by J. L. Perry
“Down the hall, second door on the left,” I answered as I felt my face turning bright red.
I quickly gathered up the plates and took them into the kitchen. I couldn’t believe I’d just spat champagne all over him! I am such an idiot! Things had been going so well up until now. I put my head in my hands as I fought back the tears.
As I was rinsing off the plates, my mobile buzzed with a message. I picked it up and noticed it was from a number I didn’t recognise. As I read the message, I felt my body tense up.
I am watching you, YOU FUCKING BITCH!
I dropped my phone and the plate I’d been holding onto the floor, and I found myself backing away from it.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Logan
I couldn’t stop smiling as I walked towards the bathroom. She really was adorable. Even though she had just spat champagne in my face, I was having a great time with her.
I was blown away by the dinner she cooked. This woman really was the complete package. Beautiful, smart, funny, kind, and a great cook! What else could a man ask for? I was also surprised that she’d eaten all three courses, but she obviously worked out a lot to stay in such great shape. Most of the women I’ve dated were obsessed with their weight and would be lucky to get through a lettuce leaf.
After I had washed up, I made my way back into the dining room. I heard something shatter so I made my way into the kitchen to make sure everything was okay. When I walked in, the look on Brooke’s face told me something was wrong.
“What is it, Brooke?” I asked, concerned.
She didn’t say a word, but pointed to her phone that was lying on the floor. I bent down and picked it up. Even though the screen was smashed, I could still read the message.
“Who would send you a message like that?” I asked, looking over at her.
I noticed she was shaking so I grabbed hold of her and held her in my arms until she calmed down. Once I had released her, I took a step back so I could see her face.
I could see the fear in her eyes. Gently, I asked, “Do you know who would send you a message like that, Brooke?” She didn’t say a word as she shook her head and tears filled her eyes.
“Don’t worry too much,” I assured her, before pulling her back into my arms. “Maybe someone sent it to you by mistake,” I added as comforting as I could.
She put her head down and confessed in a soft voice, “No. It was meant for me.”
“Why would you say that?” I asked, confused. I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt her because she was so sweet.
She looked back up at me. “Two nights ago, somebody threw a brick through the window. The word ‘BITCH’ was written on it. The police think it was probably a case of mistaken identity, but after this…?” She gestured to her phone and shook her head.
The anger that raged through my body shocked me. “Go pack a bag,” I said to her. “You are coming to stay with me.”
“I can’t do that,” she replied, horrified. I could tell she was shocked that I would even suggest it.
“Bullshit, Brooke!” I snapped. “There is no way in hell I am leaving you here while there is some lunatic throwing bricks through your window and sending you messages like this.” I held her phone up to her face for added effect. She went to say something, but I put my hand up.
“I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, Brooke,” I added in a stern voice. “So go and pack something now, or I will pack a bag for you.” She rolled her eyes at me before she turned and stormed off towards her bedroom. She really was adorable—stubborn, but adorable!
While she was packing some clothes, I cleaned up the smashed glass on the floor. I also called Chris to tell him we would be ready to leave in five minutes. I put her phone in my pocket because we would need to show the police.
Brooke
I tried to control the shaking while I was packing some clothes into a bag. Why would someone be doing this to me? I didn’t understand it. As far as I knew, I didn’t have any enemies. Maybe it was a stalker, or maybe… “Oh shit! Jake!” My heart sank when I thought it could possibly be him. Last time I had seen Jake, he’d tried to kill me.
I tried to put that thought out of my mind. If it was Jake and he knew where I lived, wouldn’t he just approach me? Anyway, as far as I knew, he was still working and living in Melbourne.
Once I had finished packing, I walked back into the kitchen. I noticed Logan had cleaned up all the broken glass. Even though I was still angry that he was demanding that I go with him, he really was a sweetheart.
He grabbed my bag out of my hands while I locked up the house. We made our way to where Chris was waiting for us. As we climbed into the limousine, Logan introduced us. “Nice to meet you, Brooke,” Chris said. “To the penthouse, Mr. Cavanagh?”
“Take us to the police station first, please, Chris,” he replied.
While we were making a statement, the police officer asked me if I had any ideas who could be doing this to me.
“The only person who has ever sent me nasty messages in the past is my ex-husband, Jake.”
Logan
When she mentioned Jake’s name, I could feel the anger rising inside me again. I listened to Brooke tell the officer what Jake had written in the text messages he had sent her when she first moved to Sydney. It sickened me that a man could threaten a woman like that. He wasn’t a man; he was a coward.
“Had he ever been violent towards you during your marriage, ma’am?”
I honestly felt like I was going to explode when I heard her say, “The day after I had left the hospital after an operation, he had tried to choke me. I was only able to get away after I kneed him in the balls.” Okay, I have to admit that the last part made me chuckle.
I blamed myself for what Jake had done to her because I shouldn’t have let her go home alone that day and face him all on her own. As I was listening to her talk, I had an overwhelming urge to hunt him down and rip his head off for all the things he had put her through.
