Chapter 12
Bianca
Though normally I was all about girl power, in this moment, I’d never been so glad to have gigantic Wayne with me. My whole body was trembling. My sister kept cussing and kicking the dirt. “How did you not realize he was stalking you?” she yelled. “After what I went through?”
Her ex-husband and Hayden’s father had stalked her hardcore. I ran over and threw my arms around Bri. “He seemed harmless,” I said. “He was never violent or anything like that. Just persistent. I just thought he had a big crush.”
She sniffled, and the pregnancy hormones surely weren’t helping her keep calm. Jace wrapped his arms around both of us. “It’s okay,” he said soothingly. “We’re not going to let anything happen to Bianca.”
Kaylee walked over with Porter in tow. “I know you’re careful after what happened to me with my crazy fan, but perhaps we should start thinking about ways to step up your security even more.”
I nodded and looked at Porter, the lawyer. “Is this enough ground for a restraining order?” I asked.
He grimaced. “Has he been violent or harmed you? Or even threatened you?”
I shook my head. “No, just contacts me a lot. And now following me all the way out here.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” Porter patted my arm. “It’s a stretch, but it might take.” He put his arm around Kaylee. “Now, I’m going to get her home. I think our fun day is effectively ruined.”
Kaylee sniffed and pulled me out of Bri’s arms and into hers. “You come stay with me if you want, okay? We’ve got lots of room in that big old house.”
Porter nodded. “You’re welcome any time.”
“You should just go stay with Mom and Dad,” Bri said. “Dad would want you to.”
I sighed. “They’ll lock me away like a princess in a tower if I go home,” I protested. “I’m going back to my apartment, and I’ll be very careful.”
Bri rubbed her belly and glared at me in that big-sister sort of way. “That’s foolish. Use your head, Bee.”
I was gearing up to hold my ground, but Wayne spoke up. He was still near me, just inches away, which made me feel better than I knew how to describe. “I’ll stay with her. At the apartment.”
Bri and I swung around to look at him. “Say what?” we both said in unison.
Wayne looked down at me with soft eyes. “Briana is right. You shouldn’t go home alone. I’d feel better knowing you have someone with you who could protect you. So, it’s either your parents’ house or me.”
“I could stay with Bri,” I said. “Or Kaylee.”
Bri nodded. “Absolutely.”
Wayne shook his head. “Kaylee maybe, but he knows where your parents live and where Bri lives. As far as we know, Andre doesn’t know where your apartment is.”
“Besides, Hayden wouldn’t leave you alone,” Bri said with a laugh. “Like… at all.”
That was the damn truth. I adored my niece, but I’d never get any work done if I stayed with Briana and Jace.
I sighed and looked at Wayne. If I stayed with Kaylee, I’d be potentially bringing danger to her door. The same with Bri or my parents. At least my building was super secure, and Wayne was strong and capable.
He grinned down at me; his lips spread from ear to ear. “So, it’s me, isn’t it?” He knew damn well he’d won.
I nodded and rolled my eyes. “I guess.”
He clapped his hands. “Okay, stay here with the clan.”
I stepped back and gave him a cock-eyed look. “The clan?” Had I stepped into some sort of crazy racist society? If so, as a mixed woman, this wasn’t the safest place for me to be, or my sister or niece. “What the hell?”
Bri burst out laughing. “It freaked me out at first, too. That’s what this group of friends has called themselves for…
well, a long time. It’s nothing bad, I swear.
” She giggled and clutched her belly while the rest of the guys standing around chuckled and exchanged worried glances.
They probably thought I was going to freak out on them, but if Bri said it was okay, then I was fine.
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll stay here.”
Wayne squeezed my shoulders, and for a second, I really thought he was going to pull me into his arms and kiss me goodbye, and damn if I didn’t want him to do just that.
But he sucked in a deep breath before whirling and running for his truck. “Be back as soon as I can.”
When his truck pulled out of the driveway and headed through the trees, I bit back a high-pitched scream and whirled to Bri.
“Oh, my gosh,” I whispered as the men wandered away.
They stayed close, of course, but far enough I could whisper with Bri without fear of them hearing.
“I’m going to have a man living with me.
How did this happen?” I squeaked and looped my arm through hers.
Raising my voice, I addressed Jace and his buddies.
“I’m taking her inside where it’s warm.”
Jace waved us off, so we headed for the warm living room sofa. “How am I going to live with a man?” I asked. “How did he talk me into this?”
“Do you want to do something else?” Bri asked.
“This isn’t set in stone. At any point, you say the word and Wayne leaves.
