Careless

by Cheryl Douglas

  “You’re wrong, I was gonna ask you to stay for dinner ’cause I wanted you to meet them. But you go out on your date, have a good goddamned time, and don’t bother comin’ back. I’d rather face a dozen serial killers than have you spend one more night under my roof.” She stormed off before he could respond.

  He tipped his head back, wishing like hell someone had taught him the fine art of diplomacy.

  Chapter Nine

  Tori was trying to get through her father’s birthday celebration with a smile on her face. She laughed at all of his jokes, endured her brother’s endless teasing, warded off her mother’s concern about her weight and demanding schedule, and all the while she felt sick knowing she’d driven Mike into another woman’s arms tonight.

  Tori and her mother were putting the rest of the dishes away while her father and brothers enjoyed a cigar on the patio. “Are you sure you’re okay, honey?”

  “For the tenth time, I’m fine.” Tori grit her teeth and reminded herself this wasn’t her mother’s fault. She was responsible for the mess she’d made of her life. “I’m sorry, Mama. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

  Her mother, Paula, set the damp dishtowel down on the counter and hoisted her small frame up on a tall stool. “Does this have something to do with a man?”

  “Yes, no, oh hell…” She scraped her nails across her scalp and wished just this once, she could give in to her tears, but if any of her brothers caught her shedding a tear over some guy, they’d never let her live it down.

  “It’s okay, you know you can tell me,” Paula said, reaching for her daughter’s hand. “Whatever it is, I’m sure you’re not the first woman to go through it.”

  Tori didn’t know how her mother could possibly understand. Her parents had been high school sweethearts, married forty years, had four children, and they were still the best of friends. Thinking about her parents’ marriage sent Tori over the edge. Suddenly she couldn’t contain the emotion she’d been trying so hard to keep in check all day. “I just wish I knew…” She reached for a tissue, but balled it up in her fist instead of using it to dry her eyes. “When someone likes me for me, ya know?” She sniffled. “Sometimes I feel like everyone wants a piece of me, but nobody seems to want the whole package.”

  “I don’t believe that. You were always one of the most popular girls in school. Lots of friends, boyfriends… people liked you for you back then.”

  “I guess.” She climbed up on the stool across from her mother. “But things are different now.”

  “Are they really? So you travel around the world and sing your songs instead of singin’ in the shower. You’ve got a few bucks in the bank instead of havin’ to roll pennies to put gas in your truck, but you’re still the same girl you always were.”

  Tori propped her chin in her hand and stared at her mother. “You really think so, Mama?”

  “I know so.” She laughed. “You really think your daddy and me were gonna let you get a big head?” She gestured outside. “And you know you have your brothers to bring you back down to earth if you ever get too big for your britches.”

  “Ain’t that the truth.”

  “This man… Are you afraid he only wants to be with you because of your money or maybe he’s hopin’ to linger in your spotlight?”

  Tori laughed out loud. “No, trust me, he’s not impressed by stuff like that. He has lots of famous friends. Hell, I’m still an openin’ act compared to most of them.”

  Paula slapped her daughter’s hand. “Don’t you be runnin’ yourself down, girl. What you’ve accomplished is nothin’ short of a miracle, and we all know it didn’t come easy.”

  “I know.” She sighed. “I just meant… Mike doesn’t care about money or fame. In fact, I think he’d prefer it if I were a checker at the supermarket.”

  “You mean to say he’s intimidated by your success?”

  “No, not at all!” She laughed at her over-zealous reaction. “Sorry, it’s just that he’s one of the most confident men I’ve ever met. He’s a police lieutenant, and he’s used to callin’ the shots. I don’t think he knows quite what to make of me always givin’ him a hard time.”

  “That’s probably what he loves about you.”

  Tori didn’t know how much she should say. She didn’t want to get her mother’s hopes up, but if she didn’t get everything off her chest, she feared she might explode. “I don’t know if I can believe him… about lovin’ me. He says he does, but…”

  “But you don’t know if he’s bein’ sincere?”

