Page 7 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

Sparks flew from her eyes. Not literally, but he could damn sure imagine them. He said nothing. Just looked back ather mildly, keeping his own temper in check. He was an expert at not showinghis feelings, and that was a skill that would come in handy with Francesca Muratti. Probably more than his dead-on aim with a pistol.

With a huff, she turned to face Ryan, then Damien. “Assignanother agent, or I’m firing the lot of you.”

“And here I thought you liked me. What with convincing themto let you go to the con.”

She whirled on him. “You insufferable prick. Don’t you dare—”

“Frannie. Calm down.” Damien’s voice was low. Reasonable.And Simon was absolutely positive that was the wrongapproach to take.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Stark?The man just called me a liar to my face. I have no idea—zerotheories—as to what’s going on, and he’s accusing me of…well, fuck him. Fuck all of you. Dammit.”

She blinked, her lips pressed tight together as she spunaway, giving all of them her back. And for a moment—a very, very fleetingmoment—Simon had the urge to put his hands on her shoulders and tell her thatit would all work out.

“Frannie,” Damien said softly, “we’re going to get to thebottom of this.”

Her shoulders shook, and as much as she grated on him, healso knew that she was truly afraid. And because he was a damnedidiot, his heart softened a little. At least until she spoke again.

“I don’t want him here.” The words were low. Barely audible.“He’s an arrogant prick, and I don’t want him in my home. Forthat matter,” she added, turning to look at Damien and Ryan in turn, “I don’twant anyone here. I got some stupid note, and I freaked, okay? But I shouldn’t have, because there’s nothing for me to tell. Nothing.Which means it’s a prank. A joke. I’m safe. So go. All of you.” She shifted,eyeing everyone in the room. “Go on,” she snapped, her voice rising. “Get outof my house.”

Nobody moved.

“Dammit, go.” A stray tear snakeddown her cheek. Damian started to stand, but Simon stepped forward, cutting hisboss off. He’d triggered this with his typically brash bullshit.Yeah, dealing with Hollywood types was as much fun as dragging his fingernailsdown a chalkboard, but there was no denying the woman was legitimately scared.

“Oh, come on,” she said as he approached her.“Won’t you please just go?”

He pulled a chair out for her, then gestured for her to sit,surprised when she actually complied. He squatteddown, one hand holding the table for balance, so that she didn’t have to lookup at him. Across the table, in his peripheral vision, he saw Stark and Ryanexchange a glance. Matthew Holt and Aaron were as still as stone. He rememberedthat Francesca was rumored to have a fiery temper on set; presumably, they werepreparing for the explosion. As for the rest of the team, they’d long agoslipped out of the room. Good.

“Hear me out,” Simon said, his attention now entirely onher. “Then, if you still want us to leave, we will.”

He paused, giving her time to answer, and was relieved byher small nod of consent.

“You say you don’t know what the note is referring to andthat it must be a bad joke. A prank.”

“That’s the only thing that makes sense,” she whispered, solow he had to strain to hear her.

“And you may be right. But the flip side is that you’rewrong.” He lifted a hand, halting her before she spoke. “Just hear me out. Ifyou don’t know what the note is referring to, that makes it moredangerous, not less. Presume it’s legit. By not answering—by doingnothing—you’re basically flipping the guy off. And an angry stalker is adangerous stalker.”

“That’s all conjecture. It’s bullshit.Why am I the only one who sees that?”

Simon drew a breath. She was fighting back and pissing him off, and as much as he wanted to tell himself itwas because she was a spoiled little Hollywood starlet, that wasn’t the case.It was because she’d been threatened, and she was scared.

“I get that you wish all this would go away. I get thatyou’re scared. But even if you really don’t know what this thing is you’resupposed to know, someone thinks you do. You’re notsafe. You can’t control the scenario, and you need help. If you don’t want me,that’s fine. You take that up with these nice gentlemen here. I promise you Idon’t like the situation any more than you do.”

“Barré.” That from Ryan.

“He’s signaling that I’m being unprofessional, and maybehe’s right. But right now, I’m not interested in doing my job. I’m interestedin making sure you feel comfortable and safe in your own house and attomorrow’s event. That means you need someone here for the safe part, and youneed someone you trust for the comfortable part. Right now, both those rolesare mine. But you say the word, and they’ll find someone else.”

He turned to look at the two men who’d recruited him. Whosigned his extremely nice paycheck. Who’d told him he was assigned to this jobeven though he’d rather eat glass than work with an actress, much less thebiggest actress on screen today. And he wondered just how much he’d pissed them off.

Maybe in the end, it didn’t matter. Neither he nor Francescawanted him here. She said the word, and he was history.

He drew a breath. “That’s it. That’s my speech. There’sevidence that you’re in danger, and you say you don’t know why. All the more reason for someone to be with you.”

“You said I’ll be safe tomorrow.”

“And I believe that. But I might be wrong. More important, I’m not just talking about tomorrow. I’m talkingabout the day after, and the day after that. All the way until we figure outwho’s harassing you. And right now, all those days—and all those nights—are onme. If you want someone else, now’s the time to say so.”

“Then I want Leah,” she said, and he was shocked by the disappointmentthat slammed against him. “Have Leah move in.”