by Wild, Bella
“Hold on,” Kevin interrupted. “Did you just suggest provoking this sicko…and using Johnny to lure him?”
“No. I’m not suggesting we view Mr. Venom as bait here. Not at all. But the faster this individual comes out from behind the veil of anonymity that the internet provides, the easier it will be to put an end to it.”
“Can’t you just track them down from all the online comments?”
“We’ve tried that. Normally, we would immediately take action by following the person’s online signature to identify and stop them. But in case, it’s been a problem. They have the means to hide their trail using foreign IP addresses, and running their access to social media account through several international servers. That has been a barrier for us. This person is very skilled online. And if they’re this resourceful, it means they’re serious, and capable of following through on their threats. It’s another reason we’re taking this case so seriously.”
“So are you saying this is going to happen if you don’t stop the person?”
“It’s not clear whether this stalker is going to show up on the tour. It could all be idle threats. But from the profile we’ve put together on this unsub, there are enough warning signs. And that is why we’re here. We prefer not to take the chance. It would be smart to have someone with Johnny at all times, someone whose sole responsibility is to protect him.”
“Why can’t your agents do that?” Kevin asked.
“Our challenge is we don’t always have the resources to stay on a case indefinitely. Ms. Baker here is the perfect candidate. She can pass as his love interest, and guard him without looking like a bodyguard.”
I was smiling on the inside about this new twist. By suggesting we make Amanda my fake girlfriend, Agent Carlson had just become my greatest ally—and my only ally, if I were completely honest with myself—in my own obsessive scheme to win her over.
“Which helps us how?” Once again, Kevin chimed in.
I had to fight back the urge to shake him and tell him to let the guy talk—especially now that he was unknowingly on my side. Any plan that involved spending all day and night with Amanda as my girlfriend was one I wanted to hear. Preferably without Kevin’s constant interruptions.
“We’re still completing a full workup of the unsub’s profile. I can’t say with one hundred percent certainty, but my gut and experience tell me this stalker is female. She believes Mr. Venom is in love with her. She hears his songs and in her mind, he’s singing to her and her alone. If we give the impression Mr. Venom has a girlfriend, and make sure they’re seen together, that might spark enough of a reaction to bring the unsub out of hiding. Of course it would be ideal to find her before she follows through on the threats. Throwing her off could make her careless online. That would give us leverage to stop her before she starts. And as a worst case scenario, if it comes down to it, we can draw her out and catch her in the act. Believe it or not, it’s the latter that gives you a greater chance of putting her behind bars with a conviction. Making threats online rarely gets much more than a restraining order.”
Kevin would not let up. “Forgive me, Agent Carlson, but this really does sound like you want to use Johnny as bait.”
“We have the same goal to stop this crime before it happens, sir.”
Finally. Kevin was forced to back down. He nodded along with the agent’s words, but I could see the conflicting emotions rolling across his face as he did so. He didn’t want Amanda to be here. He already suggested she would to throw me off my game. But now, he also couldn’t risk me getting hurt.
Agent Carlson turned to Amanda. “The real question is whether you want to take on the task now, Ms. Baker? Mr. Willis briefly explained your original role to me on the phone yesterday. This is quite a departure from what you were contracted to do. It exposes you and puts you at more risk, and it may have an impact on your public image after the fact. But I believe it’s our best option for catching this person before anything happens.”
I looked over at Amanda. Her face was unreadable.
“Can we count on you, Amanda?” Kevin asked.
I was relieved when she nodded.
“Will my terms change?” She asked Kevin.
He stared at her for a moment. “Here’s what I suggest,” he answered in a gruff tone. “For simplicity, I’ll ask my usual security team to with Agent Carlson, and bring you in as Johnny’s bodyguard. You won’t need to lead a team anymore. This will allow you to focus on Johnny, play this extra role, and it compensates you for the added risk to your personal safety. I’ll have the lawyer make an addendum to the contract to reflect this change. The rest of the terms won’t change.”
“Why not?” I asked. I should not have been pushing my luck here, but he was being an ungrateful bastard. “She’s taking a bigger risk. We should pay her more for this.”
Amanda waved her hand and shook her head. “No. That’s not necessary. I’ll do it.”
“Thank you, Amanda,” Kevin said, seeming satisfied. “We really appreciate your help.”
With the matter settled, and the plan in place, Agent Carlson wrapped up the meeting. I showed him to the spare office on the main floor so he could get to work on the next steps. Kevin followed with us and returned to his office on the other end of the hall. When I made my way back to the living room, Amanda was gone.
Chapter Nine
Amanda
After Agent Carlson left to start making the arrangements, I hurried upstairs to my room. I went into the bathroom and splashed some water on my face. I was desperate to clear my head and regain my composure. I braced my hands on the granite countertop, leaned forward, and stared at my reflection in the mirror. The look on my face was somewhere between terror and panic—or maybe it was both. I had to untangle the mess of thoughts in my mind before I faced anyone again.
