Chapter Twenty-One
Gemma
Beauty decides that Two’s abrupt exit is her cue to hop onto his vacated chair and help herself to the rest of his lasagna. While Dempsey and Sloane both simultaneously start hollering at my precious fur-niece, who was just hungry, I abandon my own meal to follow after Two.
Before I can get the front door open, he’s barreling back through it with a familiar yellow flower in one hand and a note in the other.
My stalker strikes again.
Coldness seeps into my every cell. This creep followed me to my brother’s house and left me another message while we ate. I feel so violated.
Sloane, sensing my mood change, abandons scolding Beauty to come over to us. “What is it?”
Two trembles with fury or fear—I’m not sure which.
“My stalker,” I say sharply. “Wherever I go, they go.”
“Set it on the coffee table,” Sloane instructs. “Let me grab some gloves.”
Two drops both items onto the table as if they’re riddled with disease before tugging me into his arms. All the drama moments ago is forgotten as something far more sinister greets us.
Dempsey manages to clean off Beauty’s face, though her fur is stained from the sauce. She gets the boot into the backyard where she pitifully yelps at the door as if to plead her case.
By the time Sloane returns, Beauty has stopped complaining to no doubt wreak havoc on some part of their yard.
Sloane sits on the edge of the table and first inspects the flower before picking up the letter. She unfolds it and her eyes dart across the paper as she quickly reads it.
“Hmm.”
“What does it say?” Dempsey demands.
“‘Must be getting pretty serious if you’re showing him off to the family. Tell your boyfriend to keep his dick in his pants. Or else.’” Sloane frowns. “That’s all it says.”
I shudder at the warning. “Or else what?”
Sloane goes into detective mode. “Any jealous ex-boyfriends or people who might want to be with you that you can think of?”
“No,” I say as Dempsey blurts out, “Only the entire Internet.”
I scowl at him. “Not helping.”
“Just stating the obvious,” Dempsey says with a shrug. “You have like a billion followers. It could be anyone.”
Despite my being visible to a million-plus people, I don’t think it’s one of them. Clearly, it’s a local. Someone who knows me and has easy access to me.
“We’ve spent a lot of time together,” Two interjects. “I haven’t seen anyone who stares a little too long or anything. The creepiest thing that happened was when that cop caught us.”
Dempsey tenses. “Caught you doing what?”
“Irrelevant,” Sloane barks out. “The cop’s been cleared. I checked his patrol car driving logs and the vehicle hasn’t been to your school, home, or Hemingford Hall. He may have been creepy as you claim, but he’s not the stalker. Your stalker is staying hidden for a reason.”
“Because he’s a pussy,” Dempsey growls. “If he comes out of hiding, I’m going to kick his ass.”
“You and me both,” Two agrees.
“That means,” Sloane continues, ignoring the spike in testosterone levels, “either they’re small or incapable of carrying out their threats, which could mean a girl you might know could be trying to scare you. Or…”
“Or,” I urge her to continue. “I don’t know of any girls who could have it out for me.”
“And we’re sure this guy didn’t plant it just to freak you out?” Dempsey tosses back, jabbing a finger at Two. “Convenient he was the one to find the note.”
“Fuck all the way off,” Two barks. “Get off my back, man. Your fury is pointed in the wrong direction.”
“Dempsey,” Sloane says with a sigh. “Give Two a break. It’s not him.”
Two shoots Dempsey a smug look that has my brother’s face reddening.
“What is your other thought, Sloane?” I ask, bringing the topic back to where we started. “If it’s not some mean girl. Who then?”
“Someone with a reason to stay under the radar. A person in a position of authority perhaps? A prominent figure? A friend of your father’s?”
The room goes silent as I process those words. Imagining it could be one of Dad’s old guy friends has me cringing. Hard. I think I like the stranger idea better.
“We have to get Dad involved,” Dempsey says softly. “It’s the only way to keep you safe.”