  “He hurt me once, a long time ago. And even before… we never really got along. The chances of us ever findin’ happiness together are slim.”

  “I used to think the same thing about your daddy.”

  “Really?” Tori always thought her parents were perfect for one another. “I find that hard to believe.”

  “We wanted different things out of life. I wanted to go away to school, and he wanted to stay here and take over his daddy’s ranch.”

  “So you were the one to give in, huh?”

  “I never looked at it that way, darlin’.” Paula reached out to stroke her daughter’s cheek. “Relationships are about compromise. Your young man… has he made any compromises for you?”

  Only took a leave of absence from his job, uprooted his entire life to move into her home, follow her around the world, and ensure she was safe from harm. “Yeah, I guess he has.”

  “How ’bout you? You willin’ to give a little?”

  “I’m scared, Mama. What if he hurts me again?”

  A soft smile played on Paula’s unpainted lips. “What if he doesn’t? What if he makes you happier than you’ve ever been? Isn’t it worth the risk?”

  Before Tori could respond, laughter erupted from outside and a deep, husky voice that sounded all too familiar slid under her skin, rendering her speechless.

  “Darlin’, what is it?”

  “It sounds like Mike’s here.”

  Paula clapped her hands together as she jumped off the stool. “Oh good, I can hardly wait to meet him.”

  Tori had no idea what to expect. She didn’t want to worry her family, so she hadn’t told them about the stalker. If Mike told them he’d been staying with her and the reason why, her parents wouldn’t rest for a minute knowing she was in danger.

  “There you are,” Mike said, looking up at her.

  He looked perfectly at ease, sitting between her two older brothers like he’d known them forever.

  “I’m surprised to see you here.” She raised an eyebrow. “I thought you had other plans.”

  “Nothin’s more important to me than you, sugar.”

  She was barely able to control the impulse to tell him she loved him right there, in front of her entire family. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  Her brother, Jeremy, slapped Mike on the back. “Finally, you find yourself a decent guy, and you’re keepin’ him a secret from your own family. What gives, sis?”

  Tori didn’t know how to respond, but once again, Mike came to her rescue. “We’re just takin’ our time, man. Seein’ where this might lead, right, Tori?”

  “Um, yeah.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. If she hadn’t been afraid to tell him how she felt last night, he wouldn’t still be questioning her feelings, and he wouldn’t have gone out with another woman tonight. She looked for streaks of lipstick on his face or traces of make-up on the collar of his white shirt, but was relieved to find none.

  “Ma’am,” Mike said, getting to his feet. “You must be Tori’s mama.”

  “I’m sorry,” Tori said, watching Mike take her mother’s hand. “I must have forgotten my manners. Mama, this is Mike Cooper. Mike, my mother, Paula Warner.”

  Paula covered Mike’s hand with her own. “I can’t tell you how nice it is to meet you.”

  “The pleasure’s mine, Mrs. Warner.”

  Tori sighed. His mama certainly had raised him right. No wonder Ashley was so proud of Mike, so anxious for him to find
a woman who loved and deserved him.

  Mike raised an eyebrow as he smiled at Tori. “You okay, darlin’?”

  “I’m fine.” She covered her mouth with her hand to conceal a yawn. “I guess I’m just a little tired.”

  Paula winked at her husband. “I think that’s our cue to leave, Andy.”

  “I reckon it is,” her father said, pulling his heavy frame out of the cedar lawn chair.

  “No,” Tori said, quickly. “I didn’t mean for you to leave.”

  “Never you mind,” her father said, taking both of his hands in hers. “You need your rest.”

  She raised up on her toes to press a kiss to her father’s wrinkled cheek. The years in the blistering sun had taken their toll on his skin, but when she looked at him, she still saw the same healthy, strong, vibrant man who used to push her on their tire swing in the backyard. It was difficult for her to acknowledge the passage of time. Her father was another year older. “I love you, Daddy,” she whispered.

