“No details. I did tell him that something was amiss. You know what he said?”
“Handle your business.” Zack and JoEllen said at the same time.
“That’s right. He didn’t question me or insinuate I couldn’t do my job because I was on maternity leave.”
Zack sighed. “I apologize for the comment. But we’re talking millions of dollars Julia.”
“This affects our profit share and our retirement fund. I know Zack. I’m handling it.”
Reese walked in the door as soon as Zack hung up the telephone with Julia. JoEllen had not been able to reach Xavier. “His phone went to voicemail.” She told Zack.
“Is it possible Charles may be connected to the fires? Is he trying to destroy the company and why?” Reese questioned.
“He said something about Zack being the big man in high school. Did you bully him or something?” JoEllen asked.
“No,” Zack replied. “I barely knew him in high school.”
“He was a bookworm in high school,” Reese added. “Never really fitting in anywhere, from what I remember.”
“Richard asked me if I had any enemies from the past, but I never thought of Charles as an enemy. Hell I never thought of him at all.”
“That’s the problem Zackary. You never think of anyone but yourself and Xavier.” Celeste said from the doorway. “I’ve been calling you non-stop for days and you haven’t once returned my phone calls.”
Zack turned to the door. “Now is not a good time Celeste.”
“Is there ever a good time with you Zack? It wasn’t a good time back in college when you just left me with no one to turn to and nowhere to go. This time you left me and Chanté with not one word in two days.”
“You’re under the misconception that I owe you something Celeste. It was you that left me knowing I had responsibilities that I couldn’t turn my back on. It was you who decided to sleep around until you got the next NFL contract player. It was you that decided to marry Teddy even though you were pregnant with somebody else’s child. So let me stop you before you make a bigger fool out of yourself.” He looked at JoEllen and Reese and they both stepped out of the room. “Where is Chanté?”
“Why? Do you care?”
“About Chanté—yes, about you not one damn bit.” He sat behind his desk. “Look, it’s been a rough few days. I do plan to meet with you. Right now is just not a good time.”
“Because of Diamond Lassiter.” She sneered bitterly. “You would choose that woman over your daughter?”
Zack sighed. “You and I both know Chanté is not my daughter. I got the results today. But you knew that before you even came here. Why did you come, Celeste? After all these years, why now? What could you possibly gain from all of this?”
“Seeing you suffer for at least a few days like I have suffered for years!” she snapped. “And it’s not over Zackary. Not by a long shot. I will see you crawl before this is over with.” She turned and walked out of the door.
JoEllen stood in the doorway, “Is Mercury in retrograde or something. All hell seems to be breaking lose around here.”
Zack had no idea what JoEllen was referring to about Mercury but he knew that he seemed to be in a backward motion and he was really beginning to feel the effects of these eventful days.
Chapter 26
Celeste was stepping off the elevator when she saw Diamond walk into the ladies room on the lobby level. She appeared to be distracted and a little upset. What a perfect opportunity. She turned and walked into the ladies room.
“Well, good evening Ms. Lassiter. Working late?”
Diamond turned to see the one person she could really do without. After speaking with Lucy, she decided it was time to face life. She never ran away from her problems or put them on anyone else’s shoulder. When she had issues she would deal with them and move on or take the issue up with her family. The woman of the last few days was not her. After all, like Lucy said, if she really loved Zackary the way she claimed, she couldn’t run away from it. Wherever she was or whoever she was with, the love for Zack would still be there. Looking past her reflection in the mirror as she washed her hands, she replied to Celeste. “Good evening.”
Noticing the shadows around Diamond’s eyes, Celeste dug in. “You don’t appear to be at your best this evening, is something wrong?”
“I really don’t have time for conversation Ms. Blanchard. Would you mind moving out of my way?”
Standing in front of the door with her arms across her chest, Celeste smiled. “Were you on your way to see Zackary? I just left him upstairs. We had a …brief office meeting,” she smirked while touching her lips as if she had just had a tasty meal.
