Page 13 of Behind the Scenes

She nodded and looked at him with sadness in her eyes. “No one remembers the charities she’s given so much to or how incredible an actress she is or even how gracious she was when she found out right before the Golden Globes that her husband was cheating on her with a woman even younger than her and wasn’t even trying to be secretive about it. Nope. All of those things disappear if she makes one mistake. So when she’s alone with those of us who are closest to her, she has to let off some steam. Everyone deserves a release, and I’m happy to give Alexis that from time to time when she needs it.”

Clearly, Lauren loved her friend. Hunter didn’t know if he could completely rule her out as the person behind the letters Alexis had been getting, but he had a gut feeling she was just what she seemed to be.

A good friend.

“Lauren, can you think of anyone who would want to do this to Alexis?”

She shook her head sadly. “No. No one I know would do this to her. Carla and I love her, and although she isn’t close to any of her bodyguards, they are devoted to her.”

“What about her ex-husband? He did cheat on her.”

After thinking about his question, she shook her head. “No way. Jackson is an ass, but he’s moved on. He never held anything against Alexis, even when she took him to the cleaners.”

“Okay. I just wanted to ask. And the bodyguards are all fans of hers, in your opinion?” he asked, still unsure what he thought of her security detail, even after meeting with them briefly earlier.

Paul had told him how much Alexis Marchand paid her bodyguards, so even if they hated the very sight of her, they’d be devoted to their salary. He was curious, though, if she’d ever slept with any of them. Love always changed things.

And lust definitely could.

“Like with us, Alexis can be difficult with them, but I don’t think any would want to hurt her.”

“Have any of her bodyguards become more at any time?”

For a moment, Lauren seemed confused as to what he meant by that, opening her mouth to answer but saying nothing. Then, as if a lightbulb turned on in her head, she smiled.

“Oh, you mean that. Just one but that was last year when her divorce was finalized.”

“Who?”

“Kyle. Kyle Murdoch.”

“How long were they together?”

“Only once. She got drunk out of her mind and Kyle was there. I’m not even sure they…” Lauren hesitated to finish her thought for a moment and then continued, “…I mean…you know…slept together. I’m not sure Alexis was in any condition to do that,” she said, blushing.

As charming as Lauren looked all embarrassed by the discussion of sex, Hunter still needed to know about Kyle and what he may have felt after that rendezvous with Alexis. “And nothing more ever happened between the two of them?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. It’s as if that night never happened.”

“What about for Kyle? Have you ever had any sense that he wanted something more to come of that night?”

Lauren looked away and thought for a moment before shaking her head again. “No, I don’t think so. Kyle doesn’t say much, so it wouldn’t be like he’d talk to me about it. But I’ve never seen him looking longingly at her, if that’s what you mean.”

Hunter smiled at the way she said that. “Not exactly what I meant, but I get the picture. Would he talk to anyone else if he had feelings for Alexis?”

“I’m not sure. I’m not really close to the bodyguards. They always live separately from those of us who lived in the main house. I’m not even sure where they’ll be living here in New York.”

Surprised to hear Alexis didn’t have her security team close by at all times, Hunter said, “Well, that’s going to change. No wonder someone thinks they can get to her.”

He’d already sat down with her head of security, Malcolm Batish, but he hadn’t mentioned the living arrangements back in LA or there in New York. He’d have to make it clear to him that situation would end right now.

From the other side of the apartment, Alexis yelled, “Lauren, I need you!”

Lauren jumped up from her seat and bolted toward her boss’s office. Then after only a few steps, she stopped and turned around to look at Hunter, who stared in amazement that merely by yelling for someone, Alexis Marchand could get people up and running.

“Please don’t mention to her that I told you all of this. I don’t know if she’d want you to know.”

“I can’t find out who’s behind the threats and letters if I don’t ask questions like that and even more personal ones. If they embarrass her, better that than her being hurt or killed.”

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