Chapter 13
Harper
I’m numb.
He can’t.
Of course, he can’t. I don’t know what I was thinking. That he would pick up and leave his life behind just to be with me in a world he fled years ago? It doesn’t even make sense.
Clearly, relationships are one more thing I don’t have a fricking clue about.
My heart hurts, and I bury my face in the soft hair of his chest. When his hands slide over my hips, I still feel the heat there.
I squirm a little, and I feel him getting hard again underneath me.
His strong arms wrap around my body, holding me close, and I’m trying to memorize every detail.
The way he feels against my skin. Being wrapped up in his warm, calm presence, knowing he’s here to protect me.
I can’t believe I’m never going to feel him close to me like this again. I’ve finally found the man I want to be with only to lose him. To watch it all slip right through my fingers.
A loud wail of an alarm cuts through the air, and I startle.
“Shit!” Chase jumps from the bed, darting toward the kitchen.
“What is it?” Prickles spread over my skin. I pull the sheet around my body, tugging it from the mattress as I hurry to follow him.
“The perimeter alarm,” he shouts. “Someone’s trying to get inside.”
My heart slams inside my chest. “There’s someone outside?”
He gives me sharp nod. “Get back by the bedroom door and stay low.” His tone is tense—urgent—and I know this is serious. “Keep your head down, got it?”
His eyes are clear, and he’s in control. I nod, scrambling back into the doorway of the bedroom. I wrap the sheet tighter around my body as he silences the alarm, then I watch as he tugs on some pants before grabbing his weapon.
He scans the monitors above the door, and I look to see for myself. On one of the screens, a dark figure slinks along the wall outside. I can see he’s tall and lanky when he rounds the corner toward the front of the house.
“Oh no!” I cover my mouth with my hands.
Chase brings a finger to his lips to shush me, then he gestures for me to move further back into the bedroom, and I do.
Then he aims his weapon at the door, his hands steady, and I peek at the monitor once more.
The dark figure is closer now. He’s stepping up onto the front porch and peering into the camera, and…
For frick’s sake!
It’s Tony.
“Don’t shoot!” I call out. “It’s just Tony.”
Chase’s eyes are wide. “What the fuck is he doing here?”
“Ohh, I don’t know,” I grumble. “Management probably sent him after they saw the pictures online.”
“But how would he find you here? At this house?”
I shrug, heading toward the door to let Tony inside, but Chase grabs my hand.
“Don’t open it.”
“Why?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t like it. The way he was sneaking around. Why not come right to the door if he knows you’re in here?”
“Oh.” I roll my eyes. “You don’t know Tony. That’s exactly what he would do.” I take another step toward the door, but Chase blocks me with his arm.
“What’s wrong?”
“He must have traced you somehow. With a chip or something.” Chase’s eyes search mine, and I cringe.
“My phone. I turned my phone on—just for a minute—to look you up online.”
“When?” There’s no judgment in his eyes. Only focus.
“Right before we—” I point toward the bathroom.
He nods. “OK.” He turns his attention back to Tony on the monitor. “But that wouldn’t give him enough time, unless—” His eyes meet mine. “He’s been here in Cupid City all along.” It’s not a question—it’s certainty.
I see the fear in Chase’s eyes. Concern for my safety. It’s not that overblown big-shot security stuff I’m used to on tour. It’s real concern. Chase believes I’m in danger. From Tony.
And I trust his instincts.
He motions for me to crouch down, and I do. There’s a sharp knock at the door, and goose bumps prickle up my spine.
“Harper? I know you’re in there!” Tony’s stern voice bellows from outside.
I look to Chase, unsure if I should respond, but he gives me a slow nod.
“Hey there, Tony,” I call out, trying to sound confident, but my voice wavers.
“This situation is dire, you understand?” Tony barks. In the monitor he shifts on his feet, like he’s nervous. “I can’t allow you to stay here. I’m taking you back where you’ll be safe.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m safe here, thanks!”
