The Lion (18 page)

  “A meeting that he has failed to mention since his return,” she finished succinctly.

  “Rhonda just wants to start trouble Tauri.”

She removed her glasses. “If there wasn't trouble in the first place, there'd be none to start.”

Brandon nodded. “Are you going to call Rion?”

She picked her glasses up again and started reading. “I'm working.”

  Brandon turned and walked out of the office and Tauri never looked up. He walked back to his office and picked up the phone waiting for Rion to answer.

  “What's up Brandon?”

  “She's fine and you're dead.”

*********

  Rion pulled up in front of The Book Cadillac Hotel with Brandon's last words on his mind. He knew Tauri was truly angry right now and he needed to get to her as soon as possible but first he had to deal with the problem.

  Exiting the vehicle, he headed inside to Room 313. Once there he knocked on the door and Rhonda answered in robe. He looked her over quickly.

  “Really Rhonda, this is the level you're stooping to?” he questioned. “What's next? You have cameras to tape me so you can send them to my fiancée?”

  Rhonda frowned. “I asked you here to talk Rion. You wouldn't talk to me while you were in New York.”

  “I told you all I had to say.”

She placed a hand on her hip. “Are you going to talk to me from the hallway?”

  Rion stepped inside the room and Rhonda looked him over in his expensive dress suit and tie. His designer shoes and sparkling watch completed the ensemble.

  “At least you still know how to dress,” she commented as she closed the door.

  “What the hell are you doing Rhonda?” Rion demanded.

  She walked over to the sofa and plopped down exposing her naked legs. “I miss you Rion. I had to come see you. You blocked my number and I had to get a new one to call you.”

  “Go back to New York. Do not come back here again. There is nothing here for you,” Rion told her firmly.

Her face fell. “You really asked her to marry you? You just met her!”

  “It's none of your damn business.”

Rhonda lifted a brow. “I see you've taken to the thug life.”

Rion's eyes narrowed. “Stay away from me and my fiancée. I'm not warning you again.”

  She jumped to her feet. “I was with you for nearly a year Rion and you never mentioned marriage!” she screamed. “And then you go and ask that...that...bully!”

  “Tauri's not a bully.”

  “She threatened to hurt me. She put me out of the building and told me to stay the hell away from you or she was going to 'bust a cap in my ass'!”

Rion smiled knowing Tauri meant every word.

  “That's not funny Rion! You want to marry a woman like that?”

  “Yes, I do. I love a woman just like that.”

  Rhonda walked over to him. “Rion baby, what happened to you? You've changed since you've come back here.”

  He looked down at her. “I haven't changed Rhonda. You just never wanted to see the man I really was.”

  She touched his arm. “Come back to New York. You can stay with me until you get your finances in order then you can drop this whole owning a team headache and just be happy.”

  Rion took the hand that was on his arm. “I am happy Rhonda. I've met the woman I've been waiting for all my life. She's going to be my wife, the mother of my children, and my best friend for the rest of my life.”

  Rhonda snatched her hand away. “I hope you get everything you deserve Rion. You have no idea what you are doing,” she snapped.

  “Stay away Rhonda or I take no responsibility for the consequences,” Rion warned her before turning to walk out of the room.

  “Like I said, you have no idea what you're doing Rion Shaw.”

*********

  When Tauri arrived home from the office Rion was waiting for her outside her apartment. She glanced at him and walked to the door.

  “I've been calling you,” he told her as he unlocked the door.

  “I've been working.” Tauri pushed open the door and went inside with Rion following.

She placed her purse on the table and kicked off her heels before turning to him.

  “You saw her in New York.”

Okay, we're going straight in, Rion thought.

  “Can we sit down and talk?” he asked.

She folded her arms. “You can sit, I'd rather stand.”

  He nodded and walked over to the sofa taking a seat. He looked at her for a minute. “Yes, I ran into her while I was in New York.”

  “And you didn't say anything to me about it?” she questioned.

  “I didn't think I needed to tell you whenever I run into a woman that I've dated,” he explained.

Tauri crossed the room. “You told me you didn't have any crazy exes.”

Rion ran a hand down his face. “I never thought she'd do anything like this.”

