5. Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Evie
I was dreaming.
That had to be it.
Or maybe I’d been sucked into a parallel universe.
Those were the only two explanations that could make any sense of the fact that Levi Bradshaw had just kissed me. And not like some little peck on the cheek, or even a fake kiss like Jenna did when she played Juliet in high school.
No, he’d given me a tongue-in-mouth, full body press, biting kiss that curled my toes and left me aching as well as breathless. Over the years, I’d had plenty of fantasies about all three brothers, and that one kiss blew them all out of the water.
I was still reeling when Levi squeezed my ass and told Randall to get lost. Vaguely, I was aware of Randall spewing threats and insults as Mason dragged my ex to his car and shoved him inside. As we watched Randall drive away, I pulled myself together because I knew the questions were coming. My breakup with Randall was public knowledge, but not even Jenna knew the full scope of things.
It was Tucker, however, who spoke first. “What the hell is going on, Evie?”
Everyone was looking at me now, their expressions mixtures of irritation and expectation. I sighed.
“Let’s go inside,” I suggested. “This isn’t the kind of conversation I want to have in the driveway.”
While we settled in the living room, Isabel played hostess and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Hoping to have a little more time to pull myself together, I asked for some water, but none of the Bradshaws were feeling particularly patient.
“All right, we’re inside and sitting down,” Jenna said. “Spill.”
“That was my ex, Randall Downs,” I began. “He was also my publicist. I fired him the same time I broke up with him. And before you ask, it was when I caught him in bed with his newest client.”
“Cheating bastard,” Mason muttered.
“So you ran home with your tail between your legs because that asshole cheated on you?” Levi asked.
I wasn’t sure if that was an insult or a compliment, but I doubted it would fluster me any less if I knew which it was. Looking down at my hands, I shook my head.
“He’s pissed that I fired him, and that I left Nashville when I was supposed to be negotiating for my next album.”
“I’m guessing that means he’s going to lose a lot of money,” Jenna said.
“I’ve been telling him and the label that I was getting burnt out,” I said, not bothering to hide any of the bitterness in my voice. “But nobody cared. They just wanted me to keep churning out hits until they couldn’t wring another note out of me.”
Jenna reached over and put her hand on mine.
“But that’s not the only reason I’m here,” I continued. “Anyone who’s in the public eye gets fan mail and hate mail, but most of the time, it goes to our label or our PR people. Unless someone asks for it, we never get the bad stuff.”
“But you got the bad stuff?” Isabel asked as she handed me my water and then sat on Jenna’s other side.
I nodded and then took a drink before explaining. “I got some threatening letters at my apartment in Nashville. And they were hand delivered, not mailed.”
“Shit.” Mason leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, expression intense. “How the hell did that happen? Don’t you have a doorman at your building or something?”
“Yeah,” I said. “That’s why when it happened a third time, even after the building’s security told me they’d double down, I decided Jenna moving up her wedding was just the excuse I needed to get out of Nashville without looking suspicious.”
“What did the cops say?” Tucker asked. “I mean, you did tell the cops you had someone threatening you, right?”
“Of course she didn’t,” Levi scoffed. “That’d mean actually asking for help.”
“Would you call the cops?” I snapped.
He gave me a derisive look. “In case you forgot, I’m a hell of a lot bigger and scarier than you.”
“I don’t know,” Jenna said. “You’ve never tried to carry on a conversation with her before she has her coffee.”
I flipped her off, but smiled while doing it because I knew she was just trying to lighten the mood and I appreciated it.
“Wait—” Mason frowned. “You’re some big-shot country star and you don’t have bodyguards? Personal security?”
“I do,” I said before Levi could make another snarky comment. “But they don’t live with me. Until recently, the security in my building was enough.”
“Are they invisible, or do they just suck at their job?” Tucker asked, looking around. “Because I didn’t see them outside helping you a few minutes ago.”
I glared at him. “I was coming back to Bedford for my friend’s wedding. I had no reason to think that my shit was going to follow me here. I mean, it’s Bedford. The most dangerous people around here are…” I hesitated, but then decided what the hell. “Well, your kind are the biggest criminal element.”
“I’m not sure whether that’s an insult or a compliment,” Mason said dryly.
“You know what I mean,” I said. “Stalkers aren’t something Bedford PD really has to deal with. And besides, around here I’m not Evelyn Hayes, one of country’s brightest stars. I’m Evie, the daughter of the town drunk, the girl who once put bread bags in her shoes to keep her socks from getting wet.”
“Does that mean you left your bodyguards back in Nashville?” Jenna asked, squeezing my hand.
“I told them to take a vacation,” I said. “And you don’t want bodyguards around when we’re doing wedding planning. Or at the actual wedding. I mean, how’s that going to work? I’m standing up there with you and I have guys in suits on either side? It’s your wedding. I’m not going to ever take the focus off of you. I’ll be fine.”