“No. You’re not.” He peers into the camera, his expression grave, presumably for my benefit. “The stalker is here, Harper. He’s been taking pictures of you without your knowledge. This is serious. That kid you’re in there with can’t keep you safe from someone like that, but I can.”
Kid, huh? Chase is no kid.
“Sorry, Tony. Not gonna happen.”
Tony’s eyes narrow, his jaw tensing. There’s something menacing and fearsome in his eyes that makes me break out in a sweat.
He turns away from the camera, and when I see him lay a hand over the weapon in his holster my stomach drops out.
What is he going to do? Shoot us?
“You give me no choice, Harper. I’m coming in!” I watch in horror as he draws his handgun and aims it at the door.
“Get down!” Everything’s moving in slow motion as Chase lunges for me, rolling us toward the bedroom as a shot sounds. It’s so loud it makes my ears ring.
“Hold your fire!” Chase hollers, but there’s a heavy thud against the door. Tony’s slamming his shoulder against it, again and again, and the wood frame is splintering as he tries to force it open.
Chase ducks down and crosses the room, taking cover just inside the front door with his gun drawn. Then his eyes dart to me. “Stay back!”
I nod, slinking against the wall.
“Be careful!” I cry, and Chase nods, but I know Tony is highly skilled. He has years of military training, just like Chase.
The door bursts open with a crack, and Tony stumbles inside. I watch in terror as he tries to get his footing, but Chase tackles him, disarming him instantly. Tony’s gun slides across the floor as Chase wrestles him to the ground, pulling his elbow behind his back and pinning him in place.
Tony cries out in pain. “Get off me!”
But Chase is in control, and he holds firm, sweat beading on his brow. He’s neutralized the threat. He protected me.
“That’s breaking and entering.” His voice is strong and commanding. “Assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted kidnapping. You’re being detained until police arrive.”
Tony writhes under Chase’s grip, and a small black box tied with a red ribbon tumbles from Tony’s jacket pocket.
“It was you!” I stand, snugging up my sheet as I stomp to swipe the box from the ground. I unwrap it carefully, and inside is a tiny note with those familiar little block letters. It reads, “You’ll never see me coming.” It’s a play on the title to my song, “I Never Saw This Coming.”
I’m so angry, I’m shaking. “You’re the stalker!” I stare down at his pathetic figure on the ground. “It was you the whole time!”
But Chase’s expression is all business. He angles his chin toward the couch, gesturing to me. “My bag. The zip ties.”
“Right.” I hurry to rifle through the bag and locate a bundle of long black zip ties, which Chase uses to cinch Tony’s hands behind his back.
But I’m still trying to take it all in. For months I’ve been so afraid of this stalker I could barely sleep. But all this time, the danger was right there with me, pretending to keep me safe.
“Why would you do that to me, Tony? Why would you scare me like that?”
“I didn’t want to scare you.” His voice is muffled, but I can still hear a note of sadness. “But there wasn’t any other way.”
He twists his body like he’s trying to face me, but Chase forces him back down.
“You told management you wanted to fire me. But I had to keep you safe. This was the only way”—he cranes his neck to look up at me—“that I could still be with you.”
I reel back.
“I can still take care of you, Harper, if you just come back with me. Everything can be like it was.”
I’m shaking my head. “No. No it can’t.” My voice is firm. Nothing is going to be like it was anymore. Everything has changed.
I’ve changed.
“Grab my phone,” Chase says gruffly, his expression serious as he shifts to keep Tony pinned to the ground, and I run to grab it for him.
He places two calls: one to the police and one to his boss. When the cops finally handcuff Tony and take him away, I see the first flash of real emotion again in Chase’s eyes when he wraps me up in his arms, holding me close.
“Are you all right?” he whispers, rocking me gently.
I nod against him. “Yes, I’m OK.”
But I’m not. Not really. My heart is breaking.
“It’s all over now,” he says gently, but my chest tightens at his words, tears welling in my eyes. I know he’s talking about Tony and the threats, but he might just as well be talking about us.
Reminding me it’s over. That we’re ending.
“I know,” I whisper, turning away so he doesn’t see me cry.