by M. Malone
For women like Carly, it was a highly sought-out characteristic. Eli sighed and threw the empty box on his bed. His one night of stupidity had already complicated his life immensely. Women were such emotional creatures, something Eli feared and respected at the same time.
It had been obvious for a long time that Carly was willing to “assist” in more ways than one. She’d intercepted one of his packages he’d accidentally had shipped to the office. The order had been for a new flogger, a sweet brown cowhide that was only available online. He’d intended to ship it directly to the Springfield house but had inadvertently put in the billing address, which was to his office. He’d told Carly to intercept the package and bring it directly to him. She’d caught the mailroom worker just as he was cutting into the packaging.
As soon as she brought it to him, he’d known she’d looked inside.
“You shouldn’t have gone there.” He blew out a breath and flopped down on his bed. His reflection stared balefully back at him. A late night when she’d stopped by to bring him his cleaning had turned into ordering dinner and then ordering her onto her knees.
He’d avoided female company for years and then had only allowed himself quick, impersonal encounters in clubs and hotel rooms. To allow her to come here and enter his personal space had been a mistake.
One he would pay for again and again.
CHAPTER THREE
THE SOUND OF the doorbell ringing was like nails on a chalkboard. Eli pulled out his phone and brought up the camera feed for the front door. Carly stood on the front step, holding a brown paper bag. He groaned and rolled over. Allowing her to come here again had been a mistake. She needed a firm hand, and any sense of softness on his side simply gave her hope of more.
No doubt she’d concocted some excuse for why she’d needed to come back. A document he’d forgotten to sign or something she’d conveniently left behind.
He stalked down the hall and to the front door. When he yanked it open, the smile on her face faded. “What are you doing back here?”
She looked down at the bag she held and then back up at him. “I forgot something. Since I had to come back anyway, I brought you dinner.”
Eli accepted the bag. “Thank you, but you really shouldn’t have.” Guilt assailed him. She’d done something nice, and he’d bitten her head off.
“It was no trouble.” Carly pushed past him and walked toward the kitchen.
He followed reluctantly. “You still shouldn’t have.” Eli held her gaze until he was sure she got the message.
Her shoulders drooped slightly before she picked up the purple gloves on the edge of the counter. “I really did forget something. See?”
While she yanked the gloves on angrily, Eli’s gaze settled on a box at her feet.
“What’s in the box?”
She glared at him and then picked it up and placed it on the counter. “I don’t know. This is one of the boxes I left here earlier. You didn’t open it?”
“I didn’t see it.”
“The mail room said it was some kind of present. Something personal from a former client.”
Eli pulled the box toward him. Kaylee’s name was on the upper corner of the label. His heart sped up a little at the sight. Why would she send him a gift? The only people who ever sent him gifts were his family members, and they wouldn’t bother to mail it. They'd just wait until he came home and hand it to him. The last time he’d seen Kay had been at Christmas. He’d given her a present, just a necklace with her daughter’s birthstone. He’d done it because he wanted to see her bright brown eyes light up. He hadn’t done it to make her feel obligated to give him something in return.
He yanked at the tape on the box. Even though he’d long ago made the decision to have his mail checked at headquarters before he opened it personally, they still tried to give him some illusion of privacy by closing his envelopes and packages back partially and securing them with tape.
Inside the box there was an unsealed, padded envelope. He tipped it over and something slid out, weighty in his palm. Frowning, Eli turned it over, examining the ceramic cat figurine with interest. Why would she send him a knickknack? He wasn’t the type of guy who collected shit. He glanced around at the barren decor of his house. Anyone who knew him—hell, anyone who’d ever met him—knew that dainty breakables weren’t his style.
“So, this former client? Is she a little old lady or something?” Carly eyed the cat figurine with interest. “I think my grandma had one like that.”
Eli ignored her and picked up the envelope included. It wasn’t sealed and contained a single sheet of computer paper.
I wonder if she even noticed it was missing.
His blood chilled. Something in his face must have alerted Carly because she took the letter away from him and scanned it.
“When was this sent?” he barked.
Carly fumbled with the packaging. “It was postmarked a week ago but I only got it from the mailroom a few days ago.”
Eli tucked the figurine back into the padded envelope and closed it. He wished now that he hadn’t opened it with his bare hands but doubted it made much of a difference in the end. The types who were crazy enough to send threatening letters were rarely crazy enough to leave fingerprints. He tucked the box under his arm and grabbed his coat off the back of the kitchen chair.
“Wait, Eli! Where are you going?” Carly trotted behind him as he walked to the front door. She stepped out onto the porch and waited as he locked the door behind him.
He didn’t look back as he got into his truck and started the ignition.
“Cancel all my appointments next week.”
KAY WALKED BACK into the control room to a hearty round of applause. Jackson had called that afternoon and asked if she was available to record that night because one of his other artists had canceled. At first she’d said no because she didn’t want to be one of those girls who constantly bailed on her girlfriends. However, when she told Sasha, her friend hadn’t minded at all and decided instead to meet her at the studio. Now she was clapping and whooping the loudest.
