Love, Lies, & Crime: Anthology

by Kimberly Blalock

  “Yeah, she’s my associate—the one I was telling you about before.”

  My eyes roll. “Right, the annoying one.”

  I hang up the phone and walk back to the holding cell in cuffs. Not a good look for me. As I’m led back, I take a quick glance around and see the bathroom. Turning toward the cop, I say, “Hey man, help a brother out. I gotta take a quick piss.”

  He shakes his head and laughs. “Nope. Degenerates don’t get to use the facilities.” He shoves me into the cell and locks the gate behind me.

  I brace myself against the wall as I glance at the crusty, contaminated toilet. Fuck.

  “Monroe, you made bail.”

  I peek at the cop standing at the gate as he unlocks the cell and I jump off the cot. Standing to see my rescuer, my eyes land on a familiar brunette. She stands on the opposite side of the bars, taking in my face. “You!?”

  Maria’s older sister?? This can’t be happening. “You.”

  “So, you’re Rob’s best friend. I’ll be honest, I’m not surprised you got locked up.”

  Her bitchy remark hurts, but I keep my cool. The faster I get out of that cell, the better. I storm past her and she follows close behind. Her heels clang against the cement floor of the precinct as we make our way to the clerk’s desk to retrieve my belongings.

  The lawyer stands close and hands the clerk a voucher. “Yes, Mr. Taylor Monroe was just released on bail and he’s here to get his property.”

  She turns to me and asks, “What did you have with you before you got arrested?”

  My mind tries to remember but the past few hours are just a haze. “I think I had my wallet, cell phone, and my duffel bag filled with clothes.”

  We wait a couple minutes as the clerk heads into the back to gather my things. I peek over at the lawyer and right away she annoys me. I can understand what Rob’s talking about. The way she stands there, arms crossed with that snarky look on that face—she’s got that bitchy attitude, and I bet she thinks she’s hot shit. Don’t get me wrong, after seeing her in the light, she’s clearly a knockout, but having a nasty attitude doesn’t get you into my bed.

  Even so, just because she’s a bitch, that doesn’t give me an excuse to not show my gratitude. “Thanks for bailing me out.

  She glares at me. “I didn’t do it for you.”

  Her nasty response gets under my skin, and I have to ball my fists to control my frustration. The clerk returns with my items and we exit the precinct. I take a quick glance at my phone and see a bunch of missed calls from Victor. I give him a quick call, telling him I’m alive and headed into the city now. His worried voice relaxes as I assure him I’m all right. As much as he gets on my case, I value Victor’s respect. Our relationship is a little strained at times, but I definitely consider him a father figure. I hang up the phone and turn toward the street, looking for a cab.

  “Hey! I’m driving! I told Rob I was bringing you home. Get in.”

  I turn to see her climbing into her Lexus and exhale as I prepare myself for a two-hour drive home with the shrew. I climb into the car and shut the door behind me as she inserts the key into the ignition, sparking the Lexus to life.

  She presses the gas, allowing the car to peel off onto the Jersey streets. I grab my bag from the floor, searching for my headphones. If I can avoid hearing her voice, I won’t end up jumping out of a moving vehicle.

  “So, rough night huh?”

  I turn to her. “You think?”

  She chuckles. “Look, don’t get mad at me. This was all on you.”

  I scoff, “I didn’t ask for a lecture, okay?”

  She smiles, enjoying getting under my skin. “Whatever you say. You’re the one who got arrested. You’re lucky Rob pulled a few strings or your ass would have been arraigned.”

  “I didn’t even do anything.”

  She glares at me for a split second before returning her focus to the road. “Oh really? So, assault, resisting arrest, public intoxication…that was nothing. And don’t forget the property damage at the bar.”

  “Who are you, my mother?”

  “No. There’s no teaching an animal how to behave himself.”

  I just want to strangle her. God, she’s pissing me off. “Nobody’s perfect. I had a rough night after I lost the fight and got out of control.”

  She follows the signs to the New Jersey Turnpike as we head back to New York. “Well, you need to keep it in check—especially now. One more stint and you’ll be thrown right back in the shitter, so don’t screw it up.”

