Creed: Eyewitness, page 12
"Shhh... She'll make it through this. It'll be okay," Victor whispered while rubbing circles into her back.
Taylor clung to him, crying into his tuxedo. Victor held her until she began to calm.
"Come on, babe. Let's get you home."
"I can't leave," she said, shaking her head. "You go, and I'll call you if anything changes."
"No, we're gonna get you in some fresh clothes and come back. Kena has made arrangements with the hospital. They're providing us with a room for the night."
Taylor was amazed by his thoughtfulness. "Us?"
"Us," he confirmed.
"Wait, really? She can do that?" Taylor asked, looking up into beautiful green eyes that were filled with sympathy.
"Of course," he responded while using his thumb to wipe a tear from under her eye. "She's a very powerful woman."
"Thank you, Victor," she chuckled.
As she stared into his eyes, she was suddenly hit with such raw emotion. It was as if she had just been kicked in the gut. Just as she couldn't fathom life without Maria, life without Victor she simply couldn't bear.
She loved him.
Yeah, she loved him.
She turned to Kena. "Thanks, Kena."
Kena rubbed Taylor's arm and gave her a reassuring nod, before disappearing down the hall. "Come on. Let's go."
"Victor, I gotta find out what happened first."
"Kenyatta will find out," he said, placing an insistent hand in the small of her back and ushering her through the path that Gregor and his team made in the crowded hallway.
Taylor was quiet on the ride to her house. Victor held her hand as he fielded phone calls from his office. She stared out of the window, wondering if Maria was in pain. Victor barely finished his call before his phone rang again.
"Kena, what do you have?"
The mention of Kena's name caused Taylor to turn to Victor. She waited, not so patiently, as she gave him an update. And just when she thought that she'd have an anxiety attack, Victor thanked Kena and ended the call.
"According to the report, due to a shortage of manpower, Maria was working alone. The dispatcher assigned another car to a burglary in process. Maria went to back them up. The report said that while Maria and the other officers on scene searched a building, that turned out to be abandoned, they heard shots fired. They said by the time they made it to Maria that she was already down. She was shot twice in the back."
"Oh, my God," Taylor gasped.
Taylor allowed Victor to pull her on his lap. She placed her head on his shoulder and allowed tears to fall as he rocked her back and forward.
"Were there any arrests?" she whimpered.
"No arrests, no suspects. I'm sorry, baby."
Collier turned into Taylor's driveway. She slid off of Victor's lap and grabbed her purse. When they got out of the limo, Gregor escorted them to the front door. He suddenly held his hand out, halting their steps. The front door had been kicked in. Taylor snatched her off-duty 380 out of her purse and tossed her purse to the ground. She stepped around Gregor and entered her house before Victor could stop her. She knew that if she hadn't moved quickly, she would've had to fight to get away. She knew that he just was concerned, but this was what she did, and this was her home.
"Governor, I need to take you back to the limo," Gregor insisted, taking his own weapon out of its holster.
"Are you out of your fucking mind? I'm to send my woman in there alone?
Taylor looked back, just long enough to see Victor pulling his own weapon from the back of his pants. He ordered Gregor to move.
"Governor, I-" Gregor started.
"Now!" he gritted.
She could still hear Victor and Gregor's argument outside, but she did her best to block them out so that she could hear any movement in the house. She walked along the wall with her weapon ready. Hearing soft footsteps behind her, she turned to see Victor and Gregor brandishing weapons of their own. She turned back and continued along the wall. She saw movement outside of her kitchen window and recognized someone from Victor's security detail, so she continued her search.
Ten minutes later, after a complete search of the house that turned up nothing, Taylor dialed 911. She reported the break-in to the operator and was instructed to wait for the police.
"Victor, what were you thinking?" Taylor asked, walking over to the refrigerator.
She was desperate for a glass of wine or a shot of something.
"Taylor, what the hell were you thinking, running your ass in the house?" His irritation was evident.
"Victor, this is what I do for a living. But you're the gotdamn governor of Illinois. You can't do shit like this," she said, equally frustrated.
"You're not at work. When you're with me, you're not a cop. You're my woman. So if you don't want me running behind you, don't run your lone ranger ass into dangerous situations."
"So what if something had happened to you? How the hell am I supposed to handle that? How the hell would Gregor explain you dying on his watch?"
Victor tilted his head and looked at her like she had lost her mind. "Gregor?! He'd find employment at a fucking ice cream shop! This is a job to him; I die, he gets another. So you tell me; how the hell am I supposed to live with myself if I was sitting my ass in a limo and you got hurt, or worse?"
Taylor responded with a shake of her head. She wasn't going to win the argument, and she wasn't in the mood to fight with him. There was already too much going on. She opened the fridge, but instead of pulling out a bottle of wine, she pulled out a note instead.
It simply read: WATCH YOUR BACK IN DARK PLACES!
CHAPTER 22
Taylor
Taylor drew a sharp breath and dropped the note as if it were burning her hand. She watched it drift slowly to the floor. A sharp pain penetrated her skull, and her racing heart was beating loudly in her ear. Taylor braced herself against the refrigerator door, inhaling and exhaling slowly, trying to calm her raging heart.
