Chapter Eleven
“The question is,” Jayla asked Erik. “Do we let Savoy see us with her? It might scare him off if he knows she has a protection detail. Though if he was watching when she found the rose, which is likely, considering what we’ve learned about him, he might already suspect me of being her bodyguard.”
“Or he may think you’re just a concerned neighbor.” Erik returned. “I don’t think most people would immediately jump to the conclusion that someone has a bodyguard.”
Chloe motioned to the laptop. “Did you catch him on camera leaving the rose on my car?”
Jayla shook her head. “It was a young boy. Probably one from the neighborhood that Savoy bribed to do it.”
Poor kid probably thought he was leaving a romantic gesture for someone’s girlfriend.
“It’s up to you, Chloe.” Erik looked her in the eyes. “Tell us what you’re comfortable with. If you want, we’ll flank you, make it clear to anyone watching that you’re under our protection.”
If she was going to finish this, she couldn’t have Jackson suddenly deciding to lie low. He’d only wait until things cooled down, then start again. She needed to lure him out.
Saying as much to them, she saw the respect on both their faces and couldn’t help feeling a bit of pride.
“Jayla and I will leave the building first, then.” Nodding thoughtfully, Erik continued. “Make it look like we’re a couple in case he’s watching. Savoy wasn’t in the building, so for all he knows, I stayed with her at her place last night.
“You’ll come out after, once we call you with an all clear. We’ll be able to keep an eye on you, and move at a moment’s notice if he approaches.”
Chloe nodded. “What time’s the meeting with Lattie?” She still had no idea what she’d done with her phone.
Erik consulted his watch. “You’ve got almost an hour before we have to leave if you want to eat something.”
Her stomach still felt off, but she probably should eat.
At least some toast or something. Going into the kitchen, she popped a couple of slices of bread into the toaster.
As she waited, a faint, familiar pinging sound drew her attention.
Her bag was on the floor by the door where she’d dropped it when Jayla had steered her back into her apartment yesterday.
That’s where her phone was. She’d forgotten to pull it back out after the rose on her car had aborted her trip to the art supply store.
Retrieving it, her entire body prickled with dread, and she forcefully reminded herself that Jackson didn’t have this number.
There would be no angry texts from him when she unlocked it.
There was the expected text from Lattie, calling the mandatory meeting. One from John, asking if she knew what the meeting was about. Another from Danny asking how she was holding up, and an earlier one from John asking if she’d heard about Thadeus.
Her guilt returned with a vengeance. She hadn’t even thought to call Lattie and ask him about the two dancers who had been injured.
Because of her. She’d brought this monster down on all their heads.
Her sinuses prickled, and the phone’s screen began to swim in front of her eyes as tears welled.
She blinked them back hard, but one still managed to escape and splash her hand.
Her toast popped, startling her, and tossing the phone back in her bag, she swiped impatiently at her eyes. She hadn’t had much of an appetite to begin with, but now it was completely gone.
Alone in her apartment, Chloe watched the surveillance feed of her building’s exterior on Jayla’s laptop as Erik and Jayla exited the building together.
She was aware of the plan, that the two of them were going to put on a show, make it look like they were a couple to anyone watching, but it still sent a jolt through Chloe to see them like that.
Erik’s arm was around Jayla’s shoulder while hers was around his waist, and as she looked up at him, her lips moving as she said something, her happiness was blinding.
Jayla was a beautiful woman with her long, dark hair braided back from her face, only highlighting her gorgeous skin and delicate bone structure. Tall, fit, long-legged, winning smile… What man wouldn’t be attracted to her?
Jealousy crawled over Chloe’s skin in a sudden wave.
The feeling was ridiculously inappropriate.
Erik wasn’t hers. She may have asked him out, he may have even accepted, and sure, he’d comforted her when she’d needed it, but when it came right down to it, she was a job to him.
Plus, what she was seeing on the screen was all an act… Unless it wasn’t.
The toast she’d forced herself to eat suddenly felt like a boulder in her stomach. Were they a couple? Had he only accepted the coffee date because it was his duty to keep an eye on her?
Erik opened the passenger side door of his vehicle, and Jayla got in. A moment later, a text pinged Chloe’s phone: All clear.
Her lips twisted as she wondered how either of them could possibly know that for sure, considering they’d been too busy gazing longingly into each other’s eyes.
Stop it, Chloe.
Grabbing her bag, she headed out, locking up her apartment behind her.
Now her skin was crawling for a very different reason.
Would Jackson be watching? Reminding herself that Erik and Jayla would be keeping an eye on things, that they wouldn’t let anything happen to her, should have been a comfort.
It should have eased the tension, but Chloe was wound so tight she felt like she’d snap at any moment.
One step at a time. Down the stairs, into the foyer. Mrs. Haskell was there, checking her mail, and Chloe offered her a tight smile. Her phone pinged, and she stopped dead, her fingers fumbling as she pulled it out of her pocket. Had something happened? Had they spotted Jackson?
She nearly crumpled in on herself when she saw it was just a text from John, asking if she was mad at him. For God’s sake. Typing quickly to say that she wasn’t mad and that she’d see him at the meeting, she kept her phone in her hand as she resumed her trek.
Out the door, down the front steps, her eyes scanned the other cars parked on the street, the familiar buildings, and the shadowy nooks in between, looking for anything out of place.
All clear. Just like Jayla had said, but she wouldn’t be able to take a deep breath until she’d locked herself in her car.
The rose was gone. Whether Jackson had retrieved it or someone had taken it, she didn’t know.
She was just glad not to see it. Getting behind the wheel, it was tempting to sink into the seat, let her shoulders sag, and just breathe, but the thought that Jackson might still be watching kept her stiff and alert as she started the car and pulled out of the parking space.
