Chapter 6
Serayah
I was in my room getting ready while King stood in the kitchen, standing guard.
At first, I thought I was overreacting just a bit by having all this security but seeing King’s concern earlier confirmed for me that I really was in danger.
My life felt like it was being turned upside down, and I just wanted the guy to be caught and put behind bars. No one should have to live like this.
I put the thought away, pulled my dress up, and slid the straps over my shoulders, but I couldn’t get the zipper.
I looked at myself in the mirror once more.
My hair and makeup looked nice. I decided on a long braid that fell in front of my shoulder.
Sliding on my heels, I finally made my way to the kitchen to ask King for help.
“King… can you please help me zip up my dress in the back?”
His mouth opened slightly, but he managed to say, “Sure.” Turning me around, he zipped the back of my dress. I pressed the dress flat in front, brushing the red and black sequins down to make sure they all looked neat and smooth.
When I turned around, I asked, “How do I look?” My smile felt like a mixture of real and forced.
He cleared his throat and said, “You look beautiful.” It made me blush. “What is your role at this event, Ms. Flores? What should I expect?”
Shrugging, I said, “Honestly, I’m not sure.
They asked me to attend, I think, for the local celebrity factor.
I’m not really a celebrity. I’ve written some romance novels.
A couple are Valentine’s Day-themed, so maybe that’s why.
I imagine it’ll just be dinner, dancing, and probably signing a few autographs. ”
“Alright. Well, I guess we'd better get to it. Ms. Flores…if I notice anything at all that isn’t right, please follow my instructions. There won’t be any time to ask why. Do you understand?”
Nodding, I said, “I understand.”
***
Chase had rotated out with Mack on driver duties and dropped us off at the front steps in one of Heartline’s limousines.
When we arrived at The Gilded Hart Hotel, the view pulling up to it was stunning.
We were greeted with a large, circular fountain.
It was so elegant. I said, “This is incredible. I’ve never been to this hotel before.
” I looked over at King, but he didn’t say anything.
Inside, we found everything you’d expect at a fancy Valentine’s Ball. Floor-to-ceiling, deep red drapery and opulent chandeliers. Big, round tables draped in white satin surrounded by chairs upholstered in red velvet filled the room in rows.
Scanning the room, I tried to look for anyone I might know.
I saw someone who looked like Marilyn Monroe.
You could clearly tell she was wearing a wig.
If she wasn’t wearing an eyepatch, she would look like Marilyn, herself, in the flesh.
It made me giggle. I kept looking and spotted the popular supermodel, Indigo Lyric, and gasped with excitement. It made King panic.
“What?” He asked in a startled voice, and grabbed my waist, pulling me close to him. The movement gave me goosebumps and made my head tingle.
“I’m…I’m sorry. No, everything is fine. I just saw someone I recognized. That’s Indigo Lyric over there.” I pointed in her direction.
“Indigo Lyric? Who’s that?”
“Oh, she’s a supermodel. Gorgeous.” I was looking at his face to see if I could gauge a reaction, but he gave nothing away.
“Sorry, I don’t know her. Besides, I only see one gorgeous person in this room right now.” He glanced at me and went back to scanning the room. I could feel myself blushing. King had a soft side when he wasn’t being all professional and grumpy.
He let go of my waist and reached for my hand. I knew it wasn’t a real date, but he was flirting. I mean, he called me gorgeous, and I couldn’t ignore how he had glanced down at me.
There were photographers all around the room, which made me nervous after having felt violated by the stalker’s photos. I noticed the dessert station. “Can we walk over to the dessert table and see what they have?” I asked.
King nodded and led the way to the table. A photographer stopped us about halfway there. “Ma’am, can I take your photo? You’re Serayah Flores, right? The romance author? I recognize you from the program.”
I looked up at King, but he didn’t say anything. He was scrutinizing the photographer, though. With a smile, I said, “Of course. Where will these photos be going?”
“They’ll go on the Valentine Ball website in real time. They’ll also be projected on the screens you see in the lobby. Real-time photos of everyone having a good time.”
“Ok, well, let’s do it.” I let go of King’s hand, but then he put his arm back around my waist and pulled me in close. I hadn’t expected him to be in the photo with me. He was really going the extra mile. I almost laughed.
“You two make a lovely couple,” the photographer said with a smile.
Surprisingly, King answered and said, “Thank you,” and looked down at me again. “Shall we?” he asked. I smiled and nodded.
After we took the photo, there was a sign that read Sweet Dream Cupcakes had supplied the desserts. “I love Sweet Dream Cupcakes. Have you ever had them?”
