Page 51 of Blame It On The Carols

“I’m fine,” I said, immediately pulling his attention to me.

He rushed over and sat on the couch beside me, squeezing into the little space left between me and the armrest.

“I came as soon as I heard,” he said, rubbing his thumb lightly over my cheek. “I can’t believe this happened.”

“I can’t believe it’s been Sean the whole time,” I replied, leaning against the cushion behind me. “He’s been running my fan club for the pastfive years. How could I have been so blind?”

“You weren’t blind. You just didn’t have any reason to suspect him.” Aiden’s eyes were soft as they looked into mine. “People often show us what they want us to see.”

“True, but I feel like so much of this could have been prevented if I was more involved or less distracted.”

“You hired someone to manage your fan club because you didn’t have the time to,” my mother softly reminded me. “That’s a normal thing to do, especially in your line of business. If you were busy taking care of everything, you’d have no time to record new music, no time to tour. Delegation was created for a reason.”

“Your mom is right,” Brock said. “There was no way you could have seen this coming. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

I allowed Aiden to pull me into his side and hold me as Patrick updated everyone on what was happening. No one on my security team had recognized him since he wasn’t considered a threat. It also helped him stay mixed in with the tourists because he wasn’t at the LA office anymore and was now working remotely.

I talked to Curtis, and he gave me some updates as well, including Sean’s immediate termination and the request he’d sent to collect the company computer he had been given when he moved. All in all, the good news was that this part was over. I didn’t have to keep watching over my shoulders, and even though it was already Christmas Eve, I had hope that my security detail could all get home to their families for Christmas.

Thirty-One

Aiden

“We don’t have to doanything tonight,” I called to Makayla, who insisted on getting ready in the bathroom for whatever she had planned before all of the Kevin/Sean stuff happened.

“I want to. Now shut up and get ready for me.”

“How do you want me to get ready if I don’t know what’s happening?”

“Take your pants off and close your eyes.”

I nodded my head, though she couldn’t see me from the bathroom. I stood up and took off my jeans, tossing them to the chair as I resumed my position on the couch.

“Are your eyes closed?” she asked, the sound of heels clicking against the tile floor.

“They are now,” I answered, closing them and leaning my head against the cushion behind me.

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