Bennett: an m/m bodyguard romance (Hunter Security), page 11
His smile is bright, lighting up his face. “I hope so. Football is all I’ve ever known, and I’m not that smart, so if I don’t get drafted, I’m not sure what I’ll do.”
Brando gives his cousin a gentle shove. “Don’t talk about yourself like that,” he scolds.
Chase shrugs. “I don’t think of it as a negative. I’m not book smart, but I am good at other things. I just hope that my new tutor can help me get my grades up, or I’ll be royally screwed.”
“Shit, I didn’t realize you were struggling that bad,” Brando murmurs.
Chase waves him off. “It’s fine. This year has just been harder than normal. The last two years were fine. I kept the grades I needed to, but this year, the information isn’t sticking like it has in the past.”
“Is your tutor helping so far?” Brando asks.
Chase’s cheeks turn a bright shade of pink, and he tilts his head from side to side. “Kind of, but he’s also really fucking cute, and it’s kind of distracting.”
Brando and I chuckle. “If he’s too distracting, find someone else. Don’t let your dreams suffer because of a cute face,” Brando advises.
Chase laughs while shaking his head. “I won’t let that happen. Besides, he’s not into me, which I really don’t get…” He pauses and moves his hands up and down his body. “I mean, look at me, what isn’t there to like?”
“I hate to break it to you, kiddo, but there are more important things in life than good looks,” Brando explains to his cousin, who doesn’t look convinced.
“That can’t be true,” Chase counters. “Anyway, I’m sure I’ll figure it out. This guy is hella smart, and I think he’s the only one who will get the information to stick.”
“I’ve got faith in you,” Brando replies. “And if you need anything, let me know.”
“Will do,” Chase assures him. “Now, where is all the signed stuff you promised me?”
Brando leads his cousin over to the rest of the guys, who are holding the signed items, and Chase shakes each of their hands before pausing for a photograph.
“Thanks for all of this,” Chase says, preparing to leave while the band gears up for the official meet and greet.
“Ready to meet fifty of your fans?” I ask Archer as Chase walks away.
“More than ready. I love these events,” he tells me with a killer grin, and I’m almost desperate to kiss him, but I can’t yet. So instead, I put my hand on the small of his back, guiding him down the hall.
The event space is already set up when we arrive, and the band sits at a table while we let in the fans. Once things are steady, I stand beside Archer at the end of the table. Right now, a blonde with sky-high heels is standing in front of him, gushing about how much Country Skies’ music has meant to her.
“Oh, before I forget, some dude stopped me outside and wanted me to give this to you,” she says, reaching into her bag to pull out a present.
“This isn’t from you?” I question, stopping Archer from accepting the gift.
“Nope, but I mean, not everyone has the budget to afford meet-and-greet tickets, so I thought it would be nice of me to bring it in for him,” she explains with a genuine smile.
“That was very sweet of you, but I’ll have to take that from you and open it at a different time,” I tell her, taking the wrapped box. “Do you happen to remember what the guy looked like?”
She shakes her head and shrugs. “Sorry, it was kind of dark outside. He noticed my special badge and told me how jealous he was,” she says, holding her lanyard. “He seemed like a nice guy.”
“I’m sure he was,” I assure her, even though it’s a lie. “But it’s protocol for our security team to check unknown gifts.”
“Makes sense.”
The rest of the guys finish signing her poster, and she leaves with a giant grin on her face.
“Do you think that’s from my stalker?” Archer asks in a hushed tone.
“I’m not sure, but we’ll open it later,” I tell him, and it’s obvious he’s nervous now.
I don’t blame Archer for feeling off, but I am thankful the stalker didn’t somehow get into the meet and greet. Not knowing who this person is, is driving me nuts. We have a description of the guy who drugged Archer, but we don’t even know if that’s the same person who is sending the creepy letters and gifts, and that makes things difficult.
