Deadly Obsession (15 page)

They drove in silence while Nic kept an eye on the back window. As far as he could tell, they weren’t being followed. But as the nice officer had so kindly pointed out, the stalker probably already knew where Lauren lived.
Jesus Christ
.

When they got back to the apartment, Lauren marched Jason to the bathroom. “Have a shower, you’ll feel much better after.” She planted a kiss on his head.

Nic was close enough to hear Jason say, “Please tell him it wasn’t his fault. We fell, that’s all.”

Eyes burning, Nic turned and went back into the living room. Seconds later, Lauren’s small hands encircled his waist, reminding him of their motorcycle ride in D.C.

“What did the police say?”

The warmth of her breath on his back sent shivers up his spine. “Pretty much what I expected. They can’t do much without an overt threat. But a unit will drive by every hour until tomorrow afternoon.”

“That’s something.”

“I’ve put you and Jason in danger. I should leave.”

She grabbed his elbow and spun him around. “And do what, Nic? Your flight doesn’t leave until tomorrow afternoon.”

“I could go to a hotel or the airport and try to get on the first flight out in the morning.”

“No.” She crossed her arms under her breasts.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, her show of fire turned him on. She was so cute, so passionate. So goddamn perfect for him.

“You’re not leaving.” She opened her arms and gestured with her hands. “What if you leave and this person decides to pay me a visit during one of the fifty-nine minutes each hour the police aren’t driving by?”

Good point
. The stalker would probably follow him if he left, but what if he were wrong?

She pinned him with her eyes. “You’re staying here tonight. You can take your scheduled flight tomorrow.”

Tonight, he’d stay and make sure they were all right.

Tomorrow, he’d leave and never see her again.

But, right now? Right now, he
needed
to get this fucking blood off his chest.

Standing across the parking lot from the photographer’s apartment, she burned, her hands clenching into fists. She could see Nic with the woman and her kid, cuddled together on the couch. A television screen flickered and she heard laughter through an open window.

Why was he doing this to her? She’d been willing to permit the photo shoot, to overlook that he’d spent the day with the photographer and her kid, even though it sickened her.

But she could not accept and would not forgive the kiss.

Didn’t he know how much she loved him? Didn’t he understand he was hurting her? God! She didn’t want to punish him anymore. She just wanted him to see her, to love her, the way she loved him.

Maybe she could give him one more chance, one more warning.

She climbed into her car and picked up the camera on the passenger seat.

The events at the ice rink had certainly shaken him up. Nic was, after all, hemophobic. She’d learned about his troubles a few years ago, quite by accident. Smiling, she clicked her way through the photos she’d taken. She’d set the ASA high, so she could take photos while the lights were out. Her finger paused. There it was: the perfect shot. Nic lying on the cold ice, blood splattered on his naked chest. As though he’d been shot. The image saddened her, repulsed her even. It would be a very powerful warning to him should he ever do anything hurtful to her again. It showed how vulnerable he really was, bodyguard or not. Had she been holding a gun instead of a camera, he’d be dead.

But she didn’t want to kill Nic. She was the only one for him. And he was hers. It was her duty, even her right, to protect him from himself, no matter the cost.

She found her journal and opened it to her last entry. Using her favorite pen, she traced the outline of a body on the opposite blank page and wrote: ** insert photo here **. Grinning at her own hilarity, she brushed her finger along the lines of the male body she’d drawn.

The whole episode had been perfect. The anxiety in Nic’s voice after he’d received the message had said it all. Now all she had to do was wait. He’d come to her on his own. That’s the way it had to be.

But just to be sure, she’d send him another warning. One he couldn’t ignore.

Sunlight streamed in through the unshuttered bedroom window, painting Nic’s exposed chest with a soft golden light. Awakened at her regular six AM time by the family of birds nesting in the tree outside her apartment, Lauren hadn’t been able to resist peeking in to observe Nic as he slept in her bed.

A wave of tenderness washed over her as she took in his face relaxed in sleep, relieved of the previous day’s stresses. He looked so much like the boy she remembered from high school. Except he wasn’t a boy anymore, was he? No. Nic Lamoureux was definitely a man.

Nic shifted in his sleep, the sheet sliding low on his hips and revealing a tantalizing glimpse of sculpted muscles and jutting hip bones. A scattering of dark hair arrowed down his stomach to disappear under the sheet. Her fingers curled around the doorknob. How she wanted to lift that sheet. Heat suffused her cheeks. Scolding herself, she backed out of the room and closed the door.

Coffee. She needed some very strong coffee. As she took out the ground beans and filter, her thoughts drifted back to the previous evening and the message Nic had received.

Lose the bitch
.

She shuddered. The picture had been taken when Nic kissed her. Was she being threatened or was Nic? If they got involved, what would the stalker do?

Although she’d convinced him to stay the night, it was probably safer if they didn’t see each other again until this person was caught. She had to put Jason’s safety first. And, really, they had no reason to see each other again. No reason at all. Unless that kiss last night meant as much to him as it did to her.

