by Katie Dowe
“What’s with the ‘I’m a skank’ routine?”
“Fuck you Marco, what do you want?”
“Wow, I heard you’d grown an edge these days. I didn’t think you’d gone all demon queen on me.”
Kenzie rolled her eyes. “Did you call me here for a reason? Or was it just to get on my nerves?”
“Calm down. I wanted to talk to you about the new album. Things like, when are you going to start working on it?”
“I told you, I will.”
“Yeah, you said that. When? I understand if you still need time off, but you’re the one who said you were ready to go. You’re the one-”
“I said I’ll do it! Damn, get off my back. You’re like my second mom, I don’t need another one.”
Kenzie had risen out of her chair. She crossed her arms over her chest and walked across the room. She had to get out of his face for a moment, to get out of the range of his ever deepening Italian accent the more angry he became. There were awards on the wall, expensive art beside it. There were pictures of all the people Marco had helped raise to fame. On the end, there was a picture of her. It was taken over a year ago. She was smiling, his arm around her neck as they posed at an award show. She hadn’t won anything, but it was a thrill back then just to be a part of the ride. And she hadn’t let it hold her down. Instead, she’d busted her ass twice as hard to try to get where she wanted to be.
“Kenzie.”
The woman turned around slowly. Marco had calmed down, but what replaced the upset in his eyes was pity. That angered her. She walked over to her chair, grabbed the bag beside it before he gripped her arm. She tried to pull away, but he simply stood there, holding her in place.
“I've got places to be.”
“No, you don’t. We have to talk. Sit down.”
Marco released her arm. She glared at him through narrowed eyes, but she sat down. He leaned against the desk, crossing his legs at the ankle as his arms crossed over his chest. Kenzie started to make a smart remark, but the look in his eyes was serious.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t know how to tell you this...so I’ll just show you.”
Marco reached onto his desk. When he turned around, there was a newspaper in his hands. He gave it to her. Kenzie was almost nervous what she’d see on the paper, some new story detailing her tragic accident or her new behavior. Something saying she was having a nervous breakdown, that she was out of control. It was all within the realms of possibility. She opened the paper slowly. The headline at once grabbed her attention. It was so much worse than she thought it would be.
Celebrity Stalker Released From Prison
Kenzie’s heart began to beat wildly. She felt the cold, sweat that often appeared when she thought about that night. Her eyes scanned the article, her heart racing out of control She had refused to have anything to do with anything when she came out of her coma, let alone read about it or watch a news story. Now, she wished that she had. The article said that the man they had in custody, who they’d thought was her attacker was in fact innocent. She glanced at the picture. It wasn’t him. It wasn’t the man in the gray hoodie. She threw the paper away from her as if it were poison. Kenzie couldn’t breathe.
She reached into her bag, fumbled through the growing mess for her pill bottle. When she found it, she could barely open it. Marco took the bottle, popped it open and slipped two pills into her palm. She swallowed them before he handed her a glass of water that had been sitting on his desk. Gradually, the panic began to melt away until it was a dull ache in the pit of her stomach. She shook her head.
“How can this have happened?”
“There were no witnesses, besides you. When you were still in the coma, they did the best they could with the evidence they had. They’re still looking Kenzie. It’s only a matter of time.”
“So, what do I do now?”
“Well, that’s up to you. We can move you somewhere far away. Somewhere I’m sure he could never even afford to go. Or you can stay, try to continue your career.”
“How? How can I do that with the thought of him always being there now?”
“I thought of that.”
Marco leaned over his desk, pressed a button on his phone. He spoke to his receptionist for a moment before he hung up. When he was done, the door was being pushed open slowly. Kenzie watched as a man stepped around the doorway.
It was almost like staring at an image of Marco, only younger and taller. The man had dark, wavy hair, astonishing blue eyes and thin, pink lips. His face was stern, professional. He walked over to them before clasping his hands in front of him. The smell of some exotic cologne filled the air.
“This is Gianni, my cousin. He’s been in the business of bodyguarding probably since you were still in middle school. He’s good at what he does. What do you think?”
Kenzie looked him up and down. “If I can sing, I’ll do anything.”
Chapter 2
“Gianni, this is my Kenzie.”
“I’m not anyone’s,” she said as she took his extended hand, shaking it, but glared at Marco.
Marco laughed at this. “You’re in for a real treat with Kenzie. She’s always been headstrong.”
Kenzie was grateful that he hadn’t ended the statement by referring to her recent hospital stay. Even though Marco could be a hard ass, she knew he did actually care about her. Sure, it was about the money too. However, they’d worked together too long for there not to be some kind of relationship there.
“It’s nice to meet you, Kenzie.”
“Gianni will take you to your new place. You’ll have a full team by your side from now on. I had some luck throwing the vultures off by dropping hints that you were still in Sweden, but they’re getting smart. Either that or one of your “friends” is running their mouth.”
Kenzie sighed. She wouldn’t be surprised if one of them was. It could be good money selling her out. She froze.
“Wait, did you say my new place? What’s wrong with my old place?”
