Her Protector

by R. S. Lively

  I look at him and sigh.

  “We met because you hired a private chef for a dinner party at your house. Or, at least you attempted to hire a private chef. You actually hired a very public Lee who then pawned it off on me. The point is, I knew from that night you have money. Obviously.”

  “I'm spoiled, I remember,” he says.

  “Exactly. So, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to me that you're able to do some of the things that you do, but not all of it. You spend money without even thinking about it. You never show it off. You never draw attention to it, but the things you’ve planned for me don’t fit just basic spoiled levels of wealth. Beyond that, how do you have so much control over people? Why does it always seem like the whole world bends to your will? When you want something to happen, it just does. No matter what. No matter how ridiculous or unpredictable or implausible it is, you just decide it's going to happen, and it does. There has to be something about you, because I have read that book about sending your energy out into the universe and it sending good things back to you, and let me tell you the only secret about that is how those writers have managed to maintain a straight face every time they lecture the punks who fall for it. You send stuff out into the universe and it just sticks there.”

  "You don't believe in the Law of Attraction?"

  "Not unless we're talking magnets, cookies, or me to you.”

  He thinks for a few seconds, then takes a step toward me.

  "Alright, Alice, I haven't been totally honest with you, and I'm sorry. The fact that you didn't know who I was when you were at my house was... refreshing. I wanted the chance to spend more time with you without that hanging over us. Again, I'm sorry. I should have been more open with you, especially before now."

  I draw in a breath and let it out slowly, but it doesn't stop my feet from starting to pace.

  "So, tell me the truth. Who are you?"

  "My name is Dean Laurence. That part is totally true. I have four brothers and two sisters-in-law. Also true. Grant is the oldest, then my twin Preston, then me a few minutes later, then Asher, and the youngest is Seth. What I haven't told you enough about is my work. I said I'm in the business of making things happen, but that's kind of simplifying things. I don’t work for anyone. I work for myself and it’s because of that business I’m able to have things go my way more often than other people might be able to do. My brothers and I own a business called DreamMakers, Inc. We are bucket list concierges."

  That’s enough to stop my pacing.

  "What in the living hell is a bucket list concierge?"

  Dean laughs like he's heard that question many times before.

  "People put together bucket lists because they have aspirations and dreams. But most of the time they have no idea how to actually go about doing those things. They can want them with every fiber of their being and be willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill it, but they don't know how to make it happen, so it goes undone. Most bucket lists never get finished. That's where we step in. My brothers and I work with people to arrange for the fulfillment of their ultimate dreams. Each of us has our specialties and personal interests, and over the years have cultivated collections that help us give clients exactly what they want. Luella came to me because having a final performance is her bucket list item. She contacted Grant first, but he knows this is the type of thing I thrive on. It’s why I came here from home in North Carolina after high school. That part is also true, by the way.

  "And the money?"

  "I have... plenty."

  "And?"

  "And what?"

  "Anything else?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "That's it? That's the big revelation? What you were keeping from me is that you own a business and you are wealthy, so people do whatever you want them to?"

  "Yes."

  "I thought it was something horrible. Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to call you spoiled. Probably more now. But I don't care about that. I wanted you from the second I saw you even when I thought you were an ill-prepared bartender hired out for the night."

  Dean takes another step toward me, looking down at the floor.

  "Well, there might be one more thing."

  Oh, shit. Here it comes.

  "What?"

  "You are wrong about everything.” I take a deep breath, but his eyes sparkle. “The Law of Attraction is definitely real. It has to be, for the universe to have sent me you." He wraps his arms around me for a kiss, then suddenly pulls his head back. "And I'll probably start telling Lee everything now. That way we can avoid these things."

  I laugh and let him make the world melt away with the press of his lips and the soft sweep of his tongue.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Dean

  I stopped. I had that whole truth thing going and Alice was hearing everything she didn't know about me... and now she's in my arms with the tip of her tongue clouding my mind, and she still hasn't heard quite everything. The deal is still in place. Telling the acquisitions department to step back and not harass her anymore doesn't mean the contract is null. I have to stick to my original intentions and let this unravel the way it should. As much as I want to, I can't just rescue her by ending the contract. It would change how she looks at the theater and how she looks at herself. If I'm being honest with myself, I'm afraid it will change the way she looks at me. Just a few more weeks and everything will fall into place.

  "How is Luella's play going?" Alice asks, leaning her head back to look at me.

  "It's going really well. After I dropped you off this morning, I met with her at the rehearsal space she's using, and it looks like she is already making great progress. It helps that most of it is a one-woman show, and she has been working with the few other actors involved as their mentor. They know each other so well the early stages are easier."

  A questioning look narrows her eyes.

  "This rehearsal space you're talking about. It doesn't happen to be something you own, does it?"

  "It might."

  She laughs and shakes her head.

  "Convenient."

  "She thought so."

  I rest my forehead against hers and notice her shifting around slightly. Finally, she sighs.

  "Alright, I haven't been totally honest with you, either."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I heard from the silent partner again."

