Page 5 of Untouchable
His steely gaze narrows on me now, and I fight not to squirm and back down because I know that’s what he expects from me. “I can. But it’d be easier to keep you alive if this stalker didn’t have access to you.” I don’t contain the eyeroll this time, and anger flares in his eyes, as well as a warning, one that I just might regret later. “You don’t want to fight me on this, pup. You won’t win.”
“Excuse me?” I wonder what he means about that. Giving myself a mental slap, I can’t think that way. “This is my livelihood. I’m not abandoning the end of a successful event just because you want your job to be easier.” He’s been here only a few hours, and I’m already sick of bickering. “Where’s Porter? He’ll agree with me.”
His sensual lips curve up into a smile that screams devious intent, and I take a step back when he begins to advance, tossing the file folder on a table and moving around Ena, who watches us with amusement in her clever eyes.
“What are you doing?” I finally ask as he prowls closer. He’s a lion on the hunt, and I think I’m his prey.
“Excuse us a moment,” Braxton says to Ena as he reaches me. Scooping me up over his shoulder, I let out a shriek and smack his back as he carries me into the bedroom, closing the door gently behind us.
“Put me down, you giant!” I smack him again just before he tosses me onto the bed and follows me down, covering my body from head to toe with his hulking frame. “What are you doing?” I can feel the tremors working through my body as his eyes search my face.
“I left because you needed to grow up. You needed to find out who you were without another man suffocating you.” Biting my lip, I can tell there’s more. “You’ve done that. I’ve watched from afar as you’ve taken over the publishing industry with your stories, telling the world what happened to you and then giving us the life we deserved together.” Tears prick my eyes as I swallow around the lump in my throat.
“What’s your point, Braxton?” It can’t be what I think he’s saying.
“I’m not leaving, pup. You’re stuck with me. And if pissing you off to keep you safe in order to give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of is how I have to do it, then I fucking will.”
CHAPTER4
Braxton
Her energy is addicting. From what Ena has said, she begins each event feeling shy and a little timid, worried that each show will be a failure, but her readers are loyal. They push Joss outside of her comfort zone, and they connect. I can only imagine how she makes them feel because each one that comes up to her gets her undivided attention. For a few minutes, they are the center of her entire world.
“This is more serious than we thought, isn’t it?” Ena asks from beside me as Trusen opens the door of the bookstore for another reader as they leave.
“The escalation is concerning.” It started out with emails from an anonymous source that I was able to trace back to an internet café in Arkansas. The letters came from various states, but all held the same undertone of contemptuous admiration.
“Any ideas who it is?” She stares at me as I surveil the sea of women before me.
“Some.” I’m not ready to confide in the woman yet. Her background check came back clean, and she appears to genuinely care for Joss, but I won’t trust anyone so easily. “Is there any way to postpone any of these events?” I spare her a quick glance before stepping forward as an eager young woman rushes towards Joss.
My woman spears me with a scathing glare as she stands up to meet the reader with a warm hug and a familiarity I hadn’t expected. “That’s Rose York. She was one of Joss’ first supporters. She grew up in a cult as well. Nearly died giving birth when she was twelve. The baby didn’t make it, and she was forced to be a slave to the commune.”
“Jesus.” I still can’t get over what some of these sick religious zealots do to the young women under their care.
“So, you see why doing these signings is so important to her? Connection through face-to-face interactions makes her experiences real to them. They can relate more easily and gain the courage they need to push for a better life for themselves,” Ena explains, and she’s right; I understand it more now. Observing Jossilyn in her element and still trying to take it away from her isn’t how I’m going to win her over.
“I’m hiring more security for each event. Local vets in each city that have been vetted and come recommended.”
“You’re the expert, I just have the checkbook.” Ena grins as Joss and Rose speak animatedly with joyful tears in their eyes.
It goes on like this until a catered lunch is delivered to the bookstore and offered to everyone. More people come and go, and I grow antsy as I feel the prickle of eyes on me. When I see Joss stiffen, I know she senses it, too.
Discreetly stepping up to her, I grip her elbow and lift her to her feet. “Time for a break.” I can see in her eyes she wants to argue with me, but it’s also clear that she’s exhausted and needs a few minutes alone. “Ena, we’ll be back in ten.” The woman nods and begins refreshing the tables with more books, new pens, and stocking up on bookmarks as I escort Joss to the back.
As we enter the small office she was given, I grab a water and crack it open for her. She gulps half down in one drink. “Thank you.” Her gratitude is offered with a smile.
Sitting on the sofa against the wall, I pull her down into my lap. Her legs spread across my thighs, her hands on my chest, and I hold her close. “Did you feel someone watching you?” I’m sure she did, but I need to know how honest she’s going to be with me. I can’t keep her safe if she’s always hiding shit.
“Yes, but I thought it was you.” She wouldn’t be wrong in that assumption, but this time it wasn’t me.
“I know Ena and her publisher are going through a lot of your emails, messages, and social media to determine what you should and shouldn’t see, but does anyone stand out that you think would do this?” I’m curious where her head is at with this.
“If I had to guess…” She pauses, and I nod encouragingly. “Someone my father sent.” Her cheeks tinge pink with either shame or embarrassment or both.
“He’s in prison,” I state. As far as I know, hewillbe for another twenty years.
“He still has a reach. My mother sees him frequently. My older sisters, they’re still loyal to him.” I can hear the disheartenment in her tone. I don’t know everything that happened to Joss in that shithole, but I know enough to understand it left her with deep, wounding trauma.