Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Carley
I can’t believe this is happening again.
I knew I was right not to trust what Blaine said on Friday night. How coincidental that we run into one another, much like we used to back when he first started stalking me. And now I get a letter from him. That’s a new one. He never used to send letters before.
“I want to call the police,” I tell D, wiping the overflowing tears from my cheeks. “Get another order of protection in place. I want to take charge and cut him off before things go too far this time. I refuse to sit around crying like a weak, scared little girl.”
“It’s okay to be scared, Carley. That doesn’t make you weak. I think it’s a great idea to get in touch with the police.” D checks his watch. “Let’s head out early today, okay? Get you back to my place. You can call the police from there, and they can send someone out to take your statement.”
“But what if someone sees us?” I wonder.
“Fuck it. I don’t care anymore.” He leans in and cups my cheeks with his palms. “You are more important to me than the opinions of the people on my staff.”
The warmth of his words wrap me up like a blanket and quiets my shaking. But it’s short lived when I spot the letter sitting on the table in front of us. I close my eyes as D brings his lips to mine, laying a gentle kiss upon them.
When he pulls away from me, he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and rubs my cheek reassuringly.
I’m lucky to have D this time around if shit gets ugly like it did before.
I just hope he doesn’t change his mind about being with me once he realizes how much work this relationship could amount to.
I think about how long it took to get Blaine to leave me alone last time.
It was two long, dark years. He never actually stopped, he just got caught for doing whatever dumb shit it was that got him locked up.
Now that he’s out, he’s back to finish what he started.
“I’m going to shut down. Why don’t you go gather your things, and we’ll get out of here?”
“Okay,” I agree, wiping a leftover tear from my eyelashes.
I grab my shoes, but I don’t put them back on.
Carrying them out to my desk, I drop them back onto the floor before fishing my purse from my bottom drawer.
My stomach drops, thinking if Blaine already knows where I work, then he probably has all my other information now, too.
I wonder if he sent anything to the apartment, yet.
“All set?” D asks as he exits his office.
Nodding lightly, I let him lead me across the lobby.
With his hand still on the small of my back, I think about the declaration he just made.
He was sincere when he said he didn’t care if anyone finds out about us, but I hope they don’t.
It’s not like either of us would get into trouble, it’s D’s company after all, but I don’t want anyone looking at or thinking of us differently because of it.
Thankfully, we were able to ride down to the ground floor of the building without running into anyone we knew.
Izaak is waiting for us at the curb with the back door to the limo already open.
We enter the car quickly, and Izaak shuts us in.
I retrieve my phone from my purse as soon as I feel the car pull into traffic.
Opening my messages, I click on my conversion with Saylor.
“I’m going to check with Saylor to see if anything came in the mail today.”
“That’s a good idea. Remember, you can invite her over tonight,” D reminds me.
“Thank you,” I offer him a grateful smile.
Me
Did I receive any letters or packages today?
Saylor
I don’t know. I haven’t checked the mail yet.
Me
Can you take a look now? It’s important. D and I just left work, and we’re headed to his penthouse.
Saylor
You guys can’t keep your hands off one another, can you?
Me
No, it’s not that. I got a letter delivered to me at work today.
Me
From Blaine.
Saylor
Oh, fuck. Throwing shoes on now so I can check the mail.
Me
Thank you.
A few minutes go by, more than enough time for Saylor to go downstairs, check the mail, and tell me if I got anything. I’m not sure whether to be relieved or stressed by the lack of response.
Me
Anything there?
Saylor
Sorry, Ren called me, and I got sidetracked. Checking now.
I don’t have patience for unfocused Saylor right now.
Saylor
No, nothing but junk and bills.
I inhale a deep breath and relax a little bit.
Me
Okay, thank you for checking.
“Saylor said nothing came to the apartment today,” I inform D.
“That’s great news,” he responds.
Yeah. But I know it’s just a waiting game.
Me
Also, you’re invited to dinner at D’s place tonight. Ren is going to be there installing a security system.
Saylor
Yeah, that’s actually why he just called. I’ll be there.