  My stomach twists.

  "When?"

  "Before we went to the hotel."

  "Ah. So, that's the cause of all the pool aggression."

  She nods.

  "Yeah. I feel really bad about that. Maybe I should apologize to it."

  "What did the message say?"

  There's a part of me, a hopelessly optimistic part that many say should have shriveled up and blackened after so many years in New York, that hopes she's going to tell me the message dropped the pressure and offered her as much time as she needs. There's another part of me that thinks there's a chance the message told her everything and she already knows my involvement but doesn't mind. The bigger part of me knows neither option is realistic.

  "It was pretty horrible."

  "Can I read it?"

  I hadn't asked to see the messages before. Hearing her tell me about them was enough to infuriate me without having to actually see the words. But now I want to know exactly what he's saying. Alice hesitates, but then reaches for her phone. She clicks across the screen for a few seconds, then turns the phone toward me so I can read the email she brought up. Taking the phone from her, I scan through the message, feeling my blood heating in my veins as I absorb the acidic words. When I get to the bottom of the message, something stands out to me.

  "Q?" I ask.

  Alice nods.

  "That's how he always signs it."

  "Nothing else? You don't know his full name?"

  "No. All I've ever known is Q. Because of the confidentiality of the agreement, I didn't see his signature on the papers. It's just Q."


  I quickly forward the email thread to myself before I hand the phone back to Alice. Trying to swallow the anger, I know I need to keep myself under control until I know exactly what's going on, but it's a struggle. This is bullshit. My determination to follow through with the plan we have in place is only stronger now. Any possibility of laying it all out and telling Alice is gone. Now it's not just about giving her the chance to fulfill this dream for herself. I want to take Micah down. The messages are not just filled with disrespect and aggression. There is an arrogance in them that says he doesn't care that he works for me. He really believes he can make any decision he wants just for the fun of being in control and lording it over Alice. I'm not going to let that happen anymore. Forcing an end to the contract would put him back in his place, but it will be so much more satisfying to watch him squirm as Alice rises up and takes back all he tried to take from her.

  But in order for that to happen, I have to stay calm. I can't let anything slip, and I have to do everything I can to help the plan fall into place.

  "What's on tap for today?" I ask.

  "Shannon should be here soon and I know she's working on a few things. The crews got a lot done over the last couple of days, which I'm sure you have absolutely nothing to do with."

  "I hired some extra crew members. That's it. I promise there is no magic spell or anything in place."

  "Well, I can live with that. They have kept the pace going. But there is still a lot of work going on in the basement to restore the pool and everything." Her eyes suddenly get wide. "Oh, no."

  "What is it?"

  "I can't believe I forgot."

  Her hands cover her face, then comb back through her hair.

  "Forgot what? What's wrong?"

  "Remember I told you about the ridiculous ghost hunt thing Lee arranged a while ago when we were trying to figure out more ways to make money for the theater?"

  "I remember."

  "Well, some people heard about it and thought it sounded fun, so they booked their own night. I completely forgot. When all the renovations started, Lee handled canceling the screenings, but I was supposed to call and reschedule the ghost hunt. Shit. There was so much going on in my head it just…" She makes a gesture like something falling out of her temple. "It’s going to make me look so bad to cancel just a few hours before they are supposed to be here."

  "Then don't," I tell her.

  "What?"

  "Don't. Don't cancel. We can pull it off."

  "It's not a bunch of kids this time. This was supposed to be adults with actual equipment, doing research and, ugh!" She drops her head into her hands again. "How could I forget?"

  I take her by her shoulders so I can look at her.

  "Alice, listen to me. You can do this. I know you can. It's just people coming to the theater at night and poking around waiting for something to jump out and scare the shit out of them, but at the same time really hoping it doesn't. So, let's make the most of it. Lee wants to make the theater a destination, so let's do it. Rather than making it seem like you're just letting them in to wander, turn it into an event. Start building more hype, and Luella taking the stage again will be even bigger."

  "You sound like you know what you're talking about."

  I shrug.

  "Preston taught me everything. He does the marketing for the company."

  "Well, I'm sold. What do we do first?"

  "Leave the big things to me. You take care of the theater and what needs to be done here before the group arrives."

  Every fiber of my being wants to go to the office and confront Micah. I have to pour my energy into the arrangements for tonight and let that keep my mind off my anger.

  Alice smiles at the woman who has had her locked in conversation for almost twenty minutes and I notice one foot edging away as, if her body has given up hope that her brain will ever break free and is trying to escape on its own. I stride over to them and nestle a glass of wine into Alice's hand.

  "I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's someone who needs to have a word with you." I flash a grin at the woman. "Are you having a good evening?"

  "It's wonderful," the woman breathes.

  "Fantastic. The exploration will be starting soon."

  Taking Alice's elbow, I lead her away from the woman and down the hall toward the office. She lets out a breath when I close to the door.

