AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The realization helped her begin breathing again. She gasped for sips of air as she realized he was doing the same. They stood frozen, each taking calming breaths until Khloe could muster her voice to call out to the panicked man still pounding on thedoor.
"Trevor, it's okay. I'll be back inside soon. I'mfine."
The pounding stopped immediately, but she doubted he'd be stepping away from the door until his client emerged safe andsound.
Ryder's voice was oddly distant when he finally spoke. "That was optimistic of you." Her confused look urged him to expound. "I'm not so sure you're going to be fine after I get done withyou."
"Ryder, Ijust..."
"Stop. There is no excuse you can give me that is going to get you out of the hot water you're in withme."
"Listen, I'm working. This is my job. You can't wrap me in bubble wrap until you find mystalker."
"The hell I can't. I agreed to keep you safe and you agreed to follow my every direction without hesitation. If I want to wrap you in bubble wrap and lock you in a padded room for safe keeping, then that's exactly what the fuck I'll do." He paused as if he was contemplating his words. "The threats are real, Khloe. I'm not an alarmist, and I'm telling you the threats arereal."
She saw the truth in his eyes. It helped douse the last righteous anger she was clinging to at being treated like a piece of property. He was genuinely concerned about herwelfare.
It's strange how reality can slap you in the face at the most inopportune times. That was the moment she realized that as fucked up as his methods were, and as furious as she was at him for deserting her in February and then showing up again to consume her life as if he had every right to, Ryder Helms cared about her. Therealher. Not the A-List actress. Not the fashion model. Not the person who signed the paychecks for everyone else who professed to care abouther.
He wasn't here to get famous or make a buck. Hell, he almost seemed to hate that she was rich and famous. As the possible reasons for his being so angry narrowed, the truth became so obvious toher.
Ryder Helms genuinely cared abouther.
The realization didn't calm her completely, but it did allow a slight smile to play at the corner of her lipstickedlips.
"You find this funny?" hegrowled.
"No. Nothing about this isfunny."
"On that we canagree."
"If you'll just let me, I canexplain."
He ignored her comment. "What were my instructions before I left the set?" His voice reminded her of the calm before a brewingstorm.
"I wasn't to leave the set until you got back,but––"
"If you needed to pee?" heprodded.
Embarrassment flooded her neck, rising up to her cheeks before she whispered, "I could piss in the empty bucket in thecorner."
She saw the flash of satisfaction with her answer in his eyes. "Where the hell is the bracelet I gaveyou?"
That question was unexpected. "What?"
"The bracelet. Why isn't it on?" He demanded, lifting her arm and pointing at her emptywrist.
"The continuity director made me take it off. I wasn't wearing it in earlier takes and we can't change anything about my appearance until after this scenewraps."
He looked frustrated with her answer, adding a cryptic. "I'll have to get something different that they can't take off... or out... ofyou."
Before she could ask him to clarify what the hell he was talking about, his questions continued. "So what do you think is going to happennext?"
Her heart rate spiked. The implication in his voice was obvious. He'd told her what he'd do if she didn't follow directions. At the time, it had sounded like a good idea to attend the production meeting without telling him where she'd gone, but now that his stony glare was devouring her in the mirror, she realized she'd made a tacticalerror.
"Khloe?" hegrowled.
"I'm sorry. It won't happen again," shepromised.
