Just Can't Get Enough (25 page)

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Authors: Cheris Hodges

BOOK: Just Can't Get Enough
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“Stop it!” she exclaimed.
Darius let her go and kissed her on the cheek. “You're so sexy when you're wet,” Darius growled in a low voice as he ran his finger down the valley of her breasts. Celina pushed her wet ringlets out of her eyes and her body began to sizzle under Darius's touch. He reached out and grabbed her hand, placing it on his desire. “See what you do to me,” he said.
She felt him grow underneath her fingertips and reached back and turned the water off as Darius backed her against the wall.
“Celina,” he murmured as he kissed her lips. She happily accepted his penetrating kiss. He pulled her closer to him as if he were trying to mesh his body with hers. She moaned as he stroked her inner thighs.
“We'd better stop,” she said breathlessly. “Before we get carried away without the proper protection.”
Darius smiled devilishly. “Too late.” He pulled her mouth up to his, kissing her with a fiery passion that turned her knees to jelly. Darius lifted Celina's leg around his waist. She curved to his body like an artist's clay. She thrust her hips into his, allowing him to glide into her hot and awaiting body. Darius pressed deep into Celina, making her hot body light up like a firecracker. He struggled to keep his footing in the slick tub. Celina clutched him as she bounced up and down, stimulating herself as Darius was on the brink of an orgasm. He held her tightly as he slid down the wall, keeping Celina on his lap. She wrapped her legs around his waist, arching her back like a cat. Darius moaned as she tightened herself around his manhood. Celina looked into his eyes. “I love you,” she whimpered. “I love you. I love you.”
She'd never felt so free, so alive. She didn't care that she and Darius weren't protected, because she knew their child would be loved, protected, and wanted. Celina wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her as she felt herself release. Darius rained kisses across her face. “I love you, too,” he said breathlessly. They clung to each other in the damp tub, seemingly breathing one breath.
It was nearly dawn when Darius and Celina fell asleep again, giving Darius only a few hours before he had to head to the hardware store. When they woke up, Celina went next door to start a new painting. The man in her painting looked like Darius, which was becoming a standard for her. She drew his frame sleeping on a fluffy white cloud. Golden sun rays encircled his head. Celina decided to use watercolors to add a whimsical feel to the painting. For the landscape, she used a brown oil-based paint to add dimension to the piece. Celina was engrossed in her work and didn't hear the door open behind her.
“Nice painting.” The voice startled Celina. She whirled around and locked eyes with Tiffany. “You know,” she continued. “If you and Darius think I am so dangerous, why don't you lock your doors?”
Celina stood up and glared at Tiffany. “Get out before I call the police.”
Tiffany reached out and grabbed Celina's arm tightly. “Why don't you just go back to New York? Darius is mine.”
Celina looked up at Tiffany and snatched her arm away from her. “You need help, seriously. These delusions that you're having about you and Darius being together shows how crazy you are. We're getting married and he's made it clear that he wants nothing to do with you.”
Tiffany ran her hand over her face. “Because you messed up everything. I love him and I'm not going away because you're here. I'm coming to you as a woman . . .”
“You're coming as a burglar. You broke into my house, issuing threats. Darius doesn't want you. Move on with your life,” Celina exclaimed.
Tiffany pushed her backwards, knocking her into the easel. Celina's painting crashed to the floor, along with her brushes, paint, and water cup. Celina fought to keep her balance. She grabbed Tiffany's arm and ended up pulling her down on the floor. Out of anger, Celina kicked her in her midsection. Tiffany countered with a slap to the face. Celina pushed Tiffany off her to stop a further assault. “I'm not going to fight you,” Celina said, rising from the floor. “Now, get out of here.”
Tiffany lunged for Celina's legs, knocking her down. Celina hit her head on the overturned canvas. She swung her legs wildly, catching Tiffany on the chin, forcing her head back. Celina crawled away from Tiffany, desperately trying to reach the phone to call 9-1-1. Before she could reach the phone, Tiffany grabbed the back of her hair. Celina yelped in pain. Tiffany tried to drive her head into the floor, but Celina lifted her leg and kicked Tiffany in the stomach, knocking her backwards into the kitchen table. Celina leapt to her feet and grabbed the phone. She dialed 9-1-1, but as the operator answered, Tiffany knocked her out with a chair from the table. Unconscious, Celina fell to the floor. Startled, Tiffany ran out the back door.
Celina came to in a hospital bed. She focused her eyes and saw Darius standing in the doorway talking to a man in what looked to be a police uniform. Celina's vision was blurry, but the images slowly came into focus. She struggled to hear what they were saying, but she could tell they were arguing.