“As many times as I’ve heard you sing, you can still bring tears to my eyes.” Sasha swiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. Her long, glittery nails sparkled under the studio lights.
Her friend loved making a statement, which was obvious from the bold manicures she got every other week to the daring clothes she wore. Today her entire outfit was made of some kind of lime-green shredded fabric that hugged her hourglass figure perfectly. The color looked good against her cocoa complexion. With her hair elaborately braided and twisted up into a high ponytail, she looked like an Egyptian princess in a club dress.
Kay grinned as Sasha enfolded her in a hug. They’d just finished recording the first power ballad on the album, and Kay was quite sure she’d nailed it. Mac and Jackson both seemed really pleased with her, so she could only hope that meant they liked her songwriting. She’d been afraid they were only saying they did to spare her feelings.
“Thank you. I’m starting to get really excited about this. I mean, I was excited before, but it’s different now. Having my songs out there.”
She shook her head, not sure how to express what she was trying to say. Luckily Jackson seemed to get it.
“It’s because these songs are yours. They represent you. It’s great to have people love your singing, but it’s better to have them love your style. To have them love you.”
“Yes. That’s it exactly.”
Mac sat back in his chair, appraising her openly. “I have to say, I didn’t know you had it in you, Kay. You’re not singing like a church girl anymore.”
Kay was about to respond when the outer door leading to the general office opened and Matt Simmons, her former bodyguard, strode in. His eyes swept over all the electronics in the room with a cursory glance before stopping on Kaylee.
“You’re here. Good. I’ve been trying to find you for the past hour.”
Kay jumped up, unconsciously respondi
ng to the urgency in his voice. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?” She clapped a hand over her stomach. “Is it Hope? Did something happen?” She could hear her own voice rising with hysteria until Matt came forward and put a hand on her shoulder.
“She’s fine.” Matt squeezed her arm. “It’s nothing to do with her. I just need to show you something.
Kaylee let out the breath she was holding. “Okay.”
“Have you ever seen this before?” He held up his cell phone. There was a picture of a small ceramic figurine displayed.
“Yeah. I have a similar one.” Kay leaned closer. It was hard to tell from just a picture, but the figurine looked almost identical to the one she had.
“That’s what I thought. Uh, are you done for the day?” Matt glanced at the others uncertainly.
“Not really. Why?” Kay asked.
“Because we need to go. Now.”
Even though it had been months since Matt was assigned as her bodyguard, some part of Kay still responded to his authority because she immediately turned and gathered her things. It had taken her a while to get used to someone shadowing her every move, but she’d gone along with it because it was for her own protection.
“Whoa, what’s going on? Is she in danger again?” Jackson directed the question to Matt even as he stood and helped Kaylee with her coat.
Matt hesitated and the two men seemed to be having some sort of silent conversation. Kay rolled her eyes. This was exactly how things had been last summer, except then it had been Eli and Matt making decisions for her, treating her like she was a little girl who couldn’t handle knowing the truth.
“Just tell me, Matt. What’s going on?”
Matt finally looked at her directly. “I don’t have that many details. Eli just called and said I had to find you.”
“Well, I’m fine. I’ve been at the studio for the past two hours and Sasha and I are going back to my apartment now.”
Matt looked uncomfortable. “Uh, I’m supposed to bring you to the Alexanders’ place and stay with you until he gets here.”
Sasha appeared at Matt’s side. “Gets here. Eli’s coming back?”
At Matt’s nod, Sasha turned to Kay, her eyes gleaming. “I don’t mind if you take a rain check on our movie date. You should go, make sure everything’s okay.”
Kay narrowed her eyes at her friend. “I’m sure it won’t take that long. You could come with me.”
Sasha made a show of looking at the clock hanging on the wall behind her. “It’s already so late. I’m sure you’ll need time to get all this sorted out. I’ll just call you later. Or tomorrow. In case you get home late tonight.”
Kay grabbed her handbag. “I’m sure I won’t be out that long.” Although it would please her friend immensely if she was. Sasha had never agreed with her decision to give up on Elliott. If her friend had her way, Kay would have followed him to Northern Virginia and cornered him with an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“A girl can always hope,” Sasha whispered.
Kay pasted a smile on her face and zipped up her coat. “I guess we’d better go, then.” She turned to Jackson and Mac. “Sorry to run out on you. Hopefully we can finish tomorrow.”
“Whenever. Like I said, we’re ahead of schedule.” Jackson exchanged another one of those silent looks with Matt. “I think I’ll come with you guys if you don’t mind.”
“I can close up, Jack.” Mac offered her a sympathetic smile.
“Thanks, man. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jackson retrieved his own coat and followed them out into the freezing night air.
He waved at them before getting into his sedan. Sasha gave Kaylee another quick hug. “Call me tomorrow with details. Hopefully something juicy.”
“I doubt there will be anything good to report.” She waited, Matt at her side while her friend unlocked her little economy car and got inside. Then she followed Matt over to his truck. He unlocked it with the remote on his keychain and she threw her stuff on the floor of the cab before hoisting herself up into the seat.
“So, are you going to tell me what’s really going on now?”
