TOXIC ATTRACTION

TOXIC ATTRACTIONEPISODE EIGHTEEN

Diana picked Nerea up in town and they were headed home when Nerea made the call to Robina. Diana was listening in on the conversation and when Robina turned her mother down she laughed. Diana had natural hatred for Robina because she thought she was beautiful and she hated the fact that she got to spend a lot of time with Mark when he was looking after her and by the way, Mark spoke about Robina, she thought they had done something or he was in love with her besides Mark disgracing her before her friends. Nerea was angry. She thought Robina was being disrespectful and if Robina was not going to talk to her, she was taking war at her father's doorstep.

Diana: you worry about that girl too much. She doesn't love Richard and sorry to say but she is too beautiful for Richard.

Nerea: didn't stop her from allowing Richard to get her pregnant.

Diana looked at her briefly before focusing on the road again.

Diana: so you were not joking about the pregnancy thing?

Nerea: why did you insist that Mark slept with Robina, was there any truth to that?

She asked turning her head to Diana who didn't want to talk about the situation because she knew if she did, she would have to disclose that Mark had turned her down after making moves on him.

Nerea: I'm asking you a question.

Diana: I said I was joking. I came up with the assumptions after I heard Mark praise that girl. What does she have anyway?.

Nerea: brains, you don't seem to have any.

Diana did not put up a show like she would if anyone called her stupid. The drive to her place became so quiet.

Mark was worried after the conversation we had. From the look on his face, he was totally clueless about what Jesse had been doing, and could it have been that his father was involved too? He made a sigh and pulled over by the side of the road not so far away from where he was staying.

I turned to look at him and ask him why he had stopped but he got out of the car and I remain inside. He paced Infront of the car and then leaned on it. He buried his face in his hands and then all of a sudden hit the car with his palm so hard that I had to get out and find out what was really going on. I walked up to him and he raised his face to look at me...

Me: talk to me, what's going on?..

I asked getting closer to him and he pulled me in for a hug and tightly embraced me. I stroked his back as I waited for him to talk but no words came out of his mouth. I was a very patient person and I knew how to wait it out.

I hugged him in silence then he slowly broke free from the hug and we gazed into each other's eyes.

Me: is it something I said?..

He nodded then looked away and I followed his eyes with mine.

Mark: Jesse and my father were best of friends, the same way Richard and I have been. They were at some point partners until they had a horrible split up.

Me: what was the split up about?

Mark: no one knew, just them. After that split up, my father started equipping me to take over his business, I was a banker then and I had to quit my job to focus on what he wanted me to learn. Everything happened so fast, I learned everything about the family in three months then my father made me the C.E.O of his multi-billion company.

Me: why was your father in a hurry to hand over the company, was he afraid something would happen?

Mark: yes, after the hand over he only was around for two more months and he was gone.

Me: gone...

Mark: dead.

Me: I'm sorry...

Mark: I still think Jesse had something to do with my father's death.

Me: how did your father die?..

Mark: there was a robbery at the bank I worked for, my father's ID was found at the scene of the crime. He got arrested and. I was accused of being the mastermind of the plan that saw the bank lose 50 million. It took a good lawyer to save both me and my dad from prison but it wasn't long after our house was raided and I lost both my mum, dad, and my dog.

Me: I'm so sorry.

Mark: it is one thing I'm trying to get past but being in the officer, sitting on my father's chair, and seeing his pictures remind me of him.

Me: I can't lie that I know how that feels but you are doing your father proud by keeping his legacy alive.

Mark: I wish I saw it from that angle.

Me: what angle are you looking at?

Mark: you talked about Jesse being all that, what if my father was too? What if all this money was made the same damn way?.

Me: what would make you think that?..

Mark: one time I suggested that Richard could be employed in our company but the people my father put in place to help me run the company were completely against it. They told me that would be like betraying my father, I have to watch my friend beg in the streets when I can change his life.

Me: that's not on you, at least you were willing to do something.

Mark: the more reason I think Jesse had something to do with my father's death, I had suggested to Richard about working in my company and he turned the offer down. He said accepting to work under me was an insult but I felt like that was not the only reason why he refused the offer. I don't know what's going on. Richard and I have remained friends but we never talk about our families.

Me: so what happened to everything Richard's father had, my father, told me he made millions.

Mark: I have no idea. All I know is that the family has been lavishing in poverty since Jesse died even though Richard's other brothers, mother, and sister seem to be doing well.

The breeze from the soft blowing wind felt nice but it was getting late and my mother could not stop blowing my phone up with calls. It was time to go back home so we got back in the car after having an unexpected conversation. I had no idea that behind the smile on Mark's handsome face, he had painful memories attached to it.

