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“N-night,” I muttered, moving to get into my car.
Once I was seated, Jordan crouched down beside me and cupped my face. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone this time, but I swear it is going to be the last time unless you go with me.”
“Jordan—”
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he cut me off. Leaning in, he brushed a kiss on my cheek, and I had to clench my hands around the steering wheel to keep from pulling him in for another deep kiss. “Merry Christmas, baby.”
Five
Arella
Since my little brother didn’t believe in Santa any longer, we didn’t have to wake up ridiculously early to open presents at my parents’ house, so I didn’t arrive at their house until lunchtime the next day. I was just in time to help Mom make a huge brunch for everyone before we gathered in the living room to exchange gifts.
Ever since Daddy had spent one Christmas in the hospital recovering from his liver transplant, I hadn’t taken spending this particular holiday with my family for granted. I wanted to make the most of every minute I had with any of them, and I wasn’t going to waste a single second.
Pushing all thoughts of Jordan and the stalker out of my mind, I enjoyed the day with my siblings, brother-in-law, and parents. Cuddling with Conrad was the best part, though, and I fell asleep on the couch with him on my chest. The sweet baby scent filled my nose, and his slight weight and the utter trust he had in me to love and protect him had my eyes drifting shut to the sight of his precious face.
“Arie.” My dad’s voice roused me from my restful sleep as he lifted my nephew off my chest. “Time for dinner, sweetheart.”
Other than the nap I’d taken the night before with Luca, this was the most I’d actually slept since I’d gotten the first package from the stalker. I couldn’t close my eyes for longer than an hour or two at a time because I was always scared someone was watching me. Even in my hotel room, I couldn’t get comfortable, thinking the stalker could possibly find me at any moment.
I could have told Nevaeh and Braxton and gotten a bodyguard within minutes, but I knew my sister would tell one or both of our parents, and I just couldn’t stomach the thought of either of them stressing over me. I wouldn’t be responsible for my dad worrying himself sick, and Mom was just starting to get back to herself after losing Pop-Pop.
Besides, I was an adult. I could deal with all of this on my own. And it was just two little packages. It wasn’t as if this idiot was actually trying to get close to me.
At least, that was what I kept telling myself. I’d repeated it over and over again since the first package, but I wasn’t so sure I believed it.
After dinner, my parents talked me into spending the night in my old room, but Nevaeh and her little family went to their own house, which was just down the block. Really, Mom didn’t have to try very hard to get me to agree. My parents lived in a gated community. The guards worked tireles
sly to keep unwanted people out.
Which was why when I walked to my car late the next morning and found a box sitting in my passenger seat, my knees went weak.
Shaking, I got behind the wheel and fought my gag reflex as I called Cathryn on my drive out of the neighborhood.
“Bring it to me, doll,” she said grimly. “And I’m going to suggest you get out of town for a bit. Somewhere this person can’t easily find you. After seeing the contents of the last box, I was worried, but you didn’t want to know what was in it.”
I breathed in deeply, trying to keep the panic from swallowing me whole. “I still don’t, but I think you should tell me.”
“There were pictures, just like last time. On one of the pictures, he left a message and called you ‘little bird’ again. At the bottom of the box, there was a dead bird, Arella. The detective I’ve been working with on this to keep it under the radar said it looked like the poor thing’s neck was broken.”
My gaze jerked to the box on my seat, scared at what could possibly be in there. Was it another dead bird? Ah fuck, I hoped not.
Tears filled my eyes, and I had to blink them away quickly so I could see to drive. “I-I got an offer to go stay with one of my cousins,” I told her in a choked voice.
“I’ll make the arrangements,” she offered. “We’ll book you a flight under one of the aliases that we use when you have to do press tours.”
“I’m on my way to your office now.”
“Listen, doll. I know we both agreed your parents shouldn’t find out about this, but if this guy was at their house…”
One of my tears spilled over my cheek. “As long as I’m not around, he won’t bother them.” Which meant I had to stay away from the two people I loved the most to protect them. Fuck, this wasn’t going to be easy.
“You need private security.”
“I know,” I whispered. “But not yet. Give me a little time, Cathryn. I have a few things I need to figure out. No one will bother me where I’m going. I don’t even think anyone knows Luca moved.”
“All right. Maybe we’ll get lucky and this bastard will just give up if you stay in hiding long enough.”
