24. Sloane
Chapter twenty-four
Sloane
Today is the day.
Today is Mia’s wedding, and I’m more nervous than ever. I haven’t been the best maid of honor for Mia, but even with my absence, everything has come together beautifully. And I want it to remain that way, even though I know today carries some risks.
Cade mentioned to Mia and Killian that he and David believe they discovered the identity of my stalker at the rehearsal dinner yesterday. Cade wouldn’t tell me who, so needless to say, I’ve been less than enthusiastic about today. My sister is getting married, and I should only be thinking about her happiness, yet I’m very worried. It shouldn’t be this way, and to make matters worse, I’m being kept in the dark in the name of my safety.
And I’m livid about it.
If anyone should know the identity of this person, it’s me. All Cade could tell me was that the person would be a guest at the wedding, and I needed to remain cautious. That’s not comforting in the least, but something tells me he’s leaving me with as little information as possible to keep me from blowing the whole operation out of the water.
I try to run through all that happened yesterday to figure out who Cade and David think is my stalker. But I spoke to so many people last night that everything has blurred together.
Unless…
No.
When Cade and I first got to the banquet hall, we were in our own world until Mr. Mathers— Theo— came up to greet us. Cade seemed very on edge with him from the start, but I assumed it was a weird jealousy. This man was my instructor—a mentor, even—so the very thought I could want anything more with him was totally inappropriate. Also, he’s two decades older than me, and while age clearly doesn’t bother me, he isn’t my type.
Cade, on the other hand…
At any rate, I’m sure Cade sent me away because it was some alpha male type of thing and not because he thinks that Theo could be my stalker. Theo has a direct line to me, anyway. He can email, call, and text me. He even showed up at my exhibition without me knowing he was going to be there. It’d be crazy if he just decided to go anonymous and create chaos in my life.
It has to be someone else.
“Are you ready?”
I look up to see Mike smiling at me, but I can tell he’s not feeling calm about any of this.
I take a deep breath. “As I’ll ever be,” I reply, and he chuckles a little. “Do you know who to look out for?” I ask him in a hushed tone as we’re ushered along, waiting to walk down the aisle together.
“Yes, but Cade gave me specific instructions to just focus on the wedding,” he says.
I sigh, shaking my head. Great, so my own brother is aware of who this potential stalker is, and I’m still left in the dark. Mike won’t betray his friend, especially when said friend is an ex-CIA operative. If anyone knows anything about special ops, it’s Cade, right?
“Try and relax, okay?” Mike adds, watching the couple ahead of us walk down the aisle.
Yes, easy for him to say.
As we walk down the aisle, my eyes scan the church filled with guests. One of them is my stalker, and I’m supposed to pretend I don’t know it. It’s easier said than done, but I do my best to school my features because that’s all I can do. If I won’t be told who to watch out for, then I might as well do what I was told.
When I make it to the front, my eyes find Cade in the front-row pew. He’s watching me carefully, smiling up at me as I do my best to remain composed. The anxiety I felt before melts away as I stare at his perfect smile, his perfect face. Suddenly, things seem less terrifying. Even without knowing who is after me, I can at least breathe easier knowing Cade is there to protect me should anything happen.
I keep my eyes on him throughout the entire ceremony, allowing him to keep me anchored. He’s been the beacon I’ve needed since I returned to Rose Valley. I need him even more now than ever.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride,” the minister says.
Killian wraps his arms around Mia and kisses her, dipping her as he does. Everyone stands and cheers them on. Killian and Mia pull away, laughing happily, and I find myself getting teary at seeing my big sister getting married.
I look back at Cade, and I wonder if this is in my future. He’s done the married thing before; does he want to get remarried? We have a lot to talk about before I go back to the city, but tonight isn’t about us. It’s about Mia and Killian.
After the ceremony, I meet up with Cade in the banquet hall. He greets me with a kiss and takes stock of my dress, spinning me around in a 360-degree view. “You look beautiful, Sloane,” he whispers, pulling me close and kissing me once more.
I hum into his lips. “You’re looking pretty hot yourself, Mr. Hart,” I reply as he chuckles, kissing me once more before pulling away. “How are things?” I ask vaguely. I know better than to reveal anything that could be heard or recorded or whatever else. At any rate, he knows what I’m referring to.
He sighs. “All you need to know is that they’re here,” he says quietly.
He isn’t offering up anything more, and I guess I just have to accept that. He wraps his arms tighter around me as I hug him close. I need to trust that this plan will work. It has to.
Nikki, Mia and Killian’s wedding planner, approaches us. “Hate to break up the loving couple, but we have photos out in the courtyard.”
Cade and I pull away. He smiles lovingly at me and lets me go. As I walk away, I give him one last glance. He seems calm, so I guess it’s safe to assume that Nikki isn’t posing as anyone nefarious. I suppose I should take comfort in that.
We take our photos, and in the near distance, I can see David manning the bar, which is good. At least when Cade isn’t around, he’s here to make sure nothing happens. I prefer Cade, obviously, but that’s only because I know very little about David. All I know is that Cade trusts him, and that’s good enough for me.
