Chapter Ten
Andrés
I ’m sitting on the couch, mindlessly flipping through movies on some streaming service or another, when my phone dings.
Picking it up, I smile when I see who it’s from.
DANI
Are you still awake?
Why did I just ask that?
Of course you’re still awake.
What I should have asked is if you’re busy.
Rather than answer her via text, I call her.
“Hello?”
It takes me a moment to realize she’s in the shower.
“Texting me from the shower? Naughty girl, mi reina .” I laugh at her snort.
“No, I texted you before I got in the shower. I wanted to clean up.”
“What’s wrong? You don’t want my cum leaking down your thighs?” I grin when her breath catches, and I know I’m playing a dangerous game right now.
She clears her throat. “So am I to assume you’re not busy?”
I scoff. “Nope. Not doing a damn thing.”
“Good. Can you come over?”
Silence fills the air as my brain stops functioning.
“Andrés?”
“Umm…yeah, sorry. What do you need me to come over for?” I finally manage.
“You remember the calendar?”
“How can I forget? You just told us about it tonight.”
She giggles, though it sounds a little stilted. “Right. Sorry. I think I know what I want to do, but it’s definitely not something I can pull off alone.”
“You want me to be in your shoot?” I can hardly believe my ears.
Being part of this calendar seems to be a huge deal, and she wants to include me?
Wow.
“It’s not just you, but yes. I don’t want to go into too much detail over the phone. I’m trying to get everyone over so I can lay it all out for you.” She pauses. “I know it’s late…”
“Not for me, mi reina. I just need your address, and I’ll head right over.”
“Yeah, okay.” She reels off the address for me, and I type it into my GPS, happy to find it’s only about fifteen minutes away.
“I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.”
She sighs, and when she speaks, I can hear the smile in her voice. “Thanks, Andrés. I knew I could count on you.”
I can’t help my answering smile, even if she can’t see it. “Always, mi reina . Always.”
If only she knew just how much I meant those words.
Shaking my head, I end the call. I’m still wearing the same clothes from our session earlier and decide that’s good enough.
I head down the stairs and climb into my car, following the GPS until I pull up to a luxury apartment building—the Hollyvale Manor. I’ve heard of this place. It’s supposed to be one of the most secure buildings in the area. I like that Dani has chosen somewhere so safe to live.
I spot Dani’s car and pull into a spot a few cars down before jumping out. It’s only then I realize I never asked Dani who else she was planning to ask to be in the shoot. While it wouldn’t have changed my decision to say yes, it’s probably important information to have.
Taking a few steps toward the building, I pause beside Dani’s car.
“What the fuck?” I ask, eyes wide as I reach for my phone.
“Andrés? Are you here?” Dani sounds excited, and I frown. I don’t want to ruin her good mood, but I’d rather she find out now rather than later.
“Uh, yes. I’m in the parking lot, but there’s something I think you need to see.” I clear my throat. “Someone vandalized your car.”
She gasps. “Not my baby! Fuck. Maya and I will be right down with one of the guards.”
“Okay.” I’m not even mad when she hangs up without another word.
I tuck my phone into my pocket as I move around the car, trying to get a clearer picture of the damage without touching anything.
All four tires of the red sports car have been slashed. Every window and the headlights have been smashed, glass littering the ground and the seats, from what I can tell. There are dents in the hood like someone was punching it, but it’s the messages left on the car that have my blood running cold.
Whore is carved into each side and the trunk, but the message on the hood? It scares the hell out of me.
You’re mine. Stop giving them what’s mine, you stupid fucking whore, or I’ll be forced to show you what it means to be mine.
I don’t know what they used to write the message, but it’s gouged deep into the paint.
This is going to be an extensive and pricey repair.
“Oh, my God!” Dani gasps as she runs up, and I reach out to grab her before she can move closer to the car.
“There’s glass everywhere,” I warn her. “If you’re planning to call the police, then you don’t want to touch anything.”
“Why would anyone do this?” she asks, tears in her eyes as Maya and a man join us—the guard she spoke of, I’m assuming.
The man shakes his head. “People are assholes, Miss Williams—if you’ll pardon my language.
You should definitely call the police. I’ll radio Harrison and have him pull the video from this section of the lot.
Whoever did this wasn’t very smart. The entire area is covered with cameras.
The police will want to see it, and it should help them catch whoever it was. ”
Maya wraps her arms around Dani, who’s shaking as tears run down her cheeks. “It’s going to be okay, Dani.”
“They carved whore into the sides and back of the car, but there’s a more detailed message on the hood,” I tell them, and Dani staggers over to read it.
Her face pales, and I scoop her up into my arms, afraid she’s about to pass out. She buries her face in my chest as Maya and the man join us.
“Andrés Beltran.” I offer my hand to him, holding Dani to me with just one arm.
