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“Huh,” she muttered skeptically. “Well then, there you go. You have my tally for the current year as well.”
“I want to know your total,” I bit out. I needed to know how many motherfuckers had touched what was mine, but at the same time, I wasn’t sure if I could handle knowing.
“You first,” she countered, quirking a brow as if she were amused. She could read my jealousy because I sure as hell wasn’t trying to hide it. “You tell me yours, and I’ll tell you mine.”
A throat clearing brought me back to the here and now, reminding me that we weren’t alone. Cathryn’s gaze was still on her phone, but she was obviously listening in. “Just an FYI. Kirtner texted me to say he’s about five minutes away.” She finally lifted her gaze from the screen. “I’m just going to step out and wait on him. Give you two a moment to sort out your…sleeping arrangements.”
I waited until the door clicked closed behind her before speaking again. “When we’re done here, we can stop by my place so I can grab some clothes.”
She huffed in annoyance. “I told you I don’t sleep with guys who haven’t introduced me to their mother. It’s my number one rule for sharing my bed with anyone.”
“Then we’ll stop by your place and grab you some things. We can sleep in my bed. Problem solved. No rules broken.” Those pretty eyes narrowed on me yet again, but before she could blast me with her verbal abuse, I touched my thumb to her lips. They were so soft and full, and I couldn’t help fantasizing about them wrapped around my cock. “Why is it so important that I introduce you to my mother when you have already met her? It makes no sense to me.”
“You’re right,” she surprised me by saying, but just as I began to relax, she detonated her bomb. “It is a stupid rule to have. How dare I have standards and believe if I’m not important enough to a guy to be introduced to his mom, I shouldn’t let him touch the sacred temple that is my body?”
When put in that perspective, I got exactly where she was coming from. But why the hell did she need me to introduce her to my mother when they already knew each other? Fuck, her parents and mine had been friends for years. Maybe they were not exactly the closest, not like her parents were with the Armstrongs, but my parents still respected Lana and Drake and always attended any gathering they were invited to by the Stevensons.
I’d never personally introduced a girl to either of my parents before. Not even Mia. Her mom and mine were good friends. Growing up, they would always make plans to have lunch or go shopping together, while leaving Mia and me home with one of our dads.
But then, I saw the hurt Arella couldn’t completely hide, and I knew this was something important to her. Even though I didn’t fully understand her need for me to introduce her to Mom, I wasn’t going to fuck up with Arella any more than I already had.
“Steak or Italian?” I asked, pulling up my mother’s contact information in my phone.
“What?” she muttered with a deep frown.
“Dinner tonight. Would you prefer steak or Italian?” I was already typing out a text, but Arella remained quiet. Lifting my head, I saw her standing there just watching me like she didn’t understand the question I’d asked. “You want me to introduce you to my parents, so we’ll all have dinner tonight.”
“No, that’s okay,” she said quietly before turning to walk over to the wall of windows behind Cathryn’s desk. “Maybe you should just head to Violet’s. I’m sure your parents are still there, and I wouldn’t want to keep you.”
Biting back a curse, I sent the text and then pocketed my phone. I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her tiny waist, lowering my head to kiss her exposed neck. Feeling her shiver, I smiled against her flesh before nipping at it with my teeth.
“I told Mom to make reservations at her favorite restaurant here in LA,” I murmured close to her ear. “As soon as we’re done here, we’ll stop and get you a new phone and then drop by your apartment to get your things.” When she didn’t respond, I sank my teeth into her neck, making her whimper and writhe against me. “Tell me you’re going to come home with me,” I commanded.
She remained tight-lipped, and I sucked on the sweetness of her skin, marking her. The way she responded only made me ache for her more. Her hips rolled back against me, rubbing over my hard cock, teasing me to the point of madness.
I lifted my head and shifted my hips, trying to readjust myself so I didn’t cripple my dick. The action brought me back to our surroundings, and I pressed my forehead to the back of her head as I tried to get my body under control.
“Arella, we’re staying at my place.” The more I thought about it, I didn’t want her to go back to her place alone. If this stalker knew where her parents lived, then he must have known her address as well. No fucking way was I going to let her stay there. “Stop being stubborn,” I gritted out when she remained mute. “If you won’t let me get you a bodyguard, then I will be your personal security.”
Her continued quiet worried me, and I turned her. Grasping her chin between my thumb and forefinger, I tilted her head back until our gazes locked. “What’s wrong?” I rasped out when I saw the glitter of tears in her eyes.
“Nothing,” she lied and pulled away from me. As she walked away from me, the door opened and Cathryn returned, followed by a man in a suit who I assumed was the detective they had mentioned earlier.
Cathryn handed over Arella’s phone, and the man messed with it for a moment before focusing on my girl. “Miss Stevenson, I would like a list of everyone you come into contact with at work. Even if you don’t personally speak to them, I want their names.”
Her brow wrinkling in concentration, she gave him a long list of everyone she saw on set for her drama. It took a while because there were a lot of people she came into contact with at the studio. The detective took notes on them all, including adding what each person’s job title was. That Arella knew so many names of the people she worked with made me fight a smile. She was so kind that she made time to speak to everyone, no matter if they were a makeup artist, director, sound tech person, or even a cleaner.
It was refreshing, but also cause for concern. Any of those people she was so friendly with could be the creepy bastard stalking her.
Once the list was complete, Kirtner put the phone in an evidence bag and labeled it. “I’ll have the tech guys do some tests, see if they can find any spyware apps or anything that might give us a lead as to who might be doing this. I suggest getting a new phone and a new number.” He gave her a stern look. “But only give the number to people you absolutely trust. This guy hasn’t tried to reach out to you with a phone call, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he doesn’t have your number.”
“Yeah, okay. I understand.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “Thanks for all your help, Detective.”
He pulled a card from his jacket pocket. “I want you to have my contact information in case you need to get in touch. If you need anything, just give me a call. You said you think the blocking of Mr. Moreitti’s number happened before Christmas, and you haven’t had any new packages delivered since before you took your trip. I want to think that this guy got bored and gave up, but I’m also realistic. Stay vigilant.”
Arella hesitated before taking the business card from him. “So, you don’t think I need personal security?”
He lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “For you, I would suggest an entire entourage of personal security. But that’s because Cathryn has shown me some of your other fan mail, and I’ve seen how some of your followers have tried to ambush you at award shows.” His keen eyes turned to me. “But that is your choice. I won’t force the issue if it isn’t something you’re comfortable with. At least not at this time.”