  He watched as she hugged herself then lifted confused hazel eyes to him. “Did you sleep with her while you were in New York?”

  Rion frowned. “You think I'd tell you that I want to marry you and have babies with you then turn around and sleep with another woman?”

  Tauri threw her hands into the air. “That's just it Orion! I don't know you! I don't know what you would do,” she yelled.

  “You don't know me Tauri?” he questioned.

  “I asked you a question Orion.”

  Rion lowered his head and tried to breathe to calm himself. After a minute, he stood and straightened his tie.

  “I've never claimed to be a perfect man Tauri, but I am a man of character and if you question that then maybe you're right...you don't know me.  Maybe this is still too fast for you or maybe you just don't want it.”

  He turned and walked slowly to the front door. Whatever Tauri was expecting him to say, it had not been that, not that at all. Orion never walked away and he never let her walk away, but now he was walking to the door without a backwards glance. When he reached for the knob she screamed his name and he froze.

  Tauri walked over to him as he stood still facing the door. She placed a shaking hand on his back. “Please, not like this...never like this,” she whispered.

  “I know that you are a man of character. You've never shown me any less.” She removed her hand and stared at his back in the dark suit jacket.

  “I'm angry, I'm confused and in my feelings right now. She came saying all these things about you and I didn't know what to do.”

  Rion turned and gently took her into his arms. “I'm sorry Tauri.” He kissed her softly. “I love you and I would never hurt you.”

  Tauri held on to his solid frame kissing him passionately until he lifted her in his arms and carried her over to the sofa. He looked into her eyes.

  “Why didn't you answer the phone?” he asked.

  “I couldn't talk to you.”

He studied her face. “Because you thought I'd slept with her in New York?”

  She nodded. “I couldn't understand how you could ask me to marry you after doing something like that.”

  “Baby, I was in New York meeting about the team. Then I was buying baseballs and engagement rings. I wasn't stepping out on you. We talked everyday and all night.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the ring he'd given her.

  “I know,” she touched his face. “I just got caught up.”

Rion smiled. “She said you threatened to bust a cap in her ass.”

Tauri frowned. “You've talked to her?”

He nodded. “I went to see her at her hotel.”

She reared back. “Rewind that for me.”

  “I went to tell her face to face to go back to New York because there's not a damn thing here for her,” he told her.

  “What did she say?”

Rion shrugged. “Something about I have no idea what I'm doing.”

  “Meaning what?” Tauri asked.

  “She's upset because I never talked about marriage to her.”

Tauri looked confused. “You didn't.”

  Rion laughed. “Contrary to what you might think, I don't go around asking women to marry me after a month.”

  “Unless they're absolutely beautiful and irresistible,” he finished smiling at her.

  “Why did you break up?” Tauri questioned.

He looked at her for a moment. “What did she tell you?”

Tauri looked away until he lifted her face back to his. “She told you I didn't have any money.”

  “She said that's why she left you.”

  “Rhonda didn't want me to buy a team. She wanted my money spent on her which was not happening.” He held Tauri's gaze. “It's true that I have a lot of money tied up in buying this team but I'm far from broke baby. I can take care of you and our family very well,” he told her. “And once the team is operational, I'll recoup my investment with interest.”

  “I was actually meeting with my financial planner when you called me earlier. We were scheduled to go over all the finances and make sure everything was in place, but I had to leave to deal with Rhonda.”

  “I wasn't concerned about your finances Orion.”

  He smiled at her. “That's why I love you Tauri. I can chill in jeans and a tee and you're down with it.”

  “I think you're just as sexy in jeans and a tee as you are in this very expensive suit.” She touched his lapel then glanced at him. “You never told me she was Rhonda Fleming.”

  “Does it matter?” he asked.

Tauri shrugged. “She's just as beautiful in person as she is on television.”

  “Only on the outside...believe me.” Rion touched her face. “This is the most beautiful woman I've ever known. She takes my breath away whenever I look into her beautiful hazel eyes and I can't wait to see those eyes on my daughters.”

Tauri smiled. “Three boys and two girls right?”

  “You know it baby.” He kissed her softly. “We could start right now.”

Tauri wrapped her arms around him. “I have to focus on your case.”

