She speaks as if the message is three separate words. “Never. Stop. Dreaming. That’s going to be the title of my debut album.”
7
SKYLER
“Yo, Wendy, what’s shakin’?” I hear Parker laugh into his phone a little drunkenly. Eh, maybe more like tipsy. We’ve had a full dinner inside with the pups and are now to the drinking and kicking-back portion of our evening.
Today was a great day and ended on a high note with Juliet starting to see herself as a young, beautiful woman who has all the potential in the world. I never thought I’d be so enthralled by helping another artist or participating in another one of International Guy’s cases, but I’ve found it’s enriching my world as much as I hope to do for Juliet. Truly makes my idea of opening up an acting academy in Boston more realistic and exciting.
Back to Juliet, we’re right on target for success.
Goal one: make Juliet see herself as beautiful. Accomplished.
Goal two: get her stage presence up to par, but we’ll go back to that after the choreographer changes up the show to make the dancers’ routine enhance JJ’s performance, allowing her to shine as the star.
Goal three: get her singing in front of an audience without trembling in fear. That’s a big one, because her gift needs to be shared, and with her talent, she should feel confident in her ability.
Goal four: media time. Parker claims to have a plan for getting her comfortable in front of a camera and/or the press, though it’s last on the agenda. Kind of like the sprinkles on a perfectly baked and frosted cupcake.
Due to the amount of work needed to get Juliet ready, we’ve extended our stay in Spain to ten days and have already burned through the first four. However, tomorrow Bo is taking JJ for her hair and makeup lessons alongside Violeta, who’s tagging along for support, while Parker and I get to have a day in Madrid to ourselves.
I’m dreamily imagining walking through the streets of Madrid, my dogs on their leashes, hand in hand with my man. A sigh slips out as I glance at my hot guy, the phone pressed to his ear. His face has taken on a pinched expression, which usually means something is wrong.
“Read it to me,” he rasps into the phone, his voice tight and controlled but with a tinge of anger lacing every syllable.
He narrows his gaze and slams down the glass tumbler so hard, some of the whiskey sloshes out onto the cherrywood sofa table. He doesn’t bother with wiping up the mess, and I push aside the part of me that wants to take care of it. “Email me the picture of the note. Send it to Nate too. Any ideas on delivery?”
Parker’s jaw firms, and he snaps his fingers at me where I’m sitting and trolling my social media pages at the lone desk in our suite.
“Bring up my Gmail,” he demands, and I remove my foot from where I had it hiked up onto the chair and put my fingers to the keys to do as he asks. Parker rarely snaps at me or takes on that tone of voice. I know it’s directed by whatever Wendy is telling him and not at me, which makes it easier to hop to action.
Since he’s given me his password before, I type it in and bring his account up right away. An email from Wendy is sitting at the top unopened. I don’t click on it because it’s not my business, even if I’m dying to know what set him off.
Parker leans over my shoulder from behind, reaches for the mouse track pad, and opens the email. He double-clicks the attached JPEG file, which reveals an image of a white piece of paper with black words in all caps typed out and centered.
I read the message, and my heart feels like it has stopped beating as anxiety slithers around the useless muscle, clutching it in a fearsome grip. I hold my breath and read the text more thoroughly.
YOU CAN’T HIDE HER FOREVER.
SHE IS MINE.
WE’RE THE SAME.
“Oh my God, honey.” I swallow against the sudden dryness in my throat as Parker’s warm hand lands on the space where my shoulder and neck meet. That single touch breathes life into me. I cover his hand with mine and squeeze his fingers.
“Don’t worry, Peaches,” he states with an urgency that seeps down into my soul. “I’m going to take care of this.”
I close my eyes and realize that, whatever is going on back at home, we’re thousands of miles away, which is probably the safest place we could be anyway.
“Yeah, I’ll get back with you later. Let me know anything you find,” he directs, before tapping a button and setting the phone on the table next to his laptop.
