Page 45 of Stuck with the Billionaire Celebrity

"I need air," I say abruptly, standing up and heading for the door.

"Grace, wait—" he starts, but I’m already halfway down the hall.

I step outside, the cool morning air hitting my face as I stand on the porch. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.

But no matter how hard I try, the fear, the anxiety, the feeling of being watched—it’s all still there, gnawing at me.

I hear the door open behind me, and I know without looking that it’s Theo. He steps up beside me, silent for a moment as we both stare out at the expansive property, now swarming with security personnel.

"I hate this," I admit quietly.

He nods, his voice low. "I know. But it’s what is best right now."

I look over at him, and despite everything, I feel a small flicker of hope. Maybe he’s right. Maybe we will get through this.

But right now, all I can feel is the weight of the walls closing in around me. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m not just running from a stalker—I’m running from my own life.

10

THEO

Ican’t stop pacing the length of the living room. Every few minutes, I glance at Grace, curled up on the couch with her legs tucked beneath her, flipping through a magazine, though I doubt she’s reading anything.

She’s been restless lately. I can see it in the way she fiddles with her hair, the way her eyes dart to the windows, the door. She’s going stir-crazy in this house.

We’ve upped security, turned the estate into a fortress, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t protect her from the walls closing in on her.

I haven’t wanted to allow her out of sight, either.

I can’t stand seeing her like this. Caged. Bored. Anxious. It’s like I’ve built this safe haven around her, but it’s slowly becoming her prison.

I need to do something. I need to give her some semblance of normalcy before she snaps—or worse, pulls away from me entirely.

"Grace," I say, my voice cutting through the silence. She looks up, her eyes flickering with surprise. "Why don’t we go out?"

Her brows furrow. "Out? Where?"

"Anywhere," I shrug, trying to sound nonchalant. "Shopping, dinner… whatever you want."

She stares at me for a moment, clearly taken aback by the suggestion. I don’t blame her. I’ve been so focused on keeping her locked down, ensuring she’s safe, that I’ve forgotten she’s still a person with a life outside of all this.

"I don’t know…" she hesitates, glancing toward the windows. "The stalker…"

"I’ll make sure we’re secure," I say, cutting her off. I won’t let anyone touch her, no matter where we go. "I’ll pay to have the shops shut down, the restaurant too. It’ll just be us."

She blinks at me, her mouth twitching as if she’s about to argue, but she doesn’t. Instead, she surprises me by giving a small, tentative smile. "I guess a little shopping wouldn’t hurt."

A strange mix of relief and something else pools in my chest. "Get ready. I’ll make the calls."

Half an hour later,we’re in the back of the car, heading into the city. Grace looks out the window, her fingers tapping rhythmically on her knee. She’s nervous. I can feel it.

Hell, I’m nervous.

I haven’t taken her out in public since all of this started, and while I know I’ve done everything to ensure her safety, the thought of her being exposed, even for a minute, has me on edge.

But I can’t let her see that. I need to be steady for her, even if it’s just an illusion.

We pull up to the first boutique, the kind of place where the prices are ridiculous, and the clientele even more so. The entire street is empty—no pedestrians, no shoppers.

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