“Charlotte doesn’t know anything about this, and I would prefer that it stayed that way.”
Theo frowns. “You’re living with her. It seems like she should know. What if this woman shows up at your condo? Is she dangerous?”
A new wave of concern comes over me. “Charlotte and I are roommates, so she doesn’t need to know my business.” I wasn’t really lying since Charlotte and I are friends with benefits.
But I do have to consider that Hayden may be escalating her behavior if she’s followed me here. “I can’t say that’s dangerous, but I wouldn’t want her showing up.”
“We should call building security to make sure she doesn’t get in,” Theo says, taking out his phone and making a call.
I feel like a jerk and an idiot in bringing this to Theo’s doorstep. I thought leaving was the answer, but now I’m beginning to believe that I’ve made things worse.
Ten minutes later, there’s a knock on Theo’s door. A man around Theo’s age enters.
“Thanks for coming, Gavin,” Theo says to him. “I thought you’d send one of your minions.”
Gavin smiles amiably. “The minions are busy keeping the riff-raff out. As head of security, it’s my job to deal with issues of a larger concern.”
“Speaking of riff-raff,” Theo starts, “this is my brother Oliver. He’s roommates with Dr. Everling.”
I shake Gavin’s hand while glaring at Theo for calling me riff-raff.
“He also has a stalker that has followed him here from California.”
Initially, I think to downplay the issue and not call her a stalker and yet, with regular texts and now her potentially being in New York, that sounds like the right moniker.
Gavin turns his attention to me. “Have you called the police?”
I shake my head. “My attorney suggests I get a restraining order, but I worry that will make things worse.”
“What could be worse than having a stalker show up?” he asks.
I look at Theo because I don’t want anyone else to know about the sex tape Hayden made.
“She has some compromising photos,” Theo says and I turn away because of the embarrassment that brings.
“Ah. Well, as you know, people aren’t allowed in the building without clearance from residents. But if you give me a photo of her, I’ll make sure all the guards and security know to keep her out,” Gavin says.
I blow out a breath and pull out my phone. I deleted everything I’d had of her on my phone. The only thing I haven’t done was block her number, but after the first threatening texts, I worried that it would cause her to release the video if I did. Instead, I pull up her social media, which of course has her listed in a relationship although since I deleted my accounts, she doesn’t have my name. But she has pictures of us. Inwardly groaning at seeing them, I find her profile picture, capture a screenshot of it, and then show it to Gavin.
“Can you send that to me?” he asks. He gives me his phone number and I text it to him. He checks his phone and nods that he’s received it. His phone pings again. He looks at the notification and rolls his eyes. “Ms. Deveraux.”
“You can’t let the owner of the building’s daughter be kept waiting,” Theo says good-naturedly.
Gavin makes a face and then heads to the door. “I’ll take care of this. Let me know if you do get that restraining order. In that case, we’d call the police if she showed up.”
When Gavin leaves, I’m not really in the mood to discuss my predicament with Theo anymore, so I say my goodbyes and head out.
When I arrive back to the condo, Charlotte is still in the window seat. I watch her for a moment, thinking how lovely she is. A wave of longing and need washes through me. I move toward her.
She looks up from her reading and smiles, but it falters. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” I reach her, holding out my hand which she takes. I pull her close, burying my face in her neck and inhaling her scent like it’s an elixir that will heal my soul. “I want you.”
She leans back, looking at me with an expression of confusion. I hope to hell she can’t see the torment inside. To make sure she doesn’t, I kiss her until she moans and her body goes pliant against me.
“I want you,” I murmur again.
“I’m right here.”
I pick her up and carry her to the bedroom.
When we’re naked, I lose myself in her, using her to warm the chill in my soul.