kill them. When Shonda finds out about this, she’ll flip her shit. I should have called her last night so she could get ahead of the story. Now it’s out of our control.”
Theo finished his taco, balled the tinfoil up in his fist and threw it into the trash.
“Did I do something to piss you off?” I asked.
“Not a thing,” he replied coldly. “You should eat. We need to get to work developing a new security plan. You’re going to start meeting with Connor every day. He’s going to teach you self-defense. We’re also going to develop a new system of communication. Connor will head that up. I’d also like him to-”
“Wait. Are you turning this all over to Connor? Why can’t you teach me self-defense and everything else?”
“I think it’s best he take over. I trust him completely. We served together in Afghanistan. He’s a good soldier. He’ll take care of you.”
“I don’t understand. Are you quitting?”
“I’ll continue to check in with Connor to ensure the situation is being handled.”
“I don’t want you to ‘handle the situation.’ I want you to stay. I trust you. I don’t want you to leave.”
I sounded pathetic, but Theo was the only one I trusted with my safety. I took Theo at his word about Connor- I was sure he was good at his job- but I didn’t want to lose Theo.
“I’ll talk to Shonda about my replacement,” he said ignoring me.
“Why are you doing this? Is it because we slept together?” Theo ran a hand over his face and looked away. “You can’t abandon me now. I’m lost without you.” It sounded like a cheesy line from one of my movies, but it was true.
“You should get in contact with Shonda. I’m sure you need to talk to her about this situation with your pretend-boyfriend.”
His words dripped with contempt. Was he jealous? I sensed his feelings were closer to disgust. When outsiders are introduced to the real way Hollywood works, they’re always repulsed. I know I was when I first came to Hollywood. After a while you get used to it. The lifestyle changes you. Compromises you could never imagine yourself making come easily. I wasn’t proud of what I’d become, but it was the only way to adapt to my surroundings. No one gets to be an A-list celebrity without a few skeletons in their closet.
“Stay through the week,” I said, desperate for a compromise. If I could convince Theo to stay on for a few more days, then maybe I could convince him to stay for good. “The transition won’t be easy for Connor. He needs you around to get him up to speed on how things work.”
There wasn’t much to explain. My life was basically nothing but shopping, movie premiers, spa visits, interviews, then more shopping. I was sure Connor was more than capable of handling it. Theo understood this. Still, I hoped he’d give me till the end of the week.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said.
“You failed me last night. You said you’d protect me and you weren’t there. I’m lucky I’m not in some creep’s sex dungeon right now. You owe me.”
Theo looked taken aback. I didn’t believe Theo had failed me. Nothing that happened was his fault, but I knew he blamed himself. I was desperate for him to stay and if I had to prey on his guilt to get my way, then I would.
“Okay,” he said quietly. “I’ll stay. But only until I’ve made sure that the threat is neutralized. Then I have to leave.”
I wasn’t sure why Theo had to leave. I didn’t ask any questions. I was just happy he’d agreed to protect me.
“Good. Now, what?”
“I had my people tear apart your limo driver’s house.”
“Did they find the dungeon he claimed to be building in his basement?”
My skin crawled at the thought. The last letter my stalker sent included pictures of the dungeon. There were chains, knives, and other torture devices. He’d promised to make it my new home.
“No,” Theo said. “The guy’s house didn’t even have a basement, and there was no
Theo finished his taco, balled the tinfoil up in his fist and threw it into the trash.
“Did I do something to piss you off?” I asked.
“Not a thing,” he replied coldly. “You should eat. We need to get to work developing a new security plan. You’re going to start meeting with Connor every day. He’s going to teach you self-defense. We’re also going to develop a new system of communication. Connor will head that up. I’d also like him to-”
“Wait. Are you turning this all over to Connor? Why can’t you teach me self-defense and everything else?”
“I think it’s best he take over. I trust him completely. We served together in Afghanistan. He’s a good soldier. He’ll take care of you.”
“I don’t understand. Are you quitting?”
“I’ll continue to check in with Connor to ensure the situation is being handled.”
“I don’t want you to ‘handle the situation.’ I want you to stay. I trust you. I don’t want you to leave.”
I sounded pathetic, but Theo was the only one I trusted with my safety. I took Theo at his word about Connor- I was sure he was good at his job- but I didn’t want to lose Theo.
“I’ll talk to Shonda about my replacement,” he said ignoring me.
“Why are you doing this? Is it because we slept together?” Theo ran a hand over his face and looked away. “You can’t abandon me now. I’m lost without you.” It sounded like a cheesy line from one of my movies, but it was true.
“You should get in contact with Shonda. I’m sure you need to talk to her about this situation with your pretend-boyfriend.”
His words dripped with contempt. Was he jealous? I sensed his feelings were closer to disgust. When outsiders are introduced to the real way Hollywood works, they’re always repulsed. I know I was when I first came to Hollywood. After a while you get used to it. The lifestyle changes you. Compromises you could never imagine yourself making come easily. I wasn’t proud of what I’d become, but it was the only way to adapt to my surroundings. No one gets to be an A-list celebrity without a few skeletons in their closet.
“Stay through the week,” I said, desperate for a compromise. If I could convince Theo to stay on for a few more days, then maybe I could convince him to stay for good. “The transition won’t be easy for Connor. He needs you around to get him up to speed on how things work.”
There wasn’t much to explain. My life was basically nothing but shopping, movie premiers, spa visits, interviews, then more shopping. I was sure Connor was more than capable of handling it. Theo understood this. Still, I hoped he’d give me till the end of the week.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said.
“You failed me last night. You said you’d protect me and you weren’t there. I’m lucky I’m not in some creep’s sex dungeon right now. You owe me.”
Theo looked taken aback. I didn’t believe Theo had failed me. Nothing that happened was his fault, but I knew he blamed himself. I was desperate for him to stay and if I had to prey on his guilt to get my way, then I would.
“Okay,” he said quietly. “I’ll stay. But only until I’ve made sure that the threat is neutralized. Then I have to leave.”
I wasn’t sure why Theo had to leave. I didn’t ask any questions. I was just happy he’d agreed to protect me.
“Good. Now, what?”
“I had my people tear apart your limo driver’s house.”
“Did they find the dungeon he claimed to be building in his basement?”
My skin crawled at the thought. The last letter my stalker sent included pictures of the dungeon. There were chains, knives, and other torture devices. He’d promised to make it my new home.
“No,” Theo said. “The guy’s house didn’t even have a basement, and there was no
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