There was nothing she couldn’t ask Steven that he wouldn’t try to do. He became her hairstylist and began selected all her clothing when she married Phillip Cross. He selected Sydney’s dress that she wore to the academy awards ceremony with Phillip, when Danny won an Academy Award. It was Steven who found her a gown to marry Danny, and it was Steven who called her the day Robert committed suicide. They had a long history together.
Now they are closer than ever since Danny has been missing in the jungles of Brazil.
Steven was now going to christen Sydney’s baby. He would be Ian’s godfather and he was proud of the official title. He may have taken it too far since he loved the movie of the same name. Now Steven felt it his duty to take care of Sydney. He had finally taken to Jeremy, even though he felt that Sydney was making a mistake to fall for Jeremy. He didn’t feel that Jeremy was right for Sydney. There was something about Jeremy that rubbed him the wrong way.
Jeremy looked exactly like Danny but he was not Danny. He had a selfish streak that Steven spotted.
“Sydney, we are a little low on personnel, so Jose is going to tend to you.” Steven stated.
“Steven I’m not sure it’s a good idea to allow Jose to give me a massage. I feel too uncomfortable around him.”
“Don’t worry honey he doesn’t even see a woman’s body. All he wants is me.”
“Why are you cutting back on personnel Steven?” Sydney said peering at Steven.
“Jose thought it would help our cash flow.”
“But Steven you should be making tons of money.”
“Well I didn’t tell you that I’m opening a salon in Los Angeles and Jose is going to run it.”
“L.A., Steven have you lost your mind?”
“Don’t confuse me with your negative thoughts, besides you haven’t been thinking right since Danny died.”
“Stop it Steven I can’t visualize him dead. I’m thinking straight. I’m your friend and you need to think once with your head instead of your dick.”
“Sydney if anyone had said that to me I would never speak to them again, but since it’s you I forgive you.”
Sydney looked up at Steven from her chair and saw a wall that she could not penetrate. She saw it once before when he refused to believe that his previous lover had killed his wife and was framing him.
“Steven I came here to feel better not get in an argument with you.”
At that moment Jose appeared. Sydney couldn’t get use to the feeling that there was something creepy about Jose.
“Good afternoon Miss McCloud.”
“No it’s Mrs. McCloud,” Sydney said knowing he knew better. But she played his game.
“Are you ready for me Mrs. McCloud?”
“It would make me feel better if you called me Sydney. I’m after all your fiancé’s best friend.”
Steven hoped that Sydney and Jose would get along. For Steven’s sake, she went reluctantly into the room to let Jose give her a massage.
Jose pranced into the room after Sydney, yet she felt he was looking at her in an unusual way. The room was sparse except for Japanese plants and an expensive massage table. There were no distractions. The aroma of flowers appeared to sooth her and put here to sleep. Sydney’s eyes opened and she broke the silence.
“Jose what’s your nationality?”
“I’m from Spain.”
“I was in Spain last year and I loved it.”
“I came here on a work visa but I haven’t been back to Spain in months. I miss Barcelona. I’m from Barcelona. My family is there.”
“Your hands are wonderful and you are not like most masseurs.”
“I know women like a man to be soft and gentle most of the time so I try to do that as much as possible. You have soft skin and I wouldn’t want to hurt you.” He slowed his hands and enjoyed every movement. Sydney heard him salivating.
It was something about the way Jose talked and rubbed Sydney’s body that she knew that Jose was not all he said he was. Was he just pretending to be masculine? Sydney asked herself. Maybe she was wrong.
Sydney could tell whether a man desired women or girls and she thought she knew whether a man liked men or women; and Jose’s manner and gestures screamed that he loved women in the biblical sense.
Sydney heard the way he was breathing as he touched her body. When he caressed her buttocks and legs, his breathing became uncontrollable. She heard him gain composure as if he would have an organism just by touching her skin. Then he placed the towel on her back and stepped aside. He helped her up. She got a good look into his eyes. The eyes told it all. He had a yearning and a love for women.
Steven liked women but he was not in love with them. Jose was in love with women and she knew the distinction.
“Sydney, I’m sorry about your loss.”
“Thank you Jose, but I have a child to help me through my heartache.
“I know. Jeremy should be lucky…Oh I’m sorry I promised Steven I wouldn’t say anything.”
Sydney was upset because she had sworn Steven to secrecy. How could he betray her? She realized that Steven couldn’t hold water. He would call up the local papers to inform on her and Danny. That’s why Danny didn’t care for Steven. Sydney finally admitted that it was Steven who called the papers. It was no longer a secret how the paparazzi got the baby pictures of Ian. Now she knew where the money came from to put a shop in LA.
“Please Ms. McCloud don’t tell Steven I told you about Jeremy.”
Jose pleaded with Sydney not to say a word to him. After Jose finished with Sydney, she felt better. He gave her a glass of wine and called for an attendant to help her.
At that moment, Steven walked in, “Sydney come with me I want to show you our next adventure. I mean Jose and I, not you and me.”
“Don’t worry Steven I didn’t confuse the two situations,” Sydney said as she followed Steven around his Spa. “You are constantly enlarging this place, who would have thought that a few years ago you were a hair dresser.”