“I actually agree with him,” Two chimes in. “I know you don’t want to, but he might be able to give us better insight into who’s doing this.”
My stomach twists. All my freedom will be gone. Dad will go into protective papa bear mode and I’ll be kept under lock and key. Not literally, but it won’t be good.
“I won’t get to see you,” I say, closing my eyes and nuzzling against Two’s solid chest. “Unless you meet them, which I know you don’t want to do.”
Two stiffens momentarily and then relaxes. “If it helps keep you safe, I’ll meet them. I can’t exactly say I’ll be happy about it, but if it’s what we need to do, then I’ll do it.”
“We are serious,” I mutter. “All this hiding and pretending is too much. I’m sorry I said it wasn’t earlier because it’s not true.”
I can feel Sloane’s and Dempsey’s eyes on my back, but I ignore them. Two strokes his fingers through my hair in a comforting gesture that does wonders for calming me down.
“We just had to start liking each other, Golden,” Two says dryly. “Really made a mess of things.”
Grinning, I squeeze him tight. “Nothing can be messier than the way you eat. I think we can handle this. Together.”
We stand on my front porch, hand in hand. I’ve yet to open the door and head inside because my gut keeps twisting with nerves. Mom was confused when I texted her that I was coming home with a guest and for her and Dad to be presentable. The whole drive from Dempsey and Sloane’s back home was fine, and I was feeling good about coming clean, but now that we’re here, I can’t seem to pull the trigger.
Will it get ugly?
My parents don’t even know I have a boyfriend. I’m not just going to drop that bomb on them but a few more for grins and giggles. Ugh. I really want to rewind tonight and erase this stupid idea.
“Let’s get it over with,” Two says, glancing down at me. “If I could handle your brother, I can handle your parents.”
It’s different, though.
Mom and Dad aren’t going to be eager to kick his ass. They’ll come in hard with their overprotective parent speeches, followed by new rules I’ll have to follow. My freedom to run off with Two at any time will screech to a stop.
“Will you be okay meeting…her?” I ask softly. “Because of…”
Because of the fact she’s responsible for your family’s pain?
“I’ll be okay,” Two vows.
Before I can chicken out, I step forward and open the door. The lights in the living room burn brightly and both of my parents are sitting on the love seat with glasses of wine. Dad’s expression is impassive and cool, but Mom’s eyebrows are at her hairline.
I guess they weren’t expecting a boy.
“Hey,” I chirp, feigning a carefreeness I don’t feel one bit. “I figured I’d come clean and introduce you to my boyfriend, Two.”
Dad rises from the love seat to extend a hand to Two. “Boyfriend, huh?”
Two shakes my father’s hand and then pulls back, not bothering to greet my mother at all.
“Yeah, it’s a long story,” I blurt out. “Come sit, Two.”
I guide him over to the couch and we both take a seat. My parents’ eyes bore into us. Dad finally sits, downs the rest of his wine, and sets it down on the end table with a loud clink.
“Long story,” Mom parrots, hurt shining in her eyes. “How long have you been together? I can’t believe you kept this from me.”
I’m really close to my mother. Sometimes it’s like having a built-in best friend. I hate the curdling feeling of shame in my belly.
“It just kind of happened,” I say, waving my hand in the air like it’s no big deal. “We met at school. He’s my partner.”
My parents exchange a quick look of panic, both of them no doubt calculating all the times I’ve been out gallivanting with my partner. I’m sure they’re imagining sordid details of things that didn’t happen.
Okay, well, some probably did.
“Me having a boyfriend isn’t the big deal here,” I tell them. “There’s more.”
Mom’s face pales. “You’re pregnant?”
Two snorts as if this is funny. The glower on Dad’s face says it isn’t.
“What? No. Mom, I’m still, uh, a you know…”
Virgin.
Don’t make me say it.
Both of my parents relax as though my virginity is something sacred that needs protecting at all costs. I can lose my virginity and be just fine. My life, though, that’s another story.