Matt glanced over at her. His eyes were so dark she could barely make out the color in the dim interior of the vehicle, but she couldn’t miss his smirk. “You thought I was joking before? When have you ever known boss man to be forthcoming with details?”
Kay couldn’t argue with that. Eli Alexander didn’t like unnecessary questions and rarely bothered with explanations at all. She was probably lucky he’d told Matt anything at all instead of just ordering him to drag her by her hair back to his parents’ house.
“Hold on, I think this is him now.” Matt pulled out his phone and turned on the speakerphone. “Eli, I’m here with Kay now.”
“Good. I don’t want to get into specifics over the phone, but I need to ask her a few questions.”
“Okay, what do you need to know?” Kay asked.
“Are you dating anyone? Specifically, anyone with access to your apartment.”
Kay flushed. Matt kept his eyes on the road, but there was no way she was imagining the sudden tension in the car. It had to be as awkward for him as it was for her.
“No. I’ve been too busy recording and working. The only men I see on a regular basis are your brothers and my dad.”
Eli grunted on the other end of the line. “What about Hope’s father? He hasn’t come around recently has he?”
“No. That would require him to acknowledge her existence. Something he doesn’t really want to do.”
“Have you noticed anyone hanging around? Seen anyone who doesn’t look right near the studio or anything?”
Kay exchanged a glance with Matt. He looked as worried as she felt. “Not that I’ve noticed. Am I in danger? I thought the guy who sent those letters was in prison.”
“He is.” Eli paused. “I just received something in the mail that makes me think we might have gotten the wrong guy.”
KAYLEE SAT UP to accept the cup of warm cocoa Julia Alexander pressed into her hands. She’d already been wrapped in a warm blanket and given a plate of cookies to munch on. If Eli didn’t get here soon, she was going to be delirious and in a sugar coma from all the mothering.
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Alexander. You really didn’t need to go to so much trouble.”
“Please, call me Julia. You’re practically family.” Julia fussed around her, adjusting the blanket and tidying the items on the side table.
Kay observed her over the top of the mug, wondering what it was about the woman that put everyone instantly at ease. It wasn’t so much that Julia looked different from her own mother, it was that she felt different. She exuded a warmth that suggested she would always have a hug and a smile ready for anyone who needed them. Julia Alexander accepted people as they were. She wasn’t looking for imperfections in the people she met or searching for things to criticize.
“Thank you, Mrs.… Miss Julia,” she stammered. It was nearly impossible for her to call an older person by their first name. She’d never been allowed to growing up so now she found, it just felt wrong.
“Such a sweet girl. I can tell you were raised right. I still can’t call Mark’s mother by her first name, either. Now, you just drink your cocoa and relax. Hopefully Eli will be here soon.” She patted Kay’s knee and then walked back to the kitchen.
Matt stood by the window, his shoulders tense as he peered out the window into the night. It was disconcerting to see him so on edge. He wasn’t exactly a happy-go-lucky kind of guy, but once she’d gotten to know him, she’d discovered he had a quick wit and a surprisingly similar sense of humor. Usually, he entertained her with stories about his other jobs and the changes his girlfriend, Penny, was making to his house. So it was even weirder that he’d been so closed off and tense since picking her up.
“It’s getting late. Can’t Eli just meet us at my place? I’m really tired.”
Matt’s lips thinned before he glanced down at his cell phone again. “Eli is almost here
. I think he wanted to talk to you first.”
“Okay.” There wasn’t much else to say, so she sat back into the plush cushions of the couch and sipped her cocoa. Someone walked by and she looked up to see the lanky frame of Eli’s older brother, Bennett. He was completely absorbed with reading something on his tablet and almost bumped into the doorframe. He did a double take when he saw Kay on the couch and glanced around as if unsure where he was.
“Oh, hello. I didn’t know we had guests.” He exchanged a handshake with Matt and then sat on the edge of the couch next to Kay. “How have you been?” He pushed up his glasses but didn’t look directly at her.
The palest of the Alexander brothers, with his long slender body and hazel eyes, Bennett always seemed as though he’d accidentally wandered into the wrong family. Conversations with him were usually slightly strange, but Kay had come to enjoy their random interactions. He seemed interested in what she had to say no matter how inconsequential.
“I’ve been great. I was recording some new songs with Jackson tonight. But apparently Eli needs to talk to me, so here I am.”
Bennett’s brow crinkled as he considered her words. “That’s strange. Why wouldn’t he just call you? Or drive to the studio so he didn’t have to interrupt your work?”
She glanced over at Matt again. “I’m not exactly sure.”
Bennett crossed his arms. “If Elliott asked Matthew to bring you here, he must be concerned about your safety. I was doing some research but I think I’ll stick around for a while and keep you company.”
“Okay, thanks. That would be nice. Why don’t you tell me about your research?”
Bennett sat back and placed the tablet in his lap. “Oh, this? I’m just looking into recent legislation regarding GMOs. That’s—”
“Genetically modified organisms, right?”
Bennett smiled then, a genuine smile, and looked at her directly for the first time. “Yes, that’s right. There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding their use and for good reason. However, I’m working on developing several vegetables that can grow under adverse conditions.”
