The Reborn

Chapter Thirteen

Thirteen

Olivia

After what felt like hours of waiting and feeling totally out of control of my own life, Justin and I were finally allowed to go inside of Colomba. He spoke in hushed tones with the officers still milling by the door as I peered around, trying to get a clue as to what had happened to cause all the concern.

The front desk seemed in order, the stack of papers still neatly piled on the corner where I’d left them that evening. No broken glass, no upturned drawers. Nothing to make it look—

“Ma’am?”

“Yes?” I turned to the young officer with kind green eyes and ruddy cheeks, my gaze landing on the wall of photographs just beyond his shoulder. Several of them were of past dancers who had gone through my studio, the other teachers, our recitals, but there were also some professional shots of my time in the Houston Ballet.

“Oh God!” My mind froze with what I saw, scarcely able to comprehend the horror. My stomach seized up and I suddenly thought I might vomit. My hand flew to cover my mouth and I spun away as terrified tears flooded my eyes, but try as I might, I couldn’t block the images from my mind.

Every photo had been left intact, except for the ones of me. Every single picture of me had been violated in some way. My eyes blacked out, horns drawn on my head, the word WHORE scrawled across one. And the largest—my last and biggest part in Swan Lake as Odile the black swan—had been completely eviscerated with red marker, DIE BITCH written in bold letters across my face.

I startled when a hand settled gently on my lower back. “I’ve got you,” Justin murmured for my ears only. He waited until I met his fierce, icy gaze. “You hear me?”

Something warm and solid settled in my chest, reassured by his presence and his words, even in the midst of this crazy circumstance. “I hear you.”

He nodded, then he stayed so close to me I could feel his body heat as we made our way slowly through the studio, taking in the damage. It became clear pretty quickly that this wasn’t a robbery or random vandalism, though I could’ve guessed that the moment I saw the photos up front. But that was all confirmed after we bypassed a completely untouched studio and arrived at my office.

“Jesus H.,” Justin said under his breath as we stood in the doorway.

Here, the ugly words telling me to die and calling me a whore and worse were carved right into the sheetrock of my walls, every picture I had defaced.

I choked back an outraged cry as I realized it was not just photos of me, but of Lizzie, that had the eyes either blacked or crossed out. I spun around. “Justin!”

“I know. Check your security feed on the app on your phone. Do you remember how?”

I blinked at him, momentarily frozen, before I mentally shook myself into action. Security. My baby could be in danger. “Yes, yes.”

My hands were trembling as I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and fired up the security app. He had to take over at one point to help me maneuver through the different cameras as we checked on Sofia and Elizabeth and the entire property. Everything was good. They were safe. I took a breath, so grateful for him right then, even though so much of this had felt like an intrusion in my life. “Thank you.”

“Just doing my job.”

I blinked, feeling like I’d been slapped back to harsh reality. I wasn’t sure why his words stung so badly, so I shoved my reaction aside. It had been a crazy night, and I was probably overemotional. “Well, still. Peace of mind right now is priceless.”

He nodded, his gaze roaming around the room, scrutinizing everything, as if searching for some sort of invisible clue in the damage. “Does any of this feel familiar to you?”

“What?”

He tilted his head toward the ugly words. “Has anyone ever called you those things before?”

“I...” I thought back to all of the hateful, spiteful things Christoph had said to me in the heat of the moment when we parted ways. He’d been casually cruel, but nothing like this. “No,” I finally said. “It doesn’t feel familiar.”

“Okay. Well, you’ll need to cancel classes until this is cleaned up. I suggest telling folks as little as possible. Say you have some emergency plumbing repairs, and the studio is unable to be used for the time being.” He pulled out his phone when it buzzed from his pocket and punched out a return text before facing me again. “And we have plans to go meet your brother for breakfast.”

“My brother?”

“Yes. He has some information for me, and he wants to see you.”

I gaped. “You told him about this, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. He’s paying the bill.”

