16. Discovered
Madison
The guys stay near me all morning. Seth cooks me breakfast. Coop showers with me, but only cleans both of us. Blake keeps talking to me about some employees we need to monitor. They’ve been seriously sweet.
And Noah... Gah, Noah... He hugs and kisses me. Holds my hand and gives me soft smiles. He makes me want so much more than what they are offering me. But what if we could be more? He wants to date me, but what does that mean?
My phone buzzes.
Hope:
I’m here.
Me:
On my way.
I push off Coop’s chest where I’m half watching the movie he has on. It has aliens and action scenes. Still not my thing.
“Hope here?” Coop asks as I straighten my clothes a little. We’ve been cuddling on the couch for the past half hour. His hand strokes over my arm as bombs go off on the TV.
“Yeah. I’m going down to get her.”
“You want the living room?” He begins to sit up but I stop him.
“No, we’ll go to my room.” I lean over him and press a soft kiss against his lips. “Thank you, though.”
“Whatever you need, sweetheart.” Coop winks at me and heat flushes through me.
The one thing we haven’t done today is have sex. I’m afraid I might be addicted to them because I crave it. I like the constant attention, the orgasms, the touching, the edge of fear when they play with me.
As I enter the elevator and press the lobby button, I remember yesterday in the file room. Coop’s fantasy and my nightmare of an experience. I forgot to mention it to the guys. At first, because they were all busy working, and I didn’t want to sidetrack them from their project.
With Noah, I just wanted to forget about it. Forget the fear and the strange shuffling noises. Lose myself in the pleasure and fun he could provide.
I am going to tell them, but right now, I’m enjoying the snuggles and just being with the guys. Not worrying about the craziness my life has become.
After the Valerie sighting, I’m not positive they’d believe me. Not that they wouldn’t check out everything for me, but I shouldn’t need to be protected more than what they’re already doing.
Besides, Courtney was probably right. The lights were probably on a very long timer that finally went off. It’s not the lights’ fault I was assaulted a week ago and Coop primed me for that little scenario.
I’m lucky if Courtney doesn’t tattle on me screaming like a scaredy-cat because the lights went out. Of course, Courtney isn’t aware of my attack or the messages from a stalker.
I sigh. I should bite the bullet and tell the guys, after Hope leaves and before they get me naked again.
The elevator doors open and Hope smiles. “Hiya.”
“Hey.” I smile back as I slide my card and press the button. The elevator starts up.
“Your neck is looking so much better.” Hope’s focus on my neck makes me slightly uncomfortable. It’s still colorful. The thought of wearing a scarf makes me feel suffocated all over again. “Though you can definitely see fingers now. That must have been so scary.”
Her eyes flick up to meet mine.
“It was.” I lean against the elevator wall. “It’s not like they can get to me locked away in this building, though.”
Hope chuckles. “Nope, you’re completely protected. And you live with four huge guys who would take out anyone who tried to get to you.”
The elevator stops and I open the front door.
“Oh.” Hope stops in the doorway.
I can see Coop over her head. He’s fully dressed in jeans and a t-shirt that shows off his muscles, relaxing on the couch.
He holds up his hand in greeting. “Hope.”
“Mr. Grah—I mean Cooper, hi. It’s nice to see you.”
Nodding, he returns to watching the TV. I grab her arm and pull her through the apartment to my door. Now would have been a great time to have one of the bedrooms that opens into the hallway. I’m just lucky no one was walking around without a shirt on.
When I close my door behind us, Hope blows out a breath.
“That was so weird.” She chuckles. “I don’t know how you cohabitate with those guys and don’t burst into flames constantly.”
“You get used to it.” I shrug and sit on the couch. I’m still not used to it, but I like the fires they set inside me.
“I don’t think that’s possible.” Hope shakes her head as she joins me. “I mean, having four very attractive, single men walking around my apartment. Yeah, I would definitely need to invest in rechargeable batteries.”
I laugh. No batteries required here. I pick up the remote. “I thought we could order some Thai for lunch with the show?”
“That sounds delicious.” Hope settles on the couch. “We need all the nourishment to get through watching the Witcher take his baths. You’ll have to be careful not to attack the bosses after he gets us all worked up.”
Hope giggles. She’s not wrong, though. I should be completely satiated, but tonight they all sleep with me. I can’t wait to see what they have in mind. I’m already anticipating my nights alone with each of them too. Not that I usually only end up fucking one guy on any given day, but maybe that will slow down.
“Can I grab a Diet Coke, please?” Hope moves to stand but stops to look at me. “That’s okay, right?”
I grin. “Of course.”
“You want one?” She walks over to the fridge and pulls out a bottle for herself. When I nod, she grabs another.
I successfully navigate the menu this time. Last time, Hope had to show me. She hands me my bottle, and we turn on the next episode.