The rest of the meet and greet goes off without a hitch, and by the time we get back to the bus, everyone is tired and ready for some sleep. We’ll be driving through the night to get to the next venue, but tonight isn’t over yet.
Brando, Landon, and Joseph head to their bunks, and Aria, Archer, Rip, and I get comfortable in the main living area.
“What do you think it is?” Aria asks, pointing to the gift I’ve placed on the table.
“I don’t have a clue, but we’re going to find out.”
Rip puts on a pair of cut and needle resistant gloves, just in case, and begins opening the present while the rest of us wait with bated breath.
After the wrapping paper is off and the box is open, Rip pulls out what looks like an old-school microphone, but it has arms and legs and is holding a guitar. It’s a simple decorative item and not creepy, but it has Archer gasping.
“What?” I ask him, studying his face carefully.
“Didn’t Mom buy that for you when you got your first gig?” Aria asks, and Archer nods, his hands covering his mouth and his eyes wide with fear.
“It disappeared a few months ago. I didn’t think anything about it, thought maybe the cleaner moved it, and kept forgetting to ask about it.” He takes a deep but shaky breath. “The guy was in my house.”
“Is there anything else?” I ask Rip.
“You’re not going to like this,” he grumbles, pulling out a pile of photos and handing them to me.
There are about fifteen different pictures of Archer and me together over the last couple of weeks, and it has my blood running cold. The images aren’t anything to out our relationship, but this fucker has been following us, and I’ve been none the wiser. How is that even possible?
Thankfully, none of the pictures are from Archer’s house, which means the security system hasn’t been breached, but it has me second-guessing myself. I’m normally well aware when people are watching me.
“There’s also this,” Rip states, handing me a piece of paper.
My dearest Archer,
You’ve always meant the world to me, but it seems like I don’t mean the same to you. How is it possible that you are giving your heart to someone else? Have my gifts meant nothing to you? Good thing I’m patient and willing to wait out this little fling. I hope you don’t mind that I borrowed this. I wanted to make you another one that is more special, and I needed the original to know how to make it perfect. I look forward to giving it to you in person one day soon.
Until then, sending all my love,
~X
“This is getting out of hand,” Archer grumbles.
“He won’t get anywhere near you,” I assure him.
“But he was already in my house,” he argues.
“Before we installed your security system and before I was assigned as your bodyguard,” I remind him.
“But he’s now been stalking both of us and somehow knows about our relationship, all while neither of us knew he was even there. How is this happening to us?” His voice breaks, and tears well in his eyes, so I pull him into my arms to comfort him.
“We’re going to find him, and I will never let him hurt you,” I promise, praying it doesn’t turn into a lie.
When things start to escalate with stalkers, they can get sloppy but even more dangerous. My entire team needs to be on high alert now. I refuse to let a hair on Archer’s head be touched by this psycho.
“I’m ready to go to bed now,” Archer states in a quiet and defeated tone that has my heart breaking for him.
“That’s enough for tonight anyway. Rip, can you give Nixon the CliffsNotes’ version of what’s happening and tell him I’ll give a full report in the morning?”
“On it,” he confirms. “You two get some rest.”
I grab Archer’s hand and pull him to our room at the back of the bus. It was nice of the band to allow us to share the large bedroom. I guess in the past, they’ve used a bus with an office instead of a bedroom in the back since no one had a partner, but this time, they went with a more traditional style so Archer and I could sleep together.
“Can you hold me close tonight?” Archer requests after I’ve shut the door.
“Always,” I promise. “Are you okay?”
He shrugs and lets out a deep sigh. “I’m not sure. If I’m being honest, I am scared. I was kidding myself into not believing things were this serious. But now I can’t pretend it was just some isolated incident and not a real danger. I get it now and understand why you all have been so worried.”
Archer’s body almost curls in on itself while he talks. His arms are wrapped around his middle, fingers clenched tight, and fisting around his T-shirt as he looks at the floor.
