Rogue Beast (The Rourkes, Book 12)

by Kylie Gilmore

  I set the phone down on the coffee table and stare blankly for a moment. She dragged my name into it without asking me ahead of time. That’s bad.

  I stand and pace the living room. On the other hand, she apologized, and she only said she was happy she met me. She didn’t say we were a thing.

  But it was implied, wasn’t it?

  I stop in front of the ugly piece of modern art on the wall that I somehow got stuck with and glare at it. This piece of “art”—purple and red scribbles with a yellow dot in the center—belongs to my brother Connor, who left it behind. He won’t let me throw it out because our brother Jack gave it to him as a birthday present, and he won’t take it with him because Con’s wife says it doesn’t go with their decor. Now I’m saddled with it. I take it off the wall and turn it around.

  Back to pacing. Maybe it’s flattering that Harper mentioned me. Maybe she truly is happy she met me. This could be an opportunity. Did fate intervene, tying us together?

  I’m grasping at straws. I grab my phone and text her back. Just got your texts. Thanks for the heads-up.

  Harper: Really sorry. Are you mad?

  I think for a moment. I want her too much to be mad, and what does that say about me? This is such a bizarre situation. I’ve only been mentioned in an article once before when my oldest brother, Dylan, got married in Villroy. It was the first time our family had a wedding in the kingdom after my dad’s banishment, so it was big news. The reconciliation between the Villroy Rourkes and the Brooklyn Rourkes is relatively new.

  I text back. I’m fine.

  I need to talk to Josie before I pursue anything further with Harper. Josie’s an excellent judge of people, she knows how the industry and the press machine works, and she’ll be straight with me. I text her, and she promptly invites me for dinner, which I accept.

  I take a seat on the sofa and decide to do a little investigating. I tap over to Google on my phone and type my name to see how far this thing with Harper traveled. I let out a low whistle. She must be an even bigger name than I realized because there’s tons of articles about the split, and a few wondering who I am with links to a picture of me in a group photo from Dylan’s wedding. There’s a red arrow pointing to my head to pick me out among my brothers. This is really weird.

  When I arrive for dinner at Sean and Josie’s brownstone in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, a bottle of red wine in hand, Josie answers the door. “Come in! I’m so happy you could make it for dinner.” She takes the offered wine. “You are so sweet! My favorite.” She tilts her head, offering me her cheek.

  I bend down to kiss it. “Thanks for the invite.”

  She gestures for me to follow downstairs to the kitchen. “Sean’s on cooking duty tonight.”

  Great! Josie is a disaster in the kitchen. She keeps trying, though. Relentlessly optimistic, this one.

  “What are we having?” I ask.

  “It’s this neat fish dish, where you wrap it in parchment paper and cook it with vegetables.”

  “Mediterranean fish en papillote,” Sean says, sounding extremely sophisticated. The thing about Sean is that he was just like me, a regular old construction worker, but he didn’t let that define him. He got heavily involved in fundraising efforts for Habitat for Humanity and started meeting a different circle of people—educated, wealthy professionals. He’s a bit of a chameleon, changing to fit in depending on the circumstances. When he’s in town, he’ll still step in on crew on occasion if we need him at work, but otherwise he’s knee-deep in Rourke foundation work, or accompanying Josie on set. She makes more than enough money for both of them.

  “Take a seat,” Josie says, indicating one of the scrolled iron swivel stools at the kitchen island. “You want a glass of this delicious wine or one of Sean’s beers?”

  I grin. “You hafta ask?”

  Sean jerks his chin at me from the island, where he’s chopping vegetables. “How ya doing?”

  “Good.” I give his shoulder a squeeze on my way past him and take a seat.

  Josie shakes her head, smiling. “You don’t have to bring wine just for me.” She fetches me a beer, opens it, and searches for a glass.

  I wiggle my fingers at her. “Gimme. I’ll take it straight from the bottle.”