“Well,” Mom encourages, a practiced smile on her face. “What’s going on?”
“Two’s real name is Tristan Sheridan.”
Dad doesn’t seem to register the last name, but Mom’s eyes widen in immediate horror.
“He, uh, is—”
“Oh my God,” Mom croaks out. “Oh. My. God.”
Dad tenses and shoots me a questioning look. “Explain.”
Two decides it’s his turn to speak and launches into it before I can stop him. “I’m the second choice baby. You know, the one my dads got when they couldn’t have Gemma here.”
I’d wanted to deliver this delicately, but Two doesn’t do delicate. Finally, Dad understands. He goes from confused to pissed in an instant.
“Gemma,” Dad growls. “What the actual fuck?”
“Nathan,” Mom chides.
It’s not the first time I’ve heard Dad curse, and it certainly won’t be the last. I shift in my seat, feeling awkward about this whole conversation.
“Are you doing this to hurt us?” Mom asks, eyes welling with tears.
“What? No, it was seriously a coincidence that we were partnered up,” I rush out, panicking at the idea she thinks this is all some big production to upset them. “How could you even think that?”
Mom deflates. “Wow. It’s a lot to take in.”
“Well, I, for one,” Dad bites out, “don’t feel comfortable with you running off with some boy all hours of the night. It’s not safe, Gem.”
“I know,” I blurt, “and I’m sorry. That’s why I’m coming clean right now.”
“Do your dads know?” Mom asks Two, pain gleaming in her eyes. “How did they take it?”
“Nope,” Two hisses, “and I plan to keep it that way.”
Mom shakes her head in disagreement. “Two, honey, they need to know—”
“I said no.” Two’s voice is sharp like a blade, broking no room for argument. “Tell them the rest, Golden.”
My parents gape at me, shocked that there could be more. There’s a big ol’ stalker cherry to set on top of this screwed-up conversation.
“Someone’s been, uh, following me and leaving me notes,” I say, not able to hold Dad’s stare. “It’s a little creepy.”
Two snorts again. “Someone? It’s a stalker. You have a stalker. He knows where you live, where I live, where your brother lives, where you go to school, and where Hemingford Hall is. He even knows your phone number! It’s more than a ‘little creepy,’ Golden.”
Dad jumps to his feet, eyes darting all around in panic. “Why am I just now hearing about this? How long has this been happening?”
“A few weeks,” I admit, cringing. “Sorry, Dad.”
“I need to know everything,” Dad barks out. “I’ll have Jude search and Sloane—”
“Sloane knows,” I interject, “and she’s investigating.”
“It’s one of those followers,” Dad says, shaking his head in disappointment. “I thought your social media stuff was harmless. Apparently, I was naive. I want you to delete your accounts immediately.”
“Dad!” I shriek, also rising to my feet. “You can’t just take away my business—my job! It’s not one of my followers!”
“Until we’ve caught this sick piece of shit,” Dad snarls, “I won’t take any chances with my baby girl.”
Two also stands. “Sloane thinks it’s one of your buddies, man.”
Dad goes still and glares at me. “What?”
“They’re keeping their identity hidden for a reason,” I tell him with a sigh. “She thinks it could be a friend of yours or someone in a position of power in this town. Someone who can’t risk their reputation.”
Silence befalls the living room as Dad processes my words. Mom also stands, taking hold of Dad’s hand.
“Two, I think you should leave,” Mom says gently. “We have much to discuss with our daughter.”
“Yep,” he grunts, already striding for the door. “See you around, Golden.”
I hate that I don’t even get a hug or kiss goodbye, but now’s not the time to push my parents. They’re about to explode.
“A friend of mine,” Dad utters, shaking his head. “We’re going to find this asshole and I’ll ruin him in every way possible.”
As happy as I am to be out with my secrets and have Dad fighting for me, I know it won’t come without new restrictions.
I just hate that my freedom with Two is about to be yanked away.