His Need (3 page)

Right on cue, as I stood on the corner I was directed to stand on, a cab pulled up.  I opened the door and got inside.

“Where to, ma’am?” the driver asked.  He stared in the rearview mirror and all I could see looking back at me was a set of brown eyes.  The kind of eyes that had a hidden, dark past. 

“I’m not exactly sure,” I replied and smiled.

“Just what I needed to hear,” he said. 

He nodded at me and then focused on the road.  The cab started to roll forward as the driver prepared to pull back out into traffic when there was a loud sounding
thunk
on the driver’s side of the cab.  By the time I could figure out what was happening, the door was open and a man climbed inside the cab.

“Sorry about this,” he said, “I’ve been waiting for a ride all day.”

“Hey!” the driver shouted.  “This cab is taken.  Get out, buddy.”

“Why don’t you just drive,
buddy
?” the man asked.

When the cab driver turned around, the man reached into his coat and produced a gun. 

I flew back against the door and felt all color leave my face.  The cab driver looked at the gun, then to me.  He muttered something that sounded like
fuck
and then started to drive.

The man turned his head to me and smiled, the gun pointed at the back of the cab driver’s head.  “Why do people have to make everything so difficult?”

-5-

I trusted Jonathan Black
, I really did.  I trusted him with my life, even as I stared at the black boldness of the gun.  It was
just
a handgun but did it really matter?  I was a couple feet from the man.  It wouldn’t matter if he had a handgun, a shotgun, or a bazooka… one pull of the trigger with that thing pointed at me…

“You’re here with Jonathan Black, aren’t you?”

My eyes moved to him, to his face. 

He looked calm, much like Jonathan did during times of intense duress.  When he smiled, he had boyish dimples, and when he wasn’t smiling, his lips came together that gave him the look of a man filled with confidence.

“Can you talk?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I wanted Jonathan Black there.  I wanted him in the cab with me.  Even with an opponent with a gun, something inside me felt that Jonathan could handle this.  Mentally or physically, he would beat this guy.

“Again, people making things difficult… okay, let’s try this.  If you don’t start talking to me, I’m going to pull this trigger and blow this guy’s brains out his nose.”

“What did I do?!” the cab driver cried out. 

His eyes went to the mirror and I saw the fear in his eyes.

“Yes,” I finally whispered.  “Yes.  I’m with Jonathan.”

“Oh, is it just Jonathan?  Wow, you must be really close with him.”

I sat frozen.

“Come here, come closer to me.  I’m sorry this had to become so tense.  I thought it could be a relaxing cab ride.”

“You’re holding a gun to a man’s head,” I said.  “How could anything be relaxing?”

“Point taken.”

The man took the gun away and returned the gun to his pocket.  He put his hands up and wiggled his fingers.

“There,” he said, “no more gun.  Now, let’s all take a breath.”

He did.

I did too, but I tried to keep mine silent.

“Tell me about Jonathan Black,” he said.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“My name isn’t important, just ask Mr. Black.  He’ll tell you that.  Now, what’s your name?”

“What makes my name important?” I asked.

I couldn’t believe I was getting sassy with a man who had a gun on him.  He gently reminded me of his weapon as he placed his hand back to his jacket.

“Isabella Grace,” I said. 

“Isabella Grace?” he asked.  “My gosh, that’s the most beautiful name I’ve ever heard.  And you’re with a piece of scum like Jonathan Black?”

“Why do you say that?”

“How long have you known him?  Are you…
his
?  Or just a thing he enjoys for right now?”

“Am I a whore?” I asked.  “Is that what you’re asking?”

The man nodded.

I’ll admit that I thought about it for a second, but then realized I wasn’t a whore.  Not by a long shot.  I was Jonathan’s.  I submitted to him and only him.  I was under his command and only his command.  And no money had ever been given to me.

“No,” I replied.  “I’m not a whore.”

“I bet to him you are,” the man said.

His top lip started to curl and when he swallowed, his eyes filled with water.  He was a handsome looking man with amazing features, but the more emotional he became the more he looked young and unstable.  He put his hand to the seat and it was shaking. 

