Page 118 of The Faking Game

Tonight, we made him more reckless than he’s ever been before.

But she’s the one who paid the price.

When we get home to Fairhaven, she’s still on the phone with Rafe. She walks the curved stairs up to the second floor landing, her voice calm and reassuring.

It’s another performance. I’m sure of it.

I stand there for a solid minute after she’s disappeared, thinking. Then I get to work. My head of security spends ten minutes debriefing with me. The entire night will be analyzed. Security camera footage hacked into, turned over, investigated. We’ve never gotten an opportunity this good before.

He blasted her phone and waited for her to pick it up before he said what he wanted to say. Because he’d been watching.

“We traced the number,” Michael says. “Burner phone.”

“His pattern is changing.”

“Yes, but he’s neverhada pattern. It’s like the whole thing is deliberately meant to throw us off.”

“Keep me updated.”

“Always,” he says.

After he hangs up, I rest my hands against my desk, feeling its stability beneath my clenching fingers. I’ve hired some of the best people. People who won’t mind bending the rules if needed. But this stalker still seems to slip through our fingers like sand.

It’s too good. Too professional.

This can’t just be a regular guy who’s become unhealthily obsessed with a beautiful model. It’s a guy with resources.

There’s something I’m missing.

A puzzle piece that doesn’t quite fit.

And I’m going to figure it out.

The house is quiet. Most of the staff is home by now, except for security. And Nora didn’t get a chance to eat properly. I order food, and while I wait for it to be delivered, I make a call directly to the Fashion Institute’s auction.

That emerald dress will be hers.

I wait until the food arrives before going to find her. I walk up to her rooms on the second floor, down the long, long hallway from my own. It seemed like a brilliant move when she moved in, to give her the guest wing as far away from my own as possible.

As if space would have worked.

I knock twice. There’s no response, so I knock again, heavier this time. I shouldn’t have left?—

Nora opens the door, her phone tucked beneath her ear. She’s traded the long black dress for a pair of sweats and a tank top.

“No,” she says on the phone, her voice low and soft, “you don’t have to worry.”

My hand tightens around the bag of food.

Nora steps back, leaving the door open for me. “I’m fine, I promise.” She sighs quietly. “No, it wasn’t a close call. I was safe the entire time… No, Mom.”

I put the food on the living room table and watch her walk across the plush rug. Her shoulders are drawn up tight. “Rafe is keeping me safe, and so is West. His team is really good… No, no, that won’t be an issue. I promise. Please don’t worry.”

I hold out a hand.

Nora looks at me. “I can reassure her,” I say. “If she’s concerned about your safety.”

She hesitates for a moment, but then she nods. “Mom? West is here. He’s happy to tell you about the security team that’s—yes, exactly. Okay? I’ll put you through to him now.”

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