by Avery Katz
“That’s a story for another day.”
He surprisingly nodded and told me to talk to him whenever I was ready.
“Thanks, Ruppy. I will.” I said, giving his naked thigh a firm squeeze. “God, this is so unprofessional. Look at us, sitting here in our underwear like we just had a sexy slumber party.”
He laughed and picked up his unfinished burger from the plate.
“Yes. We’ve crossed so many lines. Someone should arrest us for ordering milkshakes at three in the morning.”
“No. Someone should arrest you for charming the pants off my best friend.”
He held my gaze with those twinkling eyes of his and reached out to pinch my cheek.
“Your humor tickles me in all the right places. I just love it.”
“Why thank you very much.” I grabbed his hand and kissed it. “You flatter me, Your RoyalHotness. You really do. This is just sex, though. It’s not like we’re in love or anything.”
“Yes, indeed. It’s not like we’re in love or anything.”
Yeah right. Who was I kidding? I was head over heels for my Prince Charming.
Chapter 16
RUPPY
Yeah. It’s not like we were in love or anything, right?
Except that I was catching feelings for Justin. Hard.
I stretched my arms over my head and smiled when I heard Justin singing in the shower. He had a terrible voice. Last night was very memorable. We bonded over burgers and shakes and had long, meaningful conversations. I shared with him little anecdotes about my family and Lockridge Palace, and we stayed up talking until four in the morning. The last time I talked this much was during a magazine interview with a journalist friend of mine back in Raplen. Justin made me want to spill all of my innermost thoughts and musings. He made me want to shrug off my responsibilities and spend the whole day in bed with him. Alas, I had a party to attend and a wife to find. Cartoon princes always managed to find their princess with a kiss or a glass slipper. Sadly, magic did not exist in our world. Otherwise, I would have solved all of my problems using fairy dust.
A sharp knock on the suite door pulled me out of my thoughts. I rushed over to answer it. The waiter greeted me with a polite smile and wheeled in our breakfast trolley. I had ordered room service while Justin was in the shower. I thought I would surprise him with scrambled eggs, Belgian waffles, and hash browns.
I was surprised to see a small package next to the food tray. I asked the room service waiter about it, but he said he had no idea who it was from. One of the staff at the front desk told him to deliver it along with our breakfast. I thanked him and locked the door. Curiosity got the best of me, so I carefully opened it using the butter knife.
The note slipped into my hand first. It was the size of a large post-it note.
“Dearest Ruppy, why do you insist on ignoring me? So far, you have ignored me more times than I can count. You will pay. Mark my words.”
I read the note out loud and snorted in derision. Who would be juvenile enough to write this crap? The handwriting was messy and childish. I reached inside the package and pulled out a stack of photos. There were pictures of me leaving the restaurant the night before and snapshots taken at the studio during my interview with Nicole. Someone was pulling a prank on me. Yeah. That was it. I told myself it was nothing, but Justin walked out of the shower in all of his naked glory and spotted the package right away.
“What’s the matter?” He strode over to me and took the note from my hand. His smile turned into a frown when he read it. I could tell that it rubbed him the wrong way.
“I’m sure it’s nothing.”
He shook his head.
“Maybe, but I’m not taking any chances. Whoever sent this knows where we’re staying. The Fairmont is officially compromised, safety-wise. I’m going to have to move you to another hotel in the city.” His eyes were full of concern when they met mine. “There’s something else you should know. Last night, I found a note stuck to the windshield. It was addressed to you. It was written in that same sloppy handwriting.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Now why would you keep this from me?” I asked, feeling mildly irritated by his lack of transparency. Two notes in less than twenty-four hours were odd, even for a prank.
“I honestly thought nothing of it until I saw this note right here. I don’t believe in coincidences.” He picked up the accompanying photos and muttered something under his breath.