“He took my life away,” the man said. 

For as calm as he looked holding the gun to the cab driver’s head a minute ago, he looked the complete opposite now.  I hoped the cab driver wasn’t dumb enough to actually drive to the hotel, giving away my location. 

“Who took your life away?” I asked.

“Jonathan fucking Black did, that’s who.  He came and just… took it all.  My job, my money, my company.  My fucking life.  You hear me?”

I nodded.  I tried to stay calm not wanting to add more stress to the situation.  I don’t know how I did it, but I remained calm.  At least on the outside. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said.

“You probably reaped those benefits,” he said.  He looked at me, eyeing me up and down.  “Then again, I don’t know.  You look too normal to be involved with a man like that.  You’re too beautiful, natural, and your eyes… you’re in pain too.”

“Everyone is,” I said. 

“Everyone but Jonathan Black.  He’s not in pain.  He’s rolling in my money.  Did he give you some?”

I shook my head.  “No.  He’s never given me any money.  I swear to you.”

“So not only is he a thief, he’s greedy.  Doesn’t even pay the women he fucks.”

The man convulsed a few times, trying to hold back from fully losing himself.  I hoped that if he did lose himself, it would give the cab driver a chance to pull over and get this guy out of the cab.  Or at least call police.  He was too unstable to be carrying a gun.

“Did he tell you about me?” the man asked.

“No, I don’t even know your name.”

“I had a software company two years ago.  I started it at the worst possible time but fuck it, I had the drive to make it work.  And I did.  I made it work.  My two partners then insisted we upgrade and expand.  I wasn’t ready, not with the economy like this.  He insisted it, demanded it, and I caved.  I told them if they brought financing, I’d sign.  He found financing, but it was extortion.  Three months later we were out of money, product, and the business was done.  Then came Jonathan Black.  He was supposed to be this investor, this angel investor who had the magic touch to solve problems and make money.  His good looks, expensive suits, calm demeanor…”

Was it wrong that I was getting turned on hearing this man describe Jonathan? 

“… And he had a plan.  A plan that looked like it would work, on paper.  A month later, the company was taken apart, the patents and other small assets sold off, and we were all without jobs.”  The man looked at me, his eyes full of tears.  “All of us.  From myself all the way to the college students I had employed who were helping on product design.  All twenty of us were gone, left on the street.  And you know what he did?  You know what Jonathan Black did?”

I shook my head.

“He got into his fancy limo and drove away.  He collected his money off the sale of the company’s assets and was gone.  But I never forget.  No, not me.  You can’t just bully me around.”

He reached for his gun again and I lunged at him. 

I put my hand to his arm and squeezed.  I was too close for my own comfort but I didn’t want to get shot.  If this guy took the gun out again, he was going to use it.  There were three people in the cab and I didn’t have the heart or stomach to see anyone of us shot, even if he killed himself.

“Please, don’t,” I said.  “It’s not worth it.”

“You’re right,” the man said.  “Not here, not now.  He wouldn’t
get it
if I did this here… oh Isabella Grace, why does someone like you fall for someone like him?”

He looked like he wanted to kiss me and I found myself biting on my lip.  A man as rich and powerful as Jonathan Black had an appeal that was addicting, but a man like this, a man lost and in pain… he had an appeal too…

“I can’t help what I want,” I whispered.

He moved more towards me, our lips separated by inches.  “Neither can I.”

I slightly opened my mouth, and for a second, I pictured kissing the man.  I saw myself comforting him.  But I quickly snapped out of it as the man turned and put his hand to the cab driver’s throat.

“You can stop now,” he said.

The driver applied the brakes and when the cab came to a stop, he looked at me.

“I’ll see you soon… Isabella Grace…”

As he opened the door, I caught sight of the inside of his jacket.  The gun made me freeze again as he left the cab.  He ran right into the middle of the street and I almost wished he would get hit by a car. 

He didn’t.

He made it across the street and was then gone.  Lost in a small crowd and then beyond.

I looked to the driver and said, “Call the police.”

“No, I can’t do that,” he said. 

I was staring at a set of eyes in the rearview mirror again.