“Really, I hope you enjoyed it.” She attempted to step around the woman, but Celeste pushed her away.
“I don’t think I’m finished talking to you just yet.”
“Whoa, losing your cool. What’s wrong? Things are not going your way? I would think you would be happy. You accomplished what you came to do, make Zackary’s life miserable—again. For whatever reason you could not stand the thought of him being happy.”
“Why should I.” Celeste snapped. “He ruined my life when he turned his back on the NFL. We could have had it all, but he wanted to play daddy to his little brother. No, I don’t want to see him happy. I want him to suffer like he has made me suffer. I loved that man and he turned his back on me.”
Unable to take another minute of the woman or the hurt she had caused, Diamond pushed her against the door and got dead in her face. “You loved him. Bull! You loved him so much you aborted his child and lied to him about it. You loved him so much you left him at the very time he needed you the most. You loved him so much you hurt him so deep that he never wanted to love again. It’s women like you that make a good man turn bad. If that is what love is about I don’t want no parts of it. Now get the hell out of my way.”
Celeste was so blinded by anger because Zack had not done what she needed from him, that she missed the warning signs in Diamond’s eyes. “Oh please, Zack could never love you over me. Look in the mirror”, she pushed Diamond backwards toward the mirror. “You don’t have anything on me.”
Diamond jumped right back at her. “You are gorgeous, that’s real. But baby, beauty is only skin deep, but ugly—now that’s to the bone. I’ll take my average looks over your ugly ass soul any day.”
“The question is, will Zack?”
“Apparently not, but that’s okay. I’m tired of crying over him and don’t give a damn about you. Have a nice life.” Diamond held her head high and attempted to walk around the woman—again, but Celeste blocked her way. She snatched Celeste by the hair with one hand and threw her to the floor. Standing over the woman on the floor she spoke softly. “I’m a damn Lassiter. We don’t take prisoners, we kill them.” She paused for emphasis. “Don’t make me hurt you.” She stared at Celeste a moment longer then stormed out of the ladies room.
Now, she was really ready to give Zackary Davenport a piece of her mind! As she reached the elevator someone called her name.
“Diamond, it’s about time you came back.”
“I’m not back,” she stated to Xavier as she stormed towards the elevator.
“Like hell you’re not,” he exclaimed as he joined her. “All hell is breaking loose around here. Have you spoken to Zack?”
“No.”
“Julia?”
“No.”
“LaFonde?”
“No.”
Puzzled he stared at her, “Then why are you here?”
“To kill your brother!”
“Hell, you may have to get in line for that.”
“Why all the questions? What’s going on?”
They could hear the bellow when the elevator door opened. “I don’t know all the details. But we are both about to find out.”
“I can hear not much has changed in the last few days,” Diamond said as she walked in the office. “You really ought to think about putting in
sound proof walls or something in this office.”
“Diamond,” the whispered name escaped as Zack’s head snapped up. He stood.
“You stay right over there Zackary Davenport. Don’t you come near me. And if that woman, ever comes within fifty feet of me I’m going to finish what she started downstairs.”
Ignoring her request Zack walked towards her. “Diamond, you can kill her for all I care.”
Diamond stood behind Xavier, but moved towards Reese as Zack continued to walk towards her. Normally she would stand her ground with him, but there was something in his eyes that indicated danger. “I will kill her the next time she jumps in my face. What the hell is up with you and her anyway.”
“Nothing,” Zack spoke softly as he followed her movement around the room. “I know what it looked like, but that’s not what it was.”
She spoke, but her voice was not as intense as before, “It looked like you were trying to have your cake and eat it too. Do you know how I felt when I saw you with her right after taking me in the office? Do you have any idea how confused I was before that even happened, then to see you leave me and walk into her arms. It was too much.”
“I know,” he continued to speak softly, “But I never walked into her arms. Your legs are the only thing I want around me.”
