Okay, so maybe I am going a little stir-crazy being locked inside these four walls without any human contact other than Colten.
Accepting that there’s nothing worth snacking on in this kitchen, I head over to the table to check if either of them are for me.
It seems unlikely, seeing as I haven’t ordered anything, but hey, maybe I bought myself a present and forgot about it.
The box has Colten’s name on it, which is disappointing but hardly a surprise.
Damn past Lexi for not buying us something pretty.
Moving on to the envelope, I find my name scrawled across the front with a big red URGENT across the top.
Hopefully whatever’s inside will be enough to give me the serotonin boost I so desperately need right now.
I tear the envelope open and dump the contents into the middle of the table, but regret it almost immediately
Because the twenty photos staring back at me of Colten in the suit he left the apartment in this morning with his eyes scratched out have my stomach rolling with nausea.
But it’s the note in the center that has me sprinting to the bathroom to empty the contents of my stomach.
I told you not to let him touch you. Now you find out what happens when you disobey me.
FORTY-TWO
COLTEN
Today I’m adding to the list of things I can never tell Lexi, because I left the apartment this morning with the intention of being stalked by her stalker.
Her other stalker, that is.
Her original stalker, me, has been upgraded to boyfriend status.
The idea came to me last night when I went down to the lobby to chat with Ken about our needs for the rest of the week. Given I have security at the building anyway, it doesn’t make sense to have him there all day when Lexi has multiple lines of protection already. So after speaking to Cruz, we decided Ken deserves a well-earned holiday with his wife and kids, which is why they’re heading to Disney World this weekend, a bonus from the De Luca family.
He’s been beating himself up that Lexi was almost hurt because he missed her sneaking out, but the reality is that she’s been living with a bodyguard for well over a decade, and she’s been sneaking out on them for just as long. She’s good at it, and even though I hang off every single thing she does, she could evade me if she really wanted to.
It’s not Ken’s fault, and this is our way of reminding him of that.
Now, back to the stalker being stalked.
I felt eyes on me the moment I stepped into the lobby, and after finishing my chat with Ken, I went for a walk around the block to test a theory.
I was certain it wasn’t in my head, but I needed to be sure before I could put a proper plan in action, and after just ten minutes outside, there was no doubt in my mind that I was being followed.
Which brings us to right now.
I’ve spent the morning on foot, visiting various businesses we own for spot checks. It’s something Cruz had marked to do on his return, but it works into my plans, and I may as well save him from one of his least favorite tasks while I’m at it.
The other benefit to all this is that while this asshole is following me, he’s leaving Lexi alone, and that’s the most important thing of all.
I step out of the bar and glance around the busy street for anyone out of place but come up empty. Whoever it is, he’s good at blending into a crowd. I’m still wading through the complaints from Fan Faves, hoping to find something useful, and if this guy is a chameleon, I’ll be able to rule out a good chunk of suspects with that information alone.
I don’t care what anyone says, you’re not blending into a crowd if you’re six foot five and built like a linebacker.
Heading in the direction of one of our nightclubs, I pull my phone out to check if anything pressing has come up while I’ve been distracted.
A few messages from Cruz about their travel plans, a missed call from Mary, likely wanting to know when we can see Lexi, and a few emails that can wait until I get to them, but it’s the missed call from the Mafia Matchmaker that gets my attention.
I listen through the voicemail, my stomach churning with each word that comes over the line.