“Yes,” Jenna said, a gleam entering her eyes. “You will.”
I didn’t like that gleam. It’d gotten me into more trouble than I cared to remember growing up.
“You’re going to be fine because my brothers are going to protect you.”
We all stared at her, waiting for the punch line.
She beamed at us, apparently pleased with herself. “Think about it. It makes perfect sense. They’ll already be at the wedding and most of the pre-wedding stuff. They live here in town, so it’s not like they’d have to travel here or stay at the dumpy motel at the edge of town. They’ve already scared off your ex.”
My stomach flipped at the too-close memory of Levi’s lips.
“And because you’re my best friend, no one will think twice about them being around you. No attention taken from me or Isabel, and you stay safe. It’s a win-win.”
“We’re not bodyguards, Jenna,” Levi ground out, his eyes blazing. “Or did you miss the part where she said we’re the biggest criminal element in Bedford?”
“How do you even know we’d have the time to do it?” Mason pointed out. “We’ve already got Mom making lists of shit she wants us to do before the wedding.”
“And maybe Evie doesn’t want us hanging around her all the time,” Tucker chimed in.
I was really feeling the love here. Even though it hurt to hear them coming up with whatever excuses they could to get out of Jenna’s suggestion, I was glad to have their protests as an excuse to refuse. The last thing I wanted was to spend every minute of my time in Bedford being the butt of their jokes, dealing with them running hot and cold, and let’s not forget all the reminders of how much they tormented me growing up.
“I’ll be fine,” I assured Jenna. “After seeing your brothers, I doubt Randall will come anywhere near Bedford.”
None of us mentioned the fake claim Levi had staked, and I was grateful for that.
“But that’s exactly my point,” Jenna said. “If my brothers are around, your stalker will figure out he can’t get anywhere near you, and you’ll be safe.”
“No,” Levi said flatly, crossing his massive arms over his chest. “I’m not gonna have you pissed at us if she does something stupid and gets herself hurt.”
“What the hell?” I scowled at him. “Are you saying I’m asking for it?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth.” A muscle in his jaw twitched, like he was clenching it too hard. “I said you do stupid shit. And if you need an example, what about the time you went skinny-dipping in the mayor’s pond and I had to rescue your naked ass?”
“I was fourteen!” My face flooded with heat. “And in case you forgot, Mason and Jenna dared me to and then took my clothes! My stupid mistake was trusting them. And again, I was fourteen. I’m twenty-three now.”
Jenna winced. “Yeah, I know I’ve apologized about this before, but again, sorry about that. It was a shitty thing to do.”
I seized the opportunity. “See, this is why your idea won’t work. I’ll just be more careful, okay? I’ll get some bear spray or something.”
Jenna shook her head. “Sorry. I don’t feel that guilty about it. Your safety is more important.” She turned to her brothers. “So I’m pulling the wedding card. This is going to be your gift to me. Got it?”
“What if I already got you a toaster?” Mason asked.
“Don’t be an ass,” Jenna said. “I mean it. You three are on guard duty as your gift to me. I’m trusting that you won’t let anything happen to my best friend.”
“Dammit.” Tucker sighed. “I can’t do it. I can’t say no to that.”
“He’s right,” Mason said, looking over at Levi. “She’s our baby sister.”
“Besides,” Tucker added, “how bad could it be?”
I really didn’t want any of them to answer that. Levi’s kiss was still fucking with my head, and I wasn’t sure how I’d handle him tearing me down any further right now.
Levi ran his hand down his face, his expression saying he was hating every second of this.
Join the club, asshole , I thought.
“Okay,” he said. “But she’s not staying here.”
“I’m not going to my mom’s,” I cut in. “I can’t take her drama on top of everything else.”
Levi snorted a laugh. “I’d never make you go there. She’d just complicate things. No, I want you at the clubhouse.”
I shook my head. “Not a chance. I’d rather stay in the seedy motel.”
“You’re not staying in a place that rents by the hour,” Mason said. “And don’t even think about suggesting Betty’s B&B. Kimmy Thompson’s older sister just bought it.”
Shit. I’d been about to suggest it, but Mason was right. Kimmy Thompson had bullied me from third grade right up until graduation, and I doubted her sister was any better.
“You’re going to stay at the clubhouse,” Levi said with the sort of finality that came with having everyone around him obey his every word.
Fuck that.
“I’m not staying with a bunch of bikers,” I said. “I don’t know what sort of shit goes on there, but I’m not—”
“You’ll put Jenna and Isabel in danger if you stay here,” Levi said bluntly.
That brought me up short. He was right. No matter how much it pained me to admit it, if I stayed here and Randall came back, or if my stalker tracked me here, Jenna and Isabel would be in danger. And whether I liked it or not, being in a clubhouse filled with bikers was probably the best deterrent I could find.
I was probably going to regret this, but I nodded. “All right. I’ll do it.”