Shutter: The Complete Series

by S. E. Dosher

  “Sounds perfect.” He leans down and kisses my cheek. “Call ya later, love.”

  “Wait, you didn’t pay,” I demand to his disappearing figure. He waves dismissively over his shoulder at me as he moves out the door.

  “Yeah sure, I’ll pay for your lunch, don’t worry,” I mumble under my breath.

  “Your date stick you with the check?” a deep voice laced with humor asks from behind me.

  I turn to see Niko, arm in arm with a very short, very gorgeous blonde. The huge bandage is gone from his face and a small clear strip covers the cut.

  “Umm, no…well kind of, it was just Paul. He was in a hurry.”

  “I think he ran off because he saw me coming.” A wicked smirk stretches across his face.

  I pull money from my bag and lay it with the check as I stand to leave. “He actually had something at work to get back to; hiring more security at Blasé after an incident last night. Involving you, I hear.”

  “Yeah, the crazy struck twice last night.”

  “Well, hopefully that’ll be the last you see of her,” I offer, desperate to end this particular line of conversation. Discussing his stalker makes my skin crawl - for obvious reasons.

  The blonde on his arm nudges him with her elbow, still conveniently looped through his. A detail I have yet to stop noticing.

  “Oh, Brook, this is Kiki. We were just stopping in for some lunch.”

  “Nice to meet you, Brook,” Kiki offers with a smug smile that stirs an unexpected wave of jealousy in my gut. Which is a new feeling; one I don’t normally feel about Niko. Until now.

  I’ve never seen her before, though, meaning she’s either new to his life, or she’s related to the aspects of his work I don’t get to see. Even though I follow him on location when I can, I know there is so much I never see.

  “Mmhmm, nice to meet you, too,” I offer, grateful my voice doesn’t betray my true feelings. “Anyway, I’m on my way out, too. Why don’t you just take this table?”

  I slide around the table, looking for the quickest route to the door, and begin my escape when Niko calls after me, “Brook, wait. Why don’t you join us?”

  “I think she just finished eating,” Kiki says, providing me with a perfectly good excuse to bolt.

  “She’s right, but thank you for the offer.” I turn back to the door, praying my face isn’t a tint of green.

  “Brook,” Niko hollers after me.

  I stop and turn back as he pulls the chair from under the table and offers it to Kiki, who reluctantly sits.

  “I’ll be right back,” he tells her before he approaches me. “Can I walk you out?”

  “Sure, I guess,” I say as he forces me to loop my arm through his the exact same way he’d just been with Kiki.

  We walk the short distance to the front door and he releases my arm to push the door open, gesturing for me to exit first. The simple gesture triggers my inner feminist for some reason, and we engage in a battle of wills as his eyes lock on mine. One second…two seconds. Exasperated, he slowly exhales and tips his head toward the doorway in a silent plea for me to move forward. I give in with a loud huff and trudge outside.

  “You’re in a mood this afternoon. Was it the see-through shirt thing?” he asks as he fights the smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

  “No, it’s not. For one thing, my shirt wasn’t really all that see-through, and you don’t know me well enough to know if I’m in a ‘mood this afternoon,’” I point out, then realize my eyes have drifted over his shoulder to connect with Kiki’s as she watches our every move.

  “Oh, I get it, you’re jealous I’m here with Kiki…”

  “What?” I cut him off mid-sentence. “I am not! Why would I be jealous…exactly what possible reason would I have to be jealous…I never get jealous…I’m immune to jealously…no green monsters around here…no way, sir,” I ramble on as his eyes twinkle with humor and his face beams with obvious glee over my rant.

  “I like you, Brook. You have no filter, which makes you easy to read.”

  “What?”

  “I said I like you.”

  “Umm, yeah, I caught that.”

  “So dinner tonight?” He changes subjects faster than my mind can keep up.

  “Whiplash,” I blurt out as I fight to keep up with him.

  “What?”

  “Whiplash. You give me whiplash.”