Just as the episode ends, my phone buzzes. “The food is downstairs. I’ll be right back.”
“Sounds good.” Hope pulls out her phone.
I pause at the door. I’m not supposed to leave anyone alone in the apartment, but it’s fine with Hope, right? She’s my friend and it’s only my living space. I shake off the weirdness as I head into the main living area.
“Hey,” Seth calls from the kitchen.
“I need to grab our delivery.” I pass by the island, but Seth steps out to block my path.
“Why don’t I go down?” Seth glances at my door. Maybe he’s worried about me leaving Hope alone up here. “You can return to your show, and I’ll bring it to you.”
I could fight him on this, but honestly, I really want to get back to the next episode. “Okay.”
I turn back and open the door to my living room. Lifting her gaze from her phone, Hope smiles from the couch.
“That was fast.” She glances at my hands and frowns. “Wrong order?”
“No, Seth is going to get it for us.” I return to my place on the couch, not even registering what I just said.
“The boss is getting our lunch?!?” Hope’s mouth drops open like I just told her the queen herself would get our lunch.
“The guys are weird about having people left unattended in the apartment.” It’s the first thing I can think of that would explain why Seth, my boss, went to get our meals.
“That makes sense.” Hope nods. “They’re all really private guys. I’m surprised they have their assistant pretty much live with them.”
“They talk about work over dinner.” My brain keeps coming up with excuses that make sense. Ones that the guys use to explain their dirty little secret. My cheeks heat. “It just saves on time if I’m there too.”
“Huh, yeah.” Hope smiles and snaps her fingers. “See, that’s why I’ll never make it as an entrepreneur. I don’t have that think-outside-of-the-box mentality.”
I chuckle. “That’s what I’m here for. To learn that.”
“Well, once you figure it out, clue me in.”
A knock comes from the door. I’m walking toward it when my phone buzzes. There’s a message from an unknown caller. Maybe the delivery person to make sure I know they delivered.
I open the door as I open the text.
Unknown:
Were you always afraid of the dark, little one?
There is a black-and-white picture of me in my sundress, standing next to the filing cabinet. My heart stops and I freeze, staring at the image of me with a Play button on it.
“Madison?” Seth’s voice reaches me, but I can’t move. Someone was there with me. Someone was watching me, stalking me. It was real.
Fuck, it was real. My hands tremble.
“Madison, are you all right?” Hope’s voice sounds closer.
I lift my gaze to Seth. He sets the bag of food on the floor before taking my phone from me. This isn’t my old phone. This is my new phone. My business phone that only a few people outside of this company would know.
“Fuck.” Seth breathes out as he glances at the screen.
“What’s happening?” Hope touches my arm, and I inhale deeply into my starved lungs.
Seth glances at Hope and sighs. “Come on.”
He turns and heads into the kitchen. Nodding at the chairs, he says, “Sit.”
We both do, and Hope puts the bag of food in front of us.
“What? I’m hungry.” She pulls out the containers and sorts them for us. “We’ve gotta eat no matter what’s going on. Is this about the roommate’s boyfriend?”
Seth shakes his head and sets my phone down on the island. His eyes meet mine. “Do you trust her?”
I know he means Hope. If I say no, he’ll usher her out while we deal with this. But I’m allowed friends. And I want Hope to be my friend. If I say no, I’ll hurt her feelings and I don’t want that. I want to trust her.
“I do.”
He leans back on the counter as he studies both of us. Apparently coming to some decision, he speaks. “Madison has a stalker. We don’t think it’s her roommate or her roommate’s boyfriend. But we don’t know who it is.”
Hope pauses with a plastic fork filled with noodles halfway to her mouth. “Stalker?”
Seth nods. “He first contacted her on her old cell phone. This is the first time he’s contacted her on her new phone, after we turned her old phone in to the police. He had a hidden camera in Madison’s old apartment.”
“That’s awful. So, what’s this message about?” Hope glances at me but asks Seth the question.
“We’re waiting for the others to watch it, but it must have been yesterday.” Seth glances at the phone. “That’s when she wore that dress.”
“I didn’t leave the building.” The words fall from my lips. I’m still trying to process everything. My fear yesterday. Believing it was my imagination, but now, knowing it wasn’t. I feel chilled to my bones, like no amount of warmth will ever heat me back up. Someone was hunting me in the dark. Shivers crawl down my spine.
My stalker was here. In our secure building. He cornered me, and I couldn’t do anything about it. Tears flood my eyes as I jab my plastic fork in my noodles. I try to hold the tears back, I really do, but it’s too much.
I’m still a little off from what Noah calls subdrop, and now this.
“Madison.” Seth steps closer and puts his hands on the island across from me.
