Chapter Three
Master
A WEEK HAS passed since I saw Taleah and that bastard arguing on the sidewalk.
Every day, I’ve been locked in my office digging up every piece of information on them as I can find.
I don’t leave unless the security company needs something from me and I haven’t slept more than an hour or two a day since seeing the girl I’ve missed for seven years.
Taleah is clean. She went to college, got her degree in business like she always talked about when we were younger, and then opened her bookstore.
She has made countless donations over the years to various charities and has helped families and individuals in need.
Taleah has never once taken credit for the donations or help.
She does everything anonymously. The only reason I know is because I pulled up her banking transactions.
She put a huge chunk of her inheritance into a separate account and that’s what she uses for the donations and other help she gives.
The girl is a damn angel and no one knows of her good deeds.
It’s not really surprising though. Taleah has never liked the spotlight and always preferred the shadows.
Despite her being on the dance and cheerleading teams, she is an introvert and only went out because of Bhodi.
He loved having his sister with him and didn’t give a shit who knew that.
TJ is a fucking menace. He’s an alcoholic who lives off of Taleah’s money.
Nothing he has is his—he used her money for everything he owns.
Including the car he once owned and bragged about as if he was the one to buy it.
Taleah sold it when he lost his license after paying it off.
She lost money on the vehicle, but didn’t care because she has her car and a motorcycle.
Part of me can’t help but wonder if it’s Bhodi’s bike, but I don’t know why she would have kept it all this time.
I learned TJ blew out his knee in college and had to stop playing football.
His career ended in the blink of an eye and that’s when he went back to Taleah.
She took him back in a heartbeat and he’s been fucking her over every day since then.
I’ve found numerous transactions from Taleah’s bank from him.
The money goes to the casino and the women he’s fucking behind her back.
Women she clearly knows about based on what I heard that day.
He’s spending her fucking money on them and she does nothing to stop it.
At least from what I can tell she hasn’t.
He’s taken thousands of dollars from her over the years so far.
On top of all of that, Taleah has called the cops on him more than once for various shit.
He is always removed from her house. One she bought with her inheritance and he has nothing to do with.
It’s a cute home and one that fits her perfectly.
At least for a starter home. I’ve seen pictures of the destruction his parties have done to the house she has to fix without any assistance from him.
It’s ridiculous and something Taleah shouldn’t ever have to deal with.
If Bhodi were still alive, she wouldn’t be dealing with a piece of shit like TJ.
Hell, if I were still in her life, no one would have a chance to get close to her.
TJ never would have even gotten a first look from Taleah because she’d be mine still.
One more thing to place on the pile of shit I created because I’m a selfish fuck.
“How long are you gonna be locked away in here?” Count asks, walking in my room as if it’s his and not mine.
“Until I’m done findin’ what I want and need,” I respond without removing my eyes from the screens in front of me.
A police scanner I have on the edge of my desk sounds off and the address of the call is Taleah’s.
I turn it up and listen to the complaint being given while tapping a few keys in front of me.
Our company is the one who installed Taleah’s security system.
I added a few upgrades to ensure her safety even if she has no clue I was involved at all.
One of those upgrades were the cameras I can use to see what’s going on at her place.
What I see has my blood boiling. TJ is making out with three different girls on the couch while the room is crowded beyond capacity of people.
There’s holes in the walls and the music is blaring so loud I mute the audio.
I don’t need to know what’s being said as I take in the drugs littering the coffee table.
Standing by the radio is Taleah. I watch as she turns off the stereo and all attention turns toward her.
I don’t turn the audio on again because if I hear TJ say one horrible remark to her, I won’t be able to hold back any longer.
I’ll ride to her house and deal with the bitch myself.
Count takes a seat and watches with me as TJ gets in her face.
They exchange some words and she has her phone in hand. I know she’s calling the cops.
We continue watching as the cops show up and greet TJ as friends.
I know instantly nothing is going to be done about this situation.
They’re going to take TJ’s side. Taleah shows them something on her phone before it’s handed back to her.
Now, I turn the audio on and listen as the officer tells Taleah TJ has the right to be in the house and if anyone leaves the house, she can leave for the night.
The second officer speaks up about them cooling off and thinking things through instead of ending her relationship with TJ.
It’s a load of bullshit and I’m ready to beat the fuck out of the cops myself.
Taleah disappears and comes back several minutes later with a duffle bag I recognize from years ago.
It’s the same one she used for cheerleading camp and when she would go to dance competitions.
Bhodi’s name is stitched on the inside because he wanted to always have a piece of himself with her when he couldn’t be at her events because of football.
I allow myself to smile the smallest one as I remember the day my best friend stitched his name in that bag.
“Who is this girl, Master?” Count finally asks me as I watch her leave her home with her head held high as if her heart isn’t breaking right now.
Only I can see the tears she’s not allowing to fall fill her eyes and the shaking of her body.
Signs I’ve witnessed hundreds of times when she’s tried to remain strong in a situation she wants to crumple to the ground in.
“This is Taleah. I’ve known her most of my life and loved her almost as long.
She had a brother named Bhodi and he was my best friend.
The four of us, includin’ my sister Elara, were inseparable growin’ up.
Our parents worked for the same company and had high demand jobs that often took them out of town or forced them to work late.
We kind of forged a bond and were constantly together.
The girls came everywhere with us. I know everythin’ about that girl.
I was her protector, friend, and her boyfriend when she was a sophomore and I was a senior.
I never once treated her right when we were in public.
Treated her as if she were nothin’ more than Bhodi’s little sister instead of my girl.
I didn’t know how to make her mine in public without claimin’ every fuckin’ inch of her.
So, I kept my distance and treated her like shit instead.
“Just after Bhodi and I graduated high school, we lost my grandma. She lived a long life and was my favorite person in the world. Her loss gutted me and shattered my heart into a million pieces. I started to push everyone away after that. Includin’ Bhodi and Taleah.
Two weeks after I lost my grandma, we lost Bhodi.
The three of them were at a party for summer break and I refused to go with them.
Instead, I was sittin’ on the fifty yard line of the football field gettin’ wasted.
I left them alone and the results are my own fault.
“That night, somethin’ happened with Taleah.
Bhodi stepped up to protect her and he lost his life.
He’d been drinkin’ and got pushed by the fucker he was fightin’.
He slammed his head on the concrete outside the pool and drowned right in front of Taleah and my sister.
Bhodi was datin’ my sister at the time and I was still with Taleah.
Again, I don’t know what happened, but I know Taleah couldn’t save him because she can’t swim.
No matter how hard the two of us tried to teach her, she just couldn’t grasp the concept.
I fuckin’ lost my shit when I got the news a few hours after everythin’ happened.
Elara went home with Taleah so they could comfort one another and be with Taleah’s parents.
That’s where they were needed. My parents immediately caught a flight home to be with them while I remained hidden, watchin’ over everythin’.
“Taleah, my sister, and everyone else thinks I didn’t go to Bhodi’s funeral, but I was there.
I watched on as Taleah gave the eulogy and broke down in tears so hard she could barely stand.
Her words were full of the love she had for him as they came out a broken mess to pay tribute to the person she loved the most in the world.
Every part of me wanted to go to her, but I broke the day Bhodi died.
I pushed everyone away even more so I would never feel that pain again.
To do that, I had to break Taleah completely,” I tell Count the bare minimum about Taleah and the past we shared.
“Fuck, Master. That’s a lot. You’ve been carryin’ that shit all on your own for all these years?” he asks me, his voice barely above a whisper as I let the memories of Taleah, my Doll, fill my head. “How come I’ve never met this sister of yours?”