Page 21 of Saving Stella

“Be ready around eleven, and we’ll get lunch?”

“Sure.”

“Great. Now, you take care of her, bro,” Charley said to Cliff, patting his massive arm.

“I’m glad Arch suggested you,” Devon added. “Thanks again, man.”

“No prob.” He waved his hand. “Car’s in the garage.”

Devon pulled her in for a hug, then Charley did as well. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thanks.”

The big behemoth waited by the door, holding it open. Without looking her in the eye, he nodded toward the outside, which she interpreted to mean that she should go ahead, so she walked past him and toward the elevator doors.

The ride down to the basement was silent, and the excruciatingly long drive back to Queens was even more so. Even though she sat next to him in the passenger seat of the black SUV, he didn’t look at her or try to make conversation. He kept his eyes on the road, even when they sat in traffic.

She sat there, stewing. He obviously did not like his assignment—or maybe he just didn’t like her.

A strange pang hit her chest.

What did it matter to her? Except maybe for the fact that they were going to be in-laws, he wasn’t anything significant to her.

Why should it matter if he liked her or not?

Finally, after what seemed like hours, they pulled up to her hotel. When he released his seat belt and reached for his door handle, she said, “Where are you going?”

“Getting the door for you,” he replied gruffly, still avoiding her gaze.

“There’s no need, I can let myself out,” she replied in a brusque voice, then unbuckled herself and slipped out of the car. Even as she scuttled toward the hotel entrance, she could feel his stare burning a hole in her back. A sigh of relief escaped her lungs as soon as she reached the lobby and the door closed behind her.

Charley had said her brother had been watching her all this time. Did he mean to stay outside her hotel as well? Had he done that last night too?

A comforting thought entered her head as she made her way to the hotel elevators: At least tomorrow, he wouldn’t be around, and she would only be with Charley. Perhaps she could convince Charley to urge Devon to do away with her “security” detail from now on and she’d never have to see him again.

Wait…

Devon had hinted that he was going to propose to Charley this week with his family—meaning Cliff would likely be there. After that, there would be no way of avoiding him.

She groaned aloud, and the couple next to her waiting for the elevator paused mid-chat to send her strange looks. “Er, long day.”

They shrugged and returned to their conversation.

Stella was never the confrontational type, nor did she actively despise anyone in particular. Papa and Momma, of course, instilled the idea of brotherly love for everyone around her, even her enemies. But then again, no one had ever acted so rude and standoffish toward her as Cliff did.

Maybe I’m being a naive small-town girl.

This was New York after all.

Or perhaps it was because she had felt him up in the middle of a busy sidewalk.

Oh Lord.

Heat crept up her collar at the memory of what she’d done. He’d smelled so good to her too, but maybe it was a Supernatural thing. Both Charley and Devon had pleasant scents, though neither of them evoked the same feelings as Cliff’s.

When she finally reached her room, curiosity got the better of her, and she crept toward the window. Pulling the curtain back, she peeked outside and spied the black SUV parked across the street.

Her heart jumped in her throat as she quickly drew the curtain closed. She scuttled backward, as if Cliff could somehow see through the curtains. When her heart rate slowed down, she sat on the bed, adrenaline draining from her body. Lying back, she splayed out on the mattress and stared up at the ceiling.

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