  He laughs, and I laugh manically along with him.

  “I know you,” Kiki says as she steps between Niko and me.

  “Me?” I point to myself, completely shocked.

  “Yeah, you’re Brook Beckham,” she plainly states, offering no chance for me to disagree.

  “She is. Brock Beckham at Galactic Productions is her brother.” Niko fills in, but I already know that isn’t what she recognizes me from.

  “No, you’re Brook Beckham the model. It took me a minute, but I finally figured it out.”

  Occasionally I run into women that recognize my face, but the longer I’m out of the business the less frequent the I know you! moments occur. I hadn’t really pegged Kiki as the type that would know me from my past life.

  “A model?” Niko questions, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Well, that makes sense actually.”

  “I’m the Fashion Editor for InTune magazine; your cover from summer 2009 is hanging on the wall above my desk. It’s still our highest grossing edition. It’s actually great to meet you.” She grips my hand so tightly I flinch.

  “Umm, yeah sure. You too, Kiki.”

  “Kiki is interviewing me. That’s what we’re doing here - working lunch,” Niko smirks unforgivingly at me from over her shoulder.

  “It would be an honor to interview you sometime as well, Brook. A “where she is now” story. What do you think?” She’s so giddy she’s almost bouncing.

  “No, I don’t think that would be interesting at all. I’m nowhere now, I’m doing nothing,” I admit then lean closer, making sure to catch her gaze, “I don’t think anyone would want to read about that.”

  “Bullshit! She’s the one that saved me from that fucking intruder last night,” he says to the back of Kiki’s head, before turning his gaze on me, “Bullshit you aren’t doing anything now.”

  How the fuck does he know what I’m doing? He doesn’t have a clue what I do with myself. My head is screaming at him, but my mouth stays firmly shut.

  “That’s perfect!” she shrieks. “I can get his story in the next edition then follow it up with an in-depth look on you. I can see the headline now Former Model Saves Nikolas Gallo. Of course, we’ll have a huge photo shoot with both of you to go along with it.”

  “No!” I shout far too loudly. Both of their eyes jerk to me. “No,” I repeat softer, but no less firm.

  “Brook?” Kiki asks, completely baffled anyone would say no to her pitch.

  “No. I’m sorry, but no.” I step back, needing to get away before the conversation goes any further. I quicken my pace and turn, tossing a lame I have to go over my shoulder.

  The idea of stepping even a single foot in front of another flashing camera makes my stomach turn and my skin scorch. It took everything I had to walk away from that life, and when I finally did that world crushed me like a cockroach. Re-visiting my old life, even for a short time, is not something I’d ever willingly volunteer for.

  Chapter 6

  I’m right back where I have already spent a good chunk of my day - sitting in my dark house, staring at the picture of Niko from last night, my eyes burning a hole into his. I’m not sure what I’m hoping to glean from his image, but I can’t seem to look away. The expression on his face is a mix of pleasure and pain with the smallest hint of sadness. I can’t figure him out. Nothing I thought I knew seems to be true.

  I’ve created this false shell of who I thought Niko is over the years, building the facade from the traits and characteristics of his personality I’ve witnessed. The Niko in my head sat so high on a pedestal, even with the many faul
ts I knew he had. I don’t want to lose the comfort I’ve found in my own personal Niko. I know who I thought he was could never be reality; no one is who they appear on the outside. Now, he’s turning out to be better than I thought he could be, and I don’t want to shatter that and lose the comfort I’ve grown to expect from the Niko I created. I’m not sure I want to experience the real Niko at the risk of losing my imagined version of him.

  My cell phone chimes with a message, illuminating the room with an ominous glow from the screen.

  Come to the courtyard

  Why?

  Someone’s here to see you

  Who?

  Who do you think? Niko. Get out here.

  Shit! Panic seizes me as I reread Brock’s response. Why is Niko here? I didn’t think I’d see him again after I ran away from him this afternoon. I take a quick look at myself in the small mirror next to my bed before I walk outside to the courtyard.

