowing just as I
did, that my lucky escape was mainly due to Quinn’s
undesirable knowledge. Instantly backing down, sensing a
tone of defeat within his voice, he replied, “Dom’, I just hope
that you know what you are doing.”
Chapter 13
Arriving at the underground garage of the penthouse,
entering the elevator, with both Quinn and Marcus in tow.
Instantly I could sense an awkward tension fill the air.
Wondering if it had made the right choice, to have asked
Quinn to come back to our place.
Upstairs, safe within the confines of our living room, I poured
us all a drink. Almost ignoring that Quinn was even here,
Marcus settled into his chair. Arms folded, with his eyes fixed
on to the blank screen of the tv. Breaking the silence, Quinn
spoke, only to say, “the structure of this building is incredible
and what you have done with the interior, is undoubtedly
sublime.”
Watching Marcus roll his eyes, to Quinn’s each and every word, I thanked Quinn for his kind words of admiration, for
our home.
Feeling the tension fill the air once more, trying to ease the
strain, I thanked them both for coming to my aid this
evening. Sure, that I couldn’t even begin to contemplate, what
horror would have bestowed me, if I was to be left alone with
Mr Blackstein and his men. Suddenly consumed by the grim
reality, sending a shiver down through my spine, releasing the
colour from my cheeks, I heard Quinn’s voice ask, “Domini,
are you okay?”
Nodding slowly, feeling slightly faint, Marcus turned to face
me, when abruptly he demanded, “Dom’, maybe you need to
remember what this feels like, right now. Then maybe you
will finally realise what tonight could have entailed and just
how much danger that you are placing yourself in, with each
and every case that you take on.”
Not wanting to hear another word, with each and every one,
hitting me hard. Drinking the last sip from my glass. Giving
out a subtle yawn, trying to bring an end to this awkward
atmosphere. I stood, announcing, “I think I need to go to bed,
it’s been a really long day.”
Watching Marcus’s eyes focus on me, feeling them burn into
me deep. Turning to Quinn, I suggested “I think it’s time for
me to turn in, I will walk you out.”
Noticing Marcus stand down instantly, as though a small part
of him, had been alarmed at the thought, that I may have
asked Quinn back here, to stay for the night. Curiously, I
looked over at Marcus, watching his face fill with relief, sure
that he couldn’t bear it a second longer, sharing his home
with Mr Pretentious!”
Walking Quinn out, stood within the doorway, he turned to face me. Instantly feeling a little shy, reaching up, to gently
brush his arm with my hand. When again, I thanked him for
the part that he played this evening. Leaning into me, to kiss
my cheek, he replied, “it was nothing, really. I am just so glad
that I decided to follow you, again.”
Feeling him grasp my waist and pull me into him fiercely,
placing his lips firmly upon mine. Kissing me as he did, just
like the first time, in the hotel room, the night of the honey
trap. Swept away in his kiss, with little strength to resist, I
slowly backed away.
Still holding my hand in his, releasing me gently, he called out
“goodnight Honey.”
Watching him turn to leave, I felt my heart race and rise high
inside my chest, trying to catch my breath, wanting to silently
scream out. Sure, that without a shadow of doubt, in my
mind, this was a sensation that I had never felt before.
Reaching the elevator, he turned to face me once more, giving
out a devilish wink as he entered. When instantly I felt my
knees weaken beneath me, stunned and confined to the spot.
Feeling someone’s presence, suddenly I heard Marcus walk
through our hallway behind me, calling out, “Dom’, get your
pathetic ass back in here. And wipe that god damn awful grin
off of your face. Anyone would swear that you actually like the
guy.”
Closing the door behind me, holding on to the door handle
tightly, regaining what little control and balance that I had
left. I caught Marcus’s glare in the corner of my eye, as he
strolled off into his room, looking and sounding equally
unimpressed. Hearing the low tone of his deep voice, echo
through the hallway, when he called out, “night Dom’!”