She stopped behind JoEllen. He wasn’t supposed to say that. All eyes, JoEllen, Reese and Xavier traveled between Zack and Diamond.
He stopped in front of JoEllen as he held her eyes. “I know I was supposed to teach you, but as it turned out, you taught me Diamond.” His lips curved at the end, but Diamond didn’t see it. Her eyes were riveted by what was in his. “I don’t know when it happened or how. I just know I don’t want to spend another day of my life without you.” JoEllen smiled and stepped from between them. Zack took a step forward closing the distance between them. He cupped her face between his hands, “Your smile with those deep dimples breathes life into my veins. For the life of me I don’t know why I kept trying to push you away.” He gently kissed her lips. “I’m so sorry for all the harsh words and forever making you doubt choosing me. Will you forgive me Diamond? I’m willing to get on my knees and beg if you ask me to.”
The room was silent, then suddenly Xavier and Reese spoke at the same time. “Beg.”
Then JoEllen nodded her head. “Yep, make him beg.”
Diamond’s hands covered his as she held his gaze. “Did my daddy beat you up?” She whimpered as she touched his eye.
“No, he didn’t.”
“Did Joshua?”
“No, Joshua didn’t beat me up either.”
“Then who did?”
“Samuel,” Xavier stated from where he had now taken a seat.
Zack shoulders slumped as he exhaled, “Samuel did not beat me up. We just had an intense conversation.”
“Like the one I just had with Celeste? What was she doing here anyway?” Diamond asked as she slightly pulled away from Zack.
He held her close, not letting her out of his grasp. “Declaring her hatred for me.” Zack replied.
“As a number of people seem to be doing today,” JoEllen added.
Diamond looked around Zack. “What are you talking about?”
“That’s what I was trying to tell you about on the elevator. It seems Zack has a few enemies coming from the woodworks.”
Diamond looked at Zack. “What are they talking about?”
He took her hand, took his seat behind the desk and sat her in his lap. “We all need to talk about some events that have us a little concerned.” Zack first told them all about Charles and all Julia had shared with him. He then told them about Celeste and the paternity test. Last he told all of them about the fires and what had happened since the last investigation.
“You’re forgetting something Zack.” Xavier said. “Did you forget about the woman that’s been watching the house?”
Zack had not forgotten, for he knew that probably had nothing to do with the other situations. He was sure the woman watching the house was his mother. “No, we’ll discuss that later. For now we need to determine what we are going to do about Charles.”
“What do you mean what are we going to do. We should fire his ass,” Xavier said.
“No.” Reese replied. “I think Julia is right. Let Charles play out his hand. When we take him down, let’s get him for everything. In fact Xavier, I think you should place a call to him, thanking him for handling things while you’ve been away. Tell him you will be out a few more days, so you will appreciate it if he continues handling things.”
“Why in the hell would I want to do that? He’s got to know Zack is ready to kill him after the way he spoke to him today.”
“I have to agree with Xavier. He knows Zack will be after him.” JoEllen added.
“Well, Zack could always call and apologize for his behavior towards Charles.” Diamond offered.
“No, he cannot,” Zack replied. “He will know something is up then.”
“Why?” Diamond questioned.
“Because I don’t apologize to anyone for anything.”
“That’s not true. You just apologized to me.”
“And I don’t think I’ve received my just reward for that.” He smiled at her.
“If you come home with me tonight I may be able to remedy that.”
“Excuse me,” Reese interrupted the two, “focus—here,” he motioned to Zack. “We want Charles comfortable enough to continue with his plans. I think an apology from Zack will not get us anywhere. However, If Xavier could convince him not to worry about Zack, he’ll feel secure, safe to continue.”
The room was quiet as everyone contemplated the idea. “Are we sure Julia has the accounts on lockdown?” Xavier asked.