He kneels and spins me around to face him, maneuvering his chest between my thighs. I gladly hook my long legs around him and lock them at the ankles. Parker runs his hands up and down my quads, but his gaze is on mine. Those normally deep-blue eyes are filled with fire and intensity when he speaks.
“It’s just another stab at us. You’re safe with me. I’d never let anything happen to you.” The ferocity behind his statement is palpable. I can almost feel the truth of his commitment brushing along my skin like a soft breeze.
I loop my arms around his neck and press my forehead to his. The masculine smell of whiskey mixed with his wood-and-citrus scent calms my frantic concerns as much as his nearness does.
“I know that, but I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about you. That note came to you, just like the first one.” I bite down on the side of my lip and wait for him to understand the meaning of what I’m saying.
“Yeah, it did, but I’m just the vessel for the message. This person is infatuated with you. By being your man, shacking up, I’m an extension of you. I’m also the person he sees as taking away what is his. It’s demented and twisted, but that’s the type of person we’re dealing with. Someone who’s got a screw loose, and that scares the hell out of me when it comes to you being at risk.”
“It doesn’t make any sense. I haven’t done anything to deserve this kind of attention.”
Parker runs his fingers through my hair. “Baby, you being you, doing the job you do—it puts you out there to everyone. Any wacko can twist up what they see on the screen and make it part of their reality.”
I close my eyes and tighten my hold. “Did uh, Wendy or Annie find anything on the note? A return address or anything helpful at all?”
He shakes his head and grinds his teeth so hard I can hear the noise within our little cuddle bubble. I cup his cheeks and massage the muscle at the hinge of his jaw, trying to work out the tension, even in this small way.
“Guess it’s too much to hope our stalker would mess up.” I sigh as sadness drips into my soul. I just want this to be over so that Parker and I can focus on what’s really important. Us. Our work. Our pups. Our new home. The life we’re building together. “What do we know?” I inhale a shuddery breath, defeat clear in my tone, but I need to understand the entire picture so that we can move forward and take action accordingly.
“The envelope had to have been hand delivered or dropped in the mail room at the building for delivery. Annie opened the same type of nondescript envelope we got with the very first message. She immediately took this new one to Wendy. Wendy didn’t touch it in the hopes that we find other prints besides Annie’s. There was nothing more on the envelope except my name typed on a white label, a red confidential stamp on the front, just like last time. Nothing new except there’s a more desperate, bordering on threatening, warning.”
While I mull this bit of information over, Parker’s phone rings on the desk near our heads. He doesn’t move out of my arms to answer it; instead, his body language and gaze are focused solely on me.
“Are you okay? Should I not have told you about this? My first instinct was to keep it from you and handle it myself. But I made a promise to keep you in the loop, and I don’t want to ever break a promise I’ve made to you. Not ever. Even if it goes against every male chromosome in my entire body.”
I smile even though I want to cry. “I’m okay as long as I’m with you. Answer your phone. I’m sure it’s Nate or Wendy with more news.”
He grabs the phone, and before he answers it
, I can see on the display that it’s Nate calling. “What’s your take?”
He listens for a bit, then stands up and starts pacing. It’s his normal MO when he’s worrying a problem or has a bunch of negative energy to burn off. I watch while he stalks the room like a caged animal ready to pounce at the first sign of danger.
“That’s true.” He frowns and looks at me. “Sky, baby, can I sit there? I need to get to something.” He points to the chair and computer.
I stand up, and Midnight wakes from his doggy snooze on the couch across from us where Sunny is still sleeping. I go over to them and sit close, then dig my fingers into their fur. The calming motion of petting my dogs eases the panicked feeling that keeps creeping into my veins at seeing that note and thinking about what it might mean for us.
“Yeah, it doesn’t read the same as the letters. Have you asked Tracey if any new letters have come in that are similar to the ones we narrowed down?” He taps at the keyboard and brings up the copies of the fan letters from that person signing off as Your Real BF.
He rubs at his temples and looks up at the ceiling while pressing into them. “The last text I got was before we left. And it was a warning. Let me pull those up.” He uses only one hand to work the computer keys, a true pro at the one-handed typing.