  She hands it over and gets to work uncorking the wine. Jazz plays in the background over speakers in the ceiling. Sean went all out on renovating this place. The appliances are top of the line too.

  A few moments later, Josie joins me at the island and clinks her glass against my bottle. “Cheers!”

  “Cheers.”

  I try to think of the best way to get her view on the Harper situation without sounding like I’m too interested. Josie is the kind of person who’d get overly excited and try to play matchmaker. I’m not sure what I want to happen with Harper. I’m part mad she brought my name into it without asking me, and part flattered that she’d want me tied to her in the public eye. Is she the kind of person who throws people under the bus to make herself look good, or was it just a onetime panic response? I want to believe she’s a good person.

  Josie nudges her shoulder with mine. “I texted Harper your number after our taping yesterday, and now I hear you’re dating. I’m so happy for you. I just knew you two would be a good match.”

  “Josie,” Sean says with a note of exasperation in his voice, “you didn’t tell me you did that.”

  “What?” she asks, looking between us. “They’re both single and awesome. Why wouldn’t I want them to connect?”

  I clench my jaw. I offered to give Harper my number before the taping, she declined, and then Josie sent it anyway. Did Harper think I asked Josie to do that? So fucking embarrassing, like I’m desperately pursuing her. I’ve never desperately pursued any woman. That’s what my charm is for.

  “You shouldn’t have given her my number,” I say. “I don’t need dating help. We’re not together either. She told the press we’re a thing without asking me ahead of time.” I narrow my eyes at her. “I’m not liking being blindsided by the two of you.”

  “Ohhh, I didn’t realize that’s how it went down with her,” Josie says, conveniently ignoring her own wrongdoing. She cocks her head. “Huh. That’s not like her. Maybe a reporter ambushed her, and she panicked.”

  I take a swig of beer. “Yeah, basically. That’s what she said.”

  She squeezes my arm. “Are you mad?”

  “I’m not sure,” I admit.

  “Because he’s into her,” Sean says. “I told him we’d go on a double date.”

  Josie claps, her eyes lighting up. “That would be awesome. And if you got married, she could be my sister! Oh, you guys, you know I’ve always wanted a sister.”

  I stare at her. Is she nuts? “Josie, we literally just met.”

  “And you have sisters-in-law now,” Sean points out, taking a roll of parchment paper from a drawer.

  Josie beams at him. “I know, but I’m greedy.”

  He sets the roll of parchment paper on the island, cups her jaw, and kisses her. “Love you,” he says gruffly.

  She practically dances in her seat. “Love you too!”

  I take a long draw on my beer, ignoring the stab of jealousy. I’m happy for them, for all of my brothers with their forever loves. It’s stupid to feel like I’m the one left behind. Youngest is always last. So what? It’s not a race.

  Josie takes in my no doubt somber expression and gets serious. “I don’t think she meant to hurt you by bringing you into it. You have to understand the kind of spotlight she’s under. People know her from Capital Asset, and she was in two teen shows before that. She started working when she was fifteen, so the public feels like they know her. They want to know who she’s with and what she’s doing with her life. It can be a lot of pressure. And this thing with Colton…” She shakes her head. “I think people feel sorry for her being cheated on, so she spun it away from that. She’s probably trying to make it look like it was a mutual decision to make things more equal
. Your name popped up because she’d just been talking to you.” She lifts a finger. “But subconsciously she wants to be with you.”

  Hope spears through me, and I ruthlessly tamp it down. Harper only talked about me to save face. I hadn’t realized she was known to the public for so long. I only knew her from that one show. I don’t keep up with celebrity gossip, and I missed those teen TV shows. They were probably for girls.

  I feel Josie staring at me. “Okay, I get why she’d want to even the playing field after Colton sprang his new girlfriend on her. Ya know, this acting thing is really a double-edged sword. You get to do the work you love, but there’s a price, giving up your privacy.”

  “Exactly. And she’s had some weird stalker incidents since playing Amanda Boxer. The last thing she wants is to appear weak in any way.”