“Why not?” I asked.

“I’m under orders.  From Mr. Black.  I was instructed to take you to your hotel.  Anything that happens in between that gets reported to him and nobody else.”

The cab driver drove again and I sat quietly, feeling a little colder than when I had landed in the sunny and warm city of Los Angeles.  I thought about something Jonathan had said to me…

“Men have enemies to appreciate love.”

Just what kind of enemies did Jonathan Black really have?

-6-

I didn’t have a chance to appreciate the large hotel room
, even though I took note of the large bed – the only bed in the room.  I also took note of the large windows that overlooked all of Los Angeles and its constant hazy sky, the huge bathroom complete with a tub and a shower with just a glass shower door, and the way the entire room had been designed to be somewhat dark yet very comfortable.

Even as I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Jonathan Black stand before me with his arms folded and his face looking angry, I was somewhat relaxed. 

It felt good to explain the entire story to him, to get his take on what happened in the cab.  The cab driver refused to talk about it, so much so that I wondered if he wasn’t involved with the entire thing.

Jonathan diffused that idea.

“He wouldn’t,” he said to me.  “He needs the job and money.  This was… this was planned.  Someone watching me, knowing what I’d be doing and where I’d be.  Someone who saw you leave the limo… dammit.  I was told the area was secure.”

“Mistakes happen,” I said.

“No they don’t!” Jonathan shot back at me.  “Mistakes kill people.  Mistakes hurt people.  Mistakes lead to more mistakes.  What if something happened to you… my Isabella Grace… hurt… that’s not how I designed it.”

“How you designed what?”

“This trip.”

Jonathan stopped talking and stared out the window.  From the side, he still looked calm and sexy.  He was thinking, planning, and I had a million questions for him.  I wasn’t sure what I was allowed to ask or not, but I figured maybe this moment was vulnerable enough to try.

“He said things about you.”

I heard Jonathan growl and then he casually lifted one of his hands from his pockets.  He faced me again and looked down at me, just the way he intended our relationship to be. 

“They all say things,” Jonathan whispered.  “The trick is to learn how to understand and not just listen.”

I swallowed hard and felt my body racing.  Jonathan reached for me, touching my hair and then running his fingers across my face, along my jaw, and finally, to my lips.  He drew lines around my lips and then took his hand away.

“You’re troubled,” he said.  “And it’s not just because of the gun.”

“No, it’s not,” I said.  “But I am afraid right now… of this trip…”

“You submitted to me,” Jonathan said.  His voice grew in volume.  “You’re under my command and you must trust my decisions.  If this isn’t going to work…”

“It works,” I said.  “It works.  I swear it works.”

“Good.  Because what’s in your bag will be needed.  Soon.”

A pause lingered between us as Jonathan continued to stare at me.  I realized it was his special gift.  He could read people, by their eyes.  That’s why we were across the country for a business meeting.  He didn’t want to just send paperwork or make a phone call.  Or perhaps even attempt a video conference.  He wanted to be in person, to be close, to stare.  To know.  To control.

“Your eyes are wondering about something he said.  I need to know.”

“I don’t want to upset you,” I whispered.

“I didn’t ask… I said… I need to know.”

He put his hand back to my face, back to my cheek, his full hand on me.  There was something erotic about it but also something aggressive. 

“He said you took over his company and got rid of it.”

Jonathan’s eyes squinted.  The contempt burning in him radiated through his hand.

“What else?”

“He said you promised a way to save things and ended up taking the company apart and selling it.  Firing everyone, including college students.”

“DeLiv,” Jonathan whispered.  He closed his eyes for a second and then opened them.  His eyes looked different as though a change of emotion had swept through the powerful billionaire’s body.  “They were a software company on the verge of lawsuit.”

I thought about stopping him, but I wanted to know.  I wanted to know what kind of man Jonathan really was.  Someone who could just go into a company and fire everyone?  I understood power and control, but I somewhere expected him to have compassion.

“By the time I got there, it was long over.  The received financing that was just… bad.  I had no option other than liquidating the company and saving the owners from lawsuits and jail time.”