CHAPTER EIGHT
CASSY
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My house is filled with former military guys who have absolutely no manners. Every single one of them ran their eyes down the length of my body.
It would have annoyed me more, save for the irritation on Josh’s face. I suspect he’ll kick their butts and I’m thankful for that.
The last thing I need is any inappropriate behavior from men in my private space. What happened upstairs with Josh shook me and was a good reminder of how scared I still am.
I have a studio upstairs where I do my yoga, but I’m still wound up so have decided on a glass of wine instead.
Josh and Aidan walk into the living room where I’m leaning against the wall with the glass filled to the rim.
“New age yoga?” Josh asks with quirked brows.
“Stress relief.” I shrug.
“Did I miss something?” Aidan asks.
“No,” we both answer.
I wave off his questioning look. “Anyway, is there anything you need from me, or can I drink myself into a comforting blur while you invade my entire life?”
“Yes. I want you to tell me what your plans are for the next few weeks. Step me through it.” Josh answers, sliding both his hands into his jeans’ front pockets.
It's criminal how gorgeous this man is.
But now he watches my every move, and I know why, but it’s just a reminder that my life isn’t mine or private anymore.
“We putting Ryder on this?” Aidan asks, walking over to the darkened windows across the room and peering outside.
“Who’s Ryder?” I ask as he turns.
“No one and no,” Josh replies firmly.
Aidan glances between us, looking surprised, and I wonder why this man wouldn’t be put on my team.
“Who is Ryder?” I ask again, but as I think about someone other than Josh being the head of my security, I don’t like the idea.
Thirty minutes ago, I might be pushing for someone different to be my personal security, but something shifted upstairs. Josh might have scared me, but he talked me down from the panic attack. I know for a fact that’s not easy to do. I can be stuck in them for a long time before I calm down.
Josh did it perfectly.
Despite his size and masculinity, he remained close enough, but not too close. His voice was calm and strong. His words may not have registered, but I felt safe.
Safe to me is like candy to a kid.
Actually, safe to me is the same as any human being. We all need to feel it.
I guess it’s his job, and I’m sure Ryder is just as good. But I’ve...I don’t know. Maybe I imprinted on the annoyingly good-looking SEAL.
Which is his job.
So I figure if I have to bond with someone, as you do with your personal security, then apparently that’s underway.
The fact that I’m wildly attracted to him is a nuisance. The whole broody, grumpy thing he has going on will just help me be irritated enough to not like him-like him and cross any lines.
“He looks after our bodyguard service. He’s busy,” Josh says, then plants himself on one of my armchairs and points to the sofa.
Bossy.
I resist the urge to tell him to stop telling me what to do, and instead push away from the wall and sit.
Aidan swipes his phone, then lifts his eyes to Josh and they seem to have a wordless and expressionless conversation.
Aidan drops his phone and shakes his head, then Josh turns to me. “Let’s go over your schedule.”
That’s when I realize I hadn’t offered anyone else a drink.
“Sorry, I didn’t offer you a drink. Would either of you like a soda or wine? I have whisky.”
“We’re not here for pleasure,” Aidan says, shooting Josh a glance. He walks closer, takes a seat on the other end of the sofa from me and manspreads, leaning his arms on his knees. “Recommend we put a couple of guys on the perimeters for the week.”
Josh nods, but his eyes are on me. Waiting.
“What’s happening tomorrow? Tell me your daily routine.” Josh says pulling out his phone.
“Are you a SEAL?” I ask Aidan.
“US Marine, ma’am.” He nods his head.
“Cassy,” Josh sighs and taps his screen.
I take another sip and grit my teeth. I’m stalling and Josh knows it. But these men are going to know everything about me.
Everything.
I’ve been here before.
Nothing is off limits.
It’s invasive.
If Isaac is on the run for years, and it might happen if he’s evaded the cops for this many days, then I will never have the freedom and privacy I crave ever again.
I’m spiraling.
Another sip.
But ten glasses of wine won’t change any of this. Stalling won’t help. Panicking doesn’t help. I just need to work with them and stay alive.
That’s what it comes down to when you have a stalker in your life. Staying fucking alive.
And sane.
But that is a whole other mindfuck.
“Seven-ish I wake up, do yoga, then shower, get dressed, and have breakfast. Then I drive to the salon. My team does the setup, so I arrive around nine-thirty. We open at ten. I leave between six and eight, depending on the day of the week.”
“Long day,” Aidan states.
“Monday through Saturday?” Josh asks, tapping on his phone.
“Monday to Thursday. I have three days off. Perks of being the boss.” I shrug.
I love what I do, but being stalked and nearly losing your life puts things in perspective. I’m wealthy. I’m not ashamed of that. My mother left me money in her will and Dad shared some of the insurance money he received when she died.
I’d rather have my mom.
But it was for those reasons I was able to own this expensive piece of real estate.
I started Ink & Mane while Mom was alive. She helped me name and brand it, design the interior, and encouraged me to follow my dreams.
So I don’t need to work for money. I do it because I love making women feel gorgeous. I get to be creative and design amazing styles.
Working four days a week was a choice I made a year after we opened and knew my team was comfortable with me stepping away an extra day. Scarlet, of course, is my salon manager when I’m not there.
The extra day means I enjoy more balance in my life and get to do things I never would be able to. Things I’m about to share with these two buffed up hotties.
Because, did I mention that Aidan is almost as panty destroying as Josh?
He’s bulkier but not quite as tall and looks much less intimidating, but that might be because he’s in dress pants and a black shirt with the top two buttons undone.
It’s bad ass with a little ink visible and a black leather chain.
I can’t see what is hanging from it, but I’m curious.