  "That was intense," she says. "I know far more about the underwear proclivities of poltergeists and what it's like to have a haunted lingerie chest now than I ever wanted to."

  "I don't think that's something I ever wanted to know about."

  She nods.

  "So, who needed to talk to me?"

  I smile and gather her in my arms.

  "Me." She giggles at my words. "They've been monopolizing you all night."

  "That's not my fault. You're the one who decided to have a welcoming reception waiting for them when they got here. Brilliant, by the way."

  "I know. Nothing encourages people to talk like being made to feel important. Those people out there are going to take pictures of every drink and canape, and themselves pretending to read the personalized observation journals we gave them and splash it all over social media. Attention for them and a lot of attention for Wonderland."

  "You're sure that's a good idea? Do you think we're over-exposing the theater, so it won't be as special when it opens with Luella?"

  "Absolutely not. You want Wonderland to stand on its own well after that show has left. The event with Luella is all about her, with the publicity for Wonderland a beneficial side effect. Events like this are all about the theater itself. You're building relevance, and that's what will gain momentum and equate lasting success."

  She sighs and wraps her arms around my neck, the cool wine glass pressing against my skin.

  "I love it when you talk like a brochure."

  Laughing, I lean down to kiss her, but before my lips can touch hers, everything goes dark. The eerie, total silence of no electricity explodes with the sound of startled screams and shouted questions.

  "Shit. The electricity went out," I mutter.

  "What happened?"

  "I don't know, but we need to get back out there to those people before they panic and scramble."

  I feel Alice shifting around, and then a beam of light bursts through the dark.

  "I always keep a flashlight accessible in case of storms."

  "I knew people who make preparation a priority would come in handy someday."

  We run out of the office and back toward the lobby. Enough light is coming through the glass front doors of the theater to prevent the space from becoming pitch black, and I'm glad we haven't yet lowered the blackout curtains meant to provide the atmosphere for the evening's exploration.

  "Everyone, please calm down!" Alice tries to shout over the voices.

  A few people listen, but the rest are too wrapped up in their freak-out they don't hear her. The ear-splitting sound of my whistle takes care of that.

  "Good evening everyone," I say when all eyes are finally on me. My hand reaches beside me and feels for the flashlight. I take it from Alice's hand. "It looks like you've already gotten the attention of the spirits." Nervous laughter ripples through the group. "They are ready to play, so if you'll get your observation notebook and pen, and bring any equipment, it's time to start your search. We'll try to convince them to give our electricity back as quickly as possible."

  The laughs are more convinced now and more beams of light pop up throughout the darkened lobby, as the members of the group turn on their own flashlights and gather their research equipment. Alice and I cross to the doors and lower the curtains. She looks at me out of the corner of her eye, and I smile reassuringly.

  "It's fine," I tell her. "Just go along with it. I'm sure it's just an issue with the breaker or someone smashed into a transformer or something. Think of it this way, this might just make Wonderland go viral."

  Alice smiles at me softly, like she’s unconvin
ced. “Everything will be fine,” I insist. “We’re in no…”

  I’m cut off by one of the guests popping her head back into the lobby. “I didn’t know you were catering tonight. But you should probably check out wherever your kitchen is.”

  Alice frowns. “What do you mean? No, we’re not catering tonight.”

  “Well, something’s burning. Don’t you smell it?”

  Alice whips her head around to gaze directly in my eyes. Sudden panic fills the space between us. And then I smell it too. Yep, something is definitely burning. More gasps and screams start to fill the room as smoke billows through the air, and our guests start to realize what is happening. At first, some of them seem to think it’s just part of the show – but the situation quickly devolves out of hand.

  “Everybody –” Alice starts, panic in her voice. She can’t get the words out.

  I immediately snap into protector mode. I know I’ve got to rescue Alice. And our guests. Whatever the cost. “Everybody out!” I yell, above the din of panicked voices. “Follow the emergency exits! Evacuate now! This is not a drill!”

  Alice still hasn’t moved. She just stares at me, frozen to the spot.

  “Go get the fire extinguisher,” I command, as calmly – yet urgently – as possible. She nods and disappears behind the ticket counter to find it.

  As she goes, I turn my attention to shepherding out the panicked customers and guiding them to the main doors. Some of them are coughing or crying, and a few are already on the line with 911. When I’m sure the last of them is out of the lobby, I make a beeline towards Alice, who is still fighting with the extinguisher.

  “Let’s go,” I tell her, grabbing her shoulders and trying to pull her away.

  She shakes her head, even through a coughing fit. “I can’t. I can’t leave Wonderland like this,” she replies, tears in her eyes. “I don’t know what to do.”

  My heart breaks at the sight of her in such despair. I know how much the theater means to her. But, even if my heart is breaking, I know I can’t allow anything bad to happen to her.

  “Come here,” I mutter, and I lift her up into my arms. Smoke completely covers the lobby now, and the temperature is rising. While I still haven’t seen any tongues of flame just yet, I know they can’t be far from coming. Whatever it takes, I have to get Alice out of here and to safety. Now.