The rich aroma of brewing coffee filled the air. Inhaling deeply, she sighed and poured herself a cup. Sitting at the table, she booted up her laptop. When the browser window opened, she typed Nic’s name in the Google search bar. Immediately, several sites came up, including CelebrityStalker. When the site finished loading, she gasped. Nic had been spotted at a bowling alley in Kirkland, WA. Quickly, she scanned the page for any mention of the arena. Nothing. Was that good or bad? She didn’t know.

A warm hand landed on her shoulder, making her jump.

“Easy there.” Nic squeezed her shoulder gently before taking a seat across from her. Despite the racing of her heart, she had to smile at his ruffled hair and the bed crease across his cheek. He reminded her of Jason when he first woke up in the morning. His boyish grin revved up her pulse even more, but for an entirely different reason.

Lauren poured him a cup of coffee, adding one cream and one sugar. When she handed it to him, she repeated Vivian’s words, “Just the way you like it, darling.”

He grinned, catching her joke. She watched, anticipation curling in her stomach as he raised the cup to his lips. After taking a sip, he pointed to her computer. “Don’t let me interrupt you.”

“I was done.” Because she sounded annoyingly breathless, she inhaled deeply before adding, “Someone posted a sighting of you at the bowling alley yesterday.” When he blanched, she squeezed his hand. “I didn’t see any mention of the arena.”

Several minutes passed, during which neither of them spoke. Unable to stand the silence, Lauren said, “Forget it. Let’s relax, eat breakfast, and catch up on the news.” She got up and walked to the front door. “The paper should be here by now.” The newspaper lay on the mat as usual. Beside it sat a white box with a pretty pink bow. “Did you order something?”

“No. Why?”

There was no return address on the package. Lauren’s heart started to pound. “I think the stalker left us a gift.”

His mouth dry, Nic reached the landing in a few long strides and crouched down beside Lauren to examine the box. No name, address, or any other markings.
Fuck
. “Do you want me to open it?”

“Be careful.”

He teased the bow open and pried up one corner of the lid. The box was filled with white tissue paper. Setting the lid aside, he pulled back the tissue paper to expose the interior of the box.

“I see something.” Lauren pointed to a bit of brown peeking through the almost translucent paper.

He moved the tissue. “It’s hair.”

She gasped and slapped a hand to her mouth. “Maybe we should call the police.”

He had to see what was in the box. “Get behind me.” He positioned himself to block her view, then tore off the remaining paper. Inside lay a Barbie doll with long brown curly hair.

Lauren leaned over his shoulder. “Is that supposed to be me?”

Something hung from the doll’s neck. Dog tags. The blood in Nic’s veins turned to ice. He forced himself to breathe. Whoever had sent this knew Lauren, and more importantly, knew she wore Todd’s dog tags.
Fucking bitch!
Yeah, he was pretty certain the stalker was a woman.

When Nic lifted the doll out of the box, the head separated from the body.
Christ
. Could this get any worse? A small square of pink paper was tucked under Barbie’s body. Nic pulled it out and read the message printed in block letters.

I TOLD YOU TO LOSE THE BITCH. IF YOU DON’T DO IT, I’LL DO IT FOR YOU
.

He threw the note and the doll back in the box and slammed the cover down.
Goddamn!
He couldn’t live like this. He had to find this fucking stalker.

Lauren’s legs buckled as she stood up. Nic wrapped an arm around her waist and placed the other behind her knees. In one motion, he lifted her against his chest, then took her inside and sat on the couch cradling her in his lap. “I’m so sorry,
chérie
. I never meant to put you or Jason in danger.”

“I know.”

He’d let his attraction to Lauren override his common sense. And look where it had gotten him. This woman he held in his arms, this woman who was so perfect for him, was now quivering with fear. He should never have come here, should never have tried to act normal. He wasn’t normal. His life was a fucking Hollywood nightmare.

“Lauren.” His voice was thick. “This woman, whoever she is, wants me to leave.”

Lauren nodded, her eyes bright with tears.

His chest contracted painfully. He didn’t want to end things this way. “Once I’m back in L.A., she’ll leave you and Jason alone.”

Lauren buried her face in his chest. “I don’t want you to leave.”

He spoke past the lump in his throat. “I don’t want to either.”

“Will I see you again?”

He closed his eyes. This weekend had been a dream realized. For the first time in a long time, he’d been a part of something, part of a family. He wanted this, wanted a family.

Could he stand by and let Fate take another part of his life away, take another choice away? No. But to protect her, he had to make the stalker think he’d given her up.

“Maybe, but it’s too dangerous right now. I need to know that both you and Jason are safe.”

Lauren wiped her eyes and looked up at him. “Can we talk on the phone at least?”

Fucking shit
. She was shredding his heart. Nic cleared his throat to ease the tightness. “You can always call me if there’s an emergency. But for business, it’s probably better to go through Vivian.”