Page 23 of The Stalker

He didn’t answer immediately. He looked out the window and then said, “It’s like my sanctuary. I can go there and escape whatever’s going on. If I told anyone about it, they would want to come in there with me, and it wouldn’t be just mine anymore.”

“Okay,” she smiled at him. “We won’t tell him about it unless I see a need to do so.”

“You’re very accommodating,” he told her.

Tatiana laughed. “I’m here for security. I’m not here to take over your life and dictate everything you do. Don’t get me wrong, I will do that when I need to, but I don’t want to do it unnecessarily.”

Jesse arrived not long after that. He was a tall, beefy man with blonde hair and green eyes, and he was wearing a similar black suit to the one she saw him wearing yesterday.

“Tatiana, good to see you again,” he said, giving her an awestruck look. “I’m very excited to be working with you.”

She knew that her name was talked about within security circles. If Hayden was a rock star to the general public, she’d had enough contracts with high-profile clients to become ‘famous’ in her world.

“I’m glad,” she said, as she led him to the dining table.

Jesse sat across from her, and Hayden dutifully took his place next to her. Tatiana saw a look of surprise cross Jesse’s face briefly before he managed to hide it, and she smiled.

“I’ve told Hayden that he’s to sit next to me at all times,” she told him.

Jesse nodded, “That makes sense.”

“I understand that you’re normally only with Hayden when he needs you,” Tatiana said, and Jesse nodded again. “Okay, well, when I’m here, I think it’ll be the same. I definitely prefer the extra help when we’re in public, but also when I need to do anything such as going to see about the building’s security today.”

“Or getting gun licenses,” Hayden added.

Tatiana gave a small laugh and informed Jesse, “Hayden is hung up on the fact that I’m armed. I assume you are, as well?”

“Of course,” he said.

“How did I not know this?” Hayden asked with wide eyes.

“It didn’t come up, Mr. Vega.” Jesse grinned and shrugged at him.

Tatiana noted the formality of his name and found it curious that they hadn’t switched to Jesse using Hayden’s first name. Hayden seemed the type to offer it, but she knew that Jesse and the rest of the security that Cruise Control used were hired through a firm. It was almost certainly company policy that he was following.

“When we’re on tour, will you be okay to work a ‘night shift?’ I’ll need someone in the hotel suite while I sleep, but occasionally I’ll need someone during the day as well. If it gets too tiring for you, we can get another person to help us.”

“Doing nights is fine by me,” Jesse agreed.

“Excellent. Well, I need to go talk to building security, then Hayden wants to go and see Sebastian. Another point is that I will drive instead of you. Never Hayden, of course.”

“If you prefer that. I do hope you don’t consider the crash as a slight on my defensive driving skills.” Jesse’s eyes were downcast as he said it.

“Of course not,” she assured him. “Even if a crash wasn’t the catalyst for my being here, I would still have insisted on that point. From your description, I think you did as well as you could in that situation.”

They finished up their conversation, and Tatiana left Hayden in Jesse’s hands while she went to talk to building security, and then its management.

Tatiana had security show her through the building, including all back entrances and possible entry points. She made a list as they were walking of security upgrades that would need to be made, then took it to the building manager. As expected, there was an override code for the elevator.

“I need to know if these issues will be addressed. If not, I need to know why,” she informed them.

“We can’t simply make these changes, Miss Swanson,” the man sitting in front of her said.

Tatiana laughed and handed him her business card. “Yes, you can. Talk to your board, and I expect an answer in writing within forty-eight hours so it can be addressed properly. I’ll have my lawyer form a response to anything you refuse to do.

“I’m sure you’re well aware of how many high-profile residents are in this building, and I’m sure you sold them on security as a feature. I will not hesitate to contact every one of them and explain in great detail what I’ve found.”

She stood up from the seat in front of his desk and gave him a rueful smile.

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