Arriving at the office the following morning, closely followed by Ashlee, listening to her reel off… “the blueprints for the
latest campaign are on your desk. You have 2 messages from
a Mr Hamilton, and one from a Mr, though I’m not entirely
sure if I am pronouncing this properly, a Mr Bigshot.”
Entering my office, fashioning a huge grin, with the images of<
br />
late last night, running through my mind. Casually opening
the large white embossed envelope on my desk. Changing my
mood instantly, infuriated, I turned to Ashlee and asked “is
this some kind of joke?”
Handing her copies of the media photographs, from the
charity event with Quinn, from last weekend. Watching the
horror bestow her face, when she noticed that each and every
one of the photographs that contained Quinn and I. Someone
had carefully gone to the trouble, of gauging out my eyes.
Alarmed Ashlee called out, “I think that we need to contact
the police, this is sickening.”
Placing the pictures into the envelope that they had arrived
in, I called out “Ashlee, cancel all of my meetings until after
lunch, I have something urgent that I need to clear up.”
Charging out through the office doors, through the park, and
over to the building where Quinn’s business was situated.
Arriving up at the 10th floor, reaching the front desk,
confronted by a leggy blonde, pristinely dressed, I demanded,
“I have an appointment to see Mr Hamilton.”
Looking through to the back, I could see her look in the
direction of Quinn’s office. Sure, that I could see him in the
distance, charging through, certain that I was not waiting to
be invited, as she frantically called out “excuse me miss,
but…”
Reaching his office door, without even knocking, I stormed in, throwing the photographs down on to his desk, I demanded
“an explanation. Now. Please!”
Standing, looking a little calmer than I had anticipated, he
stated, “I thought that she may have sent copies to you too,
that’s why I called you this morning.”
Handing me a replica of the white embossed envelope that I
had received. Confused I asked, “you received them too?”
Nodding, Quinn replied, “Cynthia, she likes to send me the
media pictures after an event. She usually takes it upon
herself to discredit my date. Though I have never seen her go
to the extremes of removing someone’s eyes before. She really
doesn’t like you.”
Alarmed by just how easy he was taking all of this, as though
it was a regular everyday occurrence. Squinting at him,
confused, sure that I couldn’t even begin to understand his
reasoning, I asked “and this is okay, you accept her
behaviour?”
Making his way around his desk, standing inches away from
me, he shook his head and replied, “It’s not normal
behaviour. It’s just that I have been putting up with it for so
long, I guess it’s become almost a regular way of life. You can
see why I was so alarmed, the night that she entered our hotel
room.”
Feeling somewhat sorry for him, the position that he found
himself in, I began to feel myself calm. Watching him lean
over his desk, pressing down on to the intercom, he called out
“Carol, cancel everything this morning, I won’t be back in the
office until after lunch.”
Turning to face me once more, he asked, “can I take you out
for a coffee, apologise for getting you into this mess?”
Agreeing instantly, though sure that I may have needed something a little stronger, we made our way over to the little
bistro where we had first met. Seated at a table, addressing
the issue that we faced with Cynthia, instantly I caught
Marcus, approaching us in the corner of my eye. Seating
himself beside me without even being invited, looking livid,
he grunted, “why isn’t this cosy! Dom’, all of your meetings
are passed by me first, would you like to tell me why this one
wasn’t?”
Without giving him an explanation, sure that this was
enough, I took the white embossed envelope from my purse,
passing it over to Marcus. Watching the horror bestow his
face, pulling the pictures from the envelope, he demanded to
know who was responsible for this? But more importantly,
where were my eyes?
Throwing the pictures down on to the table, lifting up his
sunglasses, glaring over at Quinn, clearly seething, Marcus
asked, “so are you going to tell me who did this? Because this
has you written all over it. Everything was plain sailing until
we took on your case. And now it’s been one catastrophe after
another. I promise you, if one hair is harmed on her head…”
Placing his coffee on to the table, Quinn began to defend
himself, explaining to Marcus, all that he had already told me
about Cynthia. Still furious, Marcus asked, “and I am
supposed to be happy with your answer.”
Lifting the pictures once more, urging Quinn to look at them,
Marcus yelled at him, “her eyes are MISSING!”
