Page 84 of Hayden's Stalker

I take my phone off her, feeling like a robot. My nerves are frayed as I try to process everything that’s happening. I don’t think it was Blake who sent the flowers, but some partof me wishes it was him. I don’t want my stalker to have this connection with me, and I feel sick just thinking about it.

“So what happens now?”

“We’ll try to find out who delivered the flowers and where they came from. The police are already involved, so we’ll give this information to them. They’ll add it to their case file and follow any leads they get. We will get on the bus as scheduled and move on because it’s not on us to find your stalker.”

It makes sense, but I feel violated. To know that a gift from them is here. In my dressing room. Somehow they got it to me, and I hate that. All of my fears are heightened, and I am terrified that I will end up dead after all of this.

I take a deep breath, remembering my session with Brendan and how much better I felt talking things through, so I sigh and look her in the eyes as I admit, “I’m scared, Tati.”

“I know, Hayden. I do. Jesse or I are going to be with you at all times. They can’t get to you without going through one of us first. We’re going to keep you safe, okay?”

“Okay.” I manage to smile, desperately hoping that she’s right, and nod at her.

“Now, go get some clothes on. You’re fucking distracting me,” she teases me.

The reminder that I’m basically naked right now and that she’s turned on by me brings all of the sexual tension rushing back into the room.

“I’m single now, Tati. Want to help me get my clothes on? You know, for efficiency’s sake,” I suggest with a smirk at her.

“I don’t think for a single second that me helping you get dressed would be quicker than you doing it yourself. You’re a big boy, so go get your clothes on,” she tells me in her coolly professional tone.

I laugh at her choice of words as I walk back to the bathroom and inform her, “I am a big boy, Tati. How did you know?”

I close the bathroom door with my cock semi-erect under my towel. I don’t really have time to rub one out right now, but I wrap my hand around my cock and stroke it several times, pretending it’s Tati. The knowledge that she’s so close is torturous, but I stop and force myself to calm down as I get dressed.

By the time I leave the bathroom, my stress and worry have returned as I ask, “Can I look through the gifts now?”

“Sure. Start with those.” She points to a pile of gifts next to some white orchids that have been set aside, with another pile of gifts separate from them. “Don’t touch those flowers, or the card with them.” Tatiana points to the flowers.

I swallow heavily and nod. “Okay.”

I move over to the pile of gifts and start looking through them, trying to ignore the orchids. Tati starts looking through the other gifts, adding them to my pile when she seems satisfied they’re safe.

As I move over to the side of the pile I’m looking through, my curiosity gets the better of me, and I glance over to read the card that came with the orchids.

Dear Hayden,

I couldn’t let this moment pass without sending you a gift. I can’t believe it’s the first night of your tour. A momentous occasion, my love. I hope that you look at these flowers and know that they aren’t half as beautiful as you. I wish we could be together forever, but I know that patience is a virtue. I have been patient, I can continue to be patient, and we are meant to be together.

XOXO

I try my best to remain casually looking through my gifts, but I think I might be sick. It brings back the memory of the emails I read after the police found them. ‘My love’ is what the stalker called me. The gift, the certainty that we’re going to be together, the reminder of their existence. It takes everything in me not to vomit all over the flowers they sent.

I force myself to focus on my breathing and ignore the nausea, slowly calming my racing heart as I distract myself from my concern by making three piles of gifts. Hand-drawn pictures or handmade items will come with me on the bus. Stuffed toys will go to a local children’s hospital, and flowers will be left here for venue staff to either take home or throw in the bin because I have nowhere to put them.

I keep the cards, read the kind messages, and make notes on each of which gifts they sent as I sort through them. I’ll send a reply to any cards that have a return address, and I want to be able to thank them for their gift.

When Jesse returns, he has someone from the venue with him, along with Tanya Wilson, our tour manager. Cooper is also with them, and his jaw is tight as he walks over to the flowers.

“Don’t touch them or the card,” Tati says sternly.

He glares at her but leans over the card to read the way I did instead of picking it up.

“Get on your bus, Hayden. You need to leave. I’ll liaise with the police on this.” He turns to look at Tatiana. “Keep me informed if this happens in any of the other cities.”

Cooper doesn’t travel with us when we’re on tour. He only comes to important concerts like the start or end or ones where big celebrities or political figures are attending. Tanya’s the one who handles most of the issues that come up during the tour, which is kind of good because Gabriel and Seb often clash with Cooper when he’s around anyway.

“Of course,” Tati tells him. “Make sure nobody else touches the flowers or that card until the police get here. I can’t stress that enough.”

---