Page 61 of Protector

Shay squeezes my knee and sneaks me a little head shake and a smile as if to say Jade’s wrong. And of course, I eat that shit up like a little fucking puppy dog. But when she turns back to the screen, her light expression turns dark. “And there goes the strap.” She huffs. “Okay, enough of that.” Then she moves the clip ahead until she comes to the end and clicks out. “I’m phasing myself out of runway, and that’s one of the reasons. People don’t realize how hectic it can get backstage.”

Jade stays standing behind us. “Well, you look confident and fierce out there, Shay.”

“Thank you. I don’t always feel that way.” It’s quiet for a few minutes as Shay sets up another video to view, and as soon as it starts, Shay sits up straighter. “This is the interview I did. And right when I walked off, the guy grabs me.”

We all watch intently as Shay speaks to the interviewer for less than a minute, and when another girl takes her place, Shay’s still visible walking behind them.

“There!” Shay points to her image, a hand reaching out to grab her arm, the camera panning over as if instinctively the operator knows where the story is. Now Shay is in full view, struggles to pull away from a guy wearing an ocean-blue suit, white dress shirt, no tie. He’s fumbling but relentless, a smile on his face. Clearly drunk.

I reach over and pause the screen. “You okay?”

She nods.

“Well…does this guy look familiar to you at all?”

Shay sighs, stares at the image for long moments. “Unfortunately, no.” Her face drawn, suddenly tired-looking, she turns back to me. “I’m sorry. I thought for sure something would spark.”

I take her hand. “It’s okay. We’ll keep trying. We’ll figure this out.” I reach with my free hand and click to continue playing. Just as onscreen Shay pulls away, her words inaudible, the guy who grabbed her is tackled to the ground.

“Whoa!” Jade says. “That linebacker came out of nowhere.”

We watch as the guy who tackled the drunk guy gets up to a squatting position and looks like he’s about ready to pummel the guy. But security steps in, grabs the offender from the ground and pulls him up. A couple of people, I assume from the show, come to Shay’s aid as the good Samaritan backs out of the picture.

It takes a moment for it to hit me, for the strange feeling to spur a physical reaction, my heart suddenly racing just as Shay gasps and looks at me, eyes wide.

“Son of a bitch! Go back and replay that.” I still have one of her hands, and she squeezes me tighter.

“My God, yeah. That guy.” She points to the good Samaritan as he bounds onto the scene. Sandy-colored hair cut short, fair skin, stocky. “He looks so familiar. I just can’t place him…”

I clench my jaw as she stares at me, waiting. “I can’t be sure, Shay, but I think that could be the asshole that was at your place.”

“Oh, my God,” Jade says, moving back to her seat. “What does this mean?”

I run a hand over the scruff on my face. “It means the guy who saved Shay is her stalker. That’s why he calls himself her knight.” Shaking my head I turn to Shay. “But, you didn’t see the guy who was at your place, so…”

“So that means I recognize him from somewhere else.”

“But where?” Jade asks.

I nod. “At least we know it’s not Brendan Chambers.”

Shay tilts her head. “I guess… I mean, I haven’t seen him since that night. Maybe he changed, gained weight…”

“No. I saw that scumbag, remember? It’s not him.”

It’s silent as we all exchange glances, then Jade and I focus on Shay, waiting.

Shay releases my hand, runs both of hers over her face and through her hair, the stress obviously getting to her. She lets out a staggered breath and then clicks the video to play the scene once again. Her head shaking, she says, “I don’t know. I’m sorry.” Her voice is strained, like she’s on the verge of tears.

I push the laptop away, and Jade follows my lead, closing it. Then I take Shay into my arms, pull her against my chest. “I know it’s hard, and you don’t want to even think you know this guy, but I’m here. I’ll be here. I won’t let anything happen to you…but somehow you have to figure out who this is.” Yes, I’m putting more pressure on her than she probably needs, but her safety is the only thing that matters right now.

We’re all silent as I hold Shay, run my hand up and down her back, until Jade finally stands from the table.

“Maybe a little break will help. Why don’t you guys sit on the porch, and I’ll clean up the kitchen?” And without a word, she’s clearing the table. I nudge Shay back to see her face. “You want to get some air?”

She nods, then quietly thanks Jade as I lead her outside, snagging a knit blanket from the couch on the way.

Sitting on the cushioned bench, I guide her to lean up against me, then cover her lower half with a blanket. The breeze is already calming since the sun went down, but it’s still chilly, and she’s in shorts. It’s not lost on me that my every thought seems to be Shay: protecting her, making sure she’s happy, comfortable. All things a boyfriend would do. Or maybe even a close friend. Certainly not a bodyguard. Who am I kidding? At this point I know I’m all of the above and then some.

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