“Look, I know my safety is your main concern, but we’re going to have to postpone moving to another hotel due to my busy schedule. My brother Greg is hosting a party in honor of his mother-in-law. They flew back to San Francisco just in time for her birthday. She turns sixty today. I need to go out and buy her flowers and jewelry. I heard she likes rose gold and tulips.”
Justin folded his arms across his chest, seemingly displeased by my words.
“Fine, then I’ll get my men to move our belongings to another hotel in our absence, so we don’t have to return to the Fairmont after the party.”
I hated moving around and switching hotels, but I gave in and said yes to ease his mind. We quickly ate breakfast, and then I changed into something smart-casual for the occasion. I paired my favorite blazer with a pair of dark washed jeans and Ferragamo shoes. They were unbelievably comfortable. Justin was dressed in his usual ensemble, but I told him it was okay to dress down, so he did. He wore black Diesel jeans under a crisp button-up shirt that matched the color of his eyes.
“You look chic.”
“Chic is the new sexy.” He grinned and held the door open for me. We took the elevator straight to the underground parking. As usual, there were paparazzi stationed outside the exit, so he quickly drove past them while giving them the finger. We went to the nearest shopping mall where I was able to purchase a lovely tulip arrangement for Louisa and a simple yet elegant golden Tiffany necklace.
Justin used the GPS in his car to guide us to Quin and Greg’s new home. My brother ran a successful real estate business in the Valley, so his house was a reflection of his status as a real estate prince. It was a two-story French country style home with a luscious landscape and an organic garden where he grew his own fruits and vegetables.
Quin had clearly gone all out for his mother. There was a balloon arch at the entrance and a waitress who served pink lemonade with a friendly smile in the foyer. We each took a glass before making our way to the opulent living room. Greg was there, and so were Danny and Nate. I was frankly surprised to see them.
They did not tell me that they were coming, but then again, Nate had a crazy schedule these days. He was the lead singer of an indie band called The Moonstones. They went on an international tour last month, and my brother joined them. He looked tired but immensely happy.
“Ruppy!” Greg greeted me with a hug. “What took you so long?”
“We were on a quest to find the perfect birthday gift for Louisa. Where is your mother-in-law?”
“She’s out back with her friends. This is more of the hip and young corner.” He gestured over to the coffee table, which was lined with finger sandwiches and olive cosmopolitans.
“Well well well, look what the unicorn dragged in!” Danny exclaimed before rushing over to give me an enthusiastic bear hug. “Long time no see, bro.”
“Yes, indeed.” I chuckled. “How have you been? I heard you were living the rockstar life.”
“Oh, Nate has a no-alcohol, no-weed policy on his tour bus, so we’re less rock and roll and more straight edge. We do serve vegan meals and Matcha tea on the bus if anyone’s interested in joining us.” He said.
I said hello to Nate and shook his calloused hand. His fingers were covered in a band-aid.
“What on earth happened to your hand? Did you get amped up on stage and break one of your guitars again?”
“Nah. This is what happens when you play a Gibson Firebird for three hours straight.”
“Ouch. Talk about carpal tunnel syndrome.” I w
inced. Justin moved to stand beside me, so I introduced him to Nate and Danny. He was very courteous when he spoke to them. I quickly downed my pink lemonade and went outside to give Louisa her Tiffany gift. She welcomed me with open arms and unwrapped her gift right away.
“Oh, Rupert! I love it.” She gushed before kissing me on the cheek. She introduced me to her book club friends and old high school pals who were all gathered around a large chocolate fountain. Justin followed me like my own shadow while I joined them for a plate of fondue and a glass of red wine. Justin refused to eat since he was officially on the job. He stood in the corner and watched me entertain Louisa and her friends.
Quin and the others showed up a while later with a scrumptious looking red velvet cake. We all sang happy birthday to his mother while Adley danced circles around us. I laughed and basked in the warm atmosphere. Nate volunteered to cut the cake into twenty even slices. He always took charge when it came to serving food.