  “I get it. Let’s move on.”

  She pushes a button on the steering wheel and the car speakers state, “Address book. Who do you wish to call?”

  She says, “Call Robert,” and the Bluetooth feature dials his number. After a few rings, he answers the phone. “Harley? You got him?”

  She answers, “Yup, I got him. We’re driving to the city now.”

  Rob’s voice calls out to me, “How you feeling buddy?”

  I shrug. “I could be better. Got a splitting headache and my broken ribs hurt like hell.”

  “What happened back there, man? Harley was saying assault, resisting arrest? What gives?”

  I glance out the window, watching the cars passing by. “I don’t know, I just lost it. After losing the match, I was just…angry.”

  I peek over at Harley and catch her staring at me, but she quickly redirects her gaze back toward the road. Rob and I converse for a few more minutes then say our goodbyes. He should be back in the city in a couple days and of course, he’ll want full details once we meet up.

  After our conversation, Harley turns on her radio and tells Pandora to play the latest pop mix. Bubbly girl music blares through the speakers as I cuss under my breath. Great. I rifle through my duffel again, desperately searching for my earphones. After moving my fighting gear around, I find them buried in the bottom of the bag. I plug them into my ears and glance at Harley as she mouths the song lyrics to some Justin Timberlake song. I press play on my Spotify app and start jamming to the ElectroNow playlist. The music blasts in my ears as I rest back into the comfy leather seat and close my eyes, imagining I’m anywhere but here. The beat of the song drops, flinging my mind back to the club I visited last week. All of a sudden, a question pops into my head and I pull the earbuds out of my ears.

  My head lifts off the seat as it turns toward Harley. “I thought your name was Alejandra.”

  She turns down the volume of the music. “It is. My family calls me Alejandra but to my friends and coworkers, I’m Harley.”

  “Why Harley?”

  She chuckles. “I used to race in college. It’s how I paid for it.”

  My eyes grow wide as she laughs at my reaction. “Race? Like illegal racing?”

  She nods “Yup, I rode a bike in college.”

  “Whoa. That’s pretty remarkable. Even I haven’t been on a bike.”

  Her face lights up with excitement. “Yeah, my family never knew.”

  “How did you get into all that?”

  She pauses. “Well, my ex used to race, and from there I had a fascination with it. I loved being on a bike, filled with all that adrenaline. It was kind of like a high, ya know?”

  I nod. “Yup, I know exactly how you feel.”

  She turns toward me and offers me a smile. It catches me off guard as she’s been anything but nice and upfront toward me. I give a small smile in return and glance back out the window. Pushing my earbuds back into my ear, I continue my playlist as Harley drives us back to the city.

  Two and a half hours later, she pulls up in front of my apartment building. My stomach growls; haven’t eaten jack squat all day. I gather up my belongings, zippering them inside my duffel bag. Peeking at Harley, I find her glancing around my neighborhood. Clearly, she’s not impressed.

  “Well, thanks for the ride.”

  She nods. “No problem. Stay out of trouble.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Take care of those wounds.”r />
  I nod at her concern and face my building. Exiting the car, I shut the door behind me as she spins out into the street. I watch the Lexus zip by slower vehicles and turn the corner out of my view. I make my way to my apartment, unlock the door, and head straight for the bedroom. I pull my hoodie over my head and see my bandaged chest. My fingers trail my broken ribs, and I wince as I apply a slight pinch of pressure. I glance into the mirror and find my face is covered in bruises, and I hadn’t even noticed I have a black eye. “Shit, this looks nasty.”

  After applying a few ointments, I text Victor to say I’ll see him in the morning. My stomach growls again, begging for food, but I’m so damn tired. My legs walk toward the bed and I fall into the mattress, allowing my body to sink deep within. Within minutes, I’m out.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Taylor

  “WELCOME TO WENTWORTH, Poole and Bosch. Can I help you?”

  I step into the hallway as the elevator door closes behind me. Clean, sleek furniture fills the space and glass windows frame the entire area. From outside the lobby, the phenomenal view of Manhattan soars below. I glance back at the receptionist. “Yes, I’m here to speak to Robert Hudson.”

