I turn toward another runner and attempt to get his attention. I yell dramatically. “Sir! Help! This man grabbed my breast!”
″Oh fine! Shut up, will you?” He covers my mouth with his hand and pushes me onto a nearby bench. The man presses his phone to his ear and calls Callum. “Boss? She caught me.” He pauses. “Well, you didn’t tell me I needed to pack running shoes. I was following her like an idiot in my business clothes.” He nods to something else Callum says, then hands the phone to me.
I press it to my ear.
″Haley, listen—”
“Call off your dog and go fuck yourself, Callum.” I don’t care what excuse he has for putting a bodyguard on me. “I’m not your property and I don’t need your protection.”
After my shower, I head to the grocery store, and again, I see the man Callum set on me. I attempt to lose him, but he is too fast. Not that it matters, because he knows where I live.
I’m sitting on the couch when the banging at my front door starts. My head whips around, eyes squinting.
″Haley, open up, please.”
Bastard!
I shoot up from my spot, dart for the door, and fling it open. Callum’s standing there.
″Go away, asshole,” I demand as my hand goes to my hip.
″Haley. Please. Let me explain.”
″Where should we start? Where you put an armed man on me without my knowledge and consent? I saw him in the park and thought I was going to be raped! Who the fuck are you? You can’t just do whatever you please. This is my life.” I cross my arms, blocking the entrance.
″I should have told you. I’m sorry.”
″Do you understand what goes through a woman’s mind in those moments?”
″I don’t.” He slumps over, exasperated.
As I chew my lip, I contemplate telling him the truth. I want him to understand why I’m being such an asshole, why I’m so fucked up. I’ve never told anyone about Jason, other than Andi. Not even Griffin. For whatever reason, I want to tell him. Maybe because he was so angry when he thought Drake had caused my black eye. I think a part of me wants to know what he’ll do if he knows about Jason. And that, is fucking scary. Because, I can’t figure out what it is about him that draws me to him.
″Call off the bodyguard.” I begin to close the door but stop when he presses his fist against it.
″You have someone stalking you, Doc.”
I do have a stalker, and I don’t know who the fuck it is. Sure, I know how to protect myself, but I also can’t be on the clock twenty-four seven, worried the stalker will try something. I have to sleep too. “I thought you said the company was like ADT. Not bodyguards.”
″It’s both.”
″Is he good?”
″Aye. Scotty is the best. He is an ex-seal.”
Military background. I cock a half-smile. “Fine. He can stay. I’m paying for it though.”
″Lass, you may be a doctor, but you can’t afford Scotty. It’s on me until we get your stalker situation taken care of.”
I don’t enjoy relying on others, but I don’t think I have a choice about this. “Thank you. And stop calling me lass.”
″Right, sorry.” He smiles, perfect white teeth showing, and that panty-melting feeling rises in my chest. Man is he good eye candy.
″Goodbye, Callum,” I say when he still hasn’t moved.
″See you, Haley.”
Chapter eleven