He scans the various images. “Yeah, the texts are primarily in caps like the two printed notes. Still, there’s something about the cadence that’s different.”
Parker stands up and moves away from the desk, walking from across the suite’s living room into the dining room and back in a long trek, phone pressed to his ear. There’s so much power in his movements, I can feel it pumping off him in waves of controlled energy. His mind is likely working a mile a minute, quickly compiling and processing possible scenarios and dropping them to pick up other ideas and moving through those. I’d give anything to catch a glimpse of how his incredible mind works.
“Wendy thinks there’s something familiar about the letters. She hasn’t been able to put her finger on it, but she’s going to review them again tomorrow with fresh eyes. She’s also got some type of program she’s working on that compares words and phrasing and creates probabilities between unrelated mediums. She’s inputting all of the letters, the two notes, and the texts both Sky and I received in order to come up with some new analytics to consider.”
Parker inhales and runs his fingers through his hair several times, making the tamed layers and curls on top shift into a sexy mess. This look is usually the one I get to see after a round of raucous sex.
“Okay, let me know if anything else pops up. I want the security camera feed for the entire two days before and the day of reviewed in full. See what you can do about getting those. I’m certain the building owner will have no problem if you bring him up to speed. Nice guy. We’ve been good tenants. Plus, he’s a family man with all daughters. He’ll not like hearing about a threat to a woman, but especially not the woman leasing his penthouse.”
Parker’s entire body jerks and then comes to a dead stop while one of his hands goes into a tight fist at his side. “What! Why the hell didn’t you lead with that intel, Nate?” he grates through his teeth into the phone.
Oh shit. I perk up and stop petting my dogs, my own nervous nature starting to prickle at my hairline and make my belly ache.
“What the fuck was he doing there?” he roars.
He listens for a full thirty seconds before he tips his head back and groans. “What is the likelihood that he visits, stopping in to see if Skyler can be reached for a coffee, and all of a sudden Annie has an envelope with a threatening message inside?” he bursts out, anger seeping through his words like venom. “Jesus!”
Parker listens to whatever Nate has to say but chops the air with his free hand in a violent slashing motion. “I want that man banned from even attempting to enter the IG office!” he roars. His barely controlled energy floods the room with an electricity so powerful I press back into the couch cushions, and Sunny, now awake, crawls over her brother and into my lap, seeking comfort. She must know that Daddy is furious. Midnight moves around, his doggy head popping to attention. He must feel the air change in the room, except instead of cowering into me, he jumps off the couch and heads toward Parker.
“We know where he works. That’s it. No more playing by the rules. When we get back, I’m paying him a fucking visit!” Parker pulls at his hair, and his gaze lasers mine as his mouth compresses into a flat, angry line.
Midnight sets his doggy booty on the floor right at Parker’s feet and looks up at his daddy. Parker seems to sense his dog and looks down, his face softening at the sight. He crouches down to Midnight’s level and spears his hand into the pup’s ruff until the dog plows his now much-larger body into Parker’s chest, catching him off guard and knocking him off his feet to his ass.
Parker smiles for a moment and hugs his boy. “I’m done with Benjamin Fucking Singleton, Nate. Mark my words. That motherfucker comes even a foot toward Sky, and I will absolutely give the media a show when my fists start flying. Keep that asshole away, or my woman will be bailing me out of jail and we’ll be the next piece airing on the nightly news.” He smashes the end button and chucks his phone at the single chair in the room. It bounces off the back and surprisingly lands on the ottoman a half foot from the seat.
“Honey . . .”
He picks up Midnight, who goes still in Parker’s hold, except for his tongue, which is licking my man’s neck like it’s an ice cream cone.
Parker comes over to the couch and sits sideways so he can look at me where I’ve got Sunny cuddled in my lap. Midnight finds a spot next to Parker’s thigh and settles in, putting his face in his daddy’s lap.
“Benny Singleton apparently visited the IG offices to see about getting your phone number and to inquire on when you’ll be back in town.”
