by Christi Snow
She nodded. “Yeah, there can be only one. It was a huge scandal in the day, because Hayes has a fantastically rich, socialite wife and family. But he’s never denied me, and his wife and family all seem to survive me. We aren’t close, but he’s still there if I ever need him.” She reached for my hand. “I can’t imagine not having that backup, shoring me up. You are one incredible man, Jonah, and I have to admit, knowing that makes me even hotter for you.” She winked.
I knew she was trying to lighten my mood. I had to admit, it was working even if she was turning me on when there was no relief in sight. I had to get my shit together and focus on the assignment, because chances were good that this guy would strike now. We had to be ready.
Chapter Twelve
Elle
Two days later, we had been going to class like normal, except this time, Dillon was with us, too. From what I could tell, that just meant he stood at our side, looking menacing at anyone who glanced our way. The Dillon I’d seen up to this point was an easy-going, smiling, happy guy, so it was weird to see him in threatening mode.
When he sent another nerdy freshman scurrying to the other side of the hall we were walking down, I giggled.
Jonah turned to me. “What?”
“I just had no idea Dillon could be so fierce.” I lowered my voice to a whisper for Jonah’s ears only. “He’s actually intimidating when he wants to be.”
But my effort at discretion was wiped away when Jonah turned to Dillon and hit his bicep with the back of his hand. “Did you hear that, big guy? All that practice of making mean faces in the mirror is working. I told you that you could do it.”
Dillon didn’t crack a smile, staying in his bodyguard, take-no-nonsense persona, but I could see the humor dancing in his eyes. The two of them were actually having fun with this new dynamic.
Jonah’s cell phone rang, and he answered it. Immediately, he pulled us all to a halt. “When did this happen?” He glanced around the students milling through the courtyard of the campus. “Do they think it’s the same guy?” Jonah nodded. “Well, fuck. Yeah, that makes sense.” He met Dillon’s concerned gaze. “Yeah, I’ll tell him. Thanks, Samantha.”
Jonah closed his phone, and Dillon immediately asked, “What’s happened?”
Jonah threaded his hand through mine, kissing the back of it as if to reassure me. “Someone else tied to ViviAnna has disappeared. They’re pretty sure she was kidnapped, and they haven’t located her yet.”
“Who?” I asked as terror rose up my stomach, immediately kicking up the acids inside it.
“Your mother’s personal photographer.”
“No, not Raquel.” Raquel Hutchins had been my mom’s preferred photographer since I was a toddler. After mom got out of the music industry, Raquel had worked with her exclusively. They’d both been there the day of the tragedy on the set of the video for Work It. The trauma had made them close, closer than VA let anyone get. “VA’s going to be devastated. Does she know yet?”
Jonah nodded. “Yeah. ViviAnna alerted the police that there might be something wrong.”
“And they think it’s the same guy?” I asked.
Jonah nodded.
“Why?”
For a moment, Jonah hesitated, and in that split second, I knew it was bad. Nausea crawled up the back of my throat as I fought to stand still and not just run away from all of it.
Jonah finally said, “Because the guy left a note, saying he was almost ready for you again.”
Pure, stone-cold terror shot straight through my gut. This time, there was no holding it down. I dove for the bushes that lined the sidewalk and choked up my breakfast smoothie as Jonah rubbed a soothing hand up and down my back.
Dillon said, “I think we should take her home.”
“Agreed,” Jonah said.
My stomach settled a bit—either that or it had nothing else to give—and I stood up. Dillon immediately handed me a water bottle, which I used to wash out my mouth.
Dillon’s hands on my hip soothed me. “Thanks.” After composing myself, I shook my head. “But we’re not leaving. I’ve already missed enough class time. I’m barely keeping up. But also, if I hide now, I’ll never stop. I won’t spend the rest of my life locked away in a safe tower.”
The guys exchanged a look that I couldn’t even begin to interpret, but I wasn’t going to give on this.
