Page 29
Story: Veronica Ross: Come For Me
Because Roni was now running late for work, they called downstairs for the valet to bring Brax’s car around. They knew it would promote more gossip about them as a couple, but it couldn’t be helped. Neither one of them felt like going through that obstacle course to get to the garage and retrieve the car themselves. They made their way out of the lobby exit.
As a testament to the kind of pull Mr. McCrae had around town, the valet had Brax’s big black Mercedes waiting for them when they came downstairs. Roni always had to wait for her car. But not Brax.
But that didn’t lessen the stares, however, and they knew the gossip would come even before they drove away. But they didn’t care anymore. Brax put Roni on the passenger seat, got in behind the wheel, and took off. And Brax took her hand and held it.
She noticed how Brax kept glancing over at her. Which caused her to finally look at him. “What?” she asked him.
“Just admiring your style,” he said as he glanced down at her clothing.
Roni glanced down too. She was wearing only a pair of light-green trousers with a tucked-in white blouse, a dark-green blazer, and a green-and-white scarf: nothing spectacular to Roni. “Looks like a normal outfit to me,” she said.
But it was the pairing of the colors and the way she wore it was what caught Brax’s attention. “That’s the beauty of it. It’s understated chic.”
Roni laughed. “If you say so.”
Brax smiled, but was still taking peeps at her. She looked at him again. “What’s with you this morning?”
“Any plans for tonight?”
Roni had to think about it. “Some friends want to take me clubbing tonight.”
“Why do they want to do that?”
“The fact that the dynamic duo are dead is big news in Victorville. They saw the story on the news last night and that Dean was involved. They know he’s my partner. They want to cheer me up, as they call it.”
Brax stared at her. “It’s still bothering you, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is, Brax.”
“It never would have happened if he didn’t dangle you out of that window first.”
Roni nodded. “I know that. And that helps. But it still hurts.”
Brax understood that. She wouldn’t be Roni if it didn’t hurt. “Is Jayla involved?”
Roni was confused. “Involved in what?”
“The cheering you up party tonight.”
She looked at him. “What if she is?”
“She doesn’t like me.”
“She likes you. She just thinks you’re a tad controlling when it comes to me.”
“Yeah right. Nobody controls you.”
“Except you, if you ask any of my friends. It’s nonsense to me, too, but not to them.”
“Taraji’s sweet. She doesn’t think that way.”
Roni smiled. “Oh yes she does.”
Brax didn’t expect that answer. “Why would she of all people think I control you?”
“That surgeon she set me up with for a blind date told her that he cancelled our blind date because the chairman of the hospital’s board of governors called him and told him to back off of me. That I was your girl. That’s why he canceled our date.” Roni said this and looked at Brax, daring him to deny it.
He said nothing. Then he glanced at her. “You knew that all this time?”
“Yup.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“Nothing to say. It was done.” Then she looked at him. “Why did you intervene like that?”
“I wanted to find out what kind of man he was.”
“What kind was he? Like you?”
“In the woman department, yes.”
Roni stared at Brax. “You do realize one day I may fall in love and get married. Right?”
Brax couldn’t bring himself to look at her. “Of course I realize that.”
Roni waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. So she didn’t either. That was the story of their situationship. Even with benefits.
“So is it Jayla and Taraji tonight?”
Roni shook her head. “No. Another group of friends.”
“Which friends? You have so many.”
“You have tons of friends too.”
“Which friends, Veronica?”
“Just friends.”
“Male or female or both?”
Roni looked at him. She didn’t dignify that question with a response.
“Did you hear me?”
“What are we doing?”
“Excuse me?”
“What about Lorraine?” Roni said.
Brax glanced away from her, a telltale sign, and then he looked at her again. “What about her?”
“She called while you were asleep. When you didn’t answer, she left you a text. She said she’s looking forward to being with you tonight. What about her?”
Brax frowned. “How did you get into my phone to read my text messages?”
“The same way you get into mine. I used your password.”
“I didn’t give you my password.”
“And I didn’t give you mine, but that never stopped you.”
“But how did you figure out what password I had?”
Roni looked at him. “The same way you figured out mine. My password is your birthday, and your password is my birthday. It doesn’t take a genius, Braxton.”
Brax smiled, and then laughed. “I guess you’re right.” But the reality of their passwords was just one more link in that seemingly unbreakable chain that kept them together.
Then his phone began ringing. When he saw it was Margo, he pressed the speaker. “Yes, Margo, I know I’m running late. I’ll be there soon.”
“A package just arrived for you, sir. It was labeled urgent and open upon receipt.”
“Which means you opened it.”
“That’s the protocol, yes sir.”
“And what was so urgent about it?”
“It’s a video, sir.”
That surprised Brax. “A video? Did you view it?”
“No sir. But I read the note that accompanied it.”
“And? What was the note about?”
“Veronica Ross, sir.”
Brax and Roni looked at each other. “What about Miss Ross?” Brax asked.
“I am unable to discuss this matter over the phone, sir,” said Margo, which stunned them both.
But Brax knew protocol also dictated that highly sensitive matters were never to be discussed over the phone. And highly sensitive was stressed. “I’m on my way,” Brax said, and ended the call. He looked at Roni again. “Anything I need to know?”
“No. Nothing. You know everything about me. I don’t know what she could be talking about.”
“Call the precinct. Tell them you’ll be running late this morning. Better yet, tell them you won’t be coming in today.”
Roni pulled out her phone and did just that. And then she and Brax drove all the way to his corporate headquarters in worried silence.