I frown and make a stink face. “Whyever would he do that?”
“Apparently, Benny Fuck Face can’t take a hint. He came to ask you out for another coffee date,” he snarls unpleasantly, screwing his face up into an expression of utter disdain.
I place my hand on top of his forearm. “You know I’ve done nothing to encourage his affections, but for some reason he thinks we have this history. As I told you, I haven’t seen the man since I was eight years old when we did one commercial together. One.” I hold up a single finger to demonstrate the ridiculousness of his undeserved connection to me. “Although, when I ran into him at the coffee shop, I couldn’t exactly be rude after I’d spilled his drink. That’s not who I am, honey.” I frown, but carry on. “I didn’t get the impression that he was totally together in the head when he didn’t back off after meeting my boyfriend and my bodyguards. I mean . . . for real. It’s a little crazy.”
Parker’s eyebrows shoot up his forehead almost comically. “A little? Baby, that guy is fifty-one cards short of a full deck!”
I grin because I can’t help it. My man is funny. And he’s especially funny when he’s being a caveman.
“So, you believe Benny was the one to drop off the envelope? You think he’s the mastermind behind all of those texts to you and me, as well as the letters throughout the years?”
Parker runs his hand down his face and eases his head into his palm that he’s rested against the back of the couch. “The timing on the note fits. It’s not a coincidence. No way.”
“Then how would he get our cell phone numbers? Why would he ask Annie for mine if he already had it?”
Parker groans. “I don’t know. Maybe he was using that as a ploy to get us off his trail?” he offers.
“Really, honey, you think he’s that bright?”
“Again, I don’t know. All I know is I’m tired. Tired of not knowing who’s messing with us. Tired of feeling helpless. I’m just tired. We need some peace, baby. Just me and you.”
I lift my hand and cup his cheek. He nuzzles into my hand and kisses my palm before sighing with contentment. When he touches my hand, I feel some of the ne
gative energy coming off him before it quickly dissipates.
“Yeah, we do. And I want to be that safe haven for you, honey. Always.” I pick up Sunny and lift her to the other side of the couch. Then I grab Midnight, kiss his furry head, and put him next to his sister, and they cuddle back around one another like they usually do. I snuggle them in their blanket I brought from home so they’d have something familiar. They both close their eyes, their concern washed away now that their dad isn’t pacing the floor angrily. Once they’re settled, I stand in front of my exhausted guy and hold out my hand. “Come on, honey. You’ve had enough for one day. Everything will look better in the morning.”
Parker follows me without complaint. Once we get to the bedroom, he stands by his side of the bed, just staring at the pretty comforter and mounds of pillows. Hotels always do it up, never going cheap on the bedding when you’re staying in the penthouse. I turn Parker around and undo his dress shirt, one button at a time, with no ulterior motive in play. He shucks it off, and I grab it and set it on the chair near the bed. He undoes his belt, pants, and zipper and sits on the bed. I crouch down and remove his shoes and socks, setting the socks inside each shoe before tugging on the hem of his pants. He eases his hips up, and the pants come off, leaving him in only a pair of black boxer briefs. I put his pants next to his shirt.
Without a word, I dip behind him and pull back the comforter and toss several of the pillows to the floor at the foot of the bed. Before I can get him in the bed, he grabs me by the hips and presses his face against my belly. I can feel the warmth and dampness of his breath through the cotton of my tank.
“I can’t lose you, Sky. You’re my future. The life I want more than anything.” He kisses my stomach and rests his head again. “Baby, the fear of losing you eats at me every damn day that we haven’t found this person. I can’t risk letting my guard down, and I won’t until I know for sure you’re safe.”
I run both of my hands through his hair, scratching my nails down his scalp the way I know he loves. “You’re not going to lose me. Between you, Nate, Rachel, Bo, Royce, Mick, Wendy . . . honey, I’ve got a lot of people watching out for me and looking into this. I’m going to be okay.”
International Guy: Volume 4 Page 8