  My gut tightens. “What kind of weird stalker incidents?”

  “The most recent one was a guy breaking into her apartment, asking her to whip him.”

  “Jesus.”

  Sean shakes his head. “Sicko.”

  “What happened?” I ask. “What did she do?”

  Josie straightens in her seat. “I give her a lot of credit for quick thinking after being woken from a sound sleep. She told him he had to be tied up in the closet before she’d do it, and he had to wait for her command. So she tied him up with her jump rope in her bedroom closet, and then she left the apartment and called the police. They found him still eagerly waiting for her.”

  My gut twists. “She must’ve been terrified.” Sweet Harper facing an intruder alone. No wonder she hired a bodyguard. Shit. That’s why she looked horrified when she realized I wasn’t her guard. She didn’t seem scared, though, and she still invited me into her trailer to explain myself. Maybe she could tell I wasn’t a danger. I would never hurt a woman.

  Josie continues. “Yeah, and there’s been others. Guys are attracted to tough Amanda like she’s some kind of dominatrix, or they feel threatened and want to put her in her place. Usually it’s just verbal harassment, but there’ve been a few incidents where a guy grabbed her by the hair or ass.”

  A cold fury settles over me. I hate that she felt threatened by these men just because she’s on TV doing her job. I almost wish I were her guard because I’d kick every guy’s ass that tried to get near her.

  “I can’t believe this is all over a character she played on TV,” I say. “Don’t they know the difference between fiction and reality?”

  She lifts a shoulder. “I know. Not that it excuses that kind of behavior anyway. No woman should be harassed for being who she is whether that’s tough or gentle.”

  “True,” I say.

  “Absolutely,” Sean chimes in.

  Josie gives him a sweet smile before turning back to me. “Anyway, I just want you to understand where she’s coming from. She’s really the sweetest person, but even someone sweet, when they feel threatened, will do whatever they need to do to protect themselves. She needed to not look weak and alone. I’m sure that’s why she blurted she was with you.”

  “I’m fine with it.” And I really am. I’m more worried about her safety. “Now I get why she hired a bodyguard. Why don’t you hire a bodyguard?”

  She smiles at my brother. “I’ve got Sean. No one’s going to mess with him.”

  Sean’s chest puffs out for a moment before he tucks fish and vegetables into a parchment pouch. “The moment I think it’s called for, we’ll hire a guard. So far, Josie hasn’t attracted that kind of attention. I do look out for her in public, and this place is wired for security.” He gives Josie a stern look. “I already told her once we have kids, a guard is nonnegotiable.”

  Josie blows him a kiss.

  I can’t help but feel bad for Harper. To feel threatened like that, to have her home violated. The stuff of nightmares. It could’ve been so much worse too.

  Josie turns to me. “You two should go out for real now.”

  I hold up a palm. “She was just saving face.”

  Josie presses on. “You guys are both so sweet. I think you should go for it.”

  I lean close to get in her face, making sure she gets how serious I am. “Josie, she’s got enough going on. I’d just be adding to her stress after our run-in yesterday, her breakup, and the fallout from the press.” Not to mention feeling threatened by random men. That’s just wrong.

  Sean and Josie turn curious eyes on me. “Your run-in?” they say in near unison.

  “I thought you just had a nice talk,” Sean says.

  I rub my scruffy jaw and fill them in on Harper’s mistaking me for her guard, along with her extreme embarrassment when she realized it. “I don’t want to stress her any more.”

  “Oh my God, this is all so adorable!” Josie exclaims. “A case of mistaken identity.”

  Sean shakes his head, smiling, and continues assembling parchment packets.

  “I doubt Harper thought it was adorable,” I say.

  Josie picks up her phone and starts texting.

  I stiffen. “You’re texting her, aren’t you?”

  She smiles, still texting merrily. “I just told her you’re here for dinner, and you asked me to pass along that you hope she’s okay.”

  It sounds like the right note to hit without putting any pressure on her. “I guess that’s alright.”