  “When the case is over, it's on.” He kissed her again.

  “I was really mad at you,” she whispered against his lips.

Rion smiled. “I could tell. Brandon said I was dead.”

  “Brandon was in my office pleading your case.”

  “That's my brother, he's supposed to.”

He lifted her face to his. “When I call you, answer the phone. I don't care how mad you are.”

  “You have any more famous ex-girlfriends coming to my office?” she asked pointedly.

Rion lifted a brow. “Did you hear me?”

Tauri sighed. “Yes Orion, I heard you.”

  “Don't make me call the grandparents on you. You know Millie Patterson would never ignore Henry Patterson's calls.”

Tauri laughed. “She'd take a switch to me if she knew I'd done that to you.”

  “That's okay, I'm about to spank that ass right now.” He grabbed her butt.

She flushed. “You think so?”

  “Uh....huh,” he murmured while perusing her body. “You've been a bad girl today.”

  “You know, I received a lot of spankings,” Tauri told him unbuttoning her blouse. “Granny says it takes a while for me to learn a lesson.” She removed the top and dropped it to the floor.

  “Then I won't stop until I'm sure you understand.” He cupped her breasts.

  “Give me all you got.”

Rion stood with her in his arms. “It's all yours goddess and always will be.”

  The city was in a frenzy while Tauri stood next to Brandon as he announced charges against John Beckham and two others in connection to the threat against Orion and the attempt on his life. Questions were shouted at the pair as they stood at the podium in the front of the room.

  “This case will be tried in the court of law,” Brandon answered. “Our job is to protect the citizens of this city. No one will be allowed to commit crimes and go unpunished. Prosecutor Patterson will be the lead on this case and everything will be handled according to the letter of the law.”

  “These individuals have twenty-four hours to turn themselves in to Chief Green before warrants are issued for their arrests.”

  He looked at Tauri before turning back to the crowd of reporters. “Our office has no further comments on this case.” 

  Brandon assisted Tauri away from the podium while questions were still being shouted in their direction. He escorted her to the elevators that led back to their offices. Tauri looked up at him.

  “Game time,” she told him.

He stared down at her. “No mistakes.”

She nodded as the elevator doors opened.

  “Tauri!” a woman called as Tauri and Brandon entered the car.  They both turned and Tauri smiled.

  “Cynthia,” Tauri greeted the woman with the press badge clipped to her blouse.

The woman smiled. “Can I get an exclusive?”

Brandon frowned. “There are no exclusives.”

  Cynthia smiled at Brandon. “But we're old friends Prosecutor Williams. I won't print anything that will jeopardize the case.”

  “You won't be printing anything about this case Ms. Walters except what is presented in the court room.”

  Cynthia smiled again and shrugged. “You can't blame a girl for trying. This is the biggest case we've seen in awhile.” She looked at Tauri. “Call me if you have anything you want reported. I'll drop everything else.”

  Tauri nodded as the doors closed and Brandon turned to her. “Who do you want as your number two, Jeremy or Richard?”

Tauri frowned. “Neither.”

  “They're the best Tauri, next to you.”

Tauri sighed. “Thank you for even giving me the choice. I'll take Jeremy, I guess.”

  Brandon nodded and made a note to himself to keep a close eye on Jeremy. He'd warned Mac about potential moles in her office, he had to make sure there weren't any in his own camp since they still had not been able to determine exactly who had bugged Tauri's computer.

  The doors opened and they exited both heading to their respective offices. Tauri entered and closed the door before moving to her desk and pulling out her cell phone. She felt safe to talk as Marc and Trent had assured her that her office was clean. She dialed a number and waited.

  “Tauri?” the young man answered surprised.

Tauri smiled. “Yes. Hi Trent, I apologize for calling you out of the blue but I need your help.”

  “Sure, what's up?”

  “Were you busy? I don't want to interrupt you,” Tauri told him.

  “Nah, I'm studying with my girl Callie.”

Tauri heard a female voice in the background saying hello.

  “Hello Callie. Trent speaks very highly of you,” Tauri said. “It's a pleasure to meet you.”

  “You too, Trent says you are the truth,” Callie informed her.

Tauri smiled. “Trent is a very special young man.”

