And it was no different for Haylee. She couldn’t be around Lucas without wanting to touch him, to be with him. It was all she could do to keep her attention on the next concert. But she kept worrying about the stalker, and her anxiety wouldn’t abate.
Haylee should have been relieved that she had a capable bodyguard. But now that she had fallen for him, that had changed. She didn’t want Lucas standing between her and danger. She hated the idea of him getting hurt.
After the plane took off, Haylee couldn’t keep her mind off Lucas. The memory of his loving touch filled her thoughts and flooded her with emotion. She cherished the intimate moments, and her skin tingled as she recalled the heat between them.
Haylee did not want Lucas involved in this situation. It was her fault. And she wasn’t sure that he realized what kind of man Kuzmin was. Attempted rape had only been the start; he might have killed her if the guard hadn’t appeared and saved her. The thought chilled Haylee to her very soul.
And what had Kuzmin learned in prison? Certainly, he hadn’t acquired any humanity. If he’d had any shred of decency, she feared that had been destroyed in the company of other inmates for so many years. It all seemed impossibly hopeless.
Kuzmin wanted her with a vengeance that was not to be denied. Any man standing in between Kuzmin and Haylee would surely take the brunt of his rage. Lucas didn’t sign on for that. He might consider it his duty—and he would protect out of love—but she doubted that he’d been aware of what he’d have to face.
It was his life that was at risk. It was bad enough that Haylee had to deal with the threat, but now she’d dragged Lucas into it. Maybe if she hadn’t given in and shared how she felt about him, then she could have asked him to leave and let her security handle this.
Yet she knew Lucas. There was no way that he would go, no matter what she said. And as if that wasn’t enough, she had put him in further jeopardy by giving in to desire. It was darn near supernatural how the press seemed to know the details of her life.
It wouldn’t take long for it to leak that she was romantically involved with her bodyguard. The tabloids would explode with the news, including any photos they could get their hands on. And that was just the start. Social media would take off with the story, making their love painfully public.
Haylee would try to keep it a secret, but how was she supposed to avoid looking at Lucas, revealing how she felt? If she touched him, stood too close, or made any innocent gesture, the press would latch on to it. She knew how they worked.
It wouldn’t be fair to Lucas; he wasn’t used to being in the limelight. Yet that wasn’t the worst of it, and she didn’t think that Lucas had considered the other aspect of the situation. Kuzmin would consume the media with perverse interest. When he realized that Haylee was romantically involved with another man, it would incite him. It was possible that her reach for love might be the final linchpin that unleashed violence upon her.
After the plane landed, a limo arrived to drive Haylee and the others to the Hilton on the Camden Waterfront. The BB&T Pavilion was across the Delaware River from Philly. Haylee was close to home, but she might as well have been in another universe.
Jeffrey had met with her security and planned for her to stay at a hotel near the concert venue, since she had a packed schedule the next day. She had a meeting with a key sponsor, and a press interview. Afterward, she had a final fitting for her costume, then rehearsal.
Haylee wouldn’t have an opportunity to go home until after the concert. Then she could visit Evan before continuing the tour. But until then, her schedule was full. She’d stayed at the Hilton before, and enjoyed the panoramic views of the river and the Philadelphia skyline.
But this time, Haylee had other things on her mind and was anxious to finish and go home—if only for a day or two. During the trip, Lucas had barely uttered two words to her. He was part of her security team, and although he stuck close, he didn’t show any sign of affection.
Haylee went to her suite to call Tyler. She couldn’t visit Evan, but at least she could hear his voice. Before calling, she’d decided not to share the latest developments about her stalker. Tyler couldn’t do anything about it, so would only worry.
But Haylee should have known that Tyler wouldn’t be clueless.
“I’m so glad to hear from you,” Tyler said. “I held off calling while you were away, but I understand that there has been more contact by the stalker. And worse, that it’s him.”
“Yes, it’s Kuzmin, and he is evading the police.”