Mark: do you have to go home?

Me: yeah, I left without saying where I was going.

Mark: what if you tell your mum you are at a friend's house? I need you by my side tonight... I'm feeling like crap like it is.

Me: you know that will be a mistake, you and I cannot stay under the same roof and have nothing happen between us.

He took my hand in his and kissed it.

Mark: it's not about the s*x, it is your company. Everything about you. My heart feels warm when I'm around you.

I looked away trying to avoid eye contact with him but he turned my face to his.

Mark: please?..

He said moving in for a gentle kiss..then he kissed me on my forehead and looked into my eyes.

Mark: I want you in my life, I want you in my space and in my bed as well but I'll take it slow until you are ready. Tonight is different. I just want to hold you in my arms all night and have you lay on my chest as I play with your hair, kiss you goodnight and that's pretty much it.

He reached for my seatbelt and buckled it for me. Mark made my heart beat so fast, his eyes looking at me and his smooth talk. I wanted everything Mark wanted but the fear of what would happen if everyone else found out about us got the better part of me.

That night Richard and Santos went back to the house in Muthaiga. Richard knew that he was going to have to stay away and put up his wheelchair act again now that his mother was in town. The interesting thing is that Richard never bothered to check on Robina to know how she was doing. He knew that his mother's coming was about fixing his relationship but he didn't care. Tosh was still locked up in one of the rooms with a bullet wound in his leg. He had tried to find his way out but the telephone in the room was not working and there was no way he could call on someone for help because Santos was roaming around with his phone.

Santos went to see Tosh to take him some food, Tosh had not eaten the entire day and when Santo walked in with a plate in his hand and a bottle of water, he was relieved. Santos put the plate on the bed next to him and pulled a chair then sat not so far away from him with his gun on his lap.

Tosh: took you long enough, I thought the plan was to starve me to death.

Santo: we haven't completely ruled it out. You continue acting dumber and you will end up dead.

Tosh took his food and immediately started digging into it as Santos watched. He then stopped abruptly with food in his mouth and looked up at Santos.

Santos: what?

Tosh: or maybe you have poisoned the food.

Santos: I don't need poison to kill you. Just a bullet in your eye is enough.

He continued eating.

Tosh: so what's the plan, for how long will you guys keep me here?..

Santos: I don't know. That's up to the boss.

Tosh: the boss... Richard ain't s**t to me. He owes me for having me drop everything and take care of him on his damn wheelchair, the i***t could walk all along and you knew?.

Santos: yeah.

Tosh: tell him I want to see him.

Santos: you are in no position to make demands. You f****d up and the boss is still trying to figure out what to do with you.

Tosh: tell Richard I want to talk to him. Your job is to take orders and deliver them not give opinions.

Santos: I could shoot you again if you keep talking...

Tosh: I'm not afraid of you.

Santos got up and went to Tosh and grabbed his foot and pressed his knee. Tosh wailed in pain and his voice attracted Richard who came dashing into the room.

Richard: stop it, man!

He shouted and Santos stepped back. He took the plates from the bed and walked out leaving the two alone. Richard got a first aid kit and then sat right where Santos was seated.

Richard: I know you have questions but what you did was very very stupid.

He said holding his leg and dressing it up. Tosh was speechless for a moment looking at his legs and then at him. Richard could notice Tosh's eyes all over him.

Richard: I was to tell you...

Tosh: yeah right.

Richard: I mean that I just didn't know how because it's a secret that I have kept for a long and it should remain a secret. No one can know that I can walk especially my friends and family.

Tosh: why?.

Richard: there are things you wouldn't understand.

Tosh: like you killing people?

Richard: you should have never gone to the police. I thought I could trust you enough with something like that but you betrayed me.

Tosh made hissing sounds as if he was in pain but Richard did not stop.

Tosh: you want to talk betrayal, I did what I think was right, wait...who else knows about your shady dealings... Mark?

Richard: no. Mark doesn't know a thing and it should stay that way.

Tosh: you are dark and twisted. Just a few weeks ago mark and I were talking you out of begging in the streets, I actually thought you were doing it to get Robina to stay with but all that was an act?

Richard: you know it was an act, I told you so.

Tosh: what did the guy you shot steal from you?..

Richard: I cannot talk to you about that unless I know I can trust you...

Tosh: wow... You really are something else... you wasted my time, all for nothing. Does Robina know who you truly are?..

Richard: keep Robina out of this. You don't know what I'm capable of doing to people who can't keep their mouths shut. What you witnessed was the easiest way.