Me
Can you bring me some work clothes when you come? I’m going to spend the night.
Saylor
Sure
“She’ll bring me some clothes for tomorrow.”
“That’s if we make it in. I was just thinking it may not be a bad idea to take a few days. We can work from my office at the penthouse.”
“I hate changing my life because of him. I don’t want him to affect my behavior.”
“I know, but at least he doesn’t know where I live. He can’t reach you there.”
“D, you don’t understand. I have no doubt in my mind he already knows everything there is to know about you.”
As D struggles to hide his shock, I put my phone back into my purse.
I should tell my parents, but I’m not ready to do that yet.
The last thing I need right now is them forcing their way into my everyday life and trying to control what I do like last time.
I know this is a serious situation, but I’ve never felt safer than I do when I’m with D.
Colin opens the back door of the limo when we pull up to D’s building. D takes my hand and doesn’t let go the entire way up to his penthouse.
* * *
When we got upstairs, I called Officer Harrison, the police officer I worked with the last time I filed a report on Blaine.
He came by the penthouse within an hour and took my statement as well as a copy of the letter Blaine sent.
Unfortunately, I’ll need proof that Blaine is the one behind it, and then I have to go through the entire court process again to get another order of protection filed.
It took a lot out of me the first time around, but D assured me he would be with me every step of the way.
As grateful as I am, I’m still worried that, at some point, he’s going to get tired of all the drama he’s about to be pulled into.
“What’s the matter, théa?” D asks, breaking me from my thoughts
“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing,” I assure him.
It’s been several hours since we got here, and Saylor and Ren have since joined us.
Ren picked up dinner for all of us on his way over, and the three of them are chowing down on chicken parmesan and lasagna from Cibo.
I, however, have been pushing my food around my plate for the last thirty minutes, trying to make it seem like I’m eating and not going crazy inside.
D drops it, but he definitely has more to say.
“I’m going to get started,” Ren speaks up.
I shoot him a smile as he gets up from the table and takes his plate into the kitchen.
Apparently, he’s giving D a deal on their most expensive system.
Even though he could price gouge the shit out of D because he’s loaded, Ren is only charging him cost not labor.
D even offered to pay him for dinner, but he wouldn’t accept that, either.
Ren really is one of the good ones. For the smallest moment, I think if I would have met him before going to Greece, I may have given him a chance.
My mind was too consumed by D by the time we met, though.
Not that I’m complaining.
I take a deep breath and think about where I would be if Ez hadn’t come in for a meeting that day. I can feel my pulse quicken at the thought of not being here with D right now. My heart aches as I think about everything I’ve experienced with him over the past two weeks.
What if I stuck to my guns and never went to Greece with Saylor at all? I tense up, panicking over the idea of being without D and having never known him in the first place.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” D places his hand on my leg.
“Can I talk to you for a second? In your room?”
“Of course,” he answers.
“What’s going on, Car?” Saylor asks.
“Nothing, I’m fine. I just need to talk to D about something.”
Saylor is visibly upset that I am keeping something from her. I will explain it to her later, but I just have to be with D right now. It feels like my life depends on it.
I take him by the hand and lead us both into his bedroom. The moment he clears the doorway, I close and lock the door behind him.
“What’s—”
He doesn’t get a chance to finish his question before I leap into his arms and wrap myself around him.
His hands fly under my ass, holding me up as he takes me over to the bed, and we collapse onto the mattress.
As I attack his lips, my hands roam his body while attempting to pull him closer still.
My lips plead with him as I deepen our kiss.
I feel a lone tear drop from the corner of my eye as my heart swells for the man on top of me. His eyes open as I sniffle, and he pulls away.
“Are you okay, Carley?” He cups my cheeks in his strong hands, concern in his voice.
“I’m okay, I just need you so bad right now.” Recognition of my intentions with him cause his pupils to dance with desire.
No more words are spoken. His lips move across mine again as his hands fly to his waist. Quickly, he has his belt off and his pants unfastened as I fight to lift my skirt and pull my panties down my legs with him still on top of me.
“See why I prefer to rip them from your body, théa? Much easier that way.”