“I spoke with Nate Raines,” Reese stated, “the investigator she is working with. I know him from the precinct. He’s good. According to him the accounts are locked down and the bank investigators are watching the case as well.”
Xavier pulled out his cell phone. “Charles, I’m glad I caught you.” He nodded to the people in the room. “I know this is not fair to you, but I need you to continue to hold things down at the office. I’ll have to handle The Towers for a few more days.” He listened for a minute. “Don’t worry about Zack. He knows construction not business. That’s why I need you to handle the office.”
L
Joshua picked up the figure again. After a few days of following the person he knew whatever was happening was connected to the site, not Ann. Evidence showed she was staying at the site. The person following her was just making sure she was not going to interfere in whatever plans they had. Ann was no longer Joshua’s concern. He would report back to Zack on Ann’s whereabouts once he was able to determine what this mystery person was up to.
L
Not seeing anyone about, the figure slipped into the model home through the patio door that was left unlocked for the woman. Unfamiliar with the layout, the figure was happy the soft recess lights were on throughout the house. Looking around, the figure was trying to determine where to place the case so it would not be detected. Going to the second level of the house, there was a closet right above the staircase. Opening the closet all the electrical and security panels were located inside. Perfect! Damage at that spot would extend from the top floor to the lower level. Once the explosive device was placed inside the panel, a push of a button at the right time would bring the house down and Zackary Davenport along with it.
Chapter 27
Diamond walked into her apartment with the overnight bag she had taken to Joshua’s on her shoulder. She dropped it to the floor as she turned to the man who had followed her in. He lifted her body from the floor, wrapped her legs around his waist and leaned against the wall next to the door. “I believe this is where we were interrupted a few days ago.” Pushing his body to hers, he kissed her with the security of a man that had come home. This was where he was supposed to be. Right here, between her legs, but more importantly, in her hear
t as much as she was in his. His tongue took a slow sensuous journey, exploring every luscious corner of her mouth. Clearly his intent was to never let her forget who that mouth belonged to. The plan was to do that with every inch of her body.
Pulling the cool white t-shirt from her body, he broke contact with her lips just long enough to pull it over her head. Capturing her lips again, he unsnapped the bra which hid her golden treasures from him. Only then did he leave her wet, kiss swollen lips to capture the brown peak between his teeth, just grazing, slightly licking, one then the other until he settled on his favorite. He stayed on that right breast, because it fit so perfectly in his mouth, sucking until he heard her moan, only then did he switched to the other, increasing her need to have him inside of her. “Zachary,” he heard her cry out as she tightened her legs around his swollen arousal securing him intimately with her center.
“Diamond,” he whispered before returning to her lips. “Bed?” he questioned between his now frenzied kisses. She pointed and he followed as best he could without breaking their connection. When he reached one bedroom, she spread her hands out stopping their entrance by bracing the side of both doors. “Pearl’s room,” she shook her head. He turned and she giggled as he nuzzled between her breasts.
Together, they dropped down to the bed. He cupped her face and stared down into her eyes, “Thank you for teaching me how to love. I love you Diamond.”
Her heart swelled at the words she’d waited to hear. “Show me Zackary,” she whispered. “Show me.”
Beginning with her eyes, he kissed each lid, the tip of her nose, each cheek, each breast, the inside of her elbows, every finger and then her navel. Removing her jeans and panties, he kissed each toe, the arches of her feet, her ankles, her knee caps, behind her knees. Then his tongue traveled up the front of one thigh, across her stomach, down the front of the other thigh, until his lips touched her moist inner lips. He gently spread them apart, kissing the center before taking her sensitive nub between his fingers, then sucking as if his life depended on the substance it was releasing. The relentless thrusting of his tongue into her center had her bucking off the bed. His free hand gently held her in place while he continued to feast on her honey drenched wetness. Nothing was sweeter than Diamond—nothing. And he refused to stop until he had the very last drop of her explosion.
Teach Me (The Gems & Gents Series) Page 23
