Inferno Part 2

~116~ Lamb In The Lioness' Den

Ellie's POV

Taylor goes to school with us today to help Josie carry in her replica project. This thing is a beast. We didn't get to this stage with Sasha...At this stage, I was going to Mr. West's class to yell at him. So funny how things change. Never in a million years did I expect to help raise this man's sister. Have this man be my son-in-law. Have his son be my grandson. It's bizarre.

We go up the stairs, and Taylor's muscles in his biceps are bulging. "This is seriously cool, J" Taylor says, looking at it again as we walk down the hall. We see several dad's helping carry their kid's project. When we get in, Mason is telling another parent where to put theirs. He sees us and smiles.

He shows Taylor where to put it, and looks at the replica. "This is amazing, Jocelyn" he says simply.

She just smiles slightly and looks down.

"Did you take a million pictures like last time?"

I chuckle and dig in my purse. "Get to know me already. I made you copies," I say as I hand him a ginormous stack.

"Ellie Jane, you need spanked. No normal person takes that many pictures of a project." Taylor grumbles.

"I never claimed to be normal, sugar lips."

Taylor and I leave and walk down the hall, holding hands. When we get to my door, I lean in for a kiss.

"I'll take my punishment tonight, sir."

He raises his eyebrows and chuckles.

"Well, I'm not actually gonna' spank you, Ellie Jane."

"Why not? Might be fun!" I say, giving him a teasing grin.

He laughs loudly and shakes his head, leaving.

Man my guy has a cute butt. I watch it as he walks out the doors.

That afternoon when I get home, he and Wes are arguing. It surprises me. They never argue.

"Wesley, I'm just saying that you saw all of it with me and Ellie. Do you really want to put yourself in that position?"

Wes scoffs. "Come on, Taylor. What do you think I'm going to do? Cheat on Megan? Get real!"

"Look, I'm not saying that at all. I know Katie though. I don't think you need to be the handyman repairing her house. There are other people she could hire. The earthquake did a lot of damage to her house. You will be there for hours a day when you're not on shift. It isn't smart."

"I resent that. I couldn't care less about Katie. She is paying me a fortune for this. I know you know how much property taxes on these houses are. I'm trying to get Trace through school. Izzy will be next. So I'm going to do the job, get the ten grand, and pay for another year of Trace's school with it. Get off my ass." He snaps.

Taylor glares at him. "I have known you since I was 25. You're closer than a brother. I'm telling you you're making a mistake."

"And I'm telling you, brother, to mind your own business. I will not be drunk when I'm working on her house. I have NEVER so much as flirted with another woman. I have been 100 percent faithful to my wife since the moment I started dating her. Quit acting like every single person is going to make the same mistake you did."

"Wes, you never even flirted with Megan. You were too damn shy. So quit acting all high and mighty. Katie is a good looking woman and you know it. She has tried so much shit with me. Ellie doesn't even know the half of it. She knows what she's doing. You're not a naive man SO QUIT ACTING LIKE IT."

"I'm taking the job, Taylor." Wes says darkly.

Taylor sighs. "Well, then that makes you an idiot. Be careful."

Wes glares at him as he turns around and walks out. He sees me, kisses my head, and silently leaves.

Taylor shakes his head angrily. "That man is so bull-headed sometimes it pisses me off. He is going to be stepping into a lioness' den. He's the freaking lamb. He's kind and shy. She's going to ruin them."

"Wes won't cheat on Megan."

He nods. "I know that. But you know Katie. Something is going to happen. If and when it
does I'm beating Wes' ass. Megan is not you. That almost broke you. This would absolutely annihilate Megan and I won't allow that."

"You don't have a choice" I say gently.

He sighs and nods angrily. "Yeah, well I wish I did. This is bad news."

Taylor doesn't say much the rest of the day. He's so furious. The next morning, as I'm getting ready for work, Taylor is drinking his coffee on the porch. Wes is walking down the street, with some tools, to Katie's house.

Wes sees Taylor, and walks into our yard. He stops on the porch.

I go by the door quickly so I can hear what he is saying.

"I love you, man. I appreciate you looking out for me. I'm not going to be an idiot." He says seriously.

Taylor takes a sip of his coffee and stares at Wes hard.

"You're not an idiot, she's just evil. I love you too, but you're being a fool."

Wes nods. "I'm going to hope you're wrong" he says as he walks over to Katie's house.

Taylor angrily throws his mug into a bush and storms inside. He sees me and shakes his head. "How does a best friend allow his best friend to make such a shitty decision?"

"You can't force him to do what you say. You told him how you felt. He gets to make his own choices."

"EVEN IF THEY'RE WRONG?!?" He asks, raising his voice.

I just nod.

"Ellie, last year when you went to work, Katie came over and acted like she had gotten hurt and needed help. I fell for it. I thought her ankle was broken, so I picked her up and put her on the couch. I went to get ice, and when I came back, she was in lingerie. I kicked her out, but she told her neighbor on the other side of her that I slept with her. She's evil."

"Why did you never tell me?" I ask, getting furious.

He sighs. "It was right after Ben. You didn't need to deal with it."

"How's come the neighbor never told me?"

"I have absolutely no idea."

I sigh. "Maybe she isn't attracted Wes"

He shakes his head. "First of all, she is. She has told me before... and second of all, she wants to destroy this family. She's jealous of all of us."

I kiss him softly. "I have to get to work."

He sighs and nods. "What do I do?" He asks desperately.

"Nothing"

As I pass Katie's house, I see Wes getting started on the spot right by her front door. He sees me and waves.

I hope Taylor isn't right. He IS right on one thing, though.

Katie is Evil