Chapter 4
Chapter Four
The show was flawless.
The official reviews wouldn’t be out until tomorrow on the various entertainment websites and Vegas blogs. But the early social media reactions from fans was overwhelmingly positive.
Nova spent some time in her penthouse browsing them. It wasn’t that she was arrogant or self-obsessed. She was a businesswoman, giving her customers a product.
It was art. And singing and performing were her life. But it was still a product she was selling.
As she sat back on the sectional that faced a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass that overlooked the bright and flashing Vegas Strip below, the giant penthouse suddenly felt very empty.
Was her stalker out there somewhere on those streets, just walking about, scheming how to get up to her?
Or was he hunting someone else, chasing them through the shadows and preying on them and their fear, too?
That thought was even worse. She wouldn’t wish the terror she was feeling on anyone.
Tearing her eyes away from the sprawling, crawling city, she checked the time on her phone. It was nearing one in the morning. Outside, from what she could see, the Strip hadn’t slowed down even a little. If anything, it was even busier now than it had been before she’d started the show.
She lurched as her cell buzzed.
“Hello?”
“Miss Monroe? This is Skylar at the front desk. Two men are here to see you. Their ID matched the names you gave us. I told them they’ll have to check in with security on your floor. But I just wanted to let you know they’re on their way up so you won’t be alarmed.”
“Thank you, Skylar. I appreciate your help. Have a good night.”
Nova hurried to the entry-hall mirror and quickly checked herself. The makeup artists had already stripped her of everything they’d used to ready her for the show. Her hair was washed, dried, and in a ponytail now. She looked like “normal” Nova Monroe. Not superstar Nova Monroe.
Why do you care one way or another? The Daddy Guard is coming here to help you. Not to chat you up. They probably all have Littles anyway.
It was nearly another five minutes before there was a knock on the door.
She opened it to find a giant mountain of a man with short-cropped military hair, a thick beard, and muscles to spare filling the doorway. He wore a black shirt under his sports coat, no tie.
“Ma’am, two men are here to see you. Breaker Cline and Xavier Williams. They’ve been searched. No weapons.”
“Thank you, Cy. Send them in, please.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The security guard stepped away and two equally strong—and just as hot—men strode in.
With a gasp, she said, “I know you!”
The one she remembered to be Xavier Williams lit up in a smile. “Miss Monroe. It’s been a long time.”
She hugged him, hoping she wasn’t being too forward. But a familiar face warmed her heart.
Stepping back, she appraised him.
Xavier was about a head taller than most men. It seemed as if taut, bulging muscles rippled beneath every inch of his black skin. His hair was cut short, and he still reminded Nova of a forty-year-old Denzel Washington if he’d had the body of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Put simply, Xavier Williams was yummy.
Breaker was nice-looking too, and was just as tall, wore a thick beard, and had more than a few tattoos on his muscular arms.
“You two know each other?” he asked.
“Not as well as I’d like,” Xavier answered. “But I had the good fortune of providing extra security to Miss Monroe back in the early days of her career when she played the T-Mobile Center.” He looked at her and smiled. “What was it? Maybe five, six times?”
“Yep. And just as many years ago,” Nova said. “It’s so good seeing you again.”
The irony wasn’t lost on her that years ago, when they’d known each other, she’d had the biggest crush on him. But she never pursued a relationship because she was holding out for a Daddy.
Now, Xavier Williams was back in her life because he was a member of the Daddy Guard. Had he found a Little? He’d been single back in the old days. Of course, that could have very likely changed in the intervening years.
“Miss Monroe?—”
“Please. It’s Nova,” she reminded Xavier—though it had been years since they’d had the conversation where she’d insisted he call her by her first name.
“Nova,” he said with a smile, “this is Breaker. He’s been with the Guard longer than I have. I’m actually the newest member.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Breaker.”
“Just Breaker,” the bearded man said in his deep voice.
“Thank you both for coming. Please, let’s sit. This spot over here offers a nice view of the city.” She led them to the sectional.
“Can I get you anything?”
“I’m fine,” Xavier said.
“No thanks,” Breaker told her.
They all got comfortable.
“When you reached out to us online,” Breaker said, “you didn’t tell us you were the Nova Monroe.”
“I used my middle name,” she said.
“I get why,” Breaker responded.
“We read what you wrote,” Xavier said. “You were very thorough.”
“I wanted to give you as much detail as possible to see if you think you could help me. I, uh… have heard stories. Read them, really. Online. On Little forums. Littles say you all help so many people and that you always accomplish the mission.”
Breaker nodded. “We try. But some of those stories are from the Los Angeles chapter. They were the OGs, so to speak. We’re much newer. But we’ve done what we can in this city.”
The happiness of seeing Xavier again was wearing off. Fear was gripping her in its place.
Leaning forward, she locked eyes with Breaker and then Xavier.
“Please, do what you can now,” she pleaded.
Sighing before she continued, she fought hard to stead her nerves. “I fear it’s a matter of life and death.”