I closed my eyes briefly, suddenly too tired to argue. Honestly, I could really use a Camden bear hug to make all of this feel better. “Fine.” I turned and strode out the door, unable to stand a moment longer in that room. Then I froze in the hallway as I caught sight of the back door. The one that they said had been ajar.

I spun around so fast that Justin nearly slammed into me. “I don’t remember setting the alarm.”

“What?”

“When I left tonight,” I said. “I was tired and hungry and focused on getting home.” I didn’t dare say how much he’d been preoccupying my thoughts of late, and I was stupidly thinking of seeing him at home. “Now I can’t remember if I set the alarm properly.”

“Of course you did.”

“What do you mean, of course I did? I just told you I don’t remember doing it.”

“And do you remember driving to work this morning? Driving home for that matter?”

“I . . .” I frowned. “Well, no.”

“Exactly. Because you do those things routinely. Just because you don’t remember doesn’t mean you didn’t do it. You’re looking for a reason to blame yourself, but this isn’t your fault. Even if you had forgotten, there doesn’t appear to be any sign of forced entry, so either you also forgot to lock the door, which is highly unlikely, or someone has a key.”

“No.” I began shaking my head. “That makes no sense.”

“Why is that?”

“Because. The only people who have a key to this place are me and Whitney and the leasing company, and Whitney would never ...”

He held up a hand in surrender. “I’m not saying she did anything. I’ll reserve any judgment until we get the full police report back. In the meantime, unless you need anything else, are you ready to go?”

“Yes.”

We spoke to an officer on our way out and I verified that nothing was stolen, then we headed home in silence, my brain ticking and anxious.

When we pulled up to the house, I turned toward him to try and get my thoughts out again. “Whitney is my best friend in the world. She’s been there for me—”

“You don’t have to defend her, Olivia.” He killed the engine, then stepped outside, leaning his forearm on the roof of the truck as he studied me in the dark of the cab. “My only loyalty in this is to you and Elizabeth, so you can trust that I will unapologetically and ruthlessly follow all leads, wherever they take me, and to whoever they take me, and let the chips fall where they may.”

We stared at each other for a long moment as I digested his words. “Well, they won’t lead to Whitney.”

A ghost of a smirk slid along his lips. “Great.” He drew back and slammed his door shut.

I scrambled to clamber out of the truck before he could round to help me out, earning myself a frown. “They won’t,” I urged.

“I said great,” he said as we walked toward the front door.

I grabbed his arm to stop him in the middle of the walkway. “But you don’t sound like you believe me.”

“I’ll believe the facts when I see them.”

I dropped my hand. “Fine. But I’m right.”

He nodded and turned toward the house.

“Would you mind making sure Sofia gets home safely to her dorm tonight?” I asked. “After everything, I’m worried about her too.” Honestly, I just wanted a few minutes to breathe without him in the house, but I’d be damned if I was going to say that out loud.

“No.”

I gaped at his broad back as he neared the front door. “No?”

He turned to me slowly and stared at me with his hooded gaze like I was dumb. “Unless Camden wants to up my fee to provide her protection too?” He inclined his head toward the locked door, silently indicating for me to unlock it. “That’s what campus security and the police are for.”

“Campus security?” Something in me snapped like thin ice. I’d had enough of being scared to live my life. I hated that I needed protection at all... and from what? Battling the unknown made me feel like I was being buried alive, clawing at the top of my own coffin and suffocating on my own agonizing, crippling fear.

I stormed up to him with all the fire my five-foot-two frame could muster, that debilitating terror surging through my veins. I was vibrating as I got right up into his face. “I thought you worked for me.”

He blinked down at me, completely unruffled, which only pissed me off more. “Technically, I work for your brother.”

“Semantics, asshole.”

One dark brow lifted. “I may be an asshole, but I’m not Uber for your teenaged babysitter. If you’ve got a problem with that—”

“I do have a problem with that.” I drilled an index finger into his chest for good measure as I opened my mouth to outline all of my many problems with the current situation, but before I could get one word out, he sprang into action.

He grabbed my offending finger and whipped my hand behind my back, then spun me faster than I could blink, shoving me against the porch wall, holding me captive with his chest against mine.