“I warned you, Chief,” she heard Darius say in an angry whisper. “If Celina doesn't pull through . . .”
“She will,” Chief Wayman said. “I spoke to the doctors.”
“What about Tiffany? You know she did this.”
“We won't know anything until Ms. Hart wakes up.”
Darius pounded his hand against the door frame. “Damn it,” he snapped. “Wayman, you know Tiffany is behind this. She has been stalking us and she showed up in New York, outside of our building. I've been telling you for months that this woman is unstable and dangerous. Did you listen to me? Now look what's happened.”
“None of what you reported before was illegal, but if she assaulted Celina, then we can bring charges against her.”
Celina cleared her throat, causing Darius and the chief to turn around and look at her. “All of this for me?” she said in a hoarse voice.
Darius rushed to her bedside. “You're awake,” he said as he stroked her hand gently.
She smiled weakly. “How can a girl sleep with you two standing there arguing like cavemen?”
Chief Wayman walked over to Celina's bed. “Ms. Hart, how are you?”
Celina groaned. “A little sore, but I'll be fine,” she replied.
He pulled out a small notepad and a pencil that looked as if it had been gnawed on by a mouse. “Can you tell me what happened to you?” he asked.
Celina tried to sit up in the bed, but a sharp pain in her back forced her to lie flat. She nodded. “I was in the house, working on a painting for the gallery. Then she walked in,” she said. “I should've locked the door; I mean, I've lived in New York too long to sit in a house with the door unlocked.”
“She who?” Chief Wayman asked.
“Tiffany Martin. She walked in the house and started making threats and telling me to leave town. Then she grabbed my arm and we fought and I got away from her, then I called 9-1-1 and the last thing I remember was a sharp pain to my back. Then I woke up here.”
Darius raised his eyebrow at the chief. “Is that enough now? Can you go out and arrest her?” he demanded.
The chief nodded his head and pulled out his cell phone. He barked into the phone and told an officer to head over to Tiffany's and bring her in for questioning. “I'll let you two know when we have the suspect in custody,” he said as he headed out the door.
Darius turned to Celina once the chief was gone. “Babe, are you all right?” he asked as he kissed her hand.
“Yeah, I guess. I had no idea that she was this crazy,” Celina said.
“Neither did I,” he said. “I'm sorry that I got you involved in all of this. Had I known that she was like this, we could've stayed in New York.”
Celina stroked his cheek. “And let her think she ran us out of town? Besides, it's not your fault you're so irresistible,” she said. Celina closed her eyes and groaned as a wave of pain washed over her.
Panicked, Darius pressed the button for the nurse several times in rapid succession. Within minutes, two nurses rushed into the room and stood on either side of Celina's bed.
“Ms. Hart, are you feeling any discomfort?” one of the nurses asked.
“My back, it's killing me,” she said. The other nurse stroked her hand, while the senior nurse checked Celina's pain medicine.
“This is good,” she said as she punched numbers into the computer. “Your spine is probably just bruised. You're going to be fine, Ms. Hart. Let me get the doctor.”
“Hurry,” Darius said, worry peppering his tone.
Celina whimpered as the pain became more intense and sharper. Seconds later the doctor walked into the room.
“Sir, if you could give me a moment with Ms. Hart,” he said.
Nodding, Darius walked outside and paced back and forth as the doctor worked on Celina. His anger grew with each moment he stood outside. Tiffany was going to pay for this and if the police didn't get her, he damned sure would.
CHAPTER 25
Darius drove slowly from the hospital because he wasn't sure if he should go to Tiffany's, but he had the feeling that if he didn't get her, the police wouldn't. Tiffany was going to answer for what she'd done to Celina.
Celina.
Yes, he'd lied to her when he said he was going to check on the hardware store, but he hadn't wanted her to worry about his safety since they now knew how unstable Tiffany was.
He said that he was going to let the police handle everything and kissed his fiancée before dashing away. Honestly, he had about as much faith in the Elmore Police Department as he had in finding the Easter Bunny leaving chocolate eggs on his doorstep.
If only the police had taken reports from all the other times Darius had called them and coupled those with Tiffany's assault, the district attorney wouldn't have had a problem bringing charges against Tiffany. He simply couldn't wrap his mind around why Tiffany couldn't deal with rejection and move on. She was an attractive woman and shouldn't have a problem finding another lover. Her fixation on Darius was unhealthy and now that she'd become violent, she had to be stopped.
