Page 45 of Reckless Single Daddy

I look up at Mia, who frowns. I know I must look like a deer in the headlights.

“Did you see anyone out there?” I ask her hesitantly.

She shakes her head, but I bet she didn’t even think to look. It isn’t her fault, though. It isn’t often that we have to keep an eye out for a stalker.

But I don’t understand. I thought James Pickens was caught. Why am I still receiving creepy letters?

I stare at the envelope on the counter like it’s some kind of poisonous insect. Finally, I reach for it and rip it open like peeling off a band-aid. I take it out and begin to read it. Each word sticks out like a sore thumb, the tone full of a subtle yet sinister rage.

Miss Bennett,

I’ve grown wary of the time you’ve spent with Cade Hart. He isn’t like us—tortured souls of the arts and curators of visual worlds that writers can only dream of expressing. I write this to you so you understand clearly. Every move you make, I see all. Everything you’re doing, right in this moment, I know it. So let me remain frank with you: end this trivial relationship with Cade Hart, and I won’t have to take desperate measures. I am not a violent person, you know? But if anything comes between what I seek, I’ll happily use force.

I do hope your collection is coming along nicely. I look forward to viewing it upon release and shaking your hand a second time.

And remember: humanize thyself.

Love,

Your Biggest Fan

I drop the letter back on the kitchen island, saying nothing, but my shaking hands betray me. Frowning at me again, Mia takes the letter in her hands and begins to read it. I don’t stop her, too overcome by the fear and revulsion crawling under my skin.

It finally dawns on me: this will never end.

Mia puts the letter down and curses under her breath. “Oh, Sloane,” she says, wrapping her arms around me, holding me close.

I try my best to cling to her, but my body doesn’t want her. It doesn’t want her to make me feel safe. Still, I’m grateful she’s trying to comfort me despite what a terrible maid of honor I’ve been. At least now she knows why I’ve been so absent and distracted, apart from Cade.

She pulls away from me with a frown, sensing that her physically comforting me isn’t working. She takes her phone out of her pocket and starts making a call.

“Hello?” I hear Mike say on the other line, but not even his voice offers me the comfort I need. My body shakes as the fear continues to envelop me like a smothering hot blanket.

“Mike, it’s Mia. Sloane got some letter. Oh, Mike, the letter was so creepy and deranged. I don’t know what to do for her. She’s shaking in fear, and nothing I do is breaking her out of it.”

She’s right about that. I’m physically here, I can hear her, but it’s like I’m not actually in my body right now. I’ve been severely triggered by the way that letter and the person behind it want to have this hold over me.

But why? What have I done to make this person so deeply invested in me besides create art?

“Bring her to Cade’s,” I hear Mike answer. “He will know what to do.”

Mia hangs up the phone. She quickly grabs her keys, forgetting all about her anger, too focused on helping me instead. It feels like I’m seeing a glimpse of the sister I once looked up to, and despite the haze of panic, it feels comfortingly familiar. I know I have a lot of making up to do, but I’m just happy she isn’t dwelling on that. At least not right now.

We get into her car, and she drives us out to Meadow Falls to Cade’s estate. I stare straight ahead like I’m made of stone. It’s like my whole body has shut down and the only thing left is a husk of what I once was, but I know it’s not permanent; it’s a coping skill. I’ve never been very good at those skills, as my stint in rehab can attest to, but I guess what I’m doing right now is better than drinking my feelings away.

The guard lets us in as Mia pulls up to the front of the gate. Once we’re in front of the house, Cade comes rushing out the front door, and he and Mia both help me get out of the car.

“What happened?” he demands, wrapping his arms around me .

“She got a letter, and the next thing I know, she went into fight-or-flight mode,” Mia explains. “Mike told me to bring her here and that you’d know what to do.”

After that, it’s all a blur of movement as Mia leaves me in Cade’s capable hands. He guides me inside the house. I see Liam peek around the corner, but Cade shows him away gently. He knows I don’t want Liam to see me like this, but I can’t will myself out of this state. It’s like everything leading up to this has finally caught up to me. I feel like a zombie hopelessly meandering around a dead, deserted city.

Cade guides me upstairs to his bedroom, shutting us inside. He helps me onto the bed and then lies down behind me, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist.

Instantly, I feel a deep warmth fill me, melting all the ice-cold fear paralyzing my body. Just like that, I feel like I can breathe again.

It’s odd, but it’s as if my body has grown accustomed to Cade, to him protecting me, it sought him out to bring me back down to reality. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but one thing is for certain: I need this stalker caught.

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