“Enough.” It was a whisper, but his gruff command was crystal clear. “Enough,” he said again when I tried to fight him, his hot breath puffing against my cheek as he dropped his head near mine.

We stood there in a rigid stance for several heartbeats, in a battle of wills. His need to protect me and do his job against my need to assert my independence in my own life.

Gradually, his hold on the hand behind my back loosened but he didn’t move away, his grip instead widening to span my waist, awakening a whole new surge of heat in my veins. I suddenly became aware of everything. The cadence of his breathing as it whispered across my face. His scent, a heady mixture of leather, ocean, and something darker from the night. The way my pulse beat black with flashes of crimson behind my closed eyelids as I sank into the moment in a reckless rush. The heat of his chest against mine and knowing he could feel my achingly hard nipples through my shirt.

What was happening?

What did I want to happen?

Everything, I suddenly realized.

I tilted my head, ever so slightly, so my lips brushed the side of his. “Justin,” I whispered.

Saying his name functioned like throwing a bucket of ice water on his head. He snapped upright and yanked himself back from me, the cold air rushing between us startling and almost painful. He cleared his throat and ran a quick hand over his head. “I can call ahead to arrange for campus security for Sofia if you’d like.”

I blinked up at him, amazed at how quickly he could shut off a moment like the one we’d just had. Confused and more than a little bit hurt, I said nothing. Instead, I rummaged through my purse for my keys and opened the door.

“Olivia, wait,” he said to my back.

“Ask her what she wants,” I shot over my shoulder. “I’m going to bed.”

I didn’t hear from him again the rest of the night.

I was morethan grateful when Camden showed up bright and early with Vanessa and their daughter Isla.

It didn’t matter that he was not her father biologically. You’d never know it by the genuine love they shared and the way they interacted, almost as if they had a language all to themselves. My brother was a monster on the football field, but he was a big goof and a fiercely loyal family man when it came to the ladies in his life. I just counted myself blessed that my daughter and I were among them.

Elizabeth toddled right up to Isla in her wheelchair and tried to share her handful of Cheerios, which the older girl happily pretended to accept with a grin.

I leaned in to hug a very, very pregnant Vanessa. “It’s so good to see you!”

“You, too,” she said. “Now, can I borrow your restroom?” She grimaced and pointedly glanced down at her stomach.

I laughed. “Of course.”

I turned my attention to my brother. “You shouldn’t have made her come. She looks like she’s about to pop.”

“All the more reason to keep her near me.” He exchanged a look with Justin, silently communicating something I wasn’t in on.

I frowned and glanced outside, noticing there was another dark SUV parked by the curb beside my brother’s Mercedes. “More security?” I asked, suddenly alarmed.

“Just a precaution,” Cam said, smiling over my shoulder as Vanessa rejoined us, hugging him around the waist. “We were thinking maybe Vanessa could hang out here with the girls while the three of us hit up the café for breakfast.”

“You don’t want to go?” I asked Vanessa with a frown.

“Honestly?” She ran a hand over her belly. “I think Isla would really like to play with her cousin for a little bit, and I’d love to lounge on your couch for a while if you’ll just bring me back some pancakes and juice?”

Cam kissed her head. “Done.”

I avoided eye contact with Justin. “If you’re sure...”

“More than sure.” She already had her shoes off and was making herself comfortable on the couch. “Thank you so much.”

Cam walked over and leaned down for one more kiss on the lips. “Kade is right outside, but you call me if you need anything,” he murmured.

“Of course.”

We headed out and Justin exchanged a quick nod with the man hidden behind the dark glass of the other vehicle before we all climbed into Camden’s high-end Mercedes SUV.

The vibe was tense on the ride over to the City Hall Café, despite my brother’s attempts at small talk and the low murmur of classic rock coming from his stereo. It felt like the calm before the storm, electricity shimmering just under the air, because I knew they were holding back the serious talk until we were eye to eye over coffee.

As if that would make any of it better.

