Chapter 15
15
H mm. Cate seemed to be far cuter than she’d ever realized. She might need to get a handle on it. She didn’t want to be too cute.
“Please tell me. And that please was a command, not me asking.”
“Noted,” he replied. “It seems that the stalker left a note on Rhodes’ windshield while they were eating brunch.”
Shoot. She’d thought it might be something like that.
“I’m surprised you can eat a sandwich after having brunch,” she commented.
He stared at her for a moment before smiling. “I didn’t eat brunch, I was working.”
“You don’t get to eat while you’re working?”
“Not when we’re out in public. I need to be on alert at all times. Hard to do that if I’m tucking into eggs benedict.”
“Huh, I thought you’d be a big breakfast kind of guy.”
“I’m an equal opportunist breakfast eater,” he replied. “I like lots of breakfast foods. I’m also fond of pancakes and French toast. Oh, and omelets too.”
“I like those things.”
“I’ll remember that,” Ethan said in a quiet voice.
“Why would you need to remember that?” she asked curiously.
“In case I ever make you breakfast.”
“Oh. I can’t see why that would happen, but in that case, a bagel with cream cheese and strawberry jelly is my favorite breakfast. And I’m sorry you didn’t get to eat brunch.”
“Don’t be. I’m enjoying this sandwich far more.”
Hmm. He actually seemed sincere when he said that.
“So the stalker left another note?” she asked, returning to what he’d initially told her. It wasn’t that she hadn’t heard him. Or was ignoring that part.
But she needed a moment to think about it. And this whole stalker situation scared her. The one thing that frightened her more than anything else was the idea of something happening to Rhodes.
He meant everything to her. And she wasn’t sure what she’d do if anything happened to him.
“Samantha seemed very upset. She’s concerned about Rhodes?” she asked.
“This letter deviated from the other one in that it seemed like a threat to Samantha.”
“Why would they threaten her?” she asked.
“Basically, the message said that the stalker wanted Rhodes all to themselves. And that they would get rid of anyone who stood in their way. There was also a photo of Rhodes and Samantha together with Samantha’s face slashed out.”
“Oh no. That’s terrible.” As much as she and Samantha didn’t get along, she wouldn’t wish her any ill-will.
And Rhodes seemed to care about her. So Cate tried to at least be civil.
“No wonder she’s upset,” Cate said.
Ethan nodded, still studying her closely. Was there something more he wanted to say?
“She wants to move in here so we can protect her as well.”
Cate frowned slightly as she thought about that. She took a sip of apple juice. “But if this person is threatening to hurt her for being close to Rhodes, wouldn’t it be more logical for her to stay away from Rhodes?”
“That would be the logical thought. But emotions aren’t always logical.”
“Oh, I know.” That’s why she often ran into problems. While she was better than she used to be, people’s emotions could still be hard for her to distinguish.
“So she wants to stay close to Rhodes because of her feelings for him?” she asked.
“I expect that she feels safer with him than being on her own. She cares about him and he feels the same, so I would expect he makes her feel safe. Also, he has bodyguards.” He grinned at her. “I heard that they’re okay. Sort of good at their jobs.”
“That’s good to know,” she replied seriously even though she guessed he was joking by his grin. “I do hope that they’re able to deliver more than a mediocre performance when it comes to protecting my brother.”
The smile dropped off his face. “We’re here to protect you as well.”
“Again, I’m the least important person here. The stalker isn’t interested in me.”
He frowned. “You are not the least important person here. Keep saying that and see what happens.”
Cate gave him a startled look. She wanted to ask what would happen, however perhaps she didn’t want to know.
“And you were home alone when someone attempted to break in.”
She didn’t want to think about that. Or talk about it.
Her therapist was trying to work with her on getting her to talk about that night. But sometimes some things were best locked up tight and forgotten.
Well, that was her plan anyway.
“That was just unfortunate timing. Whoever it was, they weren’t here for me.”
“You still need protecting,” he told her firmly.
