Page 29 of Hayden's Stalker

My imagination has her talking about sex, but my fantasy ends abruptly when Lita brings me back to reality by saying, “Thanks. It’s my nonna’s recipe.”

“—and Ariana wasn’t even with Gabriel, either,” Sebastian says.

I nod and pretend I didn’t miss whatever he said before that while I was indulging in a fantasy about my bodyguard. “True. Except for the last night of the tour.”

We continue talking about the upcoming tour before the conversation turns to my stalker situation, and fear floods through me at the reminder of it when Sebastian asks Tatiana, “So, Cooper said you’re the best. What’s your experience like?”

Tatiana smiles politely at him and assures him, “I’ll keep Hayden safe.”

I’m so grateful that she sounds so sure of herself because I needed to hear that right now, and it helps some of the fear to abate.

“That’s not your experience. That’s your plan. What experience do you have in order to do that?” He raises an eyebrow at her.

Tatiana meets his gaze but doesn’t say anything, so I offer with a laugh, “Oh, I know the answer to this.” I recite as best as I can from what she told me last night, “Tati was born in Russia and moved to the US when she was four. She went to school and did martial arts and gymnastics, then she graduated and began her career in the armed forces of some kind, but it’s classified. Then, she started a specialist security business and got hired to protect a super-nosy rock star.”

I point to myself as I say it, and Lita laughs.

“What he said,” Tatiana smiles politely at Sebastian again.

“What section of the armed forces?” Sebastian asks.

“Tati won’t tell you,” I tell him because I don’t want him to bother her with questions she’s already told me she can’t answer.

“Obviously, Tati worked for a government agency. Probably the CIA,” Lita says.

The CIA?!

I whip my head around to look at Tatiana, but she’s taking a bite of her gnocchi with a completely impassive look on her face.

I can’t tell whether Lita is right or not, and I know there’s no point in asking Tatiana, so I look back at Lita. “Why do you think that?”

“Well, if she just worked in the military, Tati would tell you. Nothing there is really secret, I don’t think. Even Navy SEALs can tell their friends and family, although I don’t think they can talk about specific missions. So, the fact that she won’t say anything means it’s something she can’t talk about.” Lita shrugs her shoulders.

I turn to stare at Tatiana again as she swallows her mouthful, takes a sip of her water, and smiles at us. “This gnocchi really is amazing.”

“Is Lita right? Were you in the CIA?” Sebastian demands.

Tatiana turns to look at him. “Hayden is correct. My background is classified, so I’m unable to tell you one way or another. If the answer is yes, I can’t tell you, and if the answer is no, it narrows it down for you.”

She’s right that a part of me is desperately curious about this. I want to know. Not because I think she’s unable to protect me, but because I want to know more about this amazing woman.

“I am, however, more than qualified to keep Hayden safe. If you would like a demonstration, though, I’m more than willing to show you how quickly I can take a man down.”

“Please don’t. I’d like Sebastian to remain in working order while we’re dealing with a newborn baby,” Lita laughs.

“I’d only hurt him a little.” Tatiana winks at Lita, who laughs harder, and I also burst into laughter.

“There’s a part of me that wants to take you up on that offer because I’m not sure you could, but there’s a bigger part of me that wants to actually enjoy my first night out since having a baby,” Sebastian tells her.

“Good life choice,” Tatiana assures him.

A part of me wants to see her take him down, too. I think I’d probably pay a lot of money to see that, to be honest, and I’m still grinning as I turn to Lita.

“When are Heather and Ariana getting here?”

“Soon, I think. Hopefully, Mira will have a decent sleep. We’re going to play pool and have a few drinks…well, they’ll have drinks. I’ll have water,” Lita amends.

“You say that you’re going to play pool with them, but what I’m hearing is that Heather and Ariana are going to take turns losing all night long,” I tease her because she’s ridiculously good at pool.

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