Page 43 of Hayden's Stalker

“I love you, too.”

I feel better when our call ends, and I’m glad Blake and I sorted our shit out. Tatiana’s shower is no longer running, though, so I dread whatever conversation I’ll have to have with her soon.

I’m on edge when she comes to let me out of my room. I don’t walk over to open the door this time, but I dutifully call her. She doesn’t answer my call, and I lie in bed, watching as the door swings open to reveal her.

Her jaw is tight as she says, “Good morning, Hayden.”

“Morning.”

“I’d like to have breakfast.” She barely glances at me before she spins on her heel, and I scramble to follow her as she heads to the kitchen.

We exchange little more than a few words as we agree on what to have for breakfast. She makes us toast and cereal while I make coffees for us before we take our food and the drinks to the dining table.

I sit next to her and am assaulted by that floral, spicy scent of hers. I want to ask her what perfume she wears, but I know it isn’t appropriate because I’m in a relationship and she’s my bodyguard. It reminds me of what happened at Club Delirium. I hate that I keep fucking up everything with her, and I feel terrible about last night.

We sit in silence until I can’t stand it anymore and tell her, “I really am sorry about last night.”

She finishes what she’s eating, sighs, and takes a sip of her coffee before turning to look at me. I’m worried she’s going to drop me as a client over this and am struck by how awful it would be if she did.

“Look, it’s fine. I don’t think you’ll ever really understand what it’s like for us bodyguards in a situation like that. Me, in particular. I definitely didn’t want to get involved in the fight I knew was about to go down, but once you and Blake refused to leave before it started, I had no choice.”

I think about what Blake said this morning about how club security could’ve handled it instead of her. “You didn’t have to get involved, though, did you?”

“Yes, I did. There were any number of ways in which you could’ve been incidentally harmed, even if I tried to just have you leave at that point. Once he had a weapon, the most straightforward way for me to keep you safe was to disarm him. It exposes me as being security. If, heaven forbid, someone was videoing or taking pictures and posting those online, which they frequently are, it’s obvious that I’m your security now.”

I wince because I hadn’t realized how badly this fuck-up might have affected everything. I should’ve just followed her instructions like I said that I would.

“If your stalker sees that, my cover is blown. Which is fine, because my priority is still your safety first, but it’s annoying because I didn’t need to get involved if you’d moved when I told you to.”

“I didn’t think of any of that,” I admit quietly.

“I don’t expect you to, Hayden. That’s what I’m here for. To think of that. Which is why I need you to follow my directions. But there’s no point in harping on about it. I think you understand now, and I accept your apology.”

Tatiand I have settled into a routine over the last two weeks. She escorts me to tour rehearsals and interviews, and Jesse comes with us whenever we go out in public.

The guys come over most days to rehearse with me. Seb was the most vocal about having to wait downstairs for Tati to get him every time, but I think he’s too scared of her to say anything to her face about it, which amuses me.

Blake, however, bitches about it all the time. Tati ignores him, but it’s clear he’s trying to get her to respond, and it’s annoying as fuck.

“What movie do you want to watch?” I ask him with a smile.

He came over tonight to have dinner with me, and we’re going to watch a movie together. I have my arm around him, and he feels good in my arms.

“We haven’t been out together in ages, sexy,” Blake complains.

I frown because he didn’t mention the idea of going out when we talked about tonight. “I don’t want to go out, Blake. I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but I have a stalker.”

“Who is far more likely to attack you on tour than at Club Delirium,” Blake points out.

I’m reminded of the last time we went to the club, and I glance over at Tatiana where she’s standing at the side of the room. She’s leaning against the wall with her arms crossed in front of her and looking as sexy as ever. I’ve gotten used to having her around, and I trust her to keep me safe, but I have no desire to go out if I don’t have to.

“I don’t want to go out,” I shrug as casually as I can, preparing myself for what I’m sure is going to turn into the sameargument we’ve had every time he’s tried to get me to go to Club Delirium since that night.

“Well, I do. What’s the point of even having a boyfriend if I have to go to the club without him all the time?”

It hits a nerve, and my jaw tenses because it’s fucking rich for Blake to complain about how he has to go out without me when he’s refusing to come on the tour with me.

“Considering I’m going on tour soon, you’re going to have to get used to it anyway.” I give him a pointed look.

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