  “I love you too, girl.”

  He pulled her into his arms and she felt like a little girl again, safe from harm as long as she had her father to protect her from the sadistic man intent on getting inside her head, her home… taking over her life.

  “Promise me you’ll be safe out there on the road.”

  “I’ll make sure of it, sir,” Mike said quietly, watching the exchange between father and daughter. “You have my word.”

  In that moment, Tori knew Mike hadn’t broken her confidence.

  “You’re goin’ on the road with them, Mike?” Andy asked.

  “I sure am.” He winked at Tori. “I managed to get a little time off work and she agreed to let me tag along.”

  “I sure am glad to hear that,” Paula said. “I always worry about her out there, strange cities every night, thousands of screaming fans trying to get close to her. You just never know about people, do you?”

  Mike and Tori exchanged a brief look before he said, “No, ma’am, that’s why I’m gonna be there to keep an eye on her.”

  Paula surprised Mike by reaching up to press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you so much for takin’ such good care of my baby.”

  Mike glanced at Tori over the top of her mother’s head. “Believe me, it’s my pleasure.”

  “Well, we best be on our way,” Andy said. “Mornin’ will come soon enough.”

  Tori followed them through the patio doors and smiled when Mike slipped his hand through hers. “Thanks for comin’, y’all.”

  “It’s just too bad that Mike couldn’t join us for dinner,” Andy said. “It would’ve been nice to spend a little more time gettin’ to know you, son.”

  “Next time, sir.” Mike released Tori’s hand to shake her father’s. “It was a pleasure meetin’ you, Mr. Warner.”

  “Call me Andy.” He winked at Tori. “I couldn’t be happier my little girl’s finally found a man like you.” He raised his bushy white eyebrows and said to his daughter in a stage whisper, “At least this one’s on the right side of the law.”

  Everyone laughed as they took turns hugging, shaking hands, and backslapping.

  Just as he was about to pull the door open, her brother Jeremy bent to pick up a large manila envelope. “Huh, this must be for you, sis.” He flipped it over. “There’s no writin’ on it, though.”

  Tori knew the fear must have been evident on her face when Mike reached for the envelope. “Actually, that’s probably for me. I was expectin’ somethin’ from the station.”

  “Okay, well, good night, y’all,” Jeremy said, following their other two brothers out to their trucks.

  “You be sure and call me tomorrow,” Paula said to her daughter. “And be good to this man,” she whispered in Tori’s ear. “He’s a keeper if I’ve ever seen one.”

  Tori stood at the door, waving and smiling, pretending she wasn’t scared to death of what was in the envelope.

  Mike waited for Tori to close the door before he walked over to the kitchen counter. It was too late to hope they would get decent prints. The envelope had already been handled by too many people, but he was still holding out hope that the contents might produce something they could use.

  Tori watched him grip the edge of a napkin while scattering the contents of the envelope across the counter. “Oh my God,” she said, covering her mouth when she saw the glossy images.

  “Shit,” Mike whispered.

  The photos had obviously been taken last night while they were making love. Mike’s face was etched out with what appeared to be a sharp blade. “How did he…?” She shook her head. “I don’t want to know.”

  Mike opened the sheet of paper and read the printed note. He threw his head back and laughed. “This guy’s got a pair. I’ll give him that.”

  “What does it say?”

  “It says I can expect a bullet in the back of the head if I ever think about takin’ what’s his again.”

  “No!” Tori’s eyes were wide and frantic. “I won’t let him hurt you.”

  “Baby, relax,” Mike said, trying to draw her into his arms.

  She held her hands up to ward him off. “You can’t touch me.” She looked around, glancing at the windows surrounding them. “He could be watchin’ us right now.”

  “I hope he is. If he wants a show, let’s give him one.”

  “How can you joke about this? That bastard just threatened your life.”