It was a cop!
A cop shot Maria!
A cop had just threatened her!
A cop!
With her eyes blinded by angry tears, Taylor could barely see Victor hurrying to her. She felt his hands on her upper arms and faintly heard his voice.
"What, baby? What is it?" she heard through the haze.
Unable to find her voice, Taylor pointed to the note on the floor. Victor walked her over to the breakfast bar and urged her to sit on a stool. She wiped her face as Victor picked the note up and read it. As he read, his expression changed—it was beyond murderous. He placed the note on the counter and walked over to Taylor. Staring directly into her eyes, he said, "Whoever did this has fucked up. Now they have to deal with me."
She nodded in the affirmative because Victor was right about one thing: they had fucked up, because Taylor planned to put a bullet into the head of the bastard that put those bullets into Maria. They could come for her if they wanted to, but they would be leaving with some hot shit in their ass!
Kena’s knock at the door interrupted Taylor's heinous thoughts. When Kena walked in wearing a troubled expression, Taylor became uneasy.
"Is it Maria?" Taylor asked, hopping down off of the stool.
"No, there's no change. The doctor said that they were giving her blood in order to raise her blood pressure for surgery."
"Then what is it, Kenyatta?" Victor asked.
Kena placed a newspaper on the breakfast bar. The headline read:
GOVERNOR’S GIRL INVOLVED IN POLICE SHOOTING OF UNARMED MAN!
PROTESTORS GATHER AT THE THOMPSON CENTER!
The article, written by Brent Trainer, described the blatant murder of an unarmed Black man by the police and the attempt to cover it up. It went on to mention that Taylor was the officer involved in a foot chase with said unarmed Black man. It never once included the fact that Taylor wasn't the officer that had actually shot him.
Taylor laughed out loud, causing Victor and Kena to look at her curiously. They must have thought she was losing her mind because there clearly wasn't anything humorous about the newspaper article. Taylor wasn't amused; she was exhausted to the point of hysteria. But she was under attack, and she didn't have time for a breakdown. To hell with the media. To hell with the department. Taylor's one and only focus was finding the bastard that shot her friend.
"I need to get back to the hospital. I'm gonna go change," Taylor announced calmly.
She could feel their eyes burning into her as she left the room. And she was sure that Victor was having an inner debate with himself on whether or not to follow. But, gratefully, he stayed put, giving her the alone time that she needed.
CREED
Victor looked at the newspaper again, unable to believe the unmitigated gall of that pussy, Brent Trainer. Victor was a man with power, but shutting down the media wasn’t something even a governor could do. He was tempted to put a hit out on Brent’s ass.
"Renee Griffin called,” Kena announced. “She says that she's already ahead of this article."
"Good. Tell Gregor to put together a team for Taylor. Tell him to keep it covert, because if Taylor finds out, she'll have a fit."
"Governor, that's just not safe. You want them to follow an angry woman that carries a gun… without her knowledge?"
"Yeah, so tell them not to get shot."
Kena gaped at him in disbelief, seconds before muttering, "Yes, sir."
Taylor came out of her bedroom just as calm as when she went in. Kena watched her with concern, trying to gauge her demeanor, but Victor didn't need to study her demeanor at all. As soon as she saw that headline, he recognized the need for vengeance in her eyes. She was formulating a plan: retaliation.
"You okay, babe?" Victor asked.
"I'm good,” Taylor responded without emotion. “I'm not waiting for the evidence technician. They ain't gonna find shit anyway. Can we go?"
"Yes. Kena has someone coming by to fix your door. She's gonna grab enough of your personal effects for you to stay at the penthouse. You're moving in with me."
Taylor's brows bunched and her arms instantly crossed over her chest. Victor was ready for this; he had already known that she was going to put up a fight.
"Is that right?" she asked with narrowed eyes.
"Yes, ma'am, that's right."
"Victor, nobody is gonna make me leave my own home," she declared. "This..." she said, waving her hand, "....is my house."
Victor stepped into her personal space, but Taylor refused to cower. She raised her chin, defiantly, and stood her ground. Victor almost smiled, but he resisted.
"Babe, this is not going to be a fight. You're in danger. You'll stay with me."
"I'm not gonna tuck my tail and run,” Taylor rebutted with a shake of her head. “This is my house and ain't nobody gonna run me out of it."
Victor needed to make her understand that she was his responsibility. She was his—his love.
Damn!
He was in love with her already!
She couldn't have realized that she consumed his every thought. Thoughts of her were the only thing that brought a smile to his face. He would give his own life to give her peace. That had to be love, right?
Sadly, though he loved her, the fact that she was now tethered to him thrust her into the media's spotlight.
"Sweetness, it's just for a little while. You've been threatened. You're in danger."
"I don't care, Victor. I'm not running. My job comes with danger," she responded as if she expected to have the last word.
Victor grabbed her face. He needed her to understand how serious he was. Taylor was stubborn, and that was okay. He liked that about her, but there were times when he would have to take the lead.
