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I don’t look at the skeptical woman again. I just follow Nora out to the car and try my damnedest to hold my laugh in.
Before I can ask her what she’s up to, a bellhop walks over to us with a luggage cart, followed by the valet. We all work together to get the luggage onto the cart. Nora has a slight grin on her face throughout the entire ordeal.
The bellhop accompanies us inside and over to the elevator. “I’ll take it from here,” I say and hand him a bill for his help. With a nod as thanks, he makes his way back over to the counter.
As soon as the elevator doors close, Nora can no longer contain her laughter.
“Mrs. Parakeet, huh? That’s the best false name you could come up with?” I ask. My laughter gets the best of me now, too.
“Hey! I was under a bit of stress, but I finally got to use my code word!” she says triumphantly.
When the doors open again, I push the cart of luggage onto our floor. I take a look left and right before I motion for Nora to come, too. I won’t mess this up again. As much fun as I have with Nora, I need to remind myself I was hired to protect her.
“All clear,” she says as we walk toward our room. When we find our door, she inserts the key card, and we enter the room. I walk past her and turn on the lights.
“You’re sure you’re okay with us sharing a room?” I ask.
Normally, I wouldn’t do this. I would’ve called around until I found somewhere with two adjoining rooms. However, I know Nora is exhausted, and she has rehearsal tomorrow. There’s no time to be picky; this is her career and her safety.
“I’m positive. Don’t worry about it. We have two beds. It’s perfectly professional.” She offers her reassurance, and although I’m unsure it’s “perfectly professional,” I’ll go along with it for tonight.
We get all the luggage inside and unpack it into the small dresser.
She stretches, her arms reaching far above her head as she stands on her tiptoes and arches her back. “I think I’m going to shower. I’m beat.” She sighs as she returns to a normal position.
I nod. “Go ahead. I’ll order room service and see if Colin has responded.”
I notice her eyes drift to the bag containing the stalker’s hat lying on the small dining table. They linger there for a few moments.
“I’ll get him. I promise I will.” I’m unsure if I’m saying it out loud to reassure her or myself.
Her eyes lock on mine. “I know you will. I’ve never doubted you.”
Without waiting for a response, she turns and walks into the bathroom.
Chapter 18
Nora
My thoughts are too scattered, and my footing isn’t right. I’ve been off my game all night, and my partner can tell. It’s all thanks to my fucking psycho of a stalker. Last night’s rehearsal didn’t go well, either. I thought I could shake this heavy feeling, but so far, it’s stuck to me like glue.
“What’s wrong?” Derik rushes out when he’s close enough for me to hear.
“Nothing, I’m okay.”
That’s a lie. I’m not okay. I’m freaked out that my stalker was at the airport two days ago and came too close for comfort. How the hell did he know I would be on that flight? It was a last-minute change nobody knew about.
Not Alex. Not Em. Hell, not even my parents knew. SJ and I can’t for the life of us figure out how the stalker knew. SJ booked the plane tickets and used his card. So, unless this guy is watching SJ as well, there would have been no way for him to know.
My mind can’t turn off the questions ever since we found that damn hat. At first, I brushed it off, but the more I stewed on how close he came, and the possibility that he might be watching SJ as well, the more my anxiety grows. I feel safe with SJ, but that still isn’t settling this uneasy feeling I have.
What if he’s here tonight?
What if he goes after SJ?
That thought alone has my foot stumbling, and my body lurches forward when I’m supposed to be going into a spin. I mentally kick myself and right my footing as quickly as possible, but not soon enough.
Derik notices, and his eyebrows shoot up to his hairline.