“It’s too well known,” Gianni said before Marco could speak. “I like anonymity.” The man pulled a folder off of Marco’s desk. “Here is the complete outline of the things I’ve implemented for your security.”
Kenzie raise an eyebrow at Marco. “Does he always sound like a robot from a bad sci-fi movie?”
Marco tried to stifle a laugh as Gianni look unamused. She sighed before she flipped the black folder open. Inside there were at least fifty pages, of small print instructions. At first she thought they were instructions for the team of guards that would be protecting her, but the more she read, the more she realized they were guidelines for her.
“What am I looking at?”
“Rules, protocols, procedures. The sooner you learn them, the safer you’ll be.”
“Rules? I’m sorry, did time reverse? Am I a minor again?”
Marco rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, they’re just in case. I’m sure that once things have calmed down a bit and that bastard's been put behind bars, you can do whatever you want. Until then, you have to listen to Gianni. He’s going to keep you alive.”
Kenzie rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I have somewhere to be,” Kenzie said as she shrugged her purse onto her shoulder.
“What about the album?”
“I’ll work on it tomorrow. Send over the demos.”
Kenzie threw up her hand as he continued to speak. She was done with the meeting. The pills were making her sleepy. All she wanted to do was go meet her friends. As the elevator doors slid open she stepped inside before turning around. She yelped. Gianni was walking smoothly into the elevator behind her. He pushed the button for the ground floor then stood with his arms clasped behind him.
“Let me guess, bodyguard duty starts now?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t talk much do you?”
The man raised an eyebrow. Kenzie saw a brief flicker of amusement. “Am I suppos
ed to?”
The woman shrugged as she slipped her phone out of her purse. “Not really. I was just wondering.”
The man nodded, but didn’t say anything. The elevator doors slid open with a ding. She walked across the lobby with the sound of his footsteps right behind her. She stopped before turning to him.
“Do you have to walk so close?”
“It usually works best to walk close to someone you’re protecting.”
Kenzie opened her mouth to reply, then turned. She walked outside trying to lengthen her stride to leave the man behind. The sound of him walking behind her was intimidating. Her car pulled to the curb, the sleek black car reflecting the afternoon sun. The driver hopped out before opening her door for her.
“Well, I guess this is where we part ways,” she said clapping a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll see you later.”
Kenzie slipped into the car. The driver shut her door and she sighed. She had thought a bodyguard would be a good idea, someone to watch from afar, make sure she was safe. Now, she was regretting it. She started to call Marco, tell him to call the whole thing off, but she had the feeling that wouldn’t happen no matter how much she protested. The car started up.
“The Uptown Cafe.”
Kenzie looked up as they pulled off. In the front seat sat the profile of Gianni. She glared at him.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m going to Uptown Care, miss.”
“Not you. Him! Gianni, what are you doing in my car?”
“Guarding you.”
“You couldn’t do that from your own vehicle?”
“Not as efficiently,” he said before handing back the black folder. “You left this upstairs. You’ll need it.”
Kenzie snatched the folder from his hands. She flipped through the folder, mumbling to herself as the car drove smoothly through the city. She texted Benjamin before going back to the folder.
“I have a curfew?” She laughed. “You’re joking right?”
“It’s not a curfew. We would just prefer that you not go out after dark if it can be avoided. It’s harder to see someone coming at you in the dark.”
“Well, why don’t I just lock myself away in my room and never leave leave again?”
“It would make my job easier.”
Kenzie caught the driver stifling a laugh. The man caught her glare in the rearview mirror. He cleared his throat and went back to focusing on driving.
“You’re funny. I could just fire you.”
“Actually, you can’t. Marco hired me, he’s paying me. The label company is actually requiring you to have an escort”
“I’ll hire another one,” she said between gritted teeth.
“Feel free.”
Kenzie stepped out of the car before it had even pulled all the way to the curb of the cafe. She slammed the door behind her. The building took up the corner of the block, cars stretched along it with a parking lot, probably full by now, behind it. She walked down the sidewalk until she spotted Cassie and Benjamin sitting at a table. They waved, she waved back.
“You are not going to believe my day.”
“I hate to say this...but there’s a guy following you,” Cassie said uneasily.
“That’s my new bodyguard. He’s annoying.”
“He’s hot,” Cassie replied.
Kenzie turned her head. The man was situating himself at a table a few rows behind hers. The dark hair, broad shoulders, piercing blue eyes certainly did leave a mark. Women were looking at him, whispering, staring. Kenzie scoffed. He might be good looking, but he was a thorn in her side.
When the waiter came over she ordered an iced coffee then turned to her friends. Cassie was taller than her with platinum blond hair and alluring gray eyes. Today her hair was piled up into a bun. She wore something similar to Kenzie, a black mini skirt, tall heels and a low cut orange tank top. Benjamin was stark opposite. Dark brown hair, brown eyes, tanned skin. He was the product of a white mother, cuban father. Kenzie had a thing for his wavy brown hair and crooked smile.
“He looks annoying. How old is he?” Ben asked.
Kenzie shrugged. She thought she detected a hint of jealousy in his voice. It made her smile. They sipped at their drinks, taking peeks at Gianni until Benjamin cleared his throat.