  Josie texts for so long the hair on the back of my neck stands up. She did something, didn’t she? A step too far.

  “Are you talking about me?” I ask.

  Josie puts her phone down and gives me her wide-eyed innocent look. The woman is never innocent of anything. “No big. Just let her know how awesome you are from my insider point of view, and that if she wants a friendly ear, to get in touch with you anytime to chat.”

  I clench my jaw. “I didn’t agree to that last part. She’ll think I asked you to do that and feel pressured.” And it makes me look desperate again. “Come on, Josie. Do ya think I can’t get a woman on my own? You’re making me look bad.”

  She turns to my brother. “It was a harmless add-on, right, Sean?”

  Sean puts dinner in the oven, saying, “Don’t get me in the middle of your sneaky matchmaking ways.”

  Josie turns back to me and lifts her chin. “I’m not sorry. You should be thanking me.”

  I bite back a sharp retort.

  She flutters her lashes at me. Ridiculous. I’m still mad.

  I narrow my eyes at her and take a pull on my beer. My phone vibrates with a text.

  Harper: I’m okay, but thanks for the offer to chat.

  “It’s her, right? What’d she say?” Josie asks eagerly.

  I take a sip of beer, playing it cool, ignoring the sting of rejection. I guess a little hope snuck in there. “She said so long.”

  “Oh.” She rubs my arm. “Sorry, Garrett. I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”

  Whatever. I’m tired of hoping for things that don’t work out. I’ve decided fate will put the right woman in my path. Harper Ellis simply isn’t her.

  “How do you feel about an older woman?” Josie chirps. “The woman who plays the matriarch of the family on my show is single. She’s not that old either, fortyish. They use makeup to age her.”

  “No!” Sean and I say in unison.

  Josie presses her lips together. “She’s nice, and so are you. I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

  Sean gestures toward me. “Beast needs a woman who—”

  “I don’t need anyone’s help,” I grumble.

  Josie brightens. “Ooh, remember that nice Catholic girl your mom tried to set Brendan up with?”

  We all crack up. Poor Brendan. Just when my brother brought home the love of his life, there’s Mom introducing him to Faith. Josie sure knows how to lighten the mood.

  “Maybe?” Josie asks me.

  “No!”

  4

  Harper

  My phone vibrates with a text on the dining room table, where I’m eating dinner, and I stare at it, my pulse accelerating. Is G
arrett following up with me for more? Do I want him to? I can’t deny the chemistry between us was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. And I really do like him. At the same time, I’m still hurting from Colton’s betrayal. I should’ve seen this coming. My ex, John, used me for a step up in the industry too. It’s just that Colton was so different from John, so casual and relaxed about everything, I didn’t think he had that kind of ambition in him. Guess he hid it well, and look how great it worked out for him. He went from a part in a music video to starring in a movie thanks to our “It” couple status. I haven’t even starred in a movie! Just small forgettable supporting girlfriend roles.

  I ignore my phone, not ready to deal with whoever it is in my current state of mind.

  I’m so sick of user men. John had been a guest star on Capital Asset during our first season. He poured on the charm, the gifts, the affection. I let my guard down, let him into my heart. We went everywhere together, even lived together. The press loved us, and as my profile grew playing Amanda, the buzz around us grew. I thought everyone saw what I did—a madly-in-love couple. A wedding was surely in our future. John’s career started building with supporting roles in two movies, and I was happy for him. But the moment he was offered the lead in a new superhero movie, he cut ties. He told me it was just the way the business works, nothing personal. Nothing personal to the woman you dated for a year! I never guessed how ruthlessly ambitious he was, until he showed his true colors.

  Twice burned, and I won’t let there be a third time. I’m going to focus on work and that is it. My agent says I’m a TV workhorse, reliable to help any show shine, but I want more than that. I want a juicy part in a movie. The roles just aren’t coming my way. Maybe I should date myself to leapfrog into a better role. Sure worked for John and Colton!