“I beg your pardon. I was never a hairdresser,” Steven stated, as he raised his head in the air, and placed one hand on his hip.
They took the elevator to the next floor and Steven explained that he was planning on doing medical cosmetics at his day spa. Jose was getting a doctor from Mexico. Sydney raised an eyebrow and closed her eyes momentarily in disbelief.
Steven spent heavily on furniture and buying the upper portion of the building. She thought that he was over his head, but he would not listen because he was hopelessly in love as she was with Danny, therefore, she knew she could not talk to him, so she changed the subject.
“Steven, have you heard from Allison since Zack disappeared?”
“No, but she still comes in and spends a shit load of money each time and tells Jose that she isn’t worried. He’s probably on a business trip,” Steven said not concerned about the exchange of conversation between the two.
“Steven don’t you think it’s strange that no one has heard from him?”
“People are so busy these days trying to make money that they don’t even fuck anymore. Take me and Jose, I have to make an appointment to see him these days. He’s busy running my business. He’s heading for Spain tomorrow to purchase art and furniture.” Steven turned around, don’t you just love what he has done to this place.
Sydney turned and stated, “Is it worth it Steven? You don’t see Jose much anymore. Look what has happened to Danny and me. We spent all this time away from each other and now we don’t even have each other. He’s lost and I may never find him.” Sydney looked forlorn, so Steven tried to make her laugh.
“You still have that hot brother of his to ease your loneliness.”
“Steven you still have a knack for making some of the worst jokes and a strange way of trying to make someone feel better.”
“Oh look, there’s Allison now.”
“Allison, Allison guess who’s here?” Steven said waving his hand, and being catty. He walked quickly with Sy
dney trailing.
“I hope I didn’t disturb you. Sydney was asking about you.”
“Yes I was wondering whether you spoke to Zack.”
“Well it’s nice seeing you again Ms. famous Mc Cloud,” Allison said in her usual hard nasty guttural manner. “I haven’t heard from you since Houston. I’ve been married to Zack, your boss, but you never came to any of the parties Zack and I had in Long Island. I guess you thought you were too good to be in my company. You worked for my husband and never even came.”
“It was not like that at all Allison.”
“Then how was it Sydney?” She said with a sly smile.
“You know that Phillip died.”
“Yeah and he left you all kinds of money.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about Allison. I see you are as greedy as you use to be.”
“Look who’s talking about being greedy, no sooner than your husband dies you are involved with his brother. You have had more men and ruined more lives than I have.”
“Who told you that?” Sydney looked at Steven and he put his head down.
“Look Allison, I guess this is not a good homecoming for you two so we had better leave so you can finish your treatment.”
Sydney and Allison stared at each other with daggers in their eyes. Steven grabbed Sydney’s arm and marched her to his office. Sydney stopped and wrenched her arm from Steven.
“Steven you have gone too far. Now you are discussing my business with your customers. I didn’t think you would do that to me. Oh wait you did it when I was with Danny. You sold all kinds of stuff to the news and sham magazines.”
“No Sydney, I promise you, I only told Jose,” Steven admitted putting his right hand over his heart.
“How did Allison find out?” Silence prevailed. “Well I’m waiting for your answer?”
“I don’t know Sydney, but I will find out and stop it.”
“You had better, otherwise our friendship is over.”
“Sydney don’t be angry. I’ll make it better. I promise. You know I love you and you are my best friend. If I lose you I don’t know what to do,” Steven said pleading for Sydney not to leave angry.
Steven was always dismayed when Sydney became upset with him. He glanced at her sitting at his desk in a large deep chocolate leather chair. The chair sat in front of an expansive mahogany desk Jose had given him for his birthday. The chair was an equalizer for Steven. Whenever female clients with too much money, class, and time came into his office to complain, he would drag out that chair because it sat low and he had the high ground.
He lowered his head. He wanted to make her happy because he knew she had so much on her plate to deal with. Steven felt that he could change her disposition so he said, “I tell you what Sydney, when Allison leaves then we can follow her. You appear to be bored, and you need a distraction and what more distraction than to find out what Allison is up to, and maybe we can find Zack in the process.”
Sydney’s face lit up at the thought of finding out about Zack. “Yes, that little crook needs someone to find out about her. The police don’t seem to think it’s unusual for him to leave the country. They seem to be buying her story about him leaving to check on his business enterprises in England and Germany. I started calling the detective in charge of the case. They don’t seem to be interested in finding him.”
“You can’t put all your energy into this situation,” Steven stated as if it was nothing severe.
“Zack is my friend, like you are. Suppose someone said you were missing…”
Steven stopped her in mid sentence, “I hope the fuck you are persistent and find my ass where ever I am. Even if I was murdered, find my ass and the person who did it.”
“See what I mean, Zack is a great person and a wonderful boss and friend.”
“You don’t need to work. Why are you working anyway?”
“I work to stop from thinking. If I didn’t have something to do twenty four seven I would go crazy.”
“Allison should be finished by now. I’m going to get the car. When you see my Porsche pull up, start coming out. She should be ready because her limo is parked outside.”