“I was thinking about the setup for your next concert. You know, I’m in a band. I was thinking…”
“That you guys could open for us. Yeah, I know Benjamin you’ve only told me a million times.”
“Yeah, I know. That was before…”
Kenzie watched his face contort. Knowing Cassie, she had just kicked his shin. He grimaced.
“Sorry.”
“It’s not that big of a deal. I’ll talk to Marco about it, okay?”
He looked at her with that almost shy grin. She melted. Cassie cleared her throat loudly.
“If you two are done flirting, I thought it would be fun to talk outfits. I say we go with someone new. So, shopping, but it’s up to you.”
“What are we shopping for?”
“Your official coming home party! I have everything set up already.”
“When is it?”
“Tonight at ten. We’re going to drink until we regret our decisions.”
Kenzie laughed. “Fine. Let’s talk outfits.”
They spent the rest of lunch laughing, talking about the party Cassie had planned and sipping more coffee than was necessary. By the time they had to part ways, Kenzie was fidgety. Instead of calling the car once she’d fixed her makeup in the mirror of the bathroom, she walked to the park. It was quiet. A few people with their dogs, some moms with their toddlers, but it was just the way she liked it. Kenzie sat on a bench underneath a huge tree. The shade cooled her off. As she glanced around, she wondered what going to the party would be like. She liked to believe she would be fine, but the thought of all those people unnerved her.
Kenzie sighed as she leaned her head back, eyes closed. A cool breeze was blowing softly over her skin. She almost wished she could tell Cassie no, that she didn’t want to go. However, she knew it was necessary. Kenzie forced that thought aside. It wasn’t just necessary, it would be fun. She wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of her fun.
The woman realized that someone was breathing near her, heavily. She popped one eye open. The sun was behind the person’s head, their face cast in shadow. Kenzie opened both of her eyes just as hands went to her throat. She couldn’t lift her head as the hands began to press on her throat harder. She reached up trying to scratch at the person’s face. Her hands were just out of reach. Instead, she dug her nails into the person’s hands.
It was a man. He howled as he yanked his hands away, her crescent shaped nailprints embedded in his skin. Kenzie jumped off of the park bench, her ankle twisting painfully in the tall heels. She fell, her knees digging into the dirt. She could hear the man moving up behind her when a pair of shoes entered her field of vision. She looked up. Gianni’s face was stern as he held a gun in his hands. He thumbed the hammer back. Kenzie turned around. The man was smiling. He turned before he disappeared into the trees. Gianni reached down to help her up.
“What are you doing? Get him.”
He shook his head. “Bad idea. There’s no telling what he has in those trees. Let’s get you to a safe place first.”
Kenzie gazed up at him. He really was handsome. The way the sun played off of his olive skin was intoxicating. She took his hand gently. He pulled her up to her feet. Kenzie cried out as her twisted ankle gave out.
“I can’t walk,” she said quietly.
Gianni looked her up and down making her self consciously tug down her skirt. Finally, he crouched down before sweeping her into his arms. She started to protest, especially when people started staring, but she didn’t. It felt kind of nice, being in his arms. Safe. The adrenaline was wearing off for her, all that was left was exhaustion. She rested her head on his chest.
When they reached the car, he slid her inside gently before buckling her in. They drove off as Kenzie examined her ankle. It was already swelling. The more she thought back on it, the more shook up she became. She wiped at her eyes with a dirt stained hand. How much longer did she have to deal with this? She had thought her nightmare was over, but apparently it wasn’t enough that she was already traumatized.
The car slid through the city in silence. Not even the radio was turned on. Kenzie fell asleep at some point during the ride because when she opened her eyes she was being slipped out of the car by Gianni. He carried her in his arms again. She looked up at the building. It was a highrise apartment, all glass and steel that stood before her. He carried her through the doors. The elevator slid it’s way upwards until they reached the top floor.
A man she didn’t know, but who nodded at Gianni opened the door. He wore the same stern expression, the same dark suit. As Gianni carried her through the new apartment, she took it all in. Someone had obviously tried to replicate her old home. There was purple and gold everywhere from the sofas, to the curtains, to the kitchen to her bedspread where Gianni deposited her. The room had the same posters as her last place on the wall, the same pieces of art that she loved, but it wasn’t home. Kenzie felt tears pricking at her eyes.
“Are you okay?”
The woman wiped her eyes quickly. “I’m fine.”
Gianni stared at her for a moment until she turned her face from him. When she heard him shuffling around, she looked up. The man was in the bathroom. She could hear water running. When he came back out, she noticed that his jacket was gone, his sleeves rolled up to reveal strong arms. He went into the top drawer of the dresser before pulling out a thick towel.
“Can you walk?”
Kenzie nodded. She wasn’t sure if she could, but she didn’t want him carrying her anymore. Carefully, she pushed herself off of the bed, stumbling forward. Gianni caught her. He helped her limp into the bathroom where the tub was filling up quickly. It was a huge, round tub with a button for jets. She leaned forward, pressed the button. The water rippled from the power of the jets.