This assignment had become significantly more complicated for me, and to be honest, I was out of my league. It was even hard for me to grasp. I was about to go undercover, so I could go public, to come out as a rock star’s fake-girlfriend, to protect him in the meantime, and do all that while trying to stop a potentially murderous stalker? The last time I checked, none of these skills were in my wheelhouse—worst of all, being anyone’s girlfriend. I needed some space to figure out what to do.
Obviously, I couldn’t turn it down. I had already signed the contract. I guessed I could back out now before signing the addendum. But if the money was the same, I couldn’t afford to walk away. In a way, it was less responsibility. I wouldn’t have to hire and manage a team, or pay salaries. I would finish the job with a million dollars that was all mine. That kind of money was more than enough to set up my own firm. It would leave me with a healthy balance to keep me going while business picked up. Serving as Johnny’s personal bodyguard would also look impressive on my resume—not to mention the A-list celebrities I’d get to know during this gig.
Personal bodyguard. The words echoed through my mind. I had a hard time not disconnecting it from something sexual. Johnny had been amazing in bed last night. I would be lying to myself if I said I wasn’t more than eager to go back over there every night and find out what else he could do; and how he could make me feel. I stopped myself. The feeling part was the problem. If Johnny had been the smug, arrogant, selfish rock star I imagined, it would have been easy to use him in bed, and then move on. The problem was he wasn’t anything like that. He was almost frustratingly caring and sweet. At least he was toward me.
He and Kevin had a strange dynamic, and it made me wonder who he really was when no one else was around. There was so much tension crackling anytime he and Kevin were in the same room. He never directed that type of energy at me or anyone else. Johnny had only shown me kindness so far. And last night, his desire to please me in bed seemed genuine. It was not contrived or phony in any way.
“Ugh,” I groaned, pushing off the sink and stalking back to the bedroom.
I had to let it go. I had to get him out of my head. The only r
eal cure I knew would be an intense workout—one that did not involve Johnny, or the memory of his touch. I shook my head before that idea started to grow roots in my mind. I stripped out of my black slacks and white button-up shirt, unhooked my bra, and stepped out of the lacy panties I had been possessed to wear that morning. I rummaged in my bag and found my sports bra, regular underwear and running shorts. I changed quickly, throwing on a lightweight jacket and lacing into my well-worn running shoes. I jogged in place to warm up and went through a few stretches. I was just about to leave my room when there was a knock on my door. I dropped my hand from the door handle, surprised.
“Uh, yes?”
“It’s Johnny. Can I come in?”
I cringed. It was going to be more difficult getting him out of my head when he was constantly around to tempt me. But this was my job now. I had to get used to it. Fast. I opened the door and looked up at him. He had an infectious smile on his face. I couldn’t help but return one to him. If only I could stop the images of those lips kissing every inch of my body.
“Oh, hey, am I interrupting?” he asked, looking down and noticing my clothing change.
“No, not at all. I was just about to come and ask where your workout room was.”
He nodded and flashed me a devilish smile. “Some bodyguard. Leaving me alone the first chance you get. Are you sure you’re allowed to go anywhere without me?”
The gleam in his eyes told me he was teasing. “You can come to the gym and run with me, if you think you can keep up.”
His eyes darkened at my challenge. “Lucky for you, I have a phone interview with some radio station, but how about a rain check? There’s a full workout room on the lower level.”
“Great. That’s perfect.”
“Or better yet, we can throw down in my private gym down the hall when I’m free again.”
I smiled up at him, picturing the two of us grappling on a gym floor mat. I clasped my fingers together—I needed to keep my hands to myself. Otherwise I would have reached out and run my hands down his smoldering chest and abs.
“Now that you mentioned it, it sounds like a better idea for me to use the gym that’s closest to where you’ll do the phone interview. That way, I’ll be close enough to keep watch over you. Just in case.”
“Of course. Use any one you want. I’ll be on the main floor. Both workout rooms have a treadmill and a lot of other cardio and strength equipment.”
“Thanks. That helps.”
“So hold on a minute. Is this your first trip to Los Angeles?”
“It is.”
“Then you have to run the path outside. It starts at the gate and follows the ridge all the way to the top of the hill. It’s about three miles each way, and a killer workout. You’ll love it.”
“I really should stay close. Keeping you safe is my priority, after all.”
“Agent Carlson is downstairs. And the guards are outside. Come on. Just this once. I insist.”
I thought about it for a second. “Well, okay.”
“It never disappoints.” He said, and paused. He had more to say. “By the way, there was a reason I came up to talk to you. I wanted to ask you something.”
He made a point of standing in my path.
“Shoot.”
“I know you’re only signing on now to act like my girlfriend, and it’s all serious business. But I thought I’d ask anyway. How would you like to go out for dinner?”
That was a really bad idea. I had to draw the line. “Johnny, I—”
He held up a hand to stop me. “Okay, maybe I should have explained myself. I just need some time away from here. We could go somewhere quiet. Think about it this way. If I tell you I’m going to dinner and you have to come along to protect me, would you say no?”
“No. I would go with you. As your bodyguard. But that’s not—”
“So it’s settled.”
It was a bad idea, but he had a point. And the way his eyes seared through me, my mind and body would eventually say yes to anything he asked.