Pausing to take a deep breath, he raises his eyes to mine before continuing. “I’m really glad you’re here with me, but I’m also upset that you’re being targeted now too.”
Tears stream down his face, and I pull him into my arms, kissing his cheek and squeezing him tighter to me. I pull back and cup his head in my large hands. Using my thumbs to swipe away the wetness that kills me to see, I meet his glistening eyes again.
“None of this is your fault,” I remind him with a firm tone, leaving no room for arguments. “Whoever this asshole is, they are unhinged. No matter if we were in a relationship or not, I bet this person would feel threatened that I’m around you so much. He might not even know I’m your boyfriend. We’ve done a very good job of keeping our distance in public. He’s only saying what he’s thinking. He doesn’t have any proof.”
“It still sucks,” he complains quietly into my neck. “And here I was thinking about asking you to make our relationship public, but that probably isn’t a good idea now, is it?”
“It actually might be the best idea,” I counter. “Yes, it will piss off your stalker, but it has the possibility of getting him to act, and that would mean getting him arrested sooner rather than later.”
“Isn’t that dangerous, though?” he questions, leaning back slightly but still holding onto me tightly.
“Yes,” I reply, refusing to lie to him. “But we’d have a plan in place, and we have an amazing team with us. I’ll talk to Nixon about it in the morning. In the meantime, let’s get some rest.”
We both step away from each other to undress and shut off he lights. The second we are under the covers, Archer is in my arms, clinging to me like I’m his lifeline. It breaks my heart that he’s going through this. Dealing with stressful and dangerous situations is my job, so I’m used to it, but Archer isn’t and shouldn’t have to be. No one deserves to have someone invade their privacy like this.
I run my hand up and down my man’s spine, praying we’ll be able to devise a plan to catch this guy so he stops playing mind games with Archer.
I refuse to let my man get hurt, and I will do anything to ensure his safety.
Chapter Twenty
Archer
The blaring of an alarm wakes me from my restless sleep, and I pull the blankets over my head, praying for another hour of rest. To say I slept like shit last night would be an understatement.
Obviously, I was completely aware I had a stalker and there was a possibility they would try to get at me during the tour, but I attempted to push it to the side of my mind, not letting it get to me. Unfortunately, the gift last night makes it all too real. Before, it was just an idea, and I had foolishly convinced myself that the stalker would move on. But now it’s clear they haven’t, and I’m more than a little freaking out.
“Do we have to get up now?” I grumble as Bennett tries to slip out of bed.
“You can stay and rest, but I need call Nixon. I forgot to put my alarm on vibrate so it wouldn’t wake you,” he tells me, and I pout, which Bennett kisses. It almost makes everything better. Almost. “I’ll be back soon. You try and go back to sleep.”
I snuggle into the blankets as Bennett gets dressed, then slips out the door, leaving me alone. The room is still dark and quiet except for the gentle sound of the bus traveling down the highway. You’d think it would be perfect for sleeping, and it typically is, but I can’t seem to close my eyes.
Being by myself right now feels wrong, so I slink out of bed, pull on a pair of sweats and a comfy sweater, and make my way toward the main living area.
“Would you like some coffee?” Aria asks with bags under her eyes. I guess she didn’t sleep well, either.
Nodding, I plop myself beside Bennett, leaning my head against his shoulder.
“Would you like me to put the call on speaker?” he checks with me.
I lift a shoulder. “Might be easier,” I reply, then a giant yawn slips past my lips, and I slap my hand over my mouth. “I’m gonna need a nap at some point today.”
Bennett kisses my forehead before calling Nixon on speaker. As we wait, I cuddle into his side, needing to be close to him right now.
“Good morning,” Nixon answers after a couple of rings.
“Morning,” Bennett replies. “I’ve got you on speaker. Archer and Aria are with me.”
“Rip still sleeping?” Nixon asks.
“Yup, I figured I should let him get all the sleep he can get as things seem to be going crazy around here,” Bennett notes.
“Yeah, it sounds like it. You make sure you get lots of rest too,” Nixon tells him.