“Haylee, this is bad,” Tyler said. “Are you sure you have enough protection? How’s that bodyguard working out?”
Haylee might not be able to keep Tyler from knowing about the threat, but he didn’t have to know everything. She preferred to tell him about her relationship with Lucas when she visited, not over the phone. “Lucas?” she said. “He’s been the ultimate professional. I feel much safer with him as protection.”
“Glad to hear it,” Tyler said. “And his team has spared no effort in keeping us safe here. It won’t be much longer now. Once you finish the tour, this will all be over.”
Haylee was glad he thought so, but she knew Kuzmin wouldn’t go away that easily. He wasn’t stalking her out of infatuation with her fame and fortune. It was much more personal, and infinitely crazier. “I’ll be able to visit after tomorrow.”
“Evan misses you,” Tyler said. “Let me get him for you.”
Haylee waited anxiously to talk to her son and assure herself that he was okay.
“Hi,” Evan said.
“Hi, sweet boy,” Haylee said. “Sorry to call you that, but I miss you so much.”
“When are you coming home, Mommy?”
Leave it to a five-year-old to get to the point. “I have to work tomorrow, but the next day I’m coming to see you.”
“Did you get me anything?”
“Of course—don’t I always?” Haylee smiled. It was a present that she was sure Evan would love, and she looked forward to seeing his face light up. She talked to him for a while longer, then said goodbye. She couldn’t wait to get home and give Evan a big hug.
Feeling lonely, Haylee texted Nina to see if she could come by later for cocktails. It would be safe enough if Nina came to the hotel. Her friend responded with a definite yes. She’d love to get together. For the next few hours, Haylee coordinated with Amy about scheduling and wrapped up a few more tasks.
When cocktail hour approached, Lucas appeared at her door to take her down to the lounge. Her security had reserved a private area of the restaurant for her. “I’ll stay at the entrance,” he said. “No one will get in without me seeing them.”
Lucas wore a dark blazer that was tailored to his buff physique. One look at him made Haylee want to run her fingers through his short, sun-bleached hair and feel his soft lips on hers. He didn’t make it easy on a woman.
There was no one else in the hallway, so Haylee kissed his cheek. “I miss you.”
Lucas melted for just an instant, and his eyes gleamed with desire. “You steal my heart a little more every time I see you.”
Haylee walked toward the elevator with Lucas beside her. He might not think he was romantic, but she knew otherwise. It was going to be difficult to avoid any sign of affection in public.
At the lounge, Nina was waiting. When Haylee entered, she rose to give her a hug. “It’s so great to see you. I’m glad you called.”
“You look very fashionable,” Haylee said.
Nina wore cream slacks with a silk blouse and pearl earrings. She had her dark hair styled in short waves. “It’s not every day I’m invited to cocktail hour. I’m a mother of three, or have you been away so long that you’ve forgotten?”
“Surely, mothers are allowed to drink.”
“Of course, but usually with children underfoot and toys scattered across the carpet.”
“That sounds idyllic,” Haylee said, then surveyed the menu.
“Since I’m going all out here
,” Nina said, “I think I’ll have the crab fingers and a daiquiri.”
“Sounds delicious.” Haylee motioned to the server. “I’ll have the same.”
While waiting, Haylee asked Nina to pick up the special gift for Evan that she’d arranged. Then she nibbled on a breadstick and listened to Nina. It was a comfort to hear about her homelife, her husband’s work, and the kids’ activities. As far as Haylee was concerned, her friend had an enviable life.
The drinks were served, and the appetizers followed. It was nice to just relax and chat with Nina, a rare moment that Haylee hoped to have more of someday. “I want to thank you for visiting Evan. That meant a lot to me.”
“He’s a sweetheart,” Nina said. “I went over again and took the kids. They had a great time together. And Evan seems to be doing well now. He just had that one episode, which was alarming for you, I’m sure. But when I was there, he only used his inhaler a few times.”