  “Yeah, I know and he's so fine too,” Callie added smiling at Trent.

Trent interrupted. “Okay, that's enough of that. What can I do for you Tauri?”

  Both women laughed before Tauri began. “I need you to find out some information for me. I know your skills are unmatched.”

Trent nodded. “This is for the case?” he asked.

  “No, you've gotten me more than enough for the case.” She paused. “This is personal.”

Callie and Trent looked at each other in question. “Okay Tauri, what do you need?”

  “I need everything you can get me on Rhonda Fleming.”

Trent frowned. “Rhonda Fleming the newswoman?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I'm assuming you want more than just the standard background info?” he asked knowingly.

  Tauri's eyes narrowed. “I want to know every piece of information on her that she doesn't want anyone to know. I want to crush her ass to dust and then I want to blow on it.”

  “Damn!” Callie and Trent said in unison.

  “And I need it as soon as possible,” Tauri added.

  “Uh, cool. I got you,” Trent told her.

Tauri smiled. “Thank you Trent and I would appreciate if you both keep this strictly between us.”

  “Yeah sure,” they both agreed.

  “Good, I'll wait to hear from you,” Tauri said before they disconnected the call.

  Tauri grabbed her bag and stood from her chair. “Okay Rhonda Fleming, I'm on your ass now.”  Continuing on her mission, she exited her office and headed to her car to drive to the east side.

  Tauri pulled into the crowded restaurant and as soon as she stepped inside she was greeted by the two men she came to see.

  “Hey Sistar!” Corvus greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

She smiled as Lance did the same.

  “Thank you both for meeting with me,” she said as they led her to a waiting table.

Tauri looked around the establishment. “This is very nice. I'll have to come here more often.” 

Lance smiled. “Thanks. Khayla did most of the work.”

  “She's impressive,” Tauri commented taking her seat.

  “Yeah, she is...” Lance agreed quietly.

Corvus took his across from Tauri. “What's up? You said you need to talk to us.”

  “I think I might need the Negus.”

Lance and Corvus looked at each other and waited for her to continue.

  “Rhonda Fleming is here in Detroit and my gut is telling me that she's not just here to try to get Orion back,” she told them. “She's bringing trouble.”

  “Damn, Rion and Rhonda haven't been together in a minute. Why is she here now?” Corvus asked.

  Tauri nodded. “Exactly,” She looked at both men. “She's up to something and I think she wants to hurt Orion.”

  “Hurt him how?” Corvus asked.

  “I don't know yet, but I'm going to find out.” Tauri leaned forward. “I do know that she's threatened him.”

  “What the hell?” Lance asked. “When?”

  Tauri sighed. “He went to tell her to go back to New York and leave us alone and she said he has no idea what he's doing. Orion dismissed it, but I know there's more to it. A woman is not going to come all the way here only to turn around and leave quietly.”

  “Plus she's a liar and a fraud,” she finished.

  “Guess you're not a fan,” Corvus commented smiling.

Tauri looked at him. “This is not funny Corvus.”

  “I know. Damn, my brother has it coming and going right now.”

Lance piped in. “What do you need from the Negus?”

  “I need you all to be on guard with her and I may need an alibi.”

  “What?” they said in unison.

  Lance looked at Corvus. “I swear your brother can pick them. One trying to hurt him and another is planning a murder.”

Tauri frowned. “I didn't say anything about murder,” she said pointedly. “I'm an attorney.”

  Lance and Corvus shared a look because they knew that's exactly what she was she was talking about.

  “Okay Sistar, when and where?” Corvus asked.

She nodded. “I'll let you know.” Tauri gave both men a look. “We will keep this between us?”

  “I know you probably don't want Rion and B to know, but do you want us to tell Khalil?” Lance asked.

  Corvus shook his head. “Nah, leave Khalil out. She's enough on her own to handle without adding him.”

Tauri smiled at him. “Your brother can handle it.”

  “Please, TMI...” Corvus told her frowning.

  She laughed and picked up the menu. “The meal is on me guys. I have a feeling I'm going to owe you this and a lot more.”