” She sank into the sofa and sighed. “If you’re so dead set on living at home, I’ll get the guys to do rotations staying there so it’s not so much like a guy you like is now living with you. ”
“The guys?” I asked with an arched eyebrow.
“Oh, you know. Anthony, Jace, Porter. There are a few other guys that would be happy to help out.”
I snorted. “Guys in the clan?”
She opened one eye and glared at me through it. “Yes. Guys in the clan. It really isn’t something nefarious, I promise.”
I patted her knee and lay halfway on her, my ear to her belly. “I trust you. It just hit me funny hearing that word out of the blue.”
“Don’t worry about Wayne living there, as far as living with a man goes,” Bri said. “They’re like having an overgrown roommate.”
“Except one I could bone,” I muttered.
Bri groaned and her belly jiggled under my ear, then the baby gave a sharp kick right to my cheek, making me squeal. “My niece or nephew loves me!”
We giggled as I tried to get the baby to move some more. I was glad the little goose had broken the mood, because I was sure Bri was about to lecture me about safe sex, like I wasn’t in my early twenties and hadn’t done this before.
Wayne returned pretty quickly, tapping on the door about twenty minutes later. “I’m ready when you are,” he said. “I’ll be out here.”
I nodded and gulped when he shut the door. “Welp.” I kissed Bri’s belly and stood. “Wish me luck.”
She snorted. “Not too much luck. I’m not ready to be an aunt.”
“Shush,” I said as I slipped out the door. “Mind your business.”
Wayne and Jace stood by his truck, which he’d parked beside my car. “Hey, take a long route home,” Jace said. “Just to be safe. Wayne will be able to tell if anyone is following, but still, don’t go straight home.”
I nodded and gave Wayne a small smile. “Following me?”
He grinned from ear to ear. “Lead the way.”
I did as Jace asked on the way home, driving around in the woods some, then going along the coast for a few miles before doubling back and driving all around town.
Even though I knew Wayne was supposed to be the one keeping an eye out for a tail, I couldn’t help but scan my mirrors every few seconds to see if I recognized any cars or people anywhere.
When I was pretty sure myself that nobody had followed us, I headed home.
Wayne parked right beside me in the parking lot, in the same spot he always used.
Each apartment had two spots assigned, so it was fine if he used this one.
When I pressed the code for the building, I stopped by the front desk.
We’d gotten back just in time; the guard went home around five, Monday through Saturday.
“Hey, Burt,” I said, smiling down at the paunchy guard in his normal spot reclining behind the desk, reading a novel.
“Wayne’s going to be staying with me for a while.
I wanted to get him changed from visitor access to a temporary pass. ”
Burt nodded. “Sure thing, Bee. How’d your party go?”
I beamed down at the guard. “It was great, thanks for asking. How’s your wife?”
Burt held his hand out for Wayne’s ID, which he already had out and ready. “She’s gone to Knoxville for the week to visit the grandbabies. I’m a regular bachelor this week.”
Chuckling, I winked at the older man. “Don’t you get up to any trouble now. You’ll catch it from Sandy if you do.”
He snorted. “Don’t I know it.” After typing on his computer keyboard for a minute, he gave Wayne’s ID back. “You’re good to go, son. Do you want to change your code?”
Wayne and I exchanged a glance and I shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt.” I rattled off a five-digit code I thought I’d be able to remember, the zip code for the town I’d lived in most of my life, before we had to move to protect Bri.
I didn’t mind the move. It had kept her and Hayden safe for a long time, and now that we’d moved here, she’d found the love of her life and I was going to be an aunt again.
Plus, if we hadn’t have moved here, I wouldn’t have met Kaylee and never would’ve started doing my videos.
Who knew what sort of job I would’ve ended up with?
“Oh,” I said as we turned to walk away. Turning back, I slapped my forehead. “Burt, I almost forgot. Under no circumstances should any male be let in besides me, Wayne, and my Dad. I’ve got an ex-boyfriend hassling me.”
Burt’s face darkened. “I’ll be sure of it, Miss Bee. You bring me a picture of him, and I’ll hang it up.”
“That’s a great idea, Burt! Thanks.” I beamed as I turned to leave and looked at Wayne just in time to see him give Burt one of those manly nods that says he thanks and respects him. Without looking back, I knew damn well Burt was returning the nod.
We walked straight to my door and I let us in, holding it open for Wayne to go through with his big duffle bag.
He set it on the couch and turned to look at me. The awkwardness between us grew as I patted my hands on my thighs, trying to think of what to say. “Well…”