Honey

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