  The courtyard is one of my favorite parts about mooching off Brock. He didn’t opt for the usual Olympic-sized pool when he bought the house. Instead, he had fountains installed surrounded by a glorious yard and a maze of hedges. Just like you’d see in a movie depicting nineteenth century England.

  The men’s laughter echoes across the yard as soon as I step out of my house. Their rich baritones easily guide me to the center of the maze and the largest fountain.

  “I’m so glad you agreed to meet with me. Deals like this don’t come along every day in the movie industry,” Brock says.

  “I agree. I think we will work great together, and I look forward to it,” Niko says, sharing Brock’s enthusiasm.

  I turn the corner in time to see them shaking hands next to my favorite table, a table I’ve spent many hours at debating my mere existence. I’ve soaked that table with more salty tears than even I probably realize.

  “So what’s going on?” I finally say, drawing their attention.

  “Niko and I just finished meeting about a project we may team up on,” Brock says with a smile. “This fella here is much more than a pretty face; he’s quite the screen writer, as well. He’s got a bright future behind the camera.”

  “How about we wait to declare that for a little while longer,” Niko laughs.

  “I see, well that’s great,” I add to their love fest.

  “I hate to keep running off like this but duty calls. Got a late night on a film,” Brock says then leans in to kiss my cheek and whisper, “Be nice, I like this one.”

  Yeah, I bet you do.

  “What are you up to tonight?” Niko asks as Brock moves into the maze of hedges and out of sight.

  “Absolutely nothing.”

  “Come with me?” he asks as his eyes twinkle with the reflections of the barely setting sun.

  “Come?” I ask, testing the word out on my tongue in response to him – and I like it.

  He smirks, “Yes, come.”

  A giggle escapes at his response. “And might I know where we’re coming?”

  “Dinner, dancing - the usual. A friend of mine is opening a new club tonight; I promised I’d make an appearance.”

  “And you want me to make that appearance with you?” I ask, completely mortified at the thought.

  “Well, you seem to be a little shy about that sort of thing – which I will ask more about later. So no, no special appearances for you. I can handle that part on my own. There’s a VIP section in this club.”

  “Yes, and we both know how secure VIP sections are,” I quip.

  “You got me there,” we both laugh as he continues, “but I promise you will have fun, and there will be no unwanted visitors.”

  “Okay,” I agree. “But give me one hour to get ready?”

  “Agreed. I’ll be back in an hour to pick you up.”

  I rush back into my house, going straight to my computer and disconnecting the SD card from my laptop and hide my photography gear in the safe hidden in the floor of my closet. Niko finding proof of my “hobby” – yes it could be described as that – would not be good.

  I frantically shower, shave, and primp. I make sure to hit the high points – smell nice, hair coiffed, stray body hair removed, and sexy undergarments on, just in case. Even I rolled my eyes at that, I know damn well if he even remotely acts like he wants to fuck me, I will be all over him. Granted, I’m not his usual type. No blonde hair, no big boobs, but I’m not half bad to look at…at least I don’t think so.

  I study my reflection in my full length mirror. Long brown hair, trim body, and long legs accentuated with a short, yet classy, skirt. One thing I learned during my modeling days was that drawing the eyes to your more prominent features distracts from areas you may be lacking, and my legs are definitely my most eye-catching body part. They were what first drew attention to me in the modeling world, and what helped earn myself a name. Even though I eventually determined the glare of the spotlight wasn’t for me, the time helped me earn a self-confidence in my body I’d never had before.

  A loud knock on the door pulls my attention from the mirror. An uneasy feeling radiates from the pit of my stomach as the third knock sounds. This is it. This is do or die. My one and only chance to see if the last few years have been for nothing, or if this man is anywhere near as special as the Niko living inside my head.

  The doorknob shakes in my grasp as I twist and pull to open it. His form is perfectly framed by white honeysuckle vines that cover the walkway leading to my house, and the shadows cast from the last rays of the disappearing sun dance across the edges of his body. My lungs draw in rapid breath, causing a low-pitched moan to resonate in my throat. He looks absolutely heavenly.