“All right,” I told him. “I’ll go, because it’s my job.”
“Excellent. And you’ll sit and eat with me. Okay? Think of it as our first practice date. You know? To come off as authentic when we’re on tour.”
“Ahhh. Sure, okay. A practice date with my sexy fake boyfriend sounds nice.”
The word sexy slipped out. Shit. What was I thinking? Ahhhh yes, I remembered—my defenses were down, and I was just too into him to stop myself. His voice was low and husky, and that was enough to send a bolt of heat between my legs.
“Excellent,” he said. “I’ll plan everything. Just meet me downstairs at seven.”
I nodded. He cupped one hand under my chin and stared into my eyes for another long moment before brushing his fingers away.
“I can’t wait, pretend girlfriend.”
I didn’t have time to say anything in response—not that I had much to add. He turned and walked across the hall to his room. As soon as he disappeared inside, I jogged down the stairs and right out the front door. If I had given it any thought, even for the slightest moment, I would be tempted to follow him into his room and pick up where we left off the night before.
Once outside, I did an easy jog down the long driveway and let myself out the side of the gate. I stood on the quiet road, looking left, down the hill, and then right, up the hill. I needed to exhaust myself. That would help me stop myself from sleeping with Johnny again—especially with this dinner plan of his. I took his advice and immediately went to the right. I started running full speed up the hillside.
As I ran, I slowly regained control of my breathing, movements, and soon my mind quieted down enough for my thoughts to focus only on the next step; the next breath; the next turn. I ran until I made it to a lookout point, and slowed to admire the view. I eventually came to a full stop at a spot alongside the road. There was a break in the trees and it seemed like I could see the entire city of Los Angeles. It was breathtaking. I had never seen anything more beautiful.
I don’t know why, but looking out at the view became overwhelming. All these new and tightly-bottled emotions bubbled up inside me. It threatened to escape. I took that as my cue, sucked in a deep breath, and bolted back down the hill. I did not want my brain to unpack or analyze any of those feelings rushing up to the surface.
An hour and a half passed since I had left the house. When I let myself back in the gate and walked up the driveway, Kevin’s car was gone. There were no vehicles up at the house at all. I let myself inside, careful to shut the front door silently behind me. I wasn’t sure if Johnny had gone out with Kevin or not. I didn’t want to see him just yet, but I needed to face reality. Keeping my eyes on that man’s body was now my job. I checked all the main-floor rooms. Nothing. I went up the stairs and checked all the rooms before knocking on Johnny’s door. He didn’t answer, so I my guess was he had left as well.
I moved down the hall to my room, and a glance at the clock showed me I had four hours before our fake-date. I quickly showered, threw on an oversized sweatshirt, and flopped into bed. I set an alarm on my phone before letting myself crash into the comfort of an afternoon nap. I was almost asleep when the phone rang.
I reached for my phone, wondering if I didn’t set the alarm right. That’s when I saw Kevin’s number flashing on the screen.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Amanda, this is Kevin.”
“Hi Kevin. How can I help you?”
“I tried to find you before I had to leave. Did you go out?”
I instantly felt guilty. I should have trusted my gut and stay at the house with Johnny.
“I went for a run.”
I didn’t dare say Johnny told me to go. That would be irresponsible and show a real lack of judgment.
“It would be preferable if you stay close to Johnny going forward. We have a gym in the lower level. He can show you.”
“Understood. And thank you.”
I rolled my eye
s. This was all on me.
“Great. I’m also calling to let you know I booked you a flight back to Miami for tomorrow morning.”
I bolted upright, my heart racing. Was I being fired after all?
He continued. “We have four days before Johnny’s first performance on the tour. I assume you need to get home and pack some more things, as you had only originally planned to be here overnight.”
The flood of relief felt good in my system, and my racing heartbeat came back in check.
“Thank you. Yes, it would be perfect to have a couple of days to pack and tie up loose ends before we leave.”
“Excellent. I’ve emailed you the flight details. You’ll leave tomorrow morning. I’ve booked you to return to LA on Friday morning. You’ll meet us at the airport, and we’ll all take a private charter plane to Greece.”
“Great,” I replied. “But what about Johnny? Will he be safe while I’m in Miami?”
“Yes. Agent Carlson will be here with his team.”
I knew he would be fine with the agents—they were the FBI after all. Still, I felt resistance growing at the idea of leaving my post.
“Okay. Thank you, Kevin. I appreciate you making the arrangements.”
There was a silence on the other end, as if he was preparing to add something. In the end, he acknowledged me with a gruff, “You’re welcome,” and we ended the call.
After I disconnected, I flopped back against the pile of pillows lined up at the head of the bed. I let out a long, slow sigh. My mind had kicked into high gear. There was no hope of a nap anymore.
Chapter Ten
Johnny
Kevin left after my radio interview wrapped up. It felt good to have the house to myself. I had searched the house for Amanda. When I couldn’t find her, I figured she was still out for her run. I went back to my room, had a long shower, and spent the rest of the afternoon watching TV. It was the only way to keep busy after I made dinner reservations at the restaurant in downtown LA.