He slowed down as he pulled up to the intersection leading into Tiffany's neighborhood and scanned the driveway for her car. It wasn't there. Darius had only visited her once and hindsight told him that it was the biggest mistake of his life. Had he known that his one night of tipsy sex with her would've led to this, he would never have talked to her at the small business meeting or accepted her invitation to dinner two weeks later.
But he did, and now Celina was paying the price. After spotting an Elmore Police squad car parked near Tiffany's house, Darius decided to turn around. The last thing he needed was to get arrested himself.
They must not have her,
he thought as he wheeled his car around and headed for the hardware store. When he arrived, there was a police car parked near the store. At least the chief was finally taking him seriously. But Darius knew he and Celina weren't going to be safe until that woman was in jail.
Where is she?
he thought as he headed toward his house. Darius knew Tiffany wouldn't be crazy enough to return to the scene of the crime. Though he couldn't be sure that she wouldn't go to the hospital and try something there. She had to know that Celina had fingered her in the assault and she would probably try to silence her. Darius pulled out his cell phone and called the police chief to make sure someone was watching Celina's room.
“Chief Wayman,” the massive man said. Darius could almost see him chewing on the end of a cigar.
“It's Darius. Have you picked up Tiffany?”
“Not yet. She seems to have disappeared,” the chief said. “We have a car at her house and I placed an APB out for her.”
“Are you going to place a guard at Celina's hospital room?”
“Yes, Darius. Don't worry, we'll find her.”
Darius sighed heavily, wanting to give the chief a piece of his mind, because this wouldn't have happened if Wayman had taken him more seriously when he told him that Tiffany was stalking him. Instead, he said, “Fine.”
“If you see her, call the police. I know you might be tempted to take the law into your own hands, but the best thing you can do is take care of Ms. Hart.”
“I got it,” Darius said with a sigh. “Just call me if you find her.”
“I will, Darius, now you go back to the hospital and let us find Tiffany,” the chief said, then hung up the phone.
Before heading to the hospital, Darius took one more swing by Tiffany's place. The police car was still there and the house was dark and still—too quiet for his taste because he knew that she was out there somewhere. He just wondered how long it would be before she made an appearance.
 
 
Celina stretched her legs in the bed and looked out the door. Why was a police officer standing outside? Where was Darius? The pain in her back had subsided because of the medication, but the doctor didn't want her to get out of bed yet. Pressing the button that raised the bed into an upright position, she reached over her shoulder for the phone, then stopped short of grabbing it. She needed to call her mother and tell her that she was engaged, but she didn't want Rena to know she was in the hospital.
I'll just wait
, she thought.
A few seconds later, Darius walked into the room. “Hey, babe,” he said as he kissed her on the cheek.
“How are things at the store?” she asked.
“Don't worry about the store,” he replied as he took a seat in the chair beside her bed. “Have the doctors said anything?”
“Dr. Lewis was in here earlier and he said he wants me to rest my back for a few days, and then I should be able to go home. I'm pretty lucky, according to the doctor. There was no serious damage to my spine.”
“I'm sorry about all of this,” he said. “I feel like it's my fault that you're in here.”
Celina reached out and grabbed his hand. “You're not the one who hit me with the chair. You had no idea that this woman was obsessed with you. Have they caught her yet?”
Darius shook his head. “That's why the officer is outside your door.”
Fear gripped Celina. “Do they think I'm in danger?” she asked, her voice low and quiet.
“Don't worry about that. With me and the police here, she would be crazy to show her face around here. She'd be arrested on the spot,” Darius said.
Though his words were meant to reassure her, they didn't. Celina shivered inwardly as she thought about facing Tiffany in her hospital bed, where she lay totally helpless.
Darius looked in her eyes, seemingly reading her mind. “I'm going to be right here for you,” he said. “She's never going to hurt you again.”
She wanted to ask how he knew that was true. Was he going to hold a vigil at her bedside twenty-four hours a day? What was going to happen when he had to go to the hardware store? The officer would have to take a break at some point and then she'd be vulnerable to another attack from that madwoman. Celina closed her eyes.
“Do you need anything?” Darius asked as he looked at Celina. “Are you in pain?”
She shook her head. “I'm just scared,” she whispered. “What happens if she does come here?”
Darius kneeled beside the bed and gently stroked her hair. “You don't have to be. Celina, I swear to God, I'm going to protect you.”
“I know you're going to try,” she whispered. “Maybe I should go to Columbia to recover, just until the police get her.”
“Is that what you want to do? You don't have to run from her,” Darius whispered.