"Taylor, I wouldn't give a fuck if you were Walker Texas Fucking Ranger! To be honest, I don't give a shit about your career. I'm sorry, but I don't. You belong to me! Do you hear me? Me!"
Taylor blinked up at him, but she didn't respond. Victor was thankful that he didn't have to shut down any more rebuttals, so he continued.
"You're not a fucking cop; not right now. You are my, Victor Creed the II’s, lady. Mine! With that being said, it is no longer your job to protect you; it’s mine. "
Victor made his declaration, not knowing what to expect. But he meant every word. To his relief, Taylor relented. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his chin.
"I love you, Victor," she whispered, to his amazement.
Victor’s smile would’ve been considered too giddy for a grown ass man. “You do?”
"I do," she confirmed, to his delight.
"Good, because I love you too, Sweetness."
CHAPTER 23
TAYLOR
Taylor moved a file and slipped into bed next to Victor. They were in a fancy room that seemed more like a hotel room than a hospital room. It was a little after three in the morning. Maria had pulled through surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma while she healed. Thankfully, she was expected to make a full recovery.
Victor was sitting with his back to the headboard working on his laptop. Papers were spread all over the bed. Taylor watched silently as Victor worked, unable to quell the guilt that she was beginning to feel. Victor was a busy man with an entire state to run, yet he hadn't left Taylor's side to do so.
"Victor?" she cooed, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, babe?"
"Have I told you how awesome you are?"
Victor removed his reading glasses and looked over at Taylor. He grinned, showing off those adorable dimples that she loved so much.
"No, but I'm listening," he said in a husky voice.
Taylor studied his features, fascinated how a man with pretty green eyes, long dark lashes, and dimples could still be so damn masculine. Taylor, instead of telling him, decided to show him just how awesome he was. She was going to let her bad girl takeover.
She rose to her knees and looked him square in the eye. His dark, olive gaze glimmered with the possibility of carnality. Without breaking eye contact, she slowly began to remove all of the work-related items from the bed, placing them on the nightstand. Once the bed was cleared, she straddled his lap and pulled his t-shirt over his head. She pushed her fingers through his hair and guided his face to her own. Covering his lips with her own, she expressed the passion that she felt for him through her kiss. His hands flew to her hips, and he pulled her forward, forcing her to grind her warm, eager core against his fully erect dick. The size of his manhood was an unbearable temptation, but pleasing herself wasn't what Taylor had in mind. Taylor's plan was to make it all about Victor.
"Baby," she purred. "I know how much you love to please."
"I do," Victor growled.
"I know, but I gotta put my foot down."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, baby," Taylor said, licking her lips.
"Okay, sweetness, do your thing."
He had a mischievous gleam in his eye as he moved to lie down. Taylor took that as a go and pulled his boxers down. His big, solid dick sprang free and welcomed her. She wrapped her fingers around the velvety shaft and took him into her mouth. She slid him in and out, making sure to saturate him well. Once completely lubricated, Victor grabbed a handful of her kinky curls and guided his dick in and out of her hot, wet mouth. He let out a loud moan as she took as much of him as she could. Taylor gripped him tight and stroked his velvety shaft hard. He raised his hips, pushing between her eager, hungry lips. Taylor found herself moaning at the sheer satisfaction of giving him pleasure. She tightened her lips around the head of his throbbing dick and sucked him the way that he deserved to be sucked. Taylor poured every ounce of her gratitude into the blowjob that she was giving. His fingers tightened in her hair, and his moans became louder.
"Oooh, yesss! Fuck me with that hot fucking mouth of yours," he commanded forcefully.
As she orally worked him, Taylor stared deep into his hooded eyes, eliciting a feral growl. His hips rose frantically from the bed, and he fucked her mouth as if it were her hot pussy.
"Fuuuuuuck, Tay... Baby, I'm cumming!" he shouted. "Harder!"
Taylor obliged. She sucked him and stroked him in a maniacal manner. She moaned around his dick and reached up to massage his balls, taking him completely over the edge. He instantly began to shoot hot semen into her mouth.
Victor sank into the mattress and groaned as Taylor swallowed and sucked him clean. She looked up at him and licked her lips, hoping that she had accomplished her goal of proving just how wonderful he was. He had earned every stroke, every lick, and every hot and hungry suck of his big, thick dick. And if it had taken all night, she would have sucked him all night.
"Damn… Just... damn," he panted while rubbing her hair.
CHAPTER 24
CREED
Victor watched Taylor closely as she packed their overnight bags. He was assessing her mood for the conversation to come. Taylor was a very, almost overly, independent woman, who sometimes didn't listen to reason.
"Babe?"
"Yes?"
"Have you considered taking some time off work?" he asked, tentatively.
Taylor stopped what she was doing and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Victor, no."
Her response was more like a warning for him not to go there. Taylor seriously thought she was running the show. He was almost amused. She clearly didn't realize that he could have her benched with one phone call. Of course, he wouldn't do that without reason, but if he didn't think that he could keep her safe, he definitely would.