“I still worry about him,” Haylee said. “But then, what mother wouldn’t?”
Nina sipped her drink. “You have a very attentive bodyguard over there.”
Haylee glanced away. It was going to be tricky to hide anything from her best friend. But Nina could be trusted. If there was a leak to the press, it wouldn’t be from her.
“He’s more than just a bodyguard,” Haylee said.
“I’m not surprised,” Nina said. “He is gorgeous.”
“I think it’s serious between us.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Nina said. “You deserve it.”
Haylee shared the other news with Nina. It had been a while since they’d talked about the subject, but they’d been friends since school. There wasn’t much that they hadn’t shared. She knew about Denton Scott Kuzmin.
“That’s very distressing,” Nina said. “Can’t the police pick him up?”
“You would think so, but it’s not that easy.”
Nina glanced toward the entrance. “You can invite Lucas to sit with us, if you like.”
“I would, but he’ll refuse,” Haylee said. “He’s on duty, and besides, we don’t want the world to know our secret quite yet.”
“My lips are sealed,” Nina said. “But you must promise to tell me everything, or almost everything.”
Haylee smiled. “You got it.”
“And by the way, I got tickets to your concert tomorrow night,” Nina said. “We hired a sitter, so we’ll be in the audience yelling with the rest of your fans.”
“I would have gotten you tickets.”
“It’s fine,” Nina said. “We’re all set. I’ll talk to you when you get back home. There’s no way I can fight through the crowd to get to you tomorrow night.”
“With all the security, I doubt you could anyway.”
When Haylee stood up, Lucas came over, so she made the introductions. “Nina, I’d like you to meet Lucas Parker.”
Nina beamed at him.
“Lucas this is my best friend, Nina.”
Lucas gave her a winning smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I’m delighted,” Nina said, her eyes sparkling. “I hope to see you again.”
Nina gave her a hug, promising to be in touch, then left. Lucas offered Haylee his arm and took her up to her room. She should make an early night of it, considering the busy day she had planned tomorrow. But once the door shut and Lucas took off the blazer, all such intentions went out the window.
The suite had two bedrooms, but they’d only need one. The day had seemed too long; separation had been torture. Haylee fell into his arms and they held each other tight. She breathed in his scent and leaned against his hard chest. It was going to be a wonderful night.
*****
Haylee had performed at the Pavilion before. She was comfortable on stage there, and after her final rehearsal, she was pumped about the show. Costuming had outdone themselves with a sequined outfit and glittery heels. She would sparkle from one end of the stage to the other.
There had been no further communication from her stalker. Lucas had assured her that although Kuzmin had been suspiciously quiet, the police had issued a warrant for his arrest. It wouldn’t be long until he was in custody, so Haylee tried to put aside her anxiety.
Once Haylee was on stage, she forgot about anything but the audience. Their enthusiasm inspired her, and she gave a good performance. Near the end, she had something special planned. Lucas had told her that his favorite song was “At Last My Love.”
Haylee hadn’t originally written it for him, but she might as well have. It was about waiting for the right person, your soul mate, and the immense joy of finally being together. Before she began to sing, Haylee paused, until the audience grew still. Then she glanced to the side stage at Lucas, and her heart swelled with love.
She sang the romantic song in a way that she hadn’t before. Now she had someone to sing it to. Lucas would know it was for him. When she got to the final lines and looked at Lucas, she felt the bond of love between them. The audience went wild with a standing ovation.
Once the concert was over and Haylee was in the limo, she breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Lucas, his expression saying more than a thousand words. It was going to work out. As soon as the danger passed, they would be together without having to hide their love from the world.
Lucas escorted Haylee to the room, but he bent down to pick up a flower arrangement that had been left in front of the door. “An adoring fan?”
They went inside then Haylee read the card. She slumped into a chair. “Oh, no…he can’t…”
Lucas grabbed the card then tossed it on the table. “Dammit, he’s gone too far.”