Her phone rang, and seeing it was Jayla, Chloe pressed the button on her steering wheel to answer.
“We’ve got eyes on you. You’re doing great. Just drive naturally.”
Easier said than done. Right now, she was a trembling mass of nerves.
“We’re right here with you.”
Deep breaths, Chloe. You can do this.
The opera house was less than ten minutes away from her apartment, yet it felt like the longest ten minutes of her life.
There was quite a crowd when Chloe pulled into the main parking lot.
She immediately spotted John and Danny talking near the front doors, along with the choreographer and some of the dancers.
Others were getting out of their vehicles or milling around the parking lot.
Finding a place to park, she got out of her car and looked around warily.
There were plenty of familiar faces from the orchestra, stagehands, set people, Tom from wardrobe – the only person she didn’t see was Lattie.
Gripping the shoulder strap of her bag hard, she made her way to the building.
Erik walked that way as well, for all the world looking like he didn’t see her, but Chloe noticed how he modulated his stride so he wouldn’t outpace her.
Keeping her eyes straight ahead, she spoke low, somehow knowing he’d have no problem hearing her despite the distance between them. “Jayla’s not coming?”
“She’ll keep an eye on things out here while we’re in the meeting. We’re on comms. She’ll let me know if Savoy shows up.”
The center doors of the opera house opened just then, framing Lattie. As usual, he was dressed impeccably, sporting his trademark silk ascot, but his usually rosy cheeks were wan, and his bright smile was missing.
Projecting his voice, he called out, “Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Please, take a seat in the audience section. Once everyone is here, we’ll begin.”
The murmuring rose to a dull roar, and John called out, “What’s this about, Lattie?”
Lattie made a quieting gesture with his hands, though it did little good. “I’ll address any questions after the meeting.”
Chloe filed in with everyone else and found a seat. Glancing around, she saw Erik had chosen a seat two rows behind her and at an angle. She would have rather he’d sat next to her, but a moment later, John and Danny were there, taking seats on either side of her.
As soon as everyone was seated, Lattie took the stage, and a hush fell.
“In light of yesterday’s devastating accident,” Lattie began, while Chloe couldn’t help thinking: Had it really been only yesterday? It felt like so much longer. “I’ve decided that the show will temporarily be shut down.”
The house seats exploded with noise, John jumping to his feet to shout, “No!”
Lattie tried to calm everyone, bring order back, but was failing until someone let out a piercing whistle.
She wasn’t sure who’d done it, but considering the direction it had come from, she bet it was Erik.
Whoever it was, Lattie looked to them with a small smile of gratitude and nodded before getting back to his speech.
“This was not a decision I made lightly. Nor on a whim. While it pains me greatly to disappoint you all, the safety of the people who work in this establishment must come first.”
Lattie continued speaking, but Chloe heard none of it. The show had been cancelled because of her. These people were out of a job because of her. Their safety had been put at risk because of her.
“Hey. Are you all right?”
Chloe blinked the haze from her eyes to bring things back into focus and looked at Danny, who’d posed that question. She shot him a sad smile. “Just disappointed.”
Danny nodded as one of the dancers called out to Lattie, asking, “How’s Thad? I tried to get in to see him, but it’s immediate family only.”
Lattie’s face looked stricken. “Thad’s injuries were… grievous.”
Chloe’s stomach pitched. Grievous. Because of her. Her mouth spiked with saliva. She was going to be sick. Clumsily, she lurched to her feet. She needed to get out of here. She needed air.
Danny tried to grab her arm as she squeezed past his legs, but she yanked away from him, gasping, “I need to go.”
Racing up the aisle, she burst out of the auditorium doors and ran for the exit.
That first touch of cool air on her skin was a welcome relief, and she just stood there, her eyes closed as she breathed in deep, greedy gulps.
Sweat beaded on her brow and upper lip, gathered under her arms, and trickled down her back and between her breasts, but she was no longer in danger of throwing up.
When the door opened behind her, she expected it to be Erik.
She wanted it to be Erik. Instead, it was Danny who wrapped an arm around her shoulders and said, “Hey, it’s going to be all right.
It’s just a temporary shutdown. Lattie said he’d let us know as soon as all the inspections are done and things can resume. ”
Chloe tried to smile, but her stiff lips wouldn’t cooperate.
He gave her shoulders a little squeeze. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.”
“What about the rest of the meeting?” No one else was coming out, so it couldn’t be over yet.
“Lattie’s just answering questions, I’m pretty sure it’s going to wrap up any minute now.”
With a nod, Chloe let him lead her to the parking lot. She hadn’t wanted to go back in there anyway. The air had been thick with everyone’s disappointment.
Her fault. Her fault. Her fault.
“Hey,” Danny said, bringing them to a stop and dropping his arm to take her hand. “I hate seeing you so upset. Do I need to tell you a joke?”
“God, no.” Jokes were the last thing she needed.
“Are you sure? I’ve got some good ones. Some really dirty ones too, if that’s more your thing.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and despite everything that happened, Chloe managed to crack a smile.
“There she is.” With a grin, he used the clasp he had on her hand to swing her into a dance, singing, “It’s just temporary, Chloe dear. Before you know it, we’ll be heeeere. Once. More.”
A tiny laugh escaped her, and Danny beamed as he resumed their walk to her car, still holding her hand.
It wasn’t as nice as holding Erik’s hand, but the friendship and support in that small gesture were welcome.
When they reached her car, he raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Until we meet again, sweet Chloe.”
She smiled fondly at him. “Thank you, Danny,” she told him sincerely.
He shot her one of his most charming smiles and winked. “Anytime.”