Page 198 of The Re-Proposal

No.

I squeeze my eyes shut, willing the image away.

But it doesn’t change.

In a frantic rush, I grab the letter and rip it open.

There’s a cartoon drawing of a teddy bear with a knife through its head. That’s all. There are no words. No threats. But it’s enough to prove that the fingers of darkness that lurk around my life are now approaching Clarissa’s too.

Pressure mounts in my chest, crushing my ribs.

It’s all starting to mount into one giant crap-mountain.

The cyber bullying attacks.

The letters.

I know what comes next.

And I won’t let it get that far.

Urgently, I stalk outside and call Vargas.

“Book me an interview. Someone with clout in the society pages.” I climb into my car and stare straight ahead.

“All of a sudden?”

“Just do it!”

I toss the phone, shimmy my tie down and call Clay.

“Yeah?”

“They know where she freaking lives. These creeps… they left a letter in her mailbox, Clay.”

I’m shaking with anger.

Rage.

Helplessness.

Control or be controlled.

“Cody, I can hear that you’re upset. I’d be freaking out too, but you need to calm down. Where are you? Let’s talk about this, come up with a plan.”

“No, I’ll take care of it myself. Just hire more guys. I want Clarissa’s apartment freakingsurrounded.I want thePresidentto be jealous of her detail, you hear me?”

“Cody…”

I hang up and see a text from Vargas on my phone.

Vargas: I got Entertainment Hopper Beat. They can be ready in two hours.

Cody: Make it thirty minutes.

In precisely forty-five minutes, I’m sitting in a studio under hot lights giving my first public interview since the Bachelor of the Year debacle.

The interviewer is a beach blonde flirt with too much Botox and a strange way of rounding her words so they all sound like questions.

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