  She nods and makes a quick call while I wait. A few seconds later, she motions toward the seating area. “Mr. Hudson will be right with you. Please, have a seat.”

  I give her a warm smile and she reciprocates. “Thank you.”

  I take a gander at a couple of the magazines they have in the waiting area, most of them targeted to women. Not one sports magazine? Ugh. I toss the magazine pile back onto the table and pull out my phone, deciding to play a couple games while I wait for Rob.

  “Hey man, what’s up?”

  Rob’s voice chimes from above as I lift my head to see him walking toward me. I stop the game, shut off my phone, and place it in my pocket.

  I greet him with a hug. “Nothing, just wanted to meet up about this court thing next week.”

  He nods and asks me to follow him to his office. As we walk, I take a quick peek around the office and see a few attorneys conversing with one another. A clerk listens in during a phone conference and a couple ladies stand around the copy machine. Typical office environment. Yup, not for me.

  Before we turn into his office, I notice Harley across the hall. Her long brown locks cascade down her back, weaving along her shoulder blades. She’s wearing a black skirt that’s just a couple inches above the knee. I bet when she sits, it rides up, showing some skin. Tease. Her skirt is paired with a light blue button-down blouse and matching black heels to accent the outfit.

  She notices my stare and offers a wave as I pass by. I turn my attention to Rob as we enter his office and he shuts the glass door behind me. While taking a seat, I feel the cool leather chair as I look around.

  “You did good, Rob. This office is pretty impressive.”

  Rob sits in his chair and laughs. “You think? Yeah, law school paid off huh?”

  “I guess so. I bet your folks are proud.”

  He nods. “Yup. I’m hoping to make junior partner within a year or so.”

  “Nice!”

  Rob gathers a manila folder and unfolds the contents. “All right, let’s get down to business. So, it’s been two months since your arrest, and the hearing in front of the judge is next week. Now, the plan is for you to plead guilty.”

  I’m shocked. “Guilty!?”

  Rob stares me down. “Don’t even try to twist this. There’s surveillance of you beating down a bunch of guys at the bar. Plus, you attacked a police officer, and that leads to time.”

  “I did not attack a cop. I was trying to get to those pricks and the cop got in my way!”

  With a stern voice, Rob tells me like it is. “Listen Taylor, it looks bad. I’m telling you right now, you’re going to get jail time unless you work with me here. If we plead guilty, I can cut a deal with the DA and hopefully you can walk away with community service and a slap on the wrist—unless you’d rather spend a couple months in jail.”

  Frustration makes me grind my teeth. “This whole thing is fucked up. Those guys came up to me. I was just having a drink after getting my ass kicked on live television.”

  “We’ll do everything we can to cut a deal for you, all right?”

  I give him a puzzled look. “What do you mean we?”

  He lets out a sigh. “Yeah, Harley’s gonna be there. I gotta head back to D.C.”

  “Seriously man! You’re my lawyer, not her!”

  He nods his head. “I know, I get it, but I can’t be at your hearing. There’s a big client I’m trying to land, and if I get them on board, it’s another step toward my junior partner status.”

  I groan in defeat. “Ugh, you so owe me.”

  Rob laughs. “I know I do. Harley may have a couple follow-up questions to ask you. Her office is just down the hall if you want to stop by really quick.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  I stand up and give Rob a quick hug. “Thanks for your help bro. I really appreciate it.”

  He pats my back and leads to me the door. “We’re family, you know that right?”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  We say our goodbyes and I spin, heading toward Harley’s office. Peeking through the glass windows surrounding her office, it seems empty, so I step inside. Her degree, along with a bunch of other certificates, is displayed on a wooden shelf filled with memorabilia from her schooling. A couple personal photos stand next to her trophies, and I can see a younger Harley enjoying some time in the sun with Maria. Harley looks to be about late teens while Maria is still a youngster.

  As I glance at her photos, I hear her voice echoing from down the hall, getting louder as she approaches. I race to the nearest chair and pop a squat, hoping she didn’t notice me examining her family history.