Placing my hand on to Marcus’s hand, looking over at him
with sombre eyes, sure that all of this anger, was due to his
fear for my safety and wellbeing. Squeezing his hand tightly,
forcing him out of his deathly glare over at Quinn, I pleaded
with him, “Marcus, please, it’s not Quinn’s fault. We took the case, all of this, it was inevitable.”
Still Marcus refused to back down, pointing and glaring over
at Quinn once more, he snarled, “if it wasn’t for him
blackmailing you, into going to that stupid event, then none
of this would have even happened. So yes, the way that I see it
is, it’s all of his fault.”
When instantly, Quinn growled back at him in retaliation,
“yes that may be true, but are you forgetting that last night,
without my help, what would have happened?”
Admitting defeat for now, Marcus stood, taking hold of the
back of my chair firmly, urging me, he suggested, “Dom’, I
think that we need to get back to the office.”
Looking up at Marcus, then over to Quinn, feeling as though I
was stuck in the middle. Sure, that I had to choose between
them both. Sighing heavily, I stood, thanking Quinn for my
coffee, gesturing over to him to say goodbye. Making this so
much easier than I had expected, Quinn stood up before me.
Approaching me across the table, he kissed my cheek, smiled
at me and said, “anytime Domini.”
Chapter 14
Seated at my office desk, I watched Marcus pace the floor
before me, pointing and furiously yelling “Dom’ you need to
stay away from him. It’s been nothing but trouble, since the
day that he walked into our lives.”
Startled by my silence, leering over the desk at me, watching
the fire burn within his eyes, he asked, “please Dom’. I am
only going to ask you this question once. Do you have any feelings for him?”
Biting my lower lip hard, unsure how to even begin to answer.
When to my amazement, Marcus erupted before me, growling
louder than before, “what is it with you women, I just don’t
get what you see in men like him.”
Glaring up at him, tapping my foot, arms folded, I anxiously
waited for him to stop. Hearing the silence fall, I replied,
“Marcus, who I am interested in personally, is none of your
concern. I never
tell you who you can and can’t date.”
Watching his eyes widen before me, sure that my reaction was
all that he needed to confirm, everything that he’d already
thought that he knew. Waving his arms around like a
hysterical mad man, he called out “I knew it! I knew that
there was something there, when I saw you stood in the
doorway last night, like some love-sick puppy. Well don’t
come crying to me, when he’s left you, because he’s sleeping
with his secretary. All while you’re at home, nursing his fleet
of babies, that he just had to have.”
Exhausted I remained seated, watching my whole life flash
before my eyes, while he marched over to the doorway, calling
out, “well good luck Dom’, because you are most certainly
going to need it!”
Hearing the door slam behind him, I sighed with relief,
consumed by Marcus’s question. Wondering, ‘just how did I
feel about Quinn?’
Hours later, mulling over the real advertising campaign
proofs, my phone began to vibrate across my desk. Noticing a
message from Quinn, I opened the phone, to read: -
“Are you busy this evening?”
Unsure whether or not that I was, with nothing planned and no time to lie. Contemplating everything, I text him back: -
“Why? Nothing I guess?”
When instantly the message was returned, it read: -
“Great! I will pick you up at 7.”
Sure, that I hadn’t accepted, yet he assumed that I would
adhere to his request. Contemplating the whole conversation,
gazing back over each and every word, I sat there bewildered.
Hearing a firm knock on my office door, I called out “it’s
open, come in.”
Turning to see Marcus enter, a changed man, his face filled
with regret. Approaching my chair, flinging his arms around
me, he began to apologise for his earlier outburst. While I
remained silent, almost certain that his apology would be
short lived, now that I had just somehow agreed to a fourth
date with Quinn…
Hours later, after work, answering our apartment door to
hear Marcus call out, “if he kills you and buries you this
evening, I am the last person that’s going to come looking for
you.”
Cringing at his childish words, I looked up at Quinn and
smiled, praying that somehow, he hadn’t heard him. Noticing