Sydney did as Steven suggested, however, she felt silly but it helped her to forget about Jeremy and Danny. Just as Steven said, he parked two cars behind the limo. Sydney scooted outside and jumped into Steven’s Porsche. “Now what? There is no way you are going to find a parking space in Manhattan to wait for Allison,” Sydney stated incredulously.
Steven was always a resourceful person. He drove around the corner, pulled in front of a line of cabs, and parked in front of a hotel. The doorman came to the car and Steven gave him something in his hands. It was money. They then sat uncomfortable in front of the hotel looking in their mirror with a clear view of Allison’s limo.
Shortly after Steven parked, Allison stepped out of the door of Steven’s Spa. “She looks great, doesn’t she?” Steven said giving himself a pat on the back.
“If that is advertisement then it’s wasted on me. You really should check that doctor’s credentials before he performs cosmetic surgery. You shouldn’t rush into any commitments.”
“Yeah, Yeah, nag, nag, nag,” Steven mumbled shaking his head. “Look the car is leaving.”
“Hurry Steven and don’t lose her.”
The limo drove for four blocks down Fifth Avenue, then stopped and parked in front of a high-rise apartment building.
“She’s keeping ritzy company.”
“I can’t believe that Allison ever knew anyone who had any kind of money, especially the kind it takes to live there,” Sydney stated.
“Yeah, but she has the money now to know those kind of people. As for that, you can spend her around the corner with your money. Look at you; you have money from three men; not a little money, but a lot of money. Do you know how much you are worth?”
“Yes, but I’m not telling you, because you might call the gossip columns and tell them.”
“I thought you loved me, Sydney.”
“I do, just keep your eyes on the apartment.”
“Look, a woman is coming out. She’s getting into Allison’s limo. She just gave Allison a kiss. That was a suspicious looking kiss. Did you see those shoes? They have red bottoms. They cost about two thousand dollars; and that red alligator purse cost a good ten thousand dollars. I don’t even want to guess what she paid for that pantsuit, but it looks like a Valentino.
“How do you know all of that Steven?”
“Remember I’m the one that dressed you.”
“Oh yeah, you missed your calling. They’re turning, don’t lose them Steven. Sydney looked at her watch it was getting late. “I have to call Jeremy, He’s watching the children. The housekeeper will be leaving at seven.”
“Don’t worry; calm down the children will be ok. Jeremy needs to get a taste of what it’s like to take care of children.”
Sydney thought that perhaps for once Steven was right, but Steven has never been right about anything except clothes.
“Do Zack and Allison have another home besides the one in Long Island?”
“They have one in the Hamptons,” Sydney revealed.
“We have gone through the Midtown tunnel and now we’re on the Long Island Expressway.”
“The driver passed the exit to her house. She must be going to the Hamptons,” Steven stated.
Steven finally turned, and they settled on some jazz to calm their nerves. Then John Legend blasted through, and that took more of the edge off. Sydney settled back and enjoyed the ride and music.
“Don’t get too close Steven.” Steven drove for an hour, and then he realized that he didn’t see the black limo anymore.
“We can go on to the house. I think I have a gene to open the gates and garage. Zack gave it to me when I had to check on some business for him when he was in Europe.”
Sydney searched her purse and came up with an opener and key. It was the wrong one. It belonged to Danny’s house in Los Angele
s. She continued feeling around and finally found the right one. “I found it.”
“What if they see us?”
“Now is not the time for the What Ifs, Steven. Think positive. You got me into this.”
“Well you didn’t have to follow me. You could have said that this was a stupid idea. You and I have too much money to be acting like a couple of detectives.”
“You know it’s not about money. It’s about the hunt. It’s about the thrill of getting caught and catching someone doing something bad,” Steven said pounding a beat on the wheel.
Steven looked at Sydney and smiled. She had just summed up his life. He didn’t know that she was giving a commentary of her own life. They drove through the gates and down the long winding driveway straight to Zack’s mansion.
“Wow! They are living large,” Steven commented with his mouth ajar. “There is money and there is money.” The house sat on a hill a mile from the gates and a half a mile from the first driveway. It appeared that the servants were off, because the house had only lights in the driveway and a flood light easing from the back of the mansion. However, Steven was cautious and turned the car lights off.
“Let’s drive into the garage.”
“Why?” Sydney questioned.
“We need to hide the car. Look at that garage it must hold about ten cars.”
Sydney used the code Zack gave her to open the garage. They drove in between a Mercedes and a Porsche station wagon. The cars were deep as the garage was wide. Another house could fit into the garage. But it looked like they stored a boat but the boat was absent from the scene.
After stepping out of the car, Steven forgot that he wasn’t in an automobile showroom. He began walking around peeping into the cars. Before he attempted to open the door to a Rolls Royce, Sydney stopped him.
“Steven stop nosing around and let’s go into the house before Allison comes.”
“Sydney there is a refrigerator in the corner. Do I have your permission to look for something to drink?” I didn’t have any supper and I’m thirsty.”
“Steven you are worst than a child. Hurry up, let’s get in the house and get out of here.”
Naked Obsession Page 11