The Lion

by D. Camille

  “What's wrong Granny?” Tauri asked concerned.

  “Remember the fire you started?” Millie asked.

  Tauri was silent for a moment remembering. “Yes, one minute I was playing with the matches and then the next minute, the bed was on fire. Granddaddy heard me screaming and came to pull to me out of the room.”

  “There are matches all around you right now baby girl and sometimes there's no smoke before you find yourself right in the midst of a fire. Trust your instincts...about everyone.”

  “Yes Granny, I understand. I'll be careful.”

  “I love you ReRe. You are my heart and soul.”

  Tauri's eyes watered. “I love you Granny. You and Granddaddy mean everything to me,” she whispered.

  “We're here if you need us,” Millie told her.

  “Yes, I know. You always have been.”

  Tauri ended the call and placed her face in her hands. She had to win this case so Orion could be safe and obtain his dream. The John Beckham's of the world had gotten away with this for too long and now it was time for it to end.

  Tauri worked for the rest of the afternoon until Lisa called to ask if they could ride together to dinner. She gave Tauri the location where to pick her up then Tauri cleared her desk and grabbed her bag. She had not met with Richard since he'd had to leave early for an emergency, which suited her just fine.

  Tauri drove to the location where the business appeared to be closed. She looked around for Lisa then tried to call her phone. As she was waiting, there was knock at her window. She looked up and saw Jeremy standing next to her car. Without thought, she went for her weapon and had it drawn in seconds.

  Jeremy put his hands in the air. “Don't shoot me Tauri. I'm not trying to hurt you!” he yelled.

  Her eyes narrowed. “You were just arrested for trying to hurt my husband.”

  “Tauri please, you know me better than that. You think I'd hurt you?” he asked.

  She lifted the weapon higher. “What do you want?”

  “You're in danger. I'm here to help you,” he pleaded.

  “How are you going to help me Jeremy?” she questioned.

  He kept his hands up. “Things are not what you think Tauri.”

  A shot rang out and Tauri watched in shock as Jeremy fell to the ground. “Jeremy!” she screamed looking at him lying on the ground. Tauri looked in the direction of where the shot came from and saw Lisa coming her way.

  “Oh my god Tauri, he was trying to kill you!” Lisa screamed.

  Tauri sat her gun down and jumped from the car. “He had his hands in the air Lisa! Why did you shoot him?” She dropped down and checked Jeremy for a pulse. “He's alive. Call an ambulance!” Tauri shouted to Lisa as she tried to look for the wound.

  When Lisa didn't move, Tauri turned to her. “What the hell are you doing?”

  Lisa pointed the gun at Tauri. “Get up Tauri.”

  Tauri paused then lowered her head. “Oh my god Lisa. No!”

  “Get. Up. Tauri,” Lisa said slowly.

  Tauri slowly got to her feet and faced the woman she'd considered a friend. “You're involved in this?”

  Lisa smiled. “I'm not involved. I'm the mastermind.”

  “Why? Why would you want to hurt Orion? You don't even know him.”

  Lisa smirked. “I don't give a damn about Rion Shaw. John Beckham controls everything in this area. He can take me places I've never been, like the trip I went on before I saw you in the club, by the way that wasn't a coincidence that I ran into you that night. John was having you followed. He wanted me to rekindle our friendship and get close to you.”

  Tauri shook her head. “So what? You're supposed to kill me? Another prosecutor will still go forward with the case.”

  “Of course they will. Your second is at your service.” Tauri turned at the sound of the voice.

  “Richard. I knew you were a bastard the first day I met you,” Tauri told him.

  Richard laughed softly. “You still have a smart ass mouth, even with a gun pointed at you.”

  Tauri glanced at Jeremy on the ground not moving. “You two set him up.”

  Lisa laughed. “He was so easy, so damn gullible.”

  “So you're just going to kill him?” Tauri asked.

  “Put your big girl panties on Tauri. This isn't a game. We're talking about billions of dollars coming in from a new team. There's no way a black man will be allowed to control all that,” Richard told her.