Camden parked and we walked into the bustling café, but thanks to the manager being a fan of the Spartans and my brother, we were seated quickly at a private corner table near a window and served ice water while we perused the menu. I stuck with breakfast tacos, Cam—in true Cam fashion—ordered the largest breakfast plate in the place, and Justin surprised me, ordering only coffee and toast.

“Not hungry?” I blurted.

Those glacial eyes shifted my way, reminding me why I’d nearly lost my mind on the front porch the night before. The man was dangerous to every piece of my femininity. “Not really a big fan of breakfast. Never have been.” He mumbled his thanks to the waitress when she returned with our coffee.

Once she was gone, I tilted my head in confusion. “But you ate an omelet the first time we met.”

He picked up his mug and sipped before answering. “That was at lunchtime. I didn’t say I don’t like breakfast food.”

I could feel Camden’s confused stare, but I ignored him. “Just not at breakfast time?”

“Yes.”

Camden cleared his throat. “As riveting as this discourse on Justin’s eating habits is, guys, we have other things to discuss.”

I sighed and cupped my hands around my own coffee cup as if seeking strength from its heat. “Yes, I know, and regardless of what Justin told you, Whitney would never betray me like that. There has to be some other explanation. Did he tell you I don’t remember—?”

“Whitney?” my brother said, confusion clear in his voice. “Back up... what?” His blue eyes flitted back and forth between us before landing on Justin. “You think her best friend has something to do with all this?”

“I don’t think anything yet, but I have to keep all options open until I rule them out.”

Camden frowned and looked back at me. “But why Whitney?”

Something in me was bolstered that he clearly thought her innocent too. “She’s the only other one besides the leasing company that has a key to the studio,” I explained. “And since it doesn’t look like anyone broke in, I either left it unlocked when I left, or...”

Understanding dawned on his face. “They had a key.”

I nodded. “But I told Justin, I don’t remember locking up. I mean, I think I did, but I don’t specifically remember, so I’m not sure.” I picked up my coffee for a sip but set it back down. “I hate this.”

“I know, sis.” Cam’s big hand cupped over my forearm. “But I have faith Justin will figure it out and take care of it, then this whole nightmare will be over.”

“Yeah,” I said, wanting to believe him, but struggling. Without wanting to, I turned to Justin, hoping for—I don’t know—reassurance. Which was stupid. It wasn’t his job to reassure me. It was his job to protect me from whoever was doing these terrible things, then he’d be gone.

“Speaking of that,” Justin said to Camden. “You told me on the phone you had something for me to look at?”

Camden’s entire demeanor changed. His expression became sober and pinched. Angry even. “Yes.” His spine was steel straight and his jaw tight as he drew an envelope from the inner pocket of his jacket and slid it across the table to Justin. “I would normally ignore this kind of thing, but under the circumstances...”

Justin picked up the envelope and slid out the paper inside. As he scanned the document, his face gave nothing away. A couple of minutes later, he looked up at my brother. “I see why you brought this to my attention.”

“Do you think it could be anything?”

“Not sure, but I’ll definitely look into it. Are there more?”

My brother looked chagrined. “I get lots of fan mail. I don’t usually read it. That’s handled by my publicist and that team. It seems there has been an influx of some of the more bizarre ones since I married Vanessa, but nothing like this. They brought this one to me because of its... graphic nature.” He ran a hand over his head. “I can have them see if she’s written me others before this one.”

“That would be helpful,” Justin said. “Thanks.”

Graphic nature?My stomach clenched into a tight fist. “Can I?” I held out my hand to read the letter.

Justin glanced at my brother before handing over the offending document.

You had your chance. You lost it.

Only a fool loses a precious angel like me to the ashes of time when he blindly chooses a demon WHORE like her.

Can’t you see, my love?

She has seduced you with her siren’s song. She is nothing more than a JEZEBEL, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, sent by the dark one to fool you.

Why can’t you see the truth, my heart?

Why can’t you see she must be stopped? Her and all she loves—Slaughtered like the DEVIL that she is, disemboweled and laid out for the world to behold what happens when you are a slave to its wicked and sensuous ways.