There was a strange fluttering in her chest. She hoped that she wasn’t having heart issues.
“Why doesn’t Samantha get her own bodyguards? I think that would make her feel safer. You can’t split yourself between three places.”
“You’re right. And it’s something that I need to talk to Seth and Rhodes about. I don’t think Ink will be able to spare anyone else to come out here.”
“It’s expensive having full-time bodyguards,” Cate said. “I really don’t think that someone has to be home with me. Not with the new security system. I’ll tell Rhodes that.”
“You will not,” he said.
Ethan sounded very vehement and she couldn’t figure out why.
“Why won’t I tell him?”
“Because it’s not safe for you to be home alone and I won’t have it. Also, I’m guessing she has money to pay for her own bodyguard.”
He won’t have it?
What was happening right now?
“Her net worth is somewhere around six million,” she said, focussing on that part. “Nothing close to what Rhodes is worth, though. Her movies haven’t really done that well. But she did that reality TV show and that paid well.”
Ethan nodded. “I don’t want you to worry about this, okay?”
She blinked, uncertain what he meant. “About the stalker making threats at Samantha? Or her moving in here?”
“Both, I guess.” He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, looking uncharacteristically uncertain. “I just don’t want you to be upset.”
That was . . . strange.
Why would he say that? Of course she was going to be concerned. The stalker was making more threats.
Samantha might be moving in.
So, telling her not to get upset was kind of pointless. And why would he care?
Perhaps because something did happen last night.
Ask him.
She wasn’t certain she could. Did she want to know the answer? Maybe she should ask Rhodes instead.
“Why did you call Rhodes last night?” she blurted out. “Why did he come home?”
Ethan stared at her for a long moment. “I think this would be easier for you to hear if I told you something about myself.”
Um. She wasn’t sure how that would help.
“Something personal. So you know something about me.”
“All right,” she replied hesitantly.
“I’ve been a Dominant for years.”
Oh. Well. That made sense. He had a commanding presence. A way of getting you to do what he wanted.
“Do you know what a Dom is, Cate?”
“Well, yes. Dominance and submission is a subset of BDSM. If agreed, a Dominant may have control over a submissive partner either in the bedroom or out. They might make and enforce rules.”
Ethan blinked at her explanation. She wasn’t incorrect, was she? She thought she almost recalled word for word the description of a Dominant that she’d read online.
“Yes, that’s right. Have you had experience with a Dom before?”
“No. I’ve just read stories with BDSM in them.”
“Okay, that’s a start, I guess. The first time I went to a BDSM club, I was only twenty-five and thought I knew everything. I was wrong.”
Wow. He admitted to being wrong?
“I figured I’d jump right in, start bossing subs around, and have endless orgasms. I ended up getting kicked out for being a dick and was told I could come back after I’d taken some lessons on how to be a good Dominant.”
“You took those lessons?”
“Reluctantly. But yeah. Gradually, I came to realize that, for me, being a Dom was all about looking after someone else. Being in control of my partner . . . their pleasure, their health, their safety. About providing what they needed so they could give me what I needed. Their submission.”
She studied him in fascination. “I bet you are a very good Dominant. You seem to be excellent at reading people.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
“You also like to be in charge and can be quite bossy.”
“Noted.”
“I still don’t understand what this has to do with last night.”
“I’m still going,” he said softly.
“Oh. I apologize. Please, continue.” It was taking him a while to get there, but she wasn’t complaining. Sitting here and talking to Ethan was no hardship. He had a very nice voice. When she spoke, she could tell he was really listening and not just humoring her.
“After a few years of going to the club, I was asked if I could help out in the Littles area. It was a recent addition. Most clubs don’t have a dedicated Littles area, but the owner of this club wanted to add one.”
Cate stiffened. Oh God. Now, she had an idea of why he was telling her all this.
It was her worst nightmare.
That she’d show that side of herself in front of someone else.
“I have to go . . . I have to leave.”
Right. Now.