Jonah wrapped his big, muscular arms around me in a tight, warm hug. “Okay,” he murmured in my ear. “We’ll do this your way, but if anything happens, you have to agree to do exactly what Dillon and I say, no matter what. And remember, you know where my weapons are. You know how to protect yourself.”
That had been the one thing that I enjoyed out of all this. Jonah made me watch him dress and undress everyday. Doing that meant I knew exactly where his weapons were on his body and how to free them from the various sheaths and holsters if I needed them. The idea sent a shiver down my spine.
I nodded, my throat tight with dread and fear. Please let us all come out of this alive and unharmed.
Later that night when Jonah made love to me, his touch had a desperate quality to it that made the dread in my stomach heighten. Neither one of us slept much as both were too keyed up and worried.
The knowledge that the next shoe was about to drop was terrifying, but we tried to go through the everyday routine like everything was normal.
Constantly, guys made comments about “tough-guy” Jonah and how he was less of a man to hit women. Every day, I could see the toll it was taking on Jonah.
We tried not to react to the various paparazzi that seemed to infest every hole and corner we walked by. We tried not to react to my classmates and acquaintances constantly cajoling me that I could come stay with them if I needed to.
At this rate, Jonah wouldn’t have any molars left because his would be ground away.
It seemed like the only peace we found on campus was on Mrs. Latham’s bench in the corner, feeding the pigeons two days a week. I don’t know how Mrs. Latham did it, but she always had her corner to herself, and that hour was peaceful, one where we could all let our guards down. It was a welcomed respite. When Dillon started coming along, she began to surprise us all by bringing homemade cookies to share. The guys were officially in love with the caring, substitute grandmother.
With all the strife constantly bombarding the three of us, her little corner gave us an unexpected safe place to relax. Something I’d never expected when I’d befriended Mrs. Latham a few months ago.
But today, when we walked into class, my gaze immediately went to what used to be my normal seat. Minerva was already there, but I hadn’t spoken to her since she did the interview for TENews. I couldn’t trust her anymore. I was happy to see her back in class since she’d been absent last time. I’d worried that I might have driven her away from the class.
She caught me looking and lifted her hand in a half-wave. I turned away, but not before her hopeful smile fell. I hated this. I hated that I couldn’t be like normal people and have friends who liked me just for me, but once someone proved to be untrustworthy, I couldn’t ever let them in again.
Jonah placed his hand on my lower back, offering his support. He knew how much her defection had hurt me.
We took our seats on the other side of the auditorium. The guys sat on each side of me, making me the cream filling in a large, muscular, beefcake sandwich. I had to admit there were worse ways to be.
To look the part of the student, Jonah opened his laptop just like me. Dillon played Angry Birds on his phone. And I was supposed to pay attention to my professor.
Today, that wasn’t happening. My mind kept straying to Minerva. I didn’t have many friends, so I felt her absence more than I should have for someone that I simply talked to in a class. It made me sad, and that just led me to worrying about the other problem relationship in my life...Jonah.
While I never questioned his ability to protect me, I was beginning to worry about the toll protecting me was taking on
him. He didn’t seem to sleep much anymore. Oh, yeah, he always went to bed with me, made love to me. But I’d wake up an hour or so later, and he’d be down in the living room, working and monitoring the lack of progression the cops were having on tracking my kidnapper.
The stress was starting to show in the dark circles under his eyes and the jaw that seemed permanently clenched. He needed this case closed so he could relax again, but that brought up a whole new slew of problems for me.
If I missed Minerva this much, what would I do when he left? It was shocking at just how easily he’d settled into my home and life. Even Trace couldn’t do that. After forty-eight hours together, Trace and I would both be begging for time apart. I just always considered myself a true loner.
Jonah had proven that wrong. If he had to go to the building’s security center to call his boss, I felt like I was missing a part of me.
That wasn’t good, especially since we’d both agreed this was a convenient situation, only using sex as a way to scratch the itch. Not a long-term arrangement.