I informed the officer about the day Jake had come into my office and accused me of hiding Brooke after she had left him. I also explained about the drugs we had found in the desk in his office. The next part I didn’t want to say in front of Brooke, but I didn’t have a choice. “Jake told me the day he came to my office,” I explained, “that if he ever got his hands on Brooke again, he would kill her.”
As I was talking, I looked over at Brooke. Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened in shock. I reached over and grabbed her hand and gave it a small squeeze.
The officer took down Jake’s information and the last known address we had for him. He informed us that he would contact the police in Melbourne and see what he could find out.
As far as we knew, Jake was still in Melbourne. So if it wasn’t him harassing Brooke, who was it? The officer said he would contact us within the next twenty-four hours and let us know what he found out.
“In the meantime, do you have somewhere else to stay? I don’t think it is a good idea for you to go back to your house just yet.”
I grabbed her hand and said, “She’ll be staying with me. I live on the 20th floor of a secure building.”
He advised Brooke to be careful, we thanked him for everything, and we walked outside to where Chris was waiting for us.
Brooke
My head was still spinning when we got into the back of the limousine. What Logan told the officer shocked me. I couldn’t believe that Jake had been fired from his job and that they had found drugs in his office. Maybe that is why he tried to choke me that day, I thought. The drugs could be affecting his mind. It made sense considering the whole time we had been married, he had never shown any anger or aggression towards me.
I was deep in thought when Logan grabbed hold of my hand again. “How are you holding up?”
“Still in a bit of shock,” I replied with a weak smile. “I am still trying to process everything that has happened. I’m sorry for all of this tonight.”
He pulled my hand g
ently so my body slid across the seat. It was now leaning against him. He wrapped his arms around me. “You will never be any trouble to me, Brooke. I’m glad I was with you tonight so that you didn’t have to go through it all alone.”
Then he added, “I will protect you and keep you safe, Brooke.” When he leaned down and kissed me softly on the cheek, my heart melted.
Logan
I don’t know why I had this overwhelming desire to protect her, but I did. When I pulled her into my arms, it just felt so right, like she was meant to be there. I breathed in her sweet scent. When Brooke rested her head on my shoulder, I couldn’t help but smile.
As we pulled up to the building where I lived, I looked down at Brooke and she was asleep. I gently moved her off my shoulder and got out of the car. I asked Chris to grab her bag, and I picked her up and cradled her in my arms. As I walked through the lobby, I looked down at her and was overcome by her beauty again. I found it hard to take my eyes off her. Chris cleared his throat so I looked over at him. The smug bastard had a smirk on his face! Not a word, I mouthed to him.
Once we got into the elevator, she stirred and opened her eyes. She looked up at me and when she realised I was holding her in my arms, she shifted her weight. “Um…can you please put me down?” I gently lowered her to the ground and when I looked at her again, I was surprised to see she was blushing.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “You fell asleep in the car and I didn’t want to wake you.”
Brooke
When the doors of the elevator opened into Logan’s penthouse, I couldn’t believe what lay before me. Actually, I’m pretty sure my eyes nearly popped out of head. His place was huge! I was shocked that people actually lived like this. The way it was decorated just screamed money and success. Everything was black and white, with a touch of colour here and there. It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. I suppose being CEO of one of the biggest legal companies in Australia, I shouldn’t have expected anything less.
It was so stylishly decorated and put my tiny little terrace house to shame. This room alone was at least three times larger than my whole place. The lounge in the centre of the room was L-shaped. It looked like white leather, but the frame was black. There were coloured cushions scattered in both corners. Along one wall was a custom made, long black sleek cabinet with a giant flat screen television mounted on the wall above it. Even the black-and-white striped pendent lights hanging from the ceiling were exquisite.
In one corner, I noticed a large stainless steel fireplace with a colourful shag rug in front of it. There was a loveseat in front of the fireplace. How nice would it be to snuggle in front of that in the winter? Next to that was a bar which looked like a mini version of what you would find in a nightclub. It was lined with black and white stools. On the other side of the room was a long black dining table that would probably seat twenty people. It was surrounded with black-and-white striped high-backed chairs. The table was sitting on another large red rug.
There was light, polished timber on the floors. Most of the walls were painted white, but there was one feature wall that was red. We obviously had the same taste in colour. On the walls hung some colourful artwork. I’m sure my eyes must have been moving around the room like a crazy person because there was just too much to take in all at once.
Oh, my god! When my eyes landed on the black Grand piano, I almost died. I would give anything to play that thing. The far wall had floor-to-ceiling windows, which gave you a beautiful view of the city. I walked closer to have a better look and noticed Logan’s penthouse was overlooking Sydney harbour.
He had a bird’s-eye view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The view was amazing and being that it was night and with all the city lights, it looked spectacular. I’ve lived in Sydney nearly all my life and have never seen the city from this high up before. It took my breath away.
I felt Logan walk up behind me and I could feel that familiar flutter inside, the one I got whenever he was close. “So what do you think?” he asked.
“I…I am speechless,” I managed to get out. “The view is breathtaking!”