His grip is firm as he shakes. “Benjamin Davis, head of security for the night shift. Call me Ben. This would’ve taken a while for someone to do. When did you arrive home, Miss Williams?”
“Oh, um. I don’t really know…” She trails off, her eyes flashing to Maya. “What time did I call you?”
Maya pulls her phone out of her back pocket. “One thirteen.”
“They would’ve arrived not too long after you.
We have someone who patrols the lot, but they only do it every couple of hours at this time of night.
That’ll need to change. The board is not going to be happy this happened.
I’m sure we’ll have orders to increase security immediately.
” Ben shakes his head. “I’m going to step to the side to radio Harrison.
I’ll have him call the police as well. I’ll wait with the three of you until they arrive. ”
“Thank you, Ben.” Dani’s voice is muffled by my shirt as she clings to me.
“Just doing my job, Miss Williams. I’ll be right back.”
Maya sidles up to us, running her hand up and down Dani’s back as she avoids meeting my eyes. “Do you need anything, Dani?”
She turns her head so she can see Maya and shakes her head. “Not unless you can go back in time and make this not happen.”
“Sadly, I can’t.” Maya sighs. “I know how much you love that car.”
Dani shrugs. “I know it’s just a thing, but it’s one of the first things I bought for myself.”
“Maybe it’s just fate’s way of telling you it’s time for an upgrade,” I joke, and both women glare at me. “Sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood.”
Dani pats my chest. “Yeah, probably a little too soon for that.”
“Dani?”
My head snaps up at the sound of Victor’s deep voice, finding him and Jason making their way over to us. My eyes flicker between the two of them, but their eyes are focused on the woman in my arms.
“Are you okay?” Jason asks, worry furrowing his brow.
“Put me down?” Dani asks, patting my chest again.
I want to refuse her, happy to keep holding her forever, but I know I can’t. I hold on to her for another second or two before placing her on her feet.
She’s immediately swept into Jason’s arms while Victor presses a kiss to the top of her head before joining me.
“What happened?”
“We’re not sure. I saw her car when I was heading toward the building and immediately called her.” I lower my voice, flicking my eyes to Dani, who’s talking quietly with Jason and Maya. “I don’t like the message on the hood.”
Victor steps closer to the car, tilting his head so he can read it. When he turns back to me, his eyes flash with anger. “What the fuck?”
I chuckle. “That’s what I said.”
“Who the hell would do this?”
“That’s what she said.” I snicker, ignoring the glare he shoots me. “Sorry. Ben is having someone pull the video from the lot. He said he’d put in the call to the police too. Considering the building she lives in, I think they’ll respond faster than they would to my place.”
I don’t live in a dive anymore, but I didn’t see the point in spending an outrageous amount of money on somewhere I mostly just sleep. It’s not like I bring anyone back to my place either.
Victor hums as Ben joins us. “The police should be here shortly. The chief’s daughter lives here, so you can be sure they’re going to be fast about it.”
“Good. Although they should be fast, no matter where it happens.” Victor shakes his head, eyes moving back to Dani. “I don’t like this.”
Ben clears his throat. “Normally, I wouldn’t say anything that would break a resident’s confidentiality, but I’m also worried about Miss Williams’s safety.
For the last six months to a year, she’s been receiving wrapped gift boxes without a return address.
They’re delivered via different couriers, and we collect all packages at the front desk for the residents’ safety. ”
“Excuse me?” Victor’s eyes flash as he turns to Ben. “Who are you?”
Ben straightens up, offering his hand. “Ben Davis, head of security for the night shift.”
“So this happened on your watch?” Victor’s voice is practically a growl as he ignores the offered hand. “And you’re telling me this likely isn’t an isolated incident?”
Ben’s hand falls back to his side. “I shouldn’t have told you that.”
“But you did,” I press. “Because you’re worried.”
He gives a sharp nod. “I am.”
“Then so are we. We won’t say anything to Dani, but the police need to know. She might tell them. If she doesn’t, you’ll need to.”
“Of course.” He nods again, eyes shifting as a car rolls into the parking lot, followed by another and then another. “It seems the police have arrived. Let me greet them.”
He’s gone before either of us can respond, and my eyes find Victor’s. “I really don’t like this.”
“So you said, but I have to agree. This feels like an escalating pattern if we’re to assume those packages were being sent anonymously.”
I grunt. “She has a stalker.”
“Possibly, but it’s not like we can just ask her since we’re not supposed to know that information.” Our eyes flicker to Dani, Maya, and Jason. “We’ll stay with her while she talks to the cops. Hopefully, she’ll let it slip and we can dig deeper into it.”
“And if not, then Ben will say something and we still can.”
He nods. “Let’s tell her they’re here so she can prepare herself.”
I don’t follow him right away, my eyes moving back to Dani’s car.
Something definitely doesn’t feel right about this, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my twenty-seven years of life, it’s not to ignore gut feelings.