King didn’t look at me when he responded, still scanning the room, “I haven’t, but I’ll give ‘em a shot.” We put some on a plate and looked around the room.
The fake date wasn’t turning out to be too bad. Even though he wasn’t talkative, he was actually acting like my date. I said, “Let’s go to our table.” I let go of his arm and walked off ahead of him.
We’d been sitting for a while, just watching everyone else talk, laugh, and have a good time.
Some were even dancing. Then the Master of Ceremonies came up to me and asked me if I would sign books for fans.
I watched King’s ears perk up after I agreed to it.
He watched as I sat at a table and signed books for a few dozen fans.
No one matched the description of the suspect, and the little signing went well.
After that, King looked bored. I wanted to dance, talk to people…and do something. He could be my protection and still have a good time. I said, “I’m going to go grab another drink from the bar.”
He stood up and said, “I’ll come with you.”
I didn’t want him to come with me. “No. Stay. You can watch me from here. I just want to go grab a drink by myself.” He looked down at me, and for a split second, his expression seemed like he was sorry for disengaging.
Finally, I walked away from him, and he sat back down. When I looked back, he was watching me but also scanning the room. I saw him nod at someone, and when I followed his line of sight, it was Chase.
When King looked away, I snuck off in the opposite direction to go to the bathroom. I wanted to freshen up without him breathing down my neck. He was being wonderful, but having someone around all the time when you are used to being alone takes some getting used to.
As I reapplied some lip gloss in the mirror and fixed my hair, someone dressed in all black walked in and passed behind me.
It was odd and sent shivers up my spine.
I just saw their back, and briefly, as they walked by to the first stall, but it seemed like they were wearing a hood.
I wondered if it was nerves or my imagination.
Feeling uneasy, I quickly put my lip gloss back in my clutch and turned to walk out. As soon as I opened the door, King was standing there, and he looked pissed. “Serayah.”
“King! Um, I just needed to freshen up. Let’s go dance.” I knew he was angry, but I didn’t want to give him time to scold me.
“Serayah…”
I pulled him behind me by the hand as I made our way back to our table. When we got there, I set my clutch on the chair and hid it under my shawl, then turned back to King. “Come on, grumpy. Dance with me.”
“Serayah, if I’m dancing with you, I can’t pay attention. And apparently, if I look away for two fucking seconds, you take that as your opportunity to run off and do dangerous shit.”
I had my hands wrapped behind his neck as we danced, but stopped dancing and said, “Dangerous, huh?”
“Yeah. Stop doing things to put yourself in danger and keep dancing.”
I let out an annoyed breath. “You’re so bossy. I just needed a quick break, to put on a little lip gloss.”
“Yeah, well, it’s my job to protect you. I don’t want anything to happen to you…ever. So please… I’m begging your sassy ass to please stop doing things that make me worry about you. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened…” Then he stopped.
“King Wilder. Are you crushing on me?”
He rolled his eyes. “Stop.”
“You are.” I smiled up at him.
“I’m working.”
“No, you’re dancin’ with me. And worried about me. And you liiiiike me.”
“Alright, dancing is over.” He went to walk away, but I didn’t move.
He was not going to leave me standing there, alone on the dance floor.
I’d die of embarrassment. He finally turned around and looked like he was pleading with his eyes.
I folded my arms across my chest and jutted a hip out. I wasn’t moving.
I watched him as he shrugged his shoulder, said something into his little secret walkie-talkie ear thing under his collar, and started rolling his sleeves up.
What is he about to do? After he rolled the last cuff on his arm, he walked toward me and picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder, making me yelp!
I was mortified but also couldn’t stop laughing. Then someone snapped their camera because I saw a flash go off. Everyone around us clapped and cheered for King, and I couldn’t believe it. He walked over to the table and asked, “Is there anything here you need me to grab?”
“Just my shawl and clutch, you beast.”
“Serayah, there isn’t a shawl or clutch here.”
“Put me down,” I said in a panic.
He set me down gently, making me giggle. When I turned to my chair though, I didn’t see my things. “They were here, King.” We looked everywhere and they were gone. “Can you look under the table?”
King squatted down and looked under the table, and when he stood, he said my name. “Ms. Flores…” When I looked up, he handed me a note, then searched the room with a hard glare.
I read the note. “That lip gloss is beautiful on you, but you don’t need it. Thank you for signing my book tonight. Your biggest fan.”
“King… he was here.” I suddenly felt sick.