Watching You: KJ Elite Inc. (9 page)

Tommy needed another drink and was well on his way to getting it before his phone rang this time.

“Tommy.” He answered, all business.

* * *

“Jesus Christ.” Matt cursed hurrying into my room and going straight through it to the master bathroom where I had my head laid on the tile floor.

“Are you okay honey?”

I made a grunting noise to indicate I was alive but talking was out of the question.

He sat me up and hugged me close for several minutes. I hadn’t stopped him because he needed to comfort me as much as I wouldn’t admit, I needed to be comforted.

I heard the officers in my bedroom, taking notes and talking amongst themselves and over the radio.

When I tried to stand, I felt Matt grab my hands and lift me easily. Seriously, those upper arms are a force to be reckon with.

Walking back into my bedroom, I saw the most disturbing scene I ever could have imagined, and I did write some mystery so that was saying something. Maybe it was a shit ton scarier because it was actually happening to me, in real world, real life and not in one of my books, but holy bazooka, I was absolutely frightened. If scared out of my wits was what they were going for, they hit the nail on the head, knocked it out of the park, got bull’s-eye ten times and received perfect marks. On all of my walls but one, there were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of pictures of me doing various things in various places, at different ages. The most terrifying of which, were pictures of me sleeping. On the wall without pictures was a message that looked as though it had been written in blood. Red paint I assume. And hope like hell.

YOU’RE
MINE
.

THE COPS CAN’T STOP ME. HE CANNOT STOP ME.

I’M ALWAYS AROUND.

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN AROUND.

-I’LL BE SEEING YOU...SOON.

A picture of me from this morning had been shredded up as someone carved an X over my face, was posted to the wall by the switchblade I always carried in my purse. Some may say that is overly cautious, but considering the current shit-uation I was in, I would say it was not cautious enough. A glint of something golden was shining from the picture, held up by the knife and as I took another step closer, I realized it was my missing ring.

Fuck the what!

“Okay, call your friend.” I was referring to his friend offering protection, but I hadn’t needed to tell him. If ever I needed to be convinced, that had done it.

“I already did, on the way over. We are leaving in a few hours.” He hugged me nearer and kissed the top of my head. I felt him vibrate against me and whisper something against my hair. I was too scared and needed him so close too badly to pull away even to ask him to repeat that. All I could do was nod.

The cops took pictures and allowed me to pack a bag while they investigated further. Something clicked as I watched them all moving around my space.

“I set the alarm Matty. I did it when you and I were on the phone with each other and I know I did. I swear.” I sputtered out when the cops asked me questions.

Matt tried to soothe me and rub my back, “It is okay, Tay! Don’t even worry about it. This isn’t your fault.”

“Yes Matt, but listen to what I am saying. I set the alarm! You ran in here and the alarm did not go off.” He halted his movement and I felt his body tighten against me, humming with emotion.

“They know your code. They were in here when you were… when you were in the shower and I was on the phone with you!” He nearly screamed the last bit. The cops began writing furiously and pulled away to whisper in harsh tones. I realized I was shivering in fear but he was shaking with anger.

“Who would do this?” I spat, refusing to let the hot tears roll down my face.

While I packed a few more things, Matt stuck near me and called Jason to let him know the gist of the situation. “Whoever this is, is really pissed and she is seriously in danger. For all we know, you may be too.”

Matt put it on speaker phone and I heard Jason blow out a long breath and say, “It’s okay. I’ll get an extra bodyguard and keep my eyes open. I have to keep filming and can’t stop because of some psycho. Just tell Taylor to let me know if there is anything I can do for her and be safe. I’m sorry this is happening to her, fans can be nuts. I should have walked her to her door.”

“You’re right about the fans but maybe its best you didn’t walk her up. While it was the chivalrous thing to do, you both could have been hurt if he sees you as a threat of some sort. Anyways, keep your eyes open and I’ll let her know what you said. We can’t really let you know where we are going but we will keep you updated as best we can.”

“Damn, man.” He cursed and hit something in the background. They ended their call and Matt walked me downstairs to his little sporty white convertible car.

“I just got the text from my friend, our flight is on a private jet and leaves in two hours. He’ll meet us there and give us a little more information. I already stopped by my place and packed a few things.” I nodded my head gently in understanding.

“Okay.” I had all but turned into a block of concrete now. Mrs. Jenkins was out under the guise of checking mail and I just waved goodbye as she opened her mouth to play the question game.

“That Mrs. Jenkins had to have fallen straight out of ‘I Dream of Genie.’ Nosey old bat.”

I just nodded in agreement, reaching for my cell phone that was buzzing in my back pocket. Matt looked over to me his brow raised in question, waiting. The screen read,
Mama
. Great, that’s exactly what I needed, she would sense the anxiety in my voice, immediately. Knowing she wouldn’t quit calling until I picked up, I swiped the screen and put the phone to my ear but before I could say anything, I heard her sniffling and crying, frantically speaking to someone in the background. My hair all stood on end and I pulled my hand back from the car door.

“Mama, what is it?” I tried not to sound panicky but this
was
mama, after all. She was our rock, never showing any sad emotions for fear of worrying us.

“Oh Taylor baby, it’s your daddy.” And just like that, it felt as though someone had dropped a bucket of ice down into my belly.  In the shift of two minutes, I went from annoyed to relief to utterly paralyzing fear. In my head, I was screaming, ‘WHAT, WHAT, WHAT!’ but the words just couldn’t escape the lump in my throat. “He’s had a heart attack and is in critical condition. He’s in a coma baby.”

Another brain to body malfunction happened and in my thoughts I was sinking to the ground, melting into a puddle while traffic rushed past me in downtown NYC, but in reality I was running for my truck, Matt yelling after me and chasing me. He grabbed my arm and swung me back to face him as I reached my driver’s side door.