“What do you do on the other days?” Josh glances up from his phone and narrows his eyes at me when mine slide from Aidan to him.
I clear my throat and take another sip.
Why does he make my heart beat like this? It’s disconcerting.
Josh is going to think my life is boring as hell. I’m sure they have preconceived ideas about who Blaze Cartwright’s daughter is. Growing up around rock stars and celebrities, people think I have a much more fabulous life than I do.
Lunching in Rodeo Drive on Fridays. Okay yes, I sometimes do that.
Shopping with the Kardashians. Nope.
Tennis with Taylor Swift. Nope—but I’m a fan.
Instead, my friends are pretty normal and not at all famous. And my routine is boring as fuck.
Completely on purpose.
I wanted boring.
I wanted safe.
“Um,” I start.
“Talk me through any set schedules and bookings you have,” Josh presses.
My teeth tug at my bottom lip. “So Friday morning I usually go to the beauty therapist for a treatment after I go for a jog and do chores. Then I, ah, head to the animal shelter to help out.”
Josh glances up.
“I volunteer for a few hours in the afternoon.” I explain.
“Cute,” Aidan says and earns another glare from Josh.
“Then I meet my friends for drinks at around eight. That’s on Fridays.”
“Cancel that,” Josh demands.
I had expected that and said as much to Scarlet, so I would message everyone when Josh and his team left.
“Saturdays are pretty open. I might visit my dad in the afternoon—”
“Which entails what?”
Josh’s narrowed gaze is almost comical. What does he think I do with my father? I can’t help myself when I reply. “Some cocaine, little bit of weed. You know what it’s like with rock stars.”
I roll my eyes and Aidan smirks.
There are so many judgments about musicians, especially those from the seventies and eighties. My father isn’t as old as some of the greats, but he’s grown out of all that stuff.
Not booze, but drinking isn’t exactly illegal.
Josh lowers his phone. “I mean, do you just hang out or go to parties with him?”
Oh.
I feel my cheeks warm. “Just hang out. I don’t go anywhere with him that draws media attention. Not since...” I trail off because we all know.
“Sunday?” Josh asks, letting me off finishing my sentence.
“I play tennis and, um, things like meditation and stuff.” I take another big sip and watch the dangerous men who are now just staring at me.
“That it?” Josh asks.
“Yup.”
Fuck, this is awkward.
“Any events or bookings of any kind you have locked in?”
My eyes widen. “Yes! Next week we have the Salon of the Year Award in downtown L.A.”
“Tell them you can’t go,” Josh tells me.
“No! We’ve been nominated for an award,” I cry.
How could I have forgotten? I am going to that event no matter what. It’s so important to my business and networking with other people in the industry.
As people working in what is fundamentally retail, it’s difficult to get everyone together, so these things are even more important.
“Too risky,” Aidan says. “Miller could easily find out about it online. Noise over the airwaves tells us he’s been spotted in the Kansas area. He hasn’t left the state. This is good news.”
No, it’s not.
He’s still free.
I lower my glass as the wine in my stomach starts souring and Josh’s eyes meet mine. I find myself locking onto him, seeking his protection within them.
I want him to move closer to me.
I want his hand back on my thigh, so I feel safe.
But I cannot ask that of him.
“Solid ID?” Josh asks, dragging his eyes over to Aidan.
“Well, orange jumpsuit, so it’s a likely match.”
Josh shakes his head. “And no one out there could fucking track him and get him back behind bars? Jesus, what the hell are they doing out there?”
I start getting angry, too.
“Why aren’t they going public with this? With more people on the lookout for him, they would find him faster.” I demand, knowing neither of these men can give me the answer.
“Good question and it's likely some political bullshit,” Aidan replies.
“Almost definitely,” Josh adds, his eyes narrowing at me. “You okay?”
I place my wineglass on the side table as reality slams into me. “No. Yes. God. Sorry, I think I need a minute.”
The nightmare is starting all over again.
I wrap my arms around my middle as I feel the old but familiar terror sink in.
“I’ll go check on the guys.” Aidan leaves the room while Josh drops his phone on the cushion beside him and moves to sit on the edge of the sofa.
“Cancel the event, Cassy.” His voice is rough and low, sending an inappropriate slither of desire through me. “This could get worse before it gets better, but making the right decisions now will make a big difference.”
I tap my front teeth together nervously. Dad and Scarlett say it’s incredibly annoying, but I mostly do it unconsciously.
Tap, tap, tap.
“Isn’t that what you’re here for? To keep me safe?” I ask Josh.
I might want to curl up in a ball under my duvet, but Isaac Miller has taken too much of my life and my freedom. I’m not giving him all my power.
These men are skilled and can protect me.
Last year I ended up meeting Julian DeVine, who invited me to the NY Fashion Week. Just the evidence on social media was enough to increase Ink & Mane sales by 15 percent for the next quarter.
I won’t let Isaac take this opportunity from me.
“Yes. And I’m advising you to cancel your damn plans, Cassy,” Josh says.
We have a short stare off, then Aidan returns with the two Black Hawke Security guys shadowing him.
“We’re done, boss,” one of them says. “We need two more cameras out back, but Aidan said it would be okay to do that in the morning.”
Josh nods.
“Sam is on his way,” Aidan adds. “Fifteen minutes out.”
Josh stands and shoots me an unreadable look as he walks over to them. “Thanks. I’ll see you out. Back in five, Cassy. Then we will go over this. Again.”
I tug my legs up to my chest as they disappear and drop my head on my knees.
Pretty sure I’m messed up.
One second I’m freaking out about my stalker, the next wondering if Josh wants to kiss me as much as I do him.