Even having him sit here beside me in class was nice, soothing. I’d always lived worried about who might be talking about me. In the past few weeks, the talk around me had risen, but my anxiety about it had dropped. As long as I had Jonah by my side, I didn’t care what other people thought. I needed to break free of this reliance on him, or I would definitely get hurt.
Suddenly, everyone was standing and gathering their stuff since it was over. I’d completely lost track of class. I jolted in surprise, because I hadn’t even realized.
Jonah turned to me in concern. “You okay?”
“Yeah, sorry.” I shook my head. “I was just caught up in my daydreams and missed that class was over.”
He chuckled lightly and kissed the top of my head. “Maybe I should let you get more sleep at night, so you don’t doze off in class.”
I winked at him. “You haven’t heard me complaining, have you?” Besides, if anyone needed more sleep, it was him.
I followed Dillon out of our row, but I was looking back at Jonah.
His smile suddenly dropped as his focus shifted to behind me. I turned and found myself facing Minerva.
“Hi, Elle.” She gave me a shy little wave.
I shook my head. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
Jonah grabbed my hand, and I turned to follow him. I felt a tug on my backpack and heard a female scream. I turned to find Dillon wrenching Minerva’s hand behind her back.
“Hey, no. Stop,” I said as I grabbed at Dillon’s arm. “She’s harmless.”
He shook his head but didn’t look at me. “She was messing with your backpack.” He snatched something out of the hand he held pinned behind her back. Glancing down at it, his mouth thinned, but he turned it so Jonah and I could see.
Jonah tensed at my side.
It was a pamphlet with the title, When Anger Turns to Violence: How Victims Can Find Help.
I hated that the world saw him as an abuser now. It wasn’t fair to him when he was actively doing the complete opposite. I shook my head at Minerva. “You’re wrong,” I said. “He’s not hurting me.”
Minerva glared at Jonah. “I hope that’s true.” She curled her lip at him. “But the way he hangs off you is creepy.”
Pain flashed across Jonah’s expression, but he quickly covered it.
“You need to be careful.” Minerva rubbed my upper arm like she was trying to sooth me.
“Don’t touch her,” Jonah growled.
I took another step away from Minerva. “It’s okay, Jonah.”
Minerva shook her head and gave Jonah a look of disgust. “If he’s not hitting you now, it’s coming. I just hope you still have friends left by then.” She turned and glared at Dillon before flouncing off in a huff.
“Well. Okay, then,” I said. “I guess she told me.”
“I kind of think she told us all,” Dillon said as he sneered at the pamphlet and chunked it into the closest trashcan.
Good riddance. But that didn’t change the hurt I knew this had to be causing Jonah. I turned to Jonah. “I’m so sorry. This wasn’t what you signed up for, and it’s not fair to you.”
He pulled me into a hug and kissed the crown of my head. “It’s okay, really. You and I know the truth. That’s all that matters.”
I tried to believe that, but couldn’t. I had to do something to fix this. I couldn’t force my case to a close, but I could at least make this whole ordeal more pleasant for this generous man.
Luckily, Dillon and Jonah were best friends as well as co-workers, so an hour later when I managed to get Dillon alone in the kitchen, I got him on-board with my plan to create a special night just for Jonah.
When Jonah arrived back at the apartment after a trip to the building security room, Dillon distracted him while I “went to take a nap” in the spare room where their noise wouldn’t bother me. In truth, I didn’t want Jonah to hear my phone calls.
This was the first time in my life I could ever remember using ViviAnna’s name to get something done. That had been the one thing I truly hated about this plan, but Jonah was worth sacrificing my pride for. I would use ViviAnna’s name for him. And I could admit, the power of it was a heady thing. I was able to make my arrangements for the next day when I had expected it to take a couple of weeks to get the plan together.
When I “awoke from my nap” a couple of hours later, I slipped the itinerary to Dillon when Jonah had his back turned. He glanced down at it and then his gaze shot back to mine, his eyes wide when he noticed the timeframe. He hadn’t quite realized the power of VA, either. We shared a secret grin.
Tomorrow...maybe I could ease a small portion of the pain Jonah had been going through and make it worth it.