“Sweetheart, what is wrong?” He practically barked.

I had already hung up on my mother and tried to take in a deep breath. “My dad, he’s...” I need another breath. In. And. Out. “My dad is in the hospital in a coma. Heart attack.”

Matt hissed, “What the fuck!” Running a hand over his face, he put up a hand and said, “Okay, wait, let me get our bags and I will go with you. Just wait a minute.”

I nodded still trying to take deep breaths and even myself out before I hyperventilated on the street. He was back before he left and threw the bags into the bed of my truck. We climbed in and I took off at an acceptable enough speed for New York City streets, which was near deadly; when in Rome…

Matt made a few phone calls to various people and asked me about five times if I’d rather be flying home. He knew I hated to fly but he always showed apprehension where Bessie was concerned. At a later time, I really needed to figure out why the men in my life had doubts about my precious truck. She was American made and solid as a rock.

What was a 12 hour drive, Matt and I had turned into about 8 and probably broke more laws and records in that one drive than we had in all our lives.

Combined.

I also was going to be fined heavily for the four tolls I blew through. You’d think I’d have invested in an E-Z Pass after five years, but not so much.

Pulling into Devine was such a bittersweet feeling; driving down Main Street, under the canopy of old sugar maple and pecan trees lining the road into town; the sweet smell of fall drifting through the windows and sending a lifetime of memories smack into my head at once. Not much has changed, but when did it ever in a little town. Inside I struggle with where to go first and my body seems to know before my mind does because out of memory, the truck turns down the road to the old family farm and up to the new high tech gate.

“What the hell is that?”  

I lean forward and look out my windshield up the tall newly constructed monstrosity of a security gate and fence. An archway connecting two large blocks of stone stood with a metal sort of gate, filling the gap with just enough room for one large vehicle to pass through at a time, in the center.  A large K and J entwined on the metal doors and a security system to the left side of the drive as you reach the doors. Matt counted four cameras alone pointed at the car, not including the numerous cameras covering the surrounding perimeter. I pushed the call button on the gate and waited for the answering, deep voice.

“Can I help you?”

I instantly recognized the voice but reasoned the only way the person behind the intercom didn’t recognize me, was because they simply weren’t looking, so I waited. It didn’t take long before there was almost a shout of awareness. The doors of the gate began to open and I figured they were probably quite heavy as they didn’t swing right open but took a moment. Tapping the gas lightly, I pulled the truck in the gate and down the gravel road, dirt flying up in the rearview, taking me back to a night almost six years ago that had my heart hurting just as much now as it did then. There was simply no turning back now, not when my daddy was in the hospital. Matt reached over, sensing my heartache and probably mistaking it for discomfort; I squeezed his hand back, holding it in-between us on the bench seat.

“You wanted some history into Taylor Ann Kane, well, here it is. Folks round’ here know me as Taylor James or Annie. You are about to be bombarded with more information about me, than you will ever have wished to know.” I sucked in a deep breath and closed my eyes for a second longer than necessary, preparing myself at the same time as I prepared Matt for the truth about me.

“Welcome to Devine, Tennessee Matt, where the whole town knows what you’re doing before you do, but you’ll never be safer.”

In a most un-Matt like way, he said nothing but nodded his head and looked back out the window. We drove through another security gate set up to the circular drive.  As I reached the front of my parents’ house, my door was opened for me before the truck was in park and I was being pulled out.

“Ow, Dillon, seatbelt!” I hollered, torn between glee and pain.

“Want me to cut it off?” He nearly howled without letting me go.

“No!” Matt hit the release button for me and Dillon proceeded to haul me out of the truck, up into his arms and I wrapped my legs around his waist, needing the support. Dillon was one of the adopted children that my brothers brought home; Charlie’s best friend dating back from Pop Warner football.

This stud clutching me to him had developed a mighty fine set of muscles and grown about a foot since I last saw him. He was a slow developer but I can’t say it didn’t pay off because ooh-wee, I knew he was fighting the ladies off with a stick. Square black glasses sit perched on his once broken nose but despite his history, the scars on his face from too much fighting in high school only added to the insane hotness that grew to be Dillon Harris.

He was wearing a maroon Henley with the sleeves pulled up just below his elbows, showing off two full ‘sleeves’ of tattoos and black cargo pants that hugged his mouth watering, muscle enriched thighs. Deep dimples kissed his cheeks and his dark auburn hair looking shaggy in the back, curling behind his ears brushed his neck without being too long and just short enough up top without blinding him; messy as usual.

"Holy shit, who is this man before me?" I exclaimed, trying not to be too joyous considering why I was here.

"Damn Tay." Looking up and down my body with those dark green eyes, a lazy grin overrode his face and he seemed disbelieving but thrilled. If I wasn’t mistaken, there was a hint of confusion or maybe frustration in his eyes. I shrugged it off, literally and stepped back.

"It's really me, I swear." I held my three fingers up in a Girl Scout promise. His smile grew only wider momentarily until he saw who I was with. A deep frown set upon his face and something sparked in those mysterious eyes. It really had been so long since I had seen him, it was hard to really know him like I used to.

“Lucky me, Tommy never scooped you up when he had the chance. You’re fair game now.” He half-joked and then asked, “Who’s the suit?” He nodded toward Matt but looked at me crossly.

“Holster the fists of fury there boy wonder.” I slid an arm around his lower back, which was about as high as I could reach now, and turned my body to look at Matt who was leaning up against Bessie by his hip. “D, this is my publisher and best friend, Matt. Matt, this is my, er,” Brother seemed weird considering how I had just checked him out but it really was about all he was. “Well, he’s my brother in a way.”