Celina closed her eyes and held on to Darius tightly. “I don't want to run, but I don't want to be afraid either. This is crazy,” she said, “I never had to deal with anything like this, even when I was in New York. This isn't supposed to happen in Elmore; it's supposed to be safe here.”
“Celina, if you want to leave, we can. But you're going to be safe, I promise you that, no matter where you are. I'm not going to let anything happen to you ever again.” Darius kissed her on the forehead and Celina felt comforted.
“My mother can't find out about this,” she said.
Darius blanched. “Well, uh, I called your mother on the way over here,” he said.
Celina's eyes stretched to the size of quarters. “Why would you do something like that? She's going to be on the next plane from Chicago and she doesn't need to be here.”
“Because my future mother-in-law would kill me if I didn't. You're right, though. She and John are on their way here.”
Celina groaned, then smiled at Darius. “You did the right thing,” she said. “I just didn't want her to worry about me. Nor do I want her hovering over me.”
“It won't hurt to have some extra eyes,” he said. “I know your mother will help us keep you safe.”
Celina closed her eyes as her back began to spasm, but the pain subsided as quickly as it attacked her senses. For a moment, she wondered if everything she was going through was worth it. Her life had been turned upside down and now it seemed to be spinning out of control. She looked at Darius and flashed him a smile that didn't fully reach her eyes. She did believe that Darius was going to protect her, but the “what ifs” nagged at her. What if he turned his back and Tiffany got to her again? He was going to do everything that he could to protect her and she had to believe that. She couldn't let Tiffany win. Looking up at her fiancé, she realized that he would keep her safe.
A few hours later, Rena and John burst through the door of Celina's hospital room. “Oh my God,” Rena exclaimed.
Celina put her finger to her lips, pointing to Darius, who was sleeping in the chair. “I look a lot worse than I feel,” she said in a hushed whisper.
Rena sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing the back of Celina's hand. “If I find the little tramp who did this—” she said.
Celina shook her head and looked up at John, who's face was stoic. “You're spending more time in the south than you ever expected, right?” Celina said.
John chuckled. “Baby girl, I wouldn't be any other place.” He planted a wet kiss on her forehead. “Celina, how are you, really?”
“Guys, I'm fine and you didn't have to rush back down here. I know this last-minute trip had to be expensive.”
Rena rolled her eyes, not buying for a minute that she was all right. Darius sat up in the chair and looked at his future in-laws. “Hi,” he said.
Rena smiled at him, then hugged him tightly. “I'm so glad you are here for my baby,” she said. She glanced over at Celina. “I never thought I would say this, but I believe you were safer in New York. So, what happened? This woman just broke into the house and assaulted you? Do you know her?”
Celina glanced over at Darius. “I know her, she's . . .”
“A crazy woman who has been stalking me and Celina for months,” Darius said.
“But why?” Rena asked. “I mean, before Thomas got sick, you hadn't been here since you were eight years old. Was she a crazed fan that followed you from the city or something?”
Celina closed her eyes. She knew she was going to have to tell her mother the truth. “She had a relationship with Darius,” she said.
Rena's mouth dropped open, then she finally came out with, “Oh, really.”
Darius stood up so that Rena could sit down, but she stood toe-to-toe with him. “Darius, what kind of woman is this? I mean, why would she hurt Celina? Are you still seeing her or sleeping with her behind Celina's back?”
“No, there is nothing going on between me and Tiffany. She's crazy,” he said. “But the police are looking for her. That's why the guard is at the door.”
“That settles it,” Rena snapped. “You're going back to Chicago with us.”
“Wait, no,” Celina said. “I'm not going anywhere.”
John placed his hand on his step-daughter's shoulder. “Maybe you should hear your mother out,” he said quietly.
Darius waved his hand in the air. “I can take care of Celina,” he said.
Rena glared at him. “You're the reason my baby is in this hospital.”
Celina rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Can all of you just stop? I'm not some damned China doll that's broken and needs to be put back together. I'm not going to Chicago, I'm not running from the psycho and I'm not going to blame Darius for something she did. No one else is going to do that, either,” she snapped. Despite her doctor's warning to stay in the bed, Celina swung her legs over the side of the bed and gingerly stood up. She pushed Darius and her mother's hands away as they tried to help her walk to the bathroom. Each step she took hurt her and the short trip to the bathroom made her feel as if she had run a marathon. Sitting in the bathroom to clear her head, she ignored the hushed whispers she heard on the other side of the door because she'd made her decision. She wasn't running.

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