“Mr. Security guy, I need a date, and I’d like you to go with me.”
“Ms. Flores, I don’t think…”
I cut him off. “No. You can’t decline. I think it might help keep stalkers away if they think I have a big, muscled up boyfriend, and you’re going to be following me anyway. I’ve never had a security detail before, and I don’t want to answer questions about it. So, you just need to be my date.” I let out a grumble. “Besides, you’re already in this suit getup, and it’ll work great.”
King gestured toward the car. “It’s cold. Please get in the car, and we’ll take you back to your apartment.”
Shaking my head, I insisted, “Not before you agree to be my date.” His face softened and his furrowed brow relaxed just a bit. I could tell he didn’t want to argue with me. He probably felt sorry for me.
“Fine. I’ll escort you to the Valentine’s Ball. Now, will you please get in the car?” He really was cute, even when he was trying to be tough.
“My pleasure,” I said as scooted into the back seat.
King rolled his eyes and got in the front seat. As Mack pulled up to my apartment, King said, “Mack, you can park it here while I escort Ms. Flores to her place.”
Mack replied, “You got it. I’ll do a few laps around the perimeter once you guys are out and in the lobby.”
King said, “Thanks, Mack,” before getting out and opening the door for me.
As we made our way into the lobby, I stopped and turned to King, grabbed his arm and said, “Listen, I was thinking about it, and I thought you should know that shortly before the incident at Velvet Arrow, a deranged guy got loud and angrywith me at a book signing of mine in New York. He said he was mybiggest fan. He had to be restrained and escorted out of the convention center by security staff.”
King’s brow furrowed again. “What did he look like?”
“He was a middle-aged white guy with spikey, brown hair and dressed all in black. Other than that, I don’t know anything about him.”
“Could he be the same guy as the one who attacked you at Velvet Arrow?”
“The guy at Velvet Arrow was wearing a mask and his hood was up, covering his hair, so I don’t know. But…he did say something that alarmed me. He called mesweet thing, a line from one of the fictional stalkers in my books.”
King made the rest of the connection. “Then the stalker who entered your apartment used the term,sweet thing, in their note to you.”
I nodded my head in agreement. “Exactly. I think all three people are the same guy.”
King touched his ear microphone thing and said, “All units, this is Kilo-1. Rendezvous in the lobby.”
Chase came around the corner and said, “What’s up?”
King replied, “Let’s wait until Mack gets here.” Thirty seconds later, Mack walked through the front doors and asked the same thing.
King said, “Listen, I want you to be on the lookout for a middle-aged white male with spikey, brown hair. He may have a bruise on his face or a busted lip. Right now, he’s a potential suspect.”
Mack and Chase wrote the description down in their notebooks. Mack asked, “Got it, anything else?”
“Not right now. Just keep your eyes peeled.”
Chase said, “Ten-four” and went back to his post as Mack headed back out to the car.
King looked back at me and said, “Let’s get you safely upstairs.”
I smiled nervously and let him lead the way. I didn’t know exactly how long the whole security arrangement was going to last, but for the first time, I did feel a little safer.
Chapter 6
Serayah
I was in my room getting ready while King stood in the kitchen, standing guard. At first, I thought I was overreacting just a bit by having all this security but seeing King’s concern earlier confirmed for me that I really was in danger. My life felt like it was being turned upside down, and I just wanted the guy to be caught and put behind bars. No one should have to live like this.
I put the thought away, pulled my dress up, and slid the straps over my shoulders, but I couldn’t get the zipper. I looked at myself in the mirror once more. My hair and makeup looked nice. I decided on a long braid that fell in front of my shoulder. Sliding on my heels, I finally made my way to the kitchen to ask King for help.