Evan is our son. You can’t deny what happened between us. He even looks like me. I won’t allow you to keep him from me any longer.
Haylee leaned on the table with her head in her hands. Just when she’d thought that things couldn’t get any worse, Kuzmin did this. She had started healing from her past. She had a new beginning, a true love. But he wouldn’t let her go, and now Evan was in danger—all because of her.
Chapter 13
The concert ended late, so it was after eleven when Haylee arrived at the hotel. As much as she wanted to call Evan just to hear his voice, she didn’t want to wake him up. Much to her relief, Lucas took over to ensure her son’s safety.
As if in a dream, Haylee listened to Lucas. He called Adam to let him know of the new development, then he called his boss. Late or not, Lucas relayed the urgency of the situation to Hawke and asked questions about finding Kuzmin.
After the call, Lucas assured her that two guards were posted at Tyler’s home and the security system was activated. With protection in place, Haylee didn’t need to worry. Early the next morning, they would go home. Then Lucas would stay by Haylee and Evan’s side until the authorities picked up Kuzmin—however long that took.
Yet there was no news on Kuzmin’s location. Hawke had been in touch with the LAPD, but since their parolee had crossed state lines, they had to work with other law enforcement agencies. Yet from New York to Brooklyn to Camden, the police hadn’t spotted Kuzmin. He seemed to stay one step ahead of them.
As if the upsetting note to Haylee wasn’t enough, the news of Kuzmin’s alleged parenthood spread across social media. Lucas showed Haylee several posts that had gone viral. And there had been confirmation in one of the threads that Kuzmin had been out of jail at the time Haylee got pregnant with her son.
“It’s ridiculous,” Haylee said. “I know who the father of my son is.”
“Kuzmin is delusional,” Lucas said. “The timing fits, and in Kuzmin’s crazy mind he imagined being with you, at least long enough to father a child.”
“There’s not one shred of truth in that,” Haylee said. “But who is going to believe me?”
When Haylee’s phone dinged, she dreaded picking it up. “What now?” It was an accusatory message from Ryan asking what was going on. She handed her phone to Lucas so he could read the text. “I can’t deal
with him right now.”
“He doesn’t deserve an answer,” Lucas said. “Ryan should be offering his support and announcing to the world that he is Evan’s father.”
“He only communicates when there’s an opportunity to deride me for my mistakes,” Haylee said. “I have no doubt that he assumes I started the rumor for publicity reasons, or some such nonsense.”
“You need to get some rest,” Lucas said. “Then, first thing tomorrow, you can go home.”
That sounded awfully good. Haylee was tired, stressed, and overwrought. She didn’t know how much sleeping she would do, but Lucas got in bed, and she slipped under the covers next to him. She left her phone on the nightstand in case Tyler called. Most likely he had already been asleep when social media had exploded with the story, but surely he would read about it in the morning.
Lucas held her close, and Haylee put her head on his shoulder then closed her eyes. She thought of her son and looked forward to going home. She could stay for a few days to spend time with Evan. She tried to relax; her son was under protection and likely safer than if she was there.
Haylee felt as though danger followed her, like a dark cloud that she couldn’t escape. But Lucas was with her, and the police would take Kuzmin into custody as soon as he surfaced.
Lucas fell asleep. The only time he relaxed was when Haylee was by his side behind a locked door where no one could get to them. He kept his clothes nearby and his phone within reach. If anything happened, Haylee knew that he’d be alert in an instant.
But Haylee couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned, listening to Lucas’s steady breathing. Guilt gnawed at her that she’d involved him. This was her mess. She put her arms over her head, staring at the ceiling, but she couldn’t shut off her mind. She was a mother, so it was impossible not to worry. Then, on the nightstand, her phone lit up.
Haylee reached for her phone. It was an image someone had texted, but few people had her personal cell number. She stared, trying to comprehend it. It was a picture of two men on the lawn outside Tyler’s home, and they appeared to be unconscious.
Lucas (Must Love Danger Book 5) Page 10