“Yes, it is,” he replied, but when I turned my head to look at him, he was looking at me with a smile on his face. I quickly turned back to look out at the view and I could feel the blush as it washed over my face. I took a step back from him to try and pull myself together. Logan asked me if I would like something to drink.
I smiled and said, “No, thank you.”
“Is there anything I can get for you?” he asked.
“I’m really tired,” I replied. “Would be okay if you just showed me where I’ll be sleeping tonight?”
Logan picked up my bag and motioned for me to follow him. We crossed the main room of the house and I noticed a beautiful black-and-white marble kitchen on the right. It was huge! A chef would go crazy in a kitchen like that. I felt so out of my league here. We were from two different worlds.
We walked up a set of stairs at the far end of the room. He opened the door to one of the spare rooms and, again, I was taken aback by its beauty. It was decorated just like the rest of the house—exquisitely! Logan had great taste and I wondered if he had decorated this place himself. Probably not because I am sure he could afford an interior decorator.
He placed my bag on the ground and walked across the bedroom. He opened a door on the other side of the room and showed me the bathroom. “You will find everything you need in there,” he explained. “I hope you will be comfortable in this room, Brooke.” He walked back towards the door.
As he walked past me, I grabbed hold of his arm. “Thank you for everything,” I said. “I may not have acted like it earlier, but I am grateful that you are letting me stay here tonight.”
He turned to face me and again my heart started to race. He put his hand up and brushed it softly down my cheek. “You’re welcome, Brooke,” he replied kindly, as he stared down at me. Those beautiful green eyes of his made my knees go weak. “I am just glad you are safe. No one can touch you here.”
Logan
As I looked deep into her eyes, I could tell that she was just as affected by the chemistry between us as I was. I wanted to pull her into my arms and kiss her, but she had been through so much tonight and I didn’t want to scare her off. Having her here with me was enough for now. We had plenty of time to work on the attraction that was between us.
I told Brooke to make herself comfortable and explained that my bedroom was next door if she needed anything. I bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Sleep well,” I said and I felt her body tremble.
I quickly turned and left the room before I did something I would regret. When I was out in the hallway, I leaned my forehead up against the wall and took a deep breath. I have been with a lot of women in my life, but I have never felt anything remotely close to what I was feeling for her. As I walked into my bedroom, I decided to take a shower…a cold one.
As I lay on my bed thirty minutes later, I tried my hardest to fall asleep, but every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was Brooke’s beautiful face. I tossed and turned for a few more hours before sleep finally came.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Brooke
I woke up in the morning and rolled over to look at the clock. 9:45. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept that late. I got out of bed and jumped in the shower. Of course, under the circumstances, I wouldn’t be running today. It would probably be safer to stay off the streets for now.
After I got dressed, I made my way downstairs to find Logan. When I walked into the kitchen, I was surprised to find an attractive older lady wiping down the countertop. She turned and faced me.
“Hi, you must be Brooke,” she said with a smile. “I’m Jill, Mr. Cavanagh’s housekeeper. Sit down, honey, and I will fix you something to eat.”
Of course he had a housekeeper!
I smiled at her. “Is Mr. Cavanagh up yet?”
She laughed. “Oh, honey. He left for the office two hours ago.”
> As I sat down at the breakfast bar, I was surprised to find that I actually felt disappointed he wasn’t here. Jill passed me a small box. “Mr. Cavanagh sent this over about an hour ago.”
“For me?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes, sweetie,” she replied. “Chris dropped it off earlier with strict instructions to give it to you as soon as you got up.” I was touched she called me sweetie. That was what my mum called me. I looked up at her and smiled. Jill was probably in her early fifties, slim and quite attractive for her age. Her hair was blonde and she had blue eyes.
I opened the box and was surprised to find a new Apple iPhone inside. There was a small note enclosed with it.
Good morning, Brooke.
Sorry I wasn’t there when you got up this morning. I thought you would need a new phone so I bought this for you. I got you a new phone number, as well. I have transferred all your old numbers into your new phone. See you this afternoon.
P.S. I was touched to see you had saved my number under “Hot Stuff”. ;)
Oh, my god! I could’ve just died on the spot. I felt my face blush but, at the same time, I smiled. Logan really was the sweetest person I had ever met.
“So, Brooke, what would you like for breakfast?” Jill asked. As I looked up at her, she was smiling at me, probably because of the goofy look I knew was plastered on my face.
“Could I have some toast and coffee, please?” She smiled and nodded at me before walking over to the coffee machine. While I was waiting for my breakfast, I decide to text Logan and thank him for the phone.
Good morning, hot stuff.
Thank for the new phone. That was really thoughtful of you. I would like to reimburse you, though. You have done enough for me already and I don’t feel comfortable letting you buy me a new phone. We can talk about it this afternoon. I hope you have a great day at work. ;)
I knew it was wrong to be flirting with Logan by calling him hot stuff, but I couldn’t help myself. As soon as I put the phone down and picked up the coffee Jill had placed in front of me, my phone buzzed.