  Tauri turned to Lisa. “You'd do this to a brother?”

  “When the hell have you seen brothers taking care of me?” Lisa asked. “The only color I see is green.”

  Jeremy moaned and Tauri's attention was drawn back to him before out of nowhere two cars pulled into the parking lot blocking them in. Lisa moved closer to Tauri pointing the gun directly at her. Tauri watched as her brother-in-law and Lance exited the cars with their weapons drawn.

  “Let's not do this Lisa. Let her go,” Lance called out.

  “This isn't about you Lance,” Lisa returned still holding the gun on Tauri.

  Corvus spoke up. “If you shoot her there's no way in hell you're getting out of here. I promise you.” Lisa turned in his direction right before Tauri turned in a flash and hit her in the throat with a precise blow. She followed it with a punch to the abdomen and then one to the face. Lisa fell to the ground out cold dropping the weapon. Richard went to make a move to grab it when Corvus let off a shot.

  “Don't fucking move!” he yelled coming over to grab Richard by the collar.

  “Call an ambulance!” Tauri screamed running over to Jeremy. She began to shake him. “Jeremy! Jeremy!” she screamed at him.

  He groaned. “Sorry Tauri. Didn't... know, would...never...hurt...” He passed out before he finished.

  Lance ran over to her. “They're on the way. Where's he hit?” he asked.

  Tauri looked at him. “She shot him in the back.”

  “Damn...” Lance said as they heard sirens in the distance.

  *********

  Rion was sitting in negotiation meetings that were extending into the evening hours. He hadn't spoken with Tauri today since he'd been in these same meetings since the wee hours of the morning. His phone buzzed with a text and he looked at the message from Lance.

  You need to get your ass home to your wife.

  Rion froze then looked around the table. “Excuse me gentlemen, I need to take a break.” He stood and quickly walked out the door calling Lance's number.

  “What happened?” Rion asked when Lance answered.

  “It's bad Rion. You need to come home now,” Lance told him.

  Rion couldn't breathe for a moment. “Is she hurt?” he whispered.

  “Not physically,” Lance answered.

  Rion put a hand to his face. “Let me talk to her.”

  “She can't right now. She's at the hospital.”

  Rion's head popped up. “The hospital?”

  “Jeremy was shot...by Lisa.”

  “Where the hell is Corvus?” Rion demanded. He'd told his brother to watch out for Tauri before he'd left.

  “He's with Tauri inside.”

  Rion started walking back towards the room. “Tell her I'm coming. Right now!” He ended the call and walked into the room.

  “Excuse me gentlemen.” All the men around the table looked at him. “I want to own this team more than anything in the world. It's been my dream since I was a little boy. It's my desire to stay and answer all your questions, but I have an emergency concerning my wife. Owning a team is important to me, but nothing is more important than her, so I have to leave...now.”

  He turned and walked out the door leaving a room full of men watching him go. As he entered the taxi, Rion's head was spinning. What the hell had happened? Lisa had shot Jeremy? How did Tauri fit in to all of this? He needed answers, but first he needed to take care of his wife.

  *********

  Corvus drove Tauri home and escorted her inside the apartment. He had final
ly gotten her to leave the hospital after the doctors were able to get Jeremy stabilized. He knew his brother was on his way back from New York and when he got here, all hell was going to break loose.

  The police had arrested both Richard and Lisa. They had plotted to get rid of both Tauri and Rion then let Jeremy take the fall. Lisa had Jeremy so besotted that he'd been a willing pawn in her game. He'd unknowingly provided her with all of the tools and information she needed. She'd taken pillow talk to a whole new level.

  John Beckham had been paying both of them handsomely to accomplish his plan of getting rid of Rion and Tauri, to the point of killing them. Corvus wondered now if the night of the Mayor's party had truly been an accident. If he hadn't rushed out and grabbed Tauri, would she be alive today?