  She enters the office, immediately shutting the door behind her and closing the blinds. Her babbling voice continues the conversation she’s having; with her phone in hand, she must be on a Bluetooth earpiece.

  “Yes, I don’t care how crooked they are. I’m sick and tired of those thugs hanging around the city streets. I don’t care if the DA doesn’t want to pursue them, I will. The Martino brothers need to meet justice, and I don’t have any problems dealing with them.”

  She hasn’t seemed to notice I’m sitting there so I muster up a sound to alert her to my presence, but it gets muffled as she continues to yell into the Bluetooth. She heads straight toward the adjacent bathroom and turns on the sink, presumably washing her hands.

  “All right, make it happen. Next week, I want them in court, in front of the judge.”

  Looking around as I wait for her conversation to end, I take a peek at my phone. Gotta head to the gym in a bit.

  I hear her say goodbye, so I get up from my seat to greet her. Just as I enter the doorway of the restroom, I catch her unbuttoning her blouse.

  “Ugh, sorry.”

  She sees my reflection in the mirror and spins instantly to face me. “What the hell? Don’t you knock?”

  I glance away, not wanting to seem like a perv by staring at her red bra. “I’ve been sitting here the whole time. You were too busy to notice me.”

  She smirks and continues to unbutton her blouse. “Yeah, I can get distracted pretty easily.”

  I take a few steps back as she unfolds her shirt off her body and lets it fall to the floor by her heels. The red bra shines under the fluorescents and I find myself staring. Damn.

  She notices my stare and chuckles. “You like what you see?”

  She slowly steps toward me in a sultry motion, swaying her hips, her body only inches away from mine. My eyes move toward hers, filled with lust. She knows she’s gorgeous, and she’s not afraid to flaunt it. My fingers graze her arm as excitement and wonder fill my mind. How the hell did I end up here?

  “Umm…”

  She shushes me, pressing her body against mine.

  Oh, fuck it. Who cares.

  My hand grabs hold of her wais
t, arching her back as my mouth tastes her neck. She moans, letting me get lost in the wonders of her body. Her arms wrap around my back as I grasp her tight, tasting every inch of her skin that I can. My lips trail up toward her cheek as my hands grab hold of her skirt, begging to slide it off.

  Just as my lips touch her face, she lifts her head and whispers in my ear, “Not in a million years.”

  She chuckles and pushes me away from her, laughing as I stand there in shock. “Please, you and me? Never.”

  She stalks back to her bathroom and shuts the door. I’m not sure if she’s crazy or just a tease, but what I know is, I need to stay away from this woman. Too much work. I adjust myself before sitting back down in a chair. A couple minutes later, she exits the bathroom wearing a set of workout clothes.

  “Oh, you’re still here! Did you need anything from me?”

  Puzzled, I reply, “Uh, no. Rob said you wanted to ask me a few questions about the hearing on Wednesday.”

  She grabs a glass of water and downs it in a few seconds. “Nope, no questions. I need you to meet me at the courthouse on Tuesday after my trial, and then we’ll drive to Atlantic City from there. Your hearing is set for 9 AM so it’s best we get there the night before.”

  I glance at her hesitantly. “All right.”

  She nods and heads back to the bathroom, calling out to me, “Good. You can leave now!”

  Her dismissiveness irritates the piss out of me. I stand up and head toward the door just as she orders me to the shut the door on my way out. Bitch.

  When I enter the courthouse, the security guard checks my clothing and swipes the handheld metal detector around my body. After giving me the good-to-go signal, I step forward and walk through the metal detector. With nothing to alarm them, they hand me my keys and cell phone. Following the signs for courtroom #10, I head upstairs and turn right. After a short distance, I enter the courtroom and immediately see Harley addressing the jury.

  I find the nearest empty spot and take a seat. Her stance toward the jury is confident and poised. She speaks with such clarity and understanding of the law; it’s amazing watching her in action. To be completely honest, I have no clue what she’s talking about, but hell, I’ll believe anything she says at this point. To top it off, that damn skirt of hers is working its magic. Most of the men on the jury are too busy staring at her ass to listen to what she has to say. I bet if you asked them a single question about this trial, their answer would be crickets. Fuckin crickets.