Chapter Thirteen
Jonah
I side-eyed Elle as we walked to her car in the south W parking lot. I squeezed her hand and kissed the back of it. She smiled at me but seemed distracted, wound up. Something was up with the girl. Both she and Dillon had been acting wily all day long. It sent prickles of awareness zinging across the back of my neck.
But that was pretty much a normal state of being anymore. Hawk Works hadn’t taken into account how everyone around us would now focus on us as boyfriend and girlfriend. People whispered, watched, and spit at me, expecting me to lose my temper at any second. It was exhausting, and the increased attention made it really difficult to tell when someone else might be fixated on Elle. Everyone watched her now.
The only good thing was that attention would make it even more difficult for her stalker to get close. But somehow, he’d gotten close to Raquel, the photographer, even though she was well-known, too. It all made me more terrified about what would happen when this guy made his move. We all knew it had to be soon. He’d basically told us that already.
That didn’t answer the question of what Dillon and Elle were up to, though. As I witnessed another secret smile between the two of them, I stopped. “Okay, someone needs to fess up. What plan are you hatching between the two of you?”
Elle laughed and wrapped her arm around my waist, which brought her breast—her highly distracting, lush breast—pressed against my torso. “Us? All your cloaks-and-dagger play has made you paranoid.”
I choked out a cough. “Cloaks-and-dagger play? Is that what we’re calling it now?” I leaned down and softly brushed her hair away from her ear so I could whisper, “You liked playing with my dagger last night.”
Her eyes went wide with shock and embarrassment and she glanced over at Dillon to see if he’d heard. Dillon studiously ignored us as he played the part of bodyguard, watching the environment around us.
She held her hands up in mock surrender and a laugh. “Okay, I give up. I need more practice before I can match sexual innuendo with you. If you must know, I’ve planned a special date for us tonight. The big guy has been helping so you can relax about security and just have a good time.”
“Really?” I hadn’t been expecting that. Go on a
real date with Elle? Hell, that sounded amazing but also risky. “Are you sure you want to do that? You know the press is going to be all over us.” And I could already hear the shouted, awful, invasive questions about how much I hit her and if she needed someone to step in that would be a better match for my size.
I tried not to listen, to not let it get to me, but the constant barrage of thinly veiled insults were wearing me down.
“Don’t worry.” She tugged on my arm and pulled me toward the car. “Dillon has made sure that everything is safe, and we won’t be hounded. Not tonight. Tonight is just for you. No press.”
It sounded almost too good to be true.
TWO HOURS LATER, I stood in front of Dillon in Elle’s spare bedroom. “Since you know the plan tonight and I don’t, will this work for clothes?” I glanced down at my black dress pants and pale gray button down shirt.
“You have a jacket that matches those pants, don’t you?” Dillon asked.
“Yeah, but I didn’t realize this would be that fancy.” Elle had never struck me as a girl who’d want to go to a formal dinner on a date. She seemed more like a “picnic by the lake” kind of girl. Maybe I didn’t know her as well as I thought. “Should I wear a tie, too?”
“No.” Dillon shook his head. “The jacket should be fine.”
I nodded. Honestly, that would work even better for me, because then I could wear my shoulder holster rather than strapping my piece to my leg. As I grabbed the jacket off the hanger, I tilted my head at Dillon. “You still not going to tell me what the plan is tonight?”
“Nope.” He popped the P like he enjoyed keeping me in the dark about this. The fucker. “Just sit back and enjoy the fact that you landed one hell of a girl.” He left me to finish getting ready.
I frowned after him. What did that mean? What had Elle done? I shook my head. I’d never done particularly well with waiting for surprises. To distract myself, I focused on what Dillon had said about me landing Elle. There were moments I wanted that to be true so much that it almost hurt. But I wasn’t the kind of guy who got forever with anyone, much less someone as amazing as Elle. If I tried a relationship with her, I’d hurt her even more than I already had and that was an unacceptable risk. My job took priority over everything else.