  Tauri was crushed knowing that someone she'd considered a close friend had tried to hurt her so badly. She was very upset about Jeremy, knowing that his trying to help her had landed him in intensive care. Corvus noticed how quiet she'd been in the car. Even when he'd told her that Rion was on his way, she'd barely spoken a word.

  The elevator doors opened and Rion rushed inside. “Where is she?” he asked in a hurry.

  “She's in the bedroom.”

  Rion looked at his brother. “What happened?”

  “Richard and Lisa set up Jeremy. He took the fall and got arrested. They lured Tauri to some abandoned building and tried to kill her.”

  “What the hell is this?” Rion asked incredulously.

  Corvus looked at his brother. “Lisa had a gun on Tauri and Tauri still beat...her...ass. Do you hear me? Knocked her out cold, the police had to revive her to arrest her.”

  Rion shook his head confused.

  “Mac and Brandon will update you with the rest.” Corvus said heading to the door. “I'm out...let me know if you or Tauri need anything.”

  Rion placed a hand on his arm to stop him. “Thank you brother.” The two hugged briefly.

  Corvus smiled and nodded. “Take care of my Sistar.”

  “Thank you for watching over my future,” Rion told him.

  Corvus shook his head. “Man be careful, that girl's right hook is deadly.”

  Rion smiled. “I'll keep that in mind.” He watched as Corvus entered the elevator then the doors closed. Quietly he walked to the bedroom and opened the door. Tauri was lying in the middle of the bed curled up into a ball. He removed his shoes and jacket before climbing in behind her and placing his arms around her.

  They sat silently for a while before Tauri spoke, “My friend wanted to kill me,” she said sadly. “And my co-worker might die.”

  “I'm sorry baby,” he whispered to her.

  “Why are people so bad?” she asked quietly.

  Rion kissed her neck softly. “Because they choose to be that way.”

  Tauri felt the first tear escape. “I just want this to be over,” she choked out as more tears rushed out.

  Rion felt his heart break at her tears. “If you want me to walk away, I will for you,” he whispered brokenly. “I don't want you to hurt Tauri.”

  She turned and held him tightly. “I don't know what to do Orion.”

  “I can't lose you baby. I won't. Not ever.”

  Tauri buried her face in his chest. “Please, just hold me now.”

  Rion knew that he could not let this continue any longer. His wife was near the breaking point and he would never let that happen. He may not ever own a team, but John Beckham was definitely going to pay for what he'd done.

  Rion had endured enough and caused pain for the ones he loved. He wouldn't involve the Black Diamonds, the Negus or the police, this one would be handled strictly by the lion.

  Tauri cried until she fell asleep in Rion's arms. When she awakened, he was still holding her and was wide awake.

  “I'm sorry I broke down like that,” she whispered looking at him.

  Rion touched her face. “It's amazing that you've been so strong.”

  “I don't want you to give up your team baby,” she said earnestly. “I was just upset.”

  He stroked her back gently. “Tauri a team means nothing to me if my wife is unhappy and people are trying to kill her.”

  “This is your dream Orion. Please don't give up,” she implored. “You're so close now.”

  “Well I walked out of negotiation meetings, so I'm probably not close anymore.”

  Tauri sat up. “You walked out of your meetings?”

  “Of course, I was coming home to you.”

  She dropped her head into her hands. “Orion, I'm so sorry.”

  He removed her hands. “There's nothing for you to be sorry for. I'm sorry that I brought all of this into your life, into our lives.”

  “I won't ask you to do that anymore.” He looked into her hazel eyes.

  “I want to do it,” she insisted.

  “Come here,” he pulled her back into his arms. “This is over,” he said firmly.

  He kissed her temple. “Enough is enough.”

  “What are you going to do?” she asked against his chest.

  “What a young god is supposed to do...protect my goddess.”

  *********

  John Beckham sat down for breakfast reading the morning paper. The headlines were about two lawyers charged with attempted murder of two other lawyers. He shook his head. Crime was really out of control in the city. Chief Green needed to get a better handle on things.