The orange-red sunset made the garden look like a tropical haven. The sunflowers and daisies danced in the lovely spring breeze as we sat there enjoying our dessert. I saw Greg feeding Quin with his fork. They were very much in love, and it showed. Danny was also crazy about his husband. He took a break from work just so he could go on tour with him. I found myself eying Justin and thinking about feeding him and cuddling in bed with him.
I frowned down at the pink hearts on my cake and suddenly realized that I was falling for him. “Oh, dear,” I muttered under my breath before scooping up the candy hearts with my fork and eating them. Justin walked the length of the vast garden, scanning both the trees and the perfectly trimmed hedges. He really was an impressive, mouthwatering specimen.
Greg suddenly plopped down beside me and draped an arm over my shoulders.
“I heard the Prince of Luxembourg is getting married. Are you going to attend his wedding?”
“He can fuck off for all I care.”
“Whoa. Did you just say the F-word? Why? What did he do to you?”
“He challenged me to a game of polo, and when my team won, he threw a tantrum and called me every name in the book. It was humiliating and unbecoming of someone like him.” I filled him in. “He also revoked my invitation to his annual yacht party.”
“Pierre is a pussy with a capital P. He’s always been a sore loser,” Greg remarked. “So, what else is new with you? Did you go wife hunting or not yet?” He snickered.
Quin sat down next to his husband and handed him a glass of wine.
“Hey. What did I miss?”
“Nothing. I was just asking Ruppy about his plans.”
I sighed and decided to tell them about the anonymous notes.
“Someone has been sending me handwritten notes right out of a slasher movie. They were written in this childish, creepy handwriting, promising to make me pay.”
“Fuck.” Quin and his husband exchanged worried glances. “How long has this been going on?”
“It started last night. Justin thinks we should move to another hotel.”
“No.” My brother shook his head, vehemently. “I’m not going to let you stay somewhere public. Somewhere where anyone can use a fake identity to book a room and murder you in your sleep.”
“Jeez. Macabre much?” Quin reached over and squeezed my hand. “Tell you what, why don’t you move into our old Tudor house in Presidio Heights. It’s private and secluded with high walls and a top of the line security system. What do you say?”
I called out to Justin to come to join us. He sat down across from me and listened to what Quin and Greg had to say. They described the house in detail and even gave us the security code in case we decided to move in right away.
“This is the best solution to our stalker problem. No one will expect you to be anywhere near Presidio Heights. It’s a residential area, not a commercial one.”
“Great. It’s settled then.” Quin got up and dusted off his jeans. “I’ll go get you the spare keys.”
“Thanks. We promise not to trash your house and dance naked in the living room.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t mind seeing your bodyguard naked,” Greg whispered in my ear.
“Says the happily married man.”
“I swear to God I was joking. Don’t tell Quin.”
Chapter 17
JUSTIN
Sleeping in a brand new bed meant tossing and turning on the mattress even though it was made of memory foam. Quin’s house made the weirdest creaking noises at night, but Ruppy was oblivious to it all. He slept like a baby while I played a game of Tetris on my phone. Why did his husband and brother buy such a big ass house in the first place? It had more than five bedrooms and a kitchen the size of a football field. It took me almost an hour to do a walk around the backyard. The fence was high and equipped with security cameras. It was much safer than staying in the Four Seasons or the Holiday Inn. Nevertheless, that did not stop me from staying up late and checking the locks on each and every window.
It was quarter past one in the morning when I heard an odd sound coming from downstairs. I bolted upright and concentrated on the disturbing noise. It was more than just your average door creak or the bubbling sound of the water heater. No. That was something else. My sudden movement caused Ruppy to wake up. He sat up against the headboard and scratched his head.
“Hey. What’s up?”
I climbed out of bed and switched on the bedside lamp.
“I think someone’s trying to enter the house.” I opened the drawer and pulled my gun out of its holster. I hated walking around with that thing, but it was a necessary evil.