“I’m fine,” I assure him. I can see the need in him because I feel it too. I want him to hold me and comfort me, keep me safe from all the things that are trying to get me. “I mean, I’m being stalked by at least two parties, but what girl isn’t?”
I give a helpless shrug. Hope puts her arm around my shoulders and tugs me into a side hug.
“One stalker is more than anyone needs,” she says as her forehead touches mine. I’m so grateful for her comfort right now.
The door opens and Coop, Noah, and Blake come in. Their eyes take in Hope and then fall on Seth.
They all come over to the island but no one touches me. I guess our relationship is something we’re hiding from everyone, including my only friend. It shouldn’t sting. I knew that when I agreed to this, but right now, I need my guys to hug me.
“What’s happening?” Blake asks.
“Is everything okay?” Noah’s gaze rakes over me, making sure I’m not injured.
Seth picks up my phone. “She received a new video on her work phone.”
“What video?” Blake nearly snarls the words.
Hope’s eyebrow rises, but she just stuffs her mouth with noodles while watching them.
“We haven’t watched it yet.” Seth rounds the island to stand beside me.
I stick my fork in my noodles, not having taken even a bite. If it’s anything like the last video, my stomach might not be able to handle it. What if he caught Coop fucking me?
I glance at Hope. I guess that’s one way to break it to her I’m fucking the bosses. Or at least one of them.
“Are you ready?” His hand brushes my shoulder for a second.
I’m never going to be ready for this, but I nod.
The guys huddle behind Hope and me. Seth presses play.
The video starts in color. I’m in the back corner, so not when Coop was in there. I pull out a file, set it on the stack, and the lights go out. All is darkness before the camera turns to night mode, showing me in black-and-white.
I back into the corner. My eyes close now. My voice is tinny when I say, “Hello? Coop? Guys?”
My breathing is ragged on the video, but that shuffling noise comes through loud and clear. Fuck. I hoped it was in my mind. That it wasn’t real. I squeeze my eyes shut tighter.
I don’t want to relive this, but it’s impossible not to.
“Yellow!” What I thought was a yell yesterday was more of a whisper shout. Until the next shuffling. I hear the rustling of my dress as I drop to cower in the corner.
“Red! Gold! Gold! Gold!” The shuffling is right on top of me. Fear ripples down my spine as my ear-piercing scream fills the room.
“What the hell is going on in here?”
Now, I open my eyes and the video ends. No one moves. It’s almost like no one is breathing. I can’t look at them. I can’t see the disappointment on their faces. I should have told them yesterday.
“Fuck, that’s messed up.” Hope sets her fork down. “Why did you yell colors? Who was the woman at the end?”
“She said her name is Courtney.” My voice is barely above a whisper. I ignore the color question. Unable to explain that they’re safe words because why would I need safe words in an office where I’m not fucking anyone? Besides, I’m too disappointed in myself to focus on those words.
Honesty, trust. I didn’t tell them about this. I didn’t trust them to believe me.
“That’s weird. She rarely works on weekends.” Hope glances around and clears her throat. “Should I... make myself scarce?”
“Please.” Seth sets my phone down, but I don’t dare meet their eyes.
Hope squeezes my arm, and I give her a reassuring smile. She slips off the stool and heads back to my room. The door shuts. I still haven’t turned on the access code for my door. I like the guys being able to come and go as they please.
I shift in my seat, but Seth pulls me out of it and into his arms. His solid chest is against my cheek as he crushes me to him. He breathes in against my hair.
“Fuck, princess,” he whispers. His voice trembles with an edge of fear.
The tears I held back flow down my cheeks, making his shirt wet.
“I wouldn’t have...” Coop sounds fucked up. “Fuck.”
I open my eyes and turn my head so I can see him. His fingers dig into his long hair like he wants to pull it out. He puts his hands down as his eyes meet mine.
“You thought I was playing?” Coop pushes out, sounding so ashamed of himself. I don’t want that. It’s not his fault.
I shake my head. “Not really. I mean, when the lights first went out. Maybe, I hoped. But it’s a soft limit, which means we would need more discussion than a fantasy spilled out in the heat of the moment.”
Coop lurches forward and tugs me into his arms, folding himself around me. He whispers against my hair, “I never want to hear you that scared again.”
“I never want to be that scared again,” I admit as I cling to his warmth.
“They were in our building.” Blake’s voice is solid and sturdy. He’s the rock I need right now.
“I thought I might have imagined the shuffling noises.” I draw in a deep breath of Coop’s clean, crisp scent. Tears run unchecked down my cheeks. I bury my face in his shirt, trying to forget the way I felt in that moment yesterday.
Coop’s hands stroke up and down my back as he makes soothing noises in my hair.
“I forgot my—?” Hope’s voice makes everyone freeze. She stands halfway to the kitchen with her hand over her mouth, looking at Coop holding me so close.
Fuck.