“I’ll do my best,” Bennett mumbles, but I’m not sure I believe he’s going to take a break on his own, so I make a mental note to drag him to bed with me after this call is done. I’m not sure I’ll be able to actually sleep without him, so it’s for both our benefits.
“Is there anything we can do for you here?” Nixon asks after a brief silence.
“I’m not too sure yet, but I’ve been toying with the idea of pissing the stalker off deliberately,” Bennett states.
My brows pull together, still hating the idea, but Nixon chuckles as if the idea doesn’t sound insane, or maybe Bennett is known for crazy plans.
“And how exactly were you planning to do that?” Nixon questions, and there isn’t any anger in his tone. It’s more amusement, the exact opposite of how I feel.
“Right now, all the stalker is showing are images of Archer and me in public. We don’t know that he’s actually aware of our relationship. There’s the possibility he’s only assuming right now. If we officially announce our relationship to the public, it could make him go off the deep end. There’s also a strong chance he’ll try something radical, but we would be ready and waiting,” Bennett explains.
The line goes quiet briefly, giving us all a little time to think about what Bennett just said. My skin crawls at the idea of Bennett being more of a target because of me, but by how confident he sounds, I don’t think there will be any way to deter him.
“Are you ready to make your relationship public?” Nixon eventually asks.
“I was thinking about it all day yesterday before the gift. I’m pretty sure I am, if Archer is,” Bennett says, causing my heart to race.
“I was thinking about it too. I’m ready if you are,” I assure him, and a giant smile spreads across my handsome man’s face, filling my chest with warmth, almost alleviating my anxiety around the idea of goading the stalker. “But only if it’s safe. I refuse to put either of us in extra danger if there is another way to do things.”
“Honestly, I don’t see the risk being that much greater,” Nixon states. “You have a fantastic team with you, and the stalker is already talking about seeing you in person again soon. If the announcement does trigger him, he won’t be as calculated in his actions, and it will give our team an advantage.”
“I can get our PR team on a call in the next half an hour if this is what we want to do,” Aria suggests.
“I’m on board with this plan if both of you are as well,” Nixon tells us.
“I’m in,” Bennett replies, looking into my eyes with an intensity that almost makes me dizzy.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, putting my faith in my man and his team. If everyone is positive this is a good idea, who am I to say no? My eyelids flutter, and I smile at the man who already means the world to me. “Let’s do this.”
Bennett leans in to kiss me, and I melt into him. I wish we were alone so I could deepen the kiss, but we aren’t, and there is too much to do right now. Maybe later we’ll get some alone time. At least we’ll be staying in a hotel tonight.
“Would you like to be included in the call with the PR team?” Bennett checks with Nixon after breaking the kiss.
“I have another meeting this morning, but please fill me in on the plan once it’s decided. I trust your judgment, especially in a situation like this,” Nixon states.
After we say our goodbyes, Aria is immediately on her phone planning our next meeting.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I ask Bennett quietly, more nerves curling deep in my gut. “You know it’s going to be chaos once the public finds out about us.”
Bennett beams at me as he looks deeply into my eyes with an expression that instantly puts me at ease. How is it possible that just one look can ease almost all my worries?
“I’m well aware that it’s going to be chaotic, but I’m prepared,” he assures me. “Not being able to touch you in fear of someone seeing is driving me crazy. Yes, I had originally wanted to keep things on the down-low for longer, but I’m over that now. And if us letting the public in on our relationship doubles as a step in catching your stalker, then that’s just a bonus.”
The corners of my lips turn up, but right as I’m about to kiss my handsome man, Aria clears her throat.
“Enough with the fuck-me eyes,” she scolds, and Bennett chuckles. “Hillary is getting everyone together. We’ll have a conference call in about fifteen minutes to come up with the best plan of action. I’m going to brush my teeth and put on another pot of coffee. Do you want to have the call out here or in your room for more privacy?”