Come to me, my love.

I will show you the light. I will show you the love.

R.

My heart dropped. This was the type of thing my brother was subjected to because of his fame? That his family was subjected to? How was that fair? Camden was one of the kindest, most genuine people out there, and...

“Liv?”

I glanced up at his gentle voice.

“You okay?”

Cam’s eyes were concerned as he took in my expression. I dropped the letter back on the table. “How can people be so...?”

“Broken.”

My gaze flashed to Justin. When I didn’t have the words, he did. “Yes, I guess you’re right.”

He scooped up the letter and folded it back in its envelope to tuck it into his jacket. “Well, broken can still be dangerous.”

I couldn’t say more as the waitress appeared with our drinks and some biscuits, all smiles for my brother, reminding me what a blessing and a curse his fame could be.

My mind spun as we ate and the men talked, Justin filling Camden in on the progress he’d made on the security at my house and his plans for the studio, especially given the latest events.

“Tell Kade to send me an invoice for any additional expenses if you feel there needs to be a system upgrade beyond what was on the last invoice,” Cam said around bites of biscuit and jelly. “It’s no problem. I want the best for my sister.”

I cleared my throat. “Um, your sister is right here. Please stop talking about me like I’m not in the room.”

“Sorry.” Cam leaned over and kissed my cheek. “You know I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah. I just—”

I was interrupted by the sound of “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton—Vanessa’s ringtone on Cam’s phone because it was the song they had their first dance to at their wedding.

He yanked it up and answered. “Hello?” He listened for a moment, his expression slowly morphing from fear to excitement as his eyes shot to mine. “Really? Right now? You’re sure?” Another moment then, “Okay, I’m on my way. I love you.” He hung up and faced me with a bewildered grin.

I smiled back. “She’s in labor, isn’t she?”

“Her water broke about ten minutes ago and she’s starting to have some contractions. She says they’re not bad but they’re picking up steam.” He waved down the waitress and asked for everything to go. “Sorry, guys.”

“Don’t apologize,” I said. “This is exciting.”

“Holy shit.” My brother reached for my hand. Our eyes met for a long moment, and I saw the guy I’d known my whole life. The one I’d played with as a kid, opened gifts with on Christmas morning, ate cereal with while we watched cartoons, who’d harassed me endlessly growing up, but who’d also always had my back when it came to other kids. Who I knew would always have my back for the rest of our lives. A good man... one of the best. “We’re having a baby today,” he whispered, his voice full of awe and wonder.

“You’re going to have a baby today,” I echoed, squeezing his hand. “And she’s one lucky little girl to have you as her parents.”

He nodded once, then drew back, obviously not wanting to lose his composure in front of Justin and a café full of strangers. He paid the bill, and we hurried out to get back to Vanessa.

The drive was quiet and full of tense expectation as my brother rushed back to the house. He parked and raced up the walkway to the front door.

Justin had a quick conversation with the man in the dark security SUV, then he and I went inside a moment later and found Camden next to Vanessa, who was leaning against the dining room wall with her head rested against one hand, the other cupping her belly as she gently rocked back and forth. Isla was occupied at the TV with a sleeping Lizzie on the couch.

After a moment and a deep breath, she lifted her head to look at me. “Hey. Sorry about your floor.”

I glanced down at the towel between her feet. “It’s wood. It’ll be fine. Are you doing okay?”

She nodded. “Yup, but we’ll need to be going. The doctor is going to meet us at the hospital. She said since I’m already contracting, we need to go ahead with the C-section as soon as possible.”

“What can I do?” I asked.

“Would you mind keeping an eye on Isla until your parents get here to pick her up? They wanted to spend some time with her before the baby comes so they’re keeping her until I get home from the hospital.”

“Of course...” I waited while she breathed through another contraction. “Yes, of course,” I said again. “Go!”

She smiled her thanks, then leaned into Camden as they headed toward the door.

“I love you both!” I called as they made their way to his SUV. “Have a beautiful baby!”