Page 8 of Ivory's Familiars

The men were still staring at the black lacey piece of underwear and she wondered what was holding their attention for so long. She looked a little closer and almost gagged; there was a distinctive off-white, crusty substance covering a large part of the material, “Tell me that isn’t what I think it is,” she clapped a hand over her mouth, already knowing the answer, but Vaughn spoke anyway;

“If you think it’s jizz, then you are absolutely correct.”

“Vaughn!” Ronan’s voice was reproachful over the seemingly blasé comment. But one look at Vaughn’s face and Ivory knew he was far from amused. His light green eyes were cold and hard, his jaw clenched so tightly she feared his teeth would crack.

For some reason, his insult and anger on her behalf made her feel better and she felt herself relax a little, “Gross,” she muttered, screwing her face up in disgust and turning away.

Ronan pushed the lid back onto the box, blocking the foul site from view, “Has this happened before? Have you ever received anything sexual? Anything with evidence of his release?”

She sat back down and gestured to the large box in the middle of the table, “Some lingerie, massage oil, chocolate body paint. But nothing with,” she arched a brow in Vaughn’s direction, “jizz on it.”

Vaughn’s lips twitched and he dipped his head in her direction, before pulling the items out of the box, “Will you put these in chronological order for us, please?”

She spent the next hour explaining the origins of the items and the timeframe. The men asked numerous questions – many she had already thought of, but some she hadn’t. Maybe Libby had been right when she recommended bodyguards. She was feeling safer already – from her stalker at least. She was still feeling very insecure regarding keeping her secrets hidden and also over the general hotness of the boys. Both could prove to be dangerous distractions.

Finally, Vaughn leaned back in his chair with a huge sigh; “Well, I’d say you’ve got yourself a predatory stalker.”

“So you don’t think I’m overreacting?” she held her breath in anticipation of their answer. She didn’t know whether she wanted them to tell her she was being a drama queen or that her fears were valid.

“No, we don’t,” Ronan assured her, “There are multiple typologies that can be used to help categorise a stalker’s behaviour. As Vaughn said, your description of the events and the evidence in this box here, are very reminiscent of a predatory stalker. Although, it’s interesting – it looks like it started out more intimacy-seeking and has now devolved.”

“I take it, that’s a bad thing,” she guessed.

Seth was frowning even as he nodded, “Unfortunately, yes. You see, these very early notes and gifts – they were innocent, romantic even, as if he were trying to entice you into a real relationship. Over time, the correspondence became bitter, then angry, but now it is filled with rage. The dead rabbit is another example of that rage. Usually, intimacy-seeking stalkers believe their victim is their one true love and that their love is reciprocated. I imagine not returning his love letters and throwing out his precious gifts, made him think you did not, in fact, love him back.”

“Of course I don’t love him!” she exclaimed, “I don’t even know him!”

“That’s not what he believes. And it’s likely not all that accurate either. The vast majority of stalkers are friends or family. At the very least, acquaintances. Chances are, you’ve met him.”

Even though she had considered that possibility, had even scrutinised all her staff and customers, it still gave her a serious case of the heebie-jeebies. She shook it off, knowing they would soon be investigating everyone she knew anyway, “You said predatory stalker. Sounds ominous.”

“It is,” Vaughn growled, “Predatory stalkers aren’t interested in a relationship. Their focus is on control, violence, and sexual gratification. They’re total nut jobs,” Vaughn added, in what she was beginning to realise was his typical blunt way.

“Great,” she blew out a breath, pushing her loosened hair back, “So … what now?”

“Now we check out your bar, your apartment – any of your frequent haunts. We need to analyse your current level of security and also see where we’ll be staying.”

“What? Staying?” she sat up straight, “You’re going to stay here? All of you?” Man, she really hoped her voice didn’t sound so breathless to their ears because it sure did to her own.

Vaughn frowned – actually it was closer to a glower Ivory thought, beginning to understand it was a common expression for him. She wished it was a turn-off. She really didn’t enjoy sullen men. But she found the way the lines crinkled around his eyes sexy. And the way his nose scrunched up just a little with every scowl? Totally adorable! She shook her head. She was losing it. Maybe Libby was right, her last sexcapades had been far too long ago and now she was suffering from too much estrogen or something. An outlet. She needed an outlet, that was all.

“Of course we’ll be staying here. That’s what you hired us for, isn’t it? A personal bodyguard?” Vaughn followed up his sexy, adorable glare with his sexy, adorable voice.

Yep. Definitely losing it.She had to think of something fast. Not only did she not want strangers in her space – what if they found her witchy stash? She also did not trust herself around them. She totally did not want these three men to become her outlet – no matter what her hormones thought, “No. I mean yes. Yes, I did hire a personal bodyguard. But I thought there was just one of you. I mean, how much is this going to cost me? I can’t afford your fee times three.”

There,she congratulated herself, that sounded logical.

“The fee we quoted you is for all of us. We work as a team,” Vaughn’s response was flat, no nonsense.

“Ivory …” Ronan’s deep voice drew her attention, “… you have a stalker. One who has been sending you things for months, including soiled underwear and dead animals right to your doorstep. He knows where you live, Ivory. Let us help you. This is what we do.”

And with that happy reminder, Ivory felt her lust extinguish. They were right. There was some crazy person out there going around killing bunnies in order to gain her attention. All the years hiding, uprooting herself from town to town … she was sick of it. She loved it here. She wouldn’t be forced out of her home by some whack-job. She just had to be careful what she said and did in front of her bodyguards. She had no doubt they were good at their jobs. The barest whiff that she was hiding something and she was positive they would sniff out every single one of her secrets. And if that happened, having a stalker wouldn’t matter anyway. She would have to run again anyhow. But ultimately, she needed help and she needed it now.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. This is just a little overwhelming to me. I still find it hard to believe anyone would go to so much trouble for this,” she flapped a hand at herself.

Ronan scoffed, “What do you mean? You’re beautiful. I’m sure you have men lining up.”

Ivory looked at him in shock. He thought she was beautiful? That was not going to help her aforementioned estrogen problem. He seemed just as stunned by his admission as she was if the horrified look on his face was anything to go by. Looking around, she saw Vaughn’s infamous scowl firmly in place and what appeared to be a knowing – and very amused – smirk on Seth’s lips.

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