  It wouldn’t be the first time someone had threatened to take him out, and in his line of work, he doubted it would be the last. “I’m not worried about him. Trust me, I’ve dealt with guys like this before. They’re all bark, no bite.” He smirked. “Hell, he probably doesn’t even know how to fire a gun.”

  “Are you crazy?” she cried, pacing back and forth over the limestone floor tiles. “You don’t know that. We don’t even know who the hell we’re dealin’ with.”

  “Listen, it’s only a matter of time before he slips up and when he does, I’ll nab him.” He reached into his pocket for his Blackberry. “I’m gonna call the station, get them to come over and run these…” he said, nodding toward the pictures.

  Her mouth fell open. “You can’t be serious. You’re not thinkin’ about turnin’ these over to the police?”

  “Of course, we have to. It’s evidence.”

  “Those are pictures of us having sex.”

  “I know what they are, Tori.” He smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “Trust me, the boys downtown have seen pics like this before.”

  “Yeah, well, they’re not gonna see pictures like this of us.” She tore them up before he could stop her.

  “That wasn’t smart. You know he’s gonna have copies and who the hell knows what he plans on doin’ with those… usin’ them to blackmail you, post them on the Internet…” He stopped when he realized his tirade was only making matters worse. She hadn’t asked for any of this and she sure as hell didn’t deserve it. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Listen, at least let me get the boys out here to do another sweep of your bedroom. Maybe there’s a camera hidden in there somewhere that we missed.”

  “Oh my God,” she said, looking around frantically. “They could be anywhere… everywhere. I can’t stay here anymore.” She ran down the hall toward the bedroom. “I have to get out of this house.”

  He followed her down the hall and watched her throw clothes into a suitcase. “You’re right; we’ll go back to my place—”

  “No!” she shouted. “I can’t stay with you. He can’t think there’s anything between us.”

  “There is somethin’ between us, and I’m not gonna give that guy the satisfaction of thinkin’ he’s won. He hasn’t and he won’t.”

  “Please, I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you. Just do me a favor, and keep your distance from me for a while.”

  He knew there was no sense trying to reason with her when she was scared out of her mind. “We’ll play it your way for the next couple of days, but when you’re out there on the road, you bette
r believe I’m not lettin’ you out of my sight.”

  “I don’t care what you say. I’m not gonna let you put your life at risk. I…” She looked around the room. “Forget it, we can’t talk here.”

  Mike sensed she was about to say something important, but since the room obviously wasn’t secure, she’d thought better of it. “Fine, we’ll go somewhere where we can talk.” He grabbed her suitcase and led her out to his truck. He watched her set the alarm and lock the door, but he knew it was pointless. The guy had already proven that if he wanted to get in, he’d find a way.

  She sank into the cab of his truck and covered her face with her hands. “I can’t believe this is happenin’.”

  He reached across the seat and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips.

  She pulled away quickly. “Don’t. He could be watching us.”

  Not touching her or comforting her when she obviously needed his support and reassurance was making Mike crazy, but she was right. They couldn’t afford to take chances until they knew who they were dealing with. “I want you to stay with me, so I can keep you safe.” He put the truck in reverse and backed out of the garage, keeping his eyes trained on the bushes surrounding the house as he pulled out of the driveway.

  Tori crossed her arms. “No way, not gonna happen. I’ll stay with my parents.”

  “You can’t, you’ll just be puttin’ them at risk. Besides, they don’t even know what the hell’s goin’ on, and I assume you don’t wanna tell them?”

  “No!” She sighed. “Okay, I guess I’ll have to go to a hotel then. I’ll just ask Luc to have someone posted outside my door. Maybe Joe would be willin’ to do it.”

  He knew Joe was her head of security. He’d met the man a few times, and he seemed like a decent guy, but there were only two people Mike could count on to keep Tori safe: his father or stepfather. “Okay, you don’t wanna stay with me, you can stay with my dad or Derek. Take your pick.”

  “What’s wrong with you? I can’t just invite myself to stay in their home.”