  Tauri finished her meal with Corvus and Lance then checked her watch. Brandon had advised Rion to lay low today after the announcement was made, to avoid any undue attention. Not that Orion ever wanted to draw attention to himself. She smiled as she thought about what he was doing today. He'd told her he was taking Kyros and Jeff to the park to get away from the chaos that was going to be inevitable.

  Tauri knew that she fell deeper in love with Orion everyday because there was just so much about him to love. In actuality, the thought of being his wife and having his children now made her smile. However, the thought of five kids still didn't sit well with her. Maybe she could compromise, three kids – two boys and one girl. Yeah, that sounded good. She'd run that past Orion when she saw him later.

*********

  Rion stood on the empty baseball field and waited for Jeff and Kyros to return from the water fountain. Brandon had sent him a text to let him know the announcement had been made this afternoon. Since then he had begun receiving calls until he'd finally placed his phone on silent. 

  Rion had picked up Kyros and then Jeff to spend some time with them at the diamond. The baseball field had always been his sanctuary. It's where he'd always gone to clear his head. Now that the charges were filed, his life was going to be an open book to the public. Rion didn't have anything to hide but he knew this also exposed the ones he loved and that didn't sit well with him.

  He and Tauri had worked through their issues with Rhonda and he still wasn't sure what the woman had been thinking. The Rhonda he'd known would never have done such a thing. She'd never displayed that type of behavior before. In their dealings, she'd always been professional and the consummate lady. Going to Tauri's office and telling her lies was definitely not what he'd ever expect of Rhonda.

  Rion and Rhonda had met at an event where they'd both been in attendance. Rhonda had been beautiful and sophisticated. They seemed to be on one accord in their thinking until Rion had mentioned his plans to retire and return home to start the team. After that she'd become aloof and condescending. Rion did not take kindly to her comments about his plan or his city and had decided that she could not be the one he would build his life with based on her reaction.

  Tauri had mentioned that Rhonda told her that she had broken up with Rion because of his finances, but that was not the case. It was true that Rhonda had voiced concerns over Rion's financial status, but it had been Rion, who had ended the relationship completely. He'd needed to focus on his plan and Rhonda had become nothing more than a hindrance, something that he would not let her be at this point in his life.

  Rion smiled as the boys returned. Since Kyros had first met Jeff, he'd gravitated to the boy like a long lost big brother. Rion noticed that Jeff was both kind and patient with his godson.

  “Uncle Rion, Jeff is going to hit balls for me to catch!” Kyros said excitedly.

  “Okay, grab your glove and head to the outfield,” Rion instructed as Jeff joined him at his side.

Kyros picked up his glove and ran to the empty outfield as Rion turned to Jeff.

  “Thanks for playing with him.”

Jeff smiled. “Thanks for letting me tag along. Kyros is a cool little dude and he loves baseball.”

Rion nodded as Jeff picked up one of the balls and hit it towards Kyros.

  “When I was playing pro ball did you ever hear about me getting into trouble or doing bad things?” Rion asked Jeff.

  Jeff paused before picking up another ball. “Nah, that's why I admired you because you were all about the game.”

  “Do you know why I wasn't getting into trouble and doing stupid stuff?” Rion questioned as he glanced out a Kyros scrambling to get one of the balls.

Jeff looked at Rion. “'Cause you knew better. You were raised better, I guess”

  “I was raised better but that's not the only reason.” Rion picked up another ball and handed it to Jeff who threw it in the air and hit it toward the outfield. “Because I knew young brothers like you were watching me.”

  “I knew that what I did affected how you would look at things. If I was out there getting in trouble, drinking, partying, and making babies with women I didn't plan to be committed to, you'd think that was okay. You'd think that's what you were supposed to do when you became rich and famous.”

Jeff shrugged. “A lot of guys do.”

  “I know and that doesn't make it right,” Rion told him. “We have to be the examples that we want our young gods to become.”

  Rion nodded toward the field. “Just like you looked up to me, that little boy out there is going to look up to you. Whatever he sees Jeff Brown doing, he's going to want to emulate.”

Rion looked at Jeff. “What do you want him to see?”

  Jeff looked at the ball in his hand thoughtfully. “I want him to see what I saw in you.” His eyes met Rion's. “A man who's the truth, and not just in baseball.”