I pose, beaming widely through each shot so my happiness for Mia is shown despite my continuing nerves. I take a few photos with my family, some with just the other bridesmaids, others with only Mia, and so on. I may not be the one who just got married, but this wedding thing is exhausting for anyone in the bridal party.
“I’m going to use the restroom,” I whisper to Mia, who nods absently as her friends occupy her attention.
I walk through the banquet hall towards the women’s restroom, looking to take a break from the chaos more than really needing to use the facilities. This thing is not for me. As much as I try to reason with myself that I’m keeping it together, the truth is, I’m struggling. I’m doing my best for Mia’s sake, but I keep looking over my shoulder, waiting for this person to pop out, not only to terrorize me but to also ruin Mia’s day.
I leave tomorrow afternoon to go back to the city, where I can finish my collection and get it ready for the curator. I don’t have the time or mental capacity to have this person following me all the way back home, especially when my protection will remain in Rose Valley.
I sit on the toilet in the stall, breathing deeply.
After a minute, I hear the door swing open, and under the bathroom stall, I see men’s shoes walking inside, coming to a stop before my stall. I smile as I think about that first night, Cade following me into the bathroom in O’Malley’s. It’s crazy that this is where it all started. But he couldn’t really be thinking of doing that here and now, with everything going on?
I bite my bottom lip. It would be nice if I had something to help me decompress. I can’t drink, after all, so if my man is willing to help me out…
I stand up and open the door, smiling devilishly, only to stop short.
“Theo?” I gape at my old art teacher. “I think you missed the men’s bathroom next door,” I say with an awkward laugh, though I’m also trying to save face that I was willing to have a bathroom hookup with Cade in the middle of my sister’s wedding reception.
Yeah, can’t get any more awkward than that.
“I was looking for you, actually,” he says as he steps forward.
I notice his purposeful movements and the fixed way he stares at me. A chill runs down my spine, and my hackles go up.
“You couldn’t wait until I left the bathroom?” I ask.
He cracks a small smile, and that’s when I finally understand what Cade was trying to keep me from.
“I couldn’t have your puppy breathing down your neck,” he says in a sinister tone. It sounds like he’s spitting venom. “I mean, what do you even see in that guy? He has women fawning over him constantly. And why? Because he has money? I never took you to be like one of them, Sloane,” he says, suddenly sounding more erratic as he continues to walk closer to me, forcing me to back up against the stall door.
I swallow hard. “Like what?”
“You know what I’m getting at, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” he says as I feel the door against my back. I take a deep breath, trying to stay grounded despite my rising anxiety. He has me cornered, and there’s no one else in here to help me.
“You’ve been the one sending me those letters,” I whisper to him as he gets closer without actually touching me. He’s keeping his distance just enough so he can keep me trapped here, but not enough to overstep.
“Of course, my dear,” he says silkily. “Who else will keep you inspired? Cade Hart? That guy wouldn’t know a Picasso from a Dali. But us artistic souls, we’d know it if it was described to us with our eyes closed.” He reaches out to run a finger along a strand of my hair.
“Why?” I ask, and he chuckles like it should be obvious.
“We’re meant for each other, Sloane. I knew it the moment you made Stop to Grin .”
I shake my head, batting away his hand. “You’re sick.”
He blinks, taken aback by the force of my words.
“I was seventeen when I made that!” I point out.
“And now you’re a grown woman,” he counters, like that should matter. I raise my hands between us to create more distance, but he just stares at me, unmoved.
God, I wish Cade was here.
“Whatever you think is going to happen between us won’t,” I tell him.
His face twists into a sneer. “Why? It was easy for you to spread your legs for a man ten years your senior, so why not twenty?”
I slap him out of pure adrenaline, standing taller as he clutches his cheek. He’s clearly in shock that I’d strike him, but I’m so tired of being the victim.
“You will never understand because you’re blinded by your ego and self-righteousness,” I spit. “I am my own person. You may have helped shape me into a better artist, and for that I will thank you, but you do not hold claim to me.” As I speak, he stands up straighter, dropping his hand to expose the red mark on his cheek.
“I made you, and I can easily break you,” he states, grabbing my wrists.
His grip is tight, and I hiss, but I don’t scream. He attempts to twist them in a way that could easily break them. Tears start to stream down my face as I keep them rooted in place, despite how painful his grip is. As soon as I start to lose my strength, the door flies open and Cade comes barreling in.
He tugs Theo back by his collar and slams him into the adjacent wall face-first before pulling out a zip tie and fastening it around his wrists.
“You won’t get away with this. I’ll sue you for all your worth,” Theo chokes out as Cade pulls him back to look him in the eyes.
“I’d rethink that plan. RVPD is already at your home. I’m sure the DA will love to hear what they uncover.”
Mike comes in and takes Theo out of the bathroom. Out of the corner of my eye, Theo chances another look at me, but I keep my gaze averted.
Suddenly, I feel a warm embrace engulf me, and I bury myself in Cade’s arms. He presses a kiss to the top of my head as tears stream down my cheeks again.
“It’s over, Sloane,” he soothes me.
But is it?