  His mistress entered the room with a plate of food and sat it on the table. He looked at the plate filled with bacon, eggs, grits and biscuits. She knew how to cook his favorites. His wife preferred eggs Benedict and she couldn't cook. He watched the woman walk away and admired her ample behind. No, his wife surely didn't have that and she couldn't cook in the bedroom either.

  Picking up a fork, he dug into the delicious food. He had to finish up quickly because it would be another busy day. Making sure Rion Shaw didn't own a team was a full time job that today included stacking the jury for an upcoming trial.

  John smiled. Life for him was good. He seemed to always get what he wanted....and right now he wanted a little hot chocolate with his breakfast.

  *********

  Tauri found Rion in the kitchen making breakfast. He greeted her with a kiss before he turned back to the stove.

  “I was going to bring your breakfast in to you,” he told her.

  She took a seat at the counter. “I was planning to wake up and bring you breakfast to welcome you back home.”

  He glanced at her. “You were tired. You had a stressful day yesterday.”

  Tauri jumped up. “I should check on Jeremy.”

  “I already did. He's still stable,” Rion told her and she sat back down.

  “Thank you.”

  He smiled and began to fix her plate. When he was done he placed it in front of her.

  “Is there anything you can do to re-start the negotiations Orion?” she asked watching him.

  Rion shrugged. “I'll call them later this morning and see where things stand.”

  Tauri stared at her plate. “I hate that you left like that.”

  “It's fine baby, as long as you're okay.” He came and kissed her softly before moving to fix his own plate.

  She looked at him as he joined her at the counter. “I can't believe Lisa,” she said quietly.

  “She was jealous of you Tauri,” Rion told her.

  Tauri frowned. “Jealous of me? Lisa had her own firm, more men than I could ever imagine and she's beautiful.”

  “Baby, you're brilliant. You can have any man you want and you're beautiful where it counts the most,” Rion told her.

  She smiled at him. “I don't think I could have any man I want, but I'm glad that I've got the one I have now.”

  Rion sat down his fork and took her hand. “Lisa was a user and a man chaser. Don't give her credit for anything else. If she could turn on you, when you had looked out for her on the regular, she's not a friend...she's worst than an enemy. She deserves everything that s
he gets.”

  Tauri shook her head. “She shot Jeremy in the back for no reason.”

  “I hate that you had to go through that.” He squeezed her hand. “Jeremy too.”

  “He didn't deserve that,” Tauri said quietly.

  “Finish your breakfast and we'll go check on him,” he told her releasing her hand.

  Tauri picked up her fork. “Thank you Orion.”

  He smiled at her. “Make sure you eat all of your food. My son needs his nourishment.”

  She put a hand to her flat belly. “I can't imagine that.”

  Rion began eating. “It's already a reality baby.”

  Chapter 24

  Two days later after a barrage of visits from Mac, the grandparents, Rion's parents and the Negus, Tauri and Rion visited Jeremy again at the hospital. He had gone through multiple surgeries and was now awake.

  They entered the room and proceeded over to his bedside. Tauri had purchased a flower arrangement that she sat next to his bedside.

  “Hi,” he said giving her a small smile.

  She moved closer and touched his arm gently. “Hey Jeremy, how are you?”

  Jeremy looked over at Rion who stood by silently. “I've been better.” He looked back to Tauri. “I'm really sorry Tauri.”

  “I know Jeremy. I'm sorry too,” she told him.

  He looked away. “Lisa lied and tricked me. I hate that I was so stupid. I knew that she didn't really want me. She wanted my access codes to the building and the computer system, so that everything would point to me. That day when I was waiting at your desk, I really was just waiting for you. I told you the truth about not being the person who put that bug on your computer.”

  Tauri patted his arm. “She used you Jeremy, just like she used me.”

  “I took the fall by telling Brandon and Chief Green that I had been the one doing those things. I was trying to protect her.” He looked back at Tauri. “After I posted bail, I went to see her and overheard her on the phone with Richard. I heard him saying how he had been made your second and he was going to make sure you didn't get to try the case.”

  Tauri glanced at Rion who stood listening patiently.