“Shit. I’ll call the police.” Ruppy whispered. He sounded worried.
“No. Let me handle it.” I gripped my Glock tightly in my hands and made my way to the door. “Stay put. Better yet, close the door behind me.”
“What? No.” He frowned. “Leaving you out there all alone with an intruder is too dangerous.”
“Ruppy, I can handle this. Now shut the damn door.” I insisted. He muttered something under his breath but ended up following my orders. I padded barefoot down the hallway and then went downstairs to confront our mysterious intruder. The house was supposed to be an impenetrable fortress goddammit!
I carefully approached the front door with my gun leading the way. The moonlight streaming in through the windows made the foyer look a lot less intimidating in the dark.
“What the fuck?”
Our intruder had a key and was using it to unlock the door. Goosebumps rose along my arm and adrenaline rushed through my body as I transitioned into fight mode. The door swung open, so I hurried towards it and cocked my Glock.
“I have a gun and will blast a hole in your fucking skull if you move!” I threatened him. He froze in the doorway and dropped his keys on the ground. I quickly moved along the wall and switched on the lights.
I kicked the door open all the way to the side and pointed the gun at the handsome stranger standing in the doorway. He flinched and raised his hands in the air. He looked more surprised than scared.
“Who the hell are you?” I shouted. “And who the fuck sent you? Are you the one stalking Ruppy?” My booming voice made him sober up real fast because he was clearly drunk.
His face went pale all of a sudden. Strange. His chiseled jaw and high cheekbones reminded me of Ruppy. Something just did not add up. Why would an alleged stalker have a key to this house?
“Wait. Did I hear that, right? Someone’s stalking Ruppy?”
I was suddenly surrounded by a cloud of confusion and suspicion. Luckily, the man in question appeared beside me and gave me an admonishing look.
“Oh for God’s sake, Justin. That’s my cousin Freddy. Please put down your gun. You’re scaring the bejesus out of him!”
I lowered it reluctantly while glaring suspiciously at Freddy. He had a striking pair of grey eyes and a dimpled smile that appeared when he saw Ruppy. He let out a long sigh before rushing over to embrace him. I shoved my Glock into my back pocket and locke
d the front door.
Well, that was very anticlimactic. I was hoping to put an end to that intruder business once and for all. I watched the two men embrace and wondered if all the men in Ruppy’s family were that good looking. They were the type of guys that made you do a double-take whenever you walked past them. They definitely had a better gene pool than The House of Windsor.
Ruppy walked his cousin to the living room, where they sat down to chat. My adrenaline was still running high so I paced the carpet to calm myself down.
“You look like you could use a fidget spinner right about now.” Ruppy cracked a smile while staring at me.
“I’m sorry for pointing my gun at you earlier.” I apologized to his cousin.
“Oh, don’t be sorry. You had every right to be vigilant.” He said. “This house is the best hideout in San Francisco. You should have come here straight away instead of staying at the Fairmont. Greg gave me his key ages ago just in case I needed a place to stay and brood like a vampire.”
“Yeah. I just saw your coffin in the basement.” Ruppy snickered.
“You should think about investing in an invisibility cloak. I, for one, could use a healthy dose of anonymity.” Freddy said. “Speaking of which, do you really have a stalker or are you being haunted by the lady ghost who resides in Lockridge Palace?”
“No. I hired a bodyguard and moved here just for shits and giggles.”
“Aw. I missed sarcastic Ruppy. Seriously though. Tell me what happened.”
Ruppy filled his cousin in on the recent developments regarding our stalker and his messy handwritten notes. He also showed him the photos he’d found inside the infamous package. I walked over to the small television screen in the corner and made sure all of the security cameras were working.
“Be careful, Ruppy. This stalker of yours means business.”
“I know. Don’t worry. Justin is an ex-CIA agent. He knows what he’s doing.”