Page 76 of The Stalker

“Fuck, that was good,” Hayden announced with a grin on his face.

“I’ve missed touring,” Harrison said as Heather walked up to him and he put his arm around her waist.

“I know the fans have missed me touring,” Sebastian said with a smirk on his face.

“Yes, darling. You are definitely the only person anyone came to see tonight,” Heather laughed.

“I’m glad you can acknowledge that, lover,” he grinned back at her, then looked around the backstage area. “I don’t see Lita or Ariana.”

“They’re probably with Mira somewhere. Let’s go look for them,” Gabriel suggested.

The two men walked away, and Tatiana hovered behind Hayden as he talked with Heather and Harrison, as well as some of the roadies. Jesse joined them, and she kept her eyes on the group as she talked to him.

“How was it during the concert?” she asked.

“Stressful,” he admitted.

“Same. I do not like when he goes near the front of the stage.” Tatiana cringed at the memory of it.

“Me either. I was on edge every time he stood up.”

Tatiana laughed and nodded. “Yup. My training screams at me, ‘make that man sit on his damn stool, preferably behind bulletproof glass.’”

“I’m with your training on that one. Think he’ll go for the idea?” Jesse pulled a thoughtful face.

“If I thought his stalker was homicidal, I wouldn’t hesitate, to be honest. I hate stalkers,” Tatiana sighed.

“How many have you dealt with?” Jesse looked curious.

Tatiana glanced around the room, then watched the group talking in front of them again.

“Probably not the time or the place,” she said quietly. “A few, though.”

Jesse nodded and fell silent. It wasn’t that Tatiana thought anyone backstage would be trying to overhear their conversation, but you couldn’t be too careful.

After another couple of minutes, Hayden turned to her and said, “Well, let’s get our stuff from the dressing room and hit the bus. I’m wrecked.”

“Of course,” Tatiana nodded.

She led the way to his dressing room, opening the door and entering the room first. Tatiana had been told to expect that Hayden would have gifts, but she was surprised by what she found. There were baskets from sponsors and brands, flowers from friends and family, and even some handmade gifts from fans.

“Who brought these in here?” she asked.

Hayden shrugged. “Whoever accepted the delivery, I guess. The fan gifts are brought back by security.”

He smiled at a hand-drawn picture of the band that was sitting next to a very ornate bunch of flowers.

“Don’t touch anything.” Tatiana walked behind Hayden and opened the door. “Jesse, come in here. I need your help.”

“What’s up?” he asked as he entered the room.

“We need to look through these,” she gestured to the gifts. “Hayden, are you showering here or on the bus?”

“I was going to take a bath on the bus, but I can shower here if you want me out of your way,” he said obligingly.

Tatiana’s jaw tightened, and she nodded. There was probably nothing concerning in the gifts, but she wanted to gauge that without his presence looming over them.

“It would probably be helpful.”

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