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“You have nothing to worry about, Rosie. Tony has been my head of security since I was seven.”
“Y-you have a head of…what?” I don’t wait for her to reply. “Head of security…who is watching you…me…our house?” My throat dries again, and the words barely come out.
My gaze shifts to Kristy, who gives Clem the stink eye.
“You know, the Hawthorne family is kind of a big name in Cherrywood. Security is part of the deal,” Clementine murmurs.
“Why would…anyone hurt you?”
“I don’t think anyone will, but having security gives my mother an opportunity to show that we’re important people.” Clementine’s words provide no calm to my panic.
“Rosie, they will not enter the house unless it’s an emergency,” Kristy tries to reassure me. “They’re also advised to keep a safe distance from you, and they’re trained to be covert. See, you weren’t even aware of them till now. I talked to Tony personally after Oscar told me they’d be sitting guard outside.” Her concerned gaze meets mine.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask why she didn’t tell me all of this sooner, but I guess it’s because she expected my freak-out. Given how I’m reacting now, she wasn’t wrong.
I press my fingertips into my forehead, not liking this feeling of helplessness or being left out of something important.
“Are you feeling better?” Kristy asks softly. “I’m sorry for not telling you.”
I nod. I know she means well.
I take another deep breath, my mind wandering to the men sitting outside, before I glance at my pillow and the pill box hidden underneath.
“Do you still want to go to the lake?” Clementine’s hesitant voice breaks through my train of thought.
My gaze returns to the pillow before I reply. “I’ll get ready.”
* * *
After spending the rest of the day with Kristy and Clementine, I drive alone to my house. Kristy went back to her home, and Clementine’s driver picked her up for dinner at her mother’s estate.
I get out of my car, and my gaze drifts in the direction of the diner across the street. My car keys fall to the ground with a jiggle, and it takes me longer than usual to grab them with my shaky hands.
Just the thought that someone is watching me day and night sends a chill down my spine, and I shiver despite the balmy evening. I shake my head, trying to get rid of the dreadful memories threatening to surface. My excitement for tomorrow and seeing Zander has subsided, and I’m looking forward to spending the remainder of the evening locked inside my room, working on the new piece of code. I hope it’ll distract my mind from the men sitting on watch outside my house.
I turn the key to the main door and take a step back instead of walking in. The living room lights are turned off, and the whole place is lit with candles. My natural reaction is to turn around and run back to my car. But before I can do that, I hear a familiar voice.
“Hello, dear fiancée. Planning to leave me already?”
With a burning candle in his hands, Zander emerges from the dark and walks in my direction. Placing the candleholder on the corner table, he stands before me.
“You scared me,” I whisper. I can’t believe he’s here already. Wasn’t he supposed to arrive tomorrow?
“I am sorry about that,” he purrs, pulling me into his arms. His left dimple is on display, and so is his captivating smile. A smile that girls would die to have directed at them. A smile that, six months ago, was plastered on magazines alongside the words “sexiest bachelor.”
I sometimes can’t believe he chose me when he could be with anyone.
“You’re here.” I rub my hands on his fine-fitting suit, which does nothing to hide his muscular body.
“Yes, I am.” He hugs me tight, and I fit well under his chin as his over-six-feet frame towers over my five feet three inches.
“How? Why didn’t you tell me?” I whisper against his chest.
He smells of the same woodsy vanilla scent, and it reminds me of our first meeting in the conference room.
“I wanted to surprise my fiancée.”
“You love that word.” I smile as I always do when he uses it.