  His eyes land on mine, and I follow their path as they drift down from my eyes, past my torso to land on my legs – bingo, exactly where I want his focus to be. Heat smolders in his eyes, and when his gaze falls back to mine, I know he sees the same heat emanating from me.

  “You look stunning.” A smile spreads across his face, and I feel one pull across mine in response. “Even without a see-through top,” he adds with a wink.

  “Rule number one, you’re going to have to stop with the winking,” I say and poke my finger in his chest.

  The corners of his eyes turn down and the smile quickly fades into a frown. “You don’t like my winks?” His jaw flexes and a fist clenches at his side.

  “Quite the opposite, actually, so stop that shit,” I admit with a laugh.

  He laughs with me and the tension visibly rolls off his body. His broad shoulders relax and the clenched fist uncurls and reaches up to brush a wisp of hair away from my cheek.

  “From now on, I’ll be sure to only bring out the winking when it’s absolutely necessary.”

  I take a single step back inside the house and reach for the small table sitting next to my door, tucking my cell phone inside my clutch.

  “All ready,” I announce and turn around to find myself face to face with Niko.

  His hand slips around my waist, into the small of my back, effortlessly pulling my lower half flush with his. My clutch drops to the ground just outside the door as my hands move to push against his chest, just hard enough he knows I’m resistant.

  “I’m so glad you agreed to see me tonight.”

  “I’m not going to fuck you!” I blurt out, even though my entire body knows my lips are lying.

  A panty-melting smile pulls at his lips as he brushes his nose against my face and inhales softly. I am so glad I used the expensive soap Paul bought me several Christmases ago that smells good enough to eat.

  “I’m so glad you cleared that up for me, Brook. Now I don’t have to wonder if things like winking are necessary – they obviously are.”

  His hands release me and he slowly bends down to retrieve my wayward clutch. His fingers graze mine as he hands it back to me, and I feel sparks. Which I’m positive is just a byproduct of some weird static electricity that’s collected over the years in my fancy, rarely-used clothes. Yeah, that’s the best explanation my jumbled brain can
create.

  “Niko,” I start, taking a step back in an attempt to clear my head of his musky scent, “I’m sorry if that’s the intended direction of this evening, and if that’s your goal, I’m not the right date for you.”

  My snarky inner voice taunts me with a replay of the images that flashed through my head when I was painstakingly shaving my hoo-hoo just twenty-seven minutes ago, including his delight in my perfectly sculptured landing strip. But my knowing how this night might end is completely different than him being confident of where his cock will reside before the sun rises. A resolve quickly cements inside me at the weeping protest of my nether regions. I mentally promise them some alone time later tonight, which they vehemently decline.

  “That, most definitely, is not my goal for this evening. I apologize I let your beauty steal my manners.” He dips his head and tries his best to smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, and that sadness leaves me with a hollow feeling inside.

  I nod my understanding.

  “Shall we?” he says as he offers his arm for me to take.

  I decline, unwilling to risk the tumble to the ground I’m practically guaranteed if I touch him again. Instead, I close the door and begin down the winding walkway leading to the circle drive. When I reach the shrouded opening I discover a woman, dressed in head-to-toe black, holding open the rear door of a sleek black limo. I stop dead in my tracks and feel Niko crash into my back, his hands circling around my waist to steady us from falling forward.

  “What the fuck?” I question softly.

  “The thank you wagon has arrived,” he smirks as I turn to face him.

  “Niko, this isn’t necessary.”

  He eases my hand between his and traces small circles in the center of my palm, sending shivers up my arm and straight to my aching pussy. Damn him!

  “I know, but necessity is not the reason I’m here.”

  I shake my head and softly whisper, “This makes me uncomfortable.”

  “Why?” he asks sincerely. “I don’t think you grasp how grateful I am to you. But if you’d rather our mode of transportation be less flashy, we can do that.”