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All eyes in the room looked at the financier. She got the impression they all knew something she didn't know and he'd been elected theirspokesperson.
"I'm afraid the investigation hasn't concluded yet. The stalker is still atlarge."
"I'm aware of that. Or at least I would hope the police, or someone, would advise me otherwise had he been captured. Did they get any fingerprints from my trailer? Or how about the security footage. People can't waltz on the lot withoutcredentials."
"Precisely, so it does narrow the suspects, but..." He paused before adding, "Our investigators haven't drawn any conclusionsyet."
Trevor picked up on it too. "What do you mean, your investigators?" When no one answered, he asked the general room, "Who in here is from the policedepartment?"
When no one identified themselves, he cursed under his breath, but loud enough for those seated close to them tohear.
An eerie calmness came over Khloe, not unlike the one that had come to her rescue when she'd walked in on Dean and Gloria fucking in her bedroom. Remembering that moment had her seeking out Dean who was seated about halfway down the table. He was one of the few people brave enough to look her in theeye.
Edward had picked up where he left off, ignoring Khloe's previous concerns. Her mind raced, thinking through her options instead of paying attention. The thought of going on with her life as if nothing had happened felt impossible. Both invasions into her private space had to have been accomplished by someone with close access to her. She didn't have some random stalker sitting far away in his mother's basement stroking off to her magazine covers. Someone who knew where she lived in NYC and had access to her apartment had also gained access to her locked trailer on the secure studio lot. Based on the photos he'd left in her apartment, she suspected she knew the person. Hell, for all she knew, he could be in the room at that verymoment.
Khloe shot to her feet, bringing Edward's speech to a halt while all eyes in the room turned to her. She was grateful when Trevor stood next to her. Even if he couldn't help her with what she had to do next, he could at least catch her if she toppled over from the crushing stress she wasunder.
"With all due respect, Edward, I'll be making changes to the proposed schedule." She took a deep breath before dropping her bomb. "When any of you become the victim of a stalker who is resourceful and bold enough to break into not one, but two private and locked personal spaces of yours, then you can make the decisions. But since it was my home... my personal trailer... my vote is the only one thatcounts."
She let that sink in before continuing. "So here is what I am willing to do. I will attend the opening tomorrow night, but I expect at least two more personal bodyguards assigned to me to assist Trevor starting this afternoon and until the perpetrator is caught. I also want to limit the amount of interviews on the red carpet so let's set up press interviews earlier in the day at a hotel suite so I can limit my time inpublic."
She paused, before dropping her next bomb. "I will be hiring my own private investigators who will be taking over the investigation–at the studio's expense, of course. I understand your reluctance to call the police in. After all, then you'd have to admit that the studio's security had failed to keep me safe, which could turn into a liability problem for all of you. But let me be clear. When my investigators find the culprit, we will be calling the police, and I will be pressing charges. Get any thoughts of trying to sweep this under the rug out of your heads, gentlemen." She then turned to address a smiling Natalie, "And no, we're not turning this into a publicity stunt, either. The interviews tomorrow will be focused on the movie and nothing else. Prep the press accordingly,Natalie."
Turning back to the rest of the room she concluded. "This ismylife. Some lunatic broke intomyhome. He leftmea note yesterday describing how he couldn't wait to get me to the secret hideaway he'd created where he could fuck me all day and night for the rest of my life. If that had happened to any of your wives, sisters or God forbid, daughters, you all would be losing your shit. Maybe you should keep that in mind the next time you decide to sweep bodily threats to a woman under the rug. Email me the final pressschedule."
She'd used up every ounce of her bravery. Had anyone in the room chosen to rebut her speech, she'd have burst into tears. Thankfully, the room sat in stunned silence as she leaned down to grab her big purse and then loop her arm through Trevor's, allowing him to lead her out of the room. The glass door to the boardroom was at the other end of the room, and she felt all eyes following her until they had left theroom.
Her blood was pounding in her ears by the time they exited into the mid-day sunshine. Trevor had texted Michael from the elevator, and he arrived with the SUV as they emerged. She felt eyes on her as she leaned heavily on her guard, finally letting him lift her into the backseat, sliding in behind her and quickly closing thedoor.
Khloe’s mind raced as they sped away from the office building. How she wished she could drive to the airport and get on a plane going somewhere, anywhere. But then what? She'd worked too hard to get where she was. She wasn't going to give some asshole the power to take it allaway.
It was time to go on theoffense.
Swishing the tears away impatiently, she dug her phone out of her purse. She didn't have many people in her life she trusted explicitly, but she did have a few, and it was time to ask for theirhelp.
Flipping through her contacts, she found who she was looking for and pressedSEND. When she heard the concerned voice at the other end of the phone say her name, she choked up with emotion and could only gush out "Chase" inreply.
She felt saferalready.
Chapter 8
"Good evening,Mr. Helms. Welcome back to BlackLight."
Ryder was surprised the employee standing behind the counter in the middle of the locker room at the entry recognized him on sight, particularly since he hadn't been back for a visit since Valentine'sDay.
"Good memory. I'm sorry, I don't remember yourname."
"It's Danny,sir."
"Danny, I meant to give Spencer a call to let him know I was coming. I'm not sure if youhave..."
The young man cut him off. "You're on our pre-approved entry list, sir. I'm afraid I do need to see your identification as a formality. If you'd please put all electronics into the open locker to your left, I can then let you proceed into the club. I'll warn you. It's pretty quiet tonight, even for a Wednesday night. There aren't many single subs here to play with,yet."
Ryder crossed to take his watch off and deposit it along with his cell phone and concealed Glock in the small locker while he answered. "That's okay. I needed to get out of the house and thought I'd check in with yourboss."
That much was the truth, although if he was honest with himself, he was here to pump Spencer for information on Khloe. He hadn't been able to bring himself to call in favors over at the FBI to try to track down a private phone number for her. As a celebrity, it wasn't like her contact info was readily available to the public, but he was sure his buddies in the intel community could track herdown.
Even if he got her number, he probably wouldn'tcall.
