Page 104 of The Stalker

Three dots came up on the screen to show that he was typing before they disappeared again. Tatiana had eaten a few more spoonfuls of her granola before his reply finally appeared.

I’m the biggest asshole. I gave him no bunk on the bus, and now I’m glad I won’t have to work around his sleep schedule. Which he is, of course, only doing for my benefit as well.

Tatiana sighed when she read the message. He really was sweet when he could very easily be an egotistical douchebag being in the position he was in. She hated that he still felt bad about the situation, so she wrote a reply.

You’re not an asshole. I’d have no problem telling you if you were. We’ve got it sorted. Don’t stress.

It wasn’t long before she saw his response, and she cringed as it came up on the screen.

You didn’t exactly tell me you thought I’ve been making this job harder for you.

Is there even any point in telling you this conversation is going to be unprofessional?

She ignored her better judgment and responded to Hayden’s message.

Did you think that pretending is easy for me?

She didn’t see three dots this time. Her phone told her that he’d seen the message, but there was no sign of him responding. She’d had a few more spoonfuls of granola before there was a soft knock on her door.

“Come in,” she called quietly.

Hayden opened the door and smiled at her. He didn’t say anything until he’d closed it softly behind himself.

“I thought it might be easier to talk directly than to keep texting.”

“Yes, because being alone with you in a room with a bed makes it much easier to pretend,” she said in a dry tone.

Hayden’s eyes darkened with desire as he looked at her, but he said, “Sorry, I didn’t think of that aspect. Want me to leave?”

“No, it’s fine. Take a seat, make my life hell.”

He laughed and sat down next to her while she finished her granola. She set the bowl aside and looked at him.

He was looking back at her, and he smiled when she caught his eye. “Good breakfast?”

“It wasn’t terrible. Did you come here to talk breakfast cereal with me?”

“No. I guess I came here to ask why you think we should keep pretending at all.”

That is a fucking minefield. Might I remind you that you shouldn’t be pretending you don’t want to fuck him, anyway?

Tatiana wanted to look away from Hayden, but she couldn’t. He was staring into her eyes, searching for the answer to his question. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she wanted more than anything to tell him that they didn’t need to pretend anymore.

“I thought I’d made it clear. I can’t get involved with a client. I need to focus on your safety, and if I can’t do that, I can’t work for you anymore.”

Hayden frowned and took his time before replying, as she’d expected. He seemed to be seeking an alternative to their situation when she knew there was none.

“What if I broke the contract and got someone else for security?”

“No!” Tatiana exclaimed too loudly, fear flooding through her at the suggestion.

She knew that in this scenario, he was suggesting that she would remain in his life, but it didn’t matter. The visceral terror that she felt from entrusting his safety to someone else was painful, along with the idea of him coming to harm.

She remembered quickly that Jesse was sleeping on the other side of the wall to her room and lowered her voice when she spoke again. “No. You can’t do that.”

If he thinks that breaking the contract is a path to being together, there is something seriously wrong here, Tatiana Swanson.

She needed to convince him it was a bad idea, so she told him the truth, “If you break the contract, I will leave, and you’ll never see me again.”

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