Chapter 18

 

Levi

 

“Michaels.”

“Hey Trent.  I got your message from earlier, but Elle insisted on spending the entire day sunbathing.  You said it could wait, so I figured I’d wait until we came back to the suite for her to get ready so I could talk.  What’s happening?”

“Hey, Levi.  Yeah, as it turns out, our stalker is only slightly more than a bit jealous of your woman.”

Fucking wonderful.

“How so?”

Trent laughed.  “Considering you’ve been in ninety percent of the posts Elle has made lately, I’m surprised you didn’t just expect this.  On the bright side, Becky is playing right into our hand.”

I was growing frustrated. “What is she doing now?” I asked, my patience gone.

“Elle’s been doing a great job with showing just how great life has been lately.  Between the road trips and the live session with you to the fun and games last night on the Las Vegas Strip and even the live session with you, Dom, and Reynolds roughly an hour ago, Becky is livid that Elle is happy.  The posts on all of Becky’s social media accounts are her taking shots at Elle.”

I found this surprising.  Putting herself out there directly like that didn’t make sense to me.  “Wait, she’s calling out Elle directly?”

Trent went on to explain, “No.  Unless someone managed to make the connection between Becky Blunt and Elle Blackman, it wouldn’t seem obvious to the average person.  Knowing what we know, it couldn’t be more obvious.  She never uses Elle’s name, but I’d like to think she’s expecting Elle will see this at some point.  Essentially, after the road trip to San Francisco and all the festivities that Elle posted about from your night on the town last night, Becky ended up posting something today about people who lived life disorganized and chaotic.  She also made statements about people who thought they deserved to have it all and how they’ll trample over everyone else to get it.”

I took a minute to process what Trent was saying.  Elle wouldn’t take lightly to this.  She was successful, but she worked hard for that success.  Trampling on people was not something Elle could or would do.  She was kind and generous.  She cared about people and she adored her fans.  Despite how much she loved singing, she would never purposely set out to hurt someone to accomplish her goals and realize her dreams.  I also didn’t like what hearing this meant from an investigative standpoint, but I wouldn’t make any assumptions or bring that part of it on Elle until I was certain.

“Elle’s going to be hurt hearing this,” I told Trent.

“It’s not even the worst of it, boss.”

Damn it.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, had I spoken to you earlier it would have been the worst.  Now that it’s been roughly an hour since Elle went live with you and the guys, Becky’s jealousy is skyrocketing.  It probably would have been enough for Elle to show she was hanging with the three of you, but then she went on to talk about what each of you has done for her and how there’s something to all of you beyond just your looks.  Becky just posted a direct response to Elle’s live session.”

Trent paused a moment.  He knew he had to tell me what was said, but I’m sure knowing whatever it was made it not such an easy task. 

I gave him some time, but when he didn’t say anything I lost my patience.  “Just say it, Michaels.  I get it, but whatever it is I’m sure I’ll need as much time as I can get to figure out how to give this all to my woman.”

“Be alert the next two nights, Levi.  This psychopath is calling Elle’s character into question.  She’s making mention of people who act like whores.  I’m convinced she’s jealous that Elle’s surround by a bunch of men who would lay down their lives to protect her.  The fact that those men are good looking, according to Elle and ninety-nine percent of her followers, is adding fuel to Becky’s fire.  She actually said, and I quote, hopefully promiscuous acts won’t lead to devastating consequences that someone’s asking for.”

“Are you fuckin’ telling me that this bitch is hinting at Elle being sexually assaulted or raped?”

Trent let out a sigh. 

“I wouldn’t put it past her.  To be safe, don’t let Elle outside of arm’s length of you or any of the guys at any point in time.”

“Jesus Christ,” I bit out.  “Can you give Dom and Pierce a briefing?  I don’t want to have repeat this shit a second time.  It’ll be bad enough having to tell Elle, let alone needing to have her listen in while I tell them about it.”

“You’ve got it.  Anything else?”

“Is Cruz around?”

“Yeah,” he started.  “Want me to transfer you?”

“Please,” I responded.  “Thanks, Michaels.  Keep watching those accounts.”

“Will do.  Hang tight.”

I waited while Trent transferred me through to Cruz. 

“Levi?” Cruz’s voice filtered through the phone. 

“Yeah,” I responded.  “Just got the update on our stalker from Trent and figured I’d check in with you on everything else.”

Cruz laughed.

“Considering you already know we’ve got shit under control here, I’m guessing you aren’t really looking to check in on anything else.  You need perspective right now, don’t you?”

That was the truth.  And, fuck, was I grateful Cruz knew it.

“I’m trying to keep my shit together right now while my girl is in the bathroom getting all dolled up for her show tonight.  She’s going to walk out any minute now, looking beautiful, and I’ve got to break this news to her.  How the fuck do I tell her that this bitch is making threats about sexual assault and rape?  Who thinks like that?  And a woman no less…” I trailed off.

“Jealousy and obsession, bro.  Jealousy is something we can all understand, but when the jealousy leads you to obsess over someone, that’s where it crosses lines.  You aren’t going to be able to understand it because it’s fucked-up logic.”

“Elle doesn’t take well to this stuff.  She completely loses her mind and goes off on a tirade.  I don’t want her worked up before the show.  Maybe I should wait to talk to her about it until the show.”

“That’s not a good idea,” my brother started.  “I know you will be on high alert now with this news, but shit happens sometimes.  If tonight happens to be one of those nights, you need to make sure Elle understands there is a much more serious threat than someone simply stalking her and copying her every move.  Don’t let her be blindsided by it.  And if she finds out after something happens that you knew and didn’t tell her, how’s that going to be for you?”

“Damn it.”

I heard the bathroom door open and knew my conversation with Cruz was over now.  I needed to tell Elle what Trent found and make sure she knew I’d do everything in my power to keep her safe. 

“Alright, Cruz.  Elle just walked out of the bathroom.  I’ve got to go.”

“Ok.  Do what you’ve got to do and protect her.  I’m looking forward to having another sister-in-law.”

Fuck.

My gut tightened. 

Elle. 

As my wife. 

An image of her dressed as a bride flashed in my mind and I instantly felt the tension leave my body.  I had to laugh.  The words I said to her a couple weeks ago were ringing true.  When we went to tell her brother about what was happening with her and the fact that Elle and I were looking to pursue something between the two of us, I told her to make sure Charley was there.  I explained how there’s nothing like having a good woman there for you when you’re dealing with something that makes you feel frustrated or angry.  Unfortunately, I thought it’d be particularly selfish of me to expect she could help me deal with the anger and frustration I felt with this situation when she was the one who would likely need someone there to talk her down.

“A bit early for that, don’t you think?” I retorted, not wanting to admit the truth to Cruz about what I felt for Elle.

“She’s it for you.  I can see it.  The rest of the team sees it. Why would you waste time?”

“The rest of the team hasn’t even met her.  What are you talking about?”

Cruz burst out laughing now.

“Bro, she’s done how many live sessions on social media.  Trent’s tracking that shit.  You don’t think we’ve all watched it?”

Fuck.

I kept quiet.

“Not only does your silence tell me everything I need to know, but I’m not blind.  You’re gone for her, Levi.”

“Yeah,” I admitted.

“She’s good for you,” he encouraged me.  “Perfect, in fact.  It’s quick, yeah, but don’t waste too much time and make sure you lock it down with her.”

“Let me worry about this situation first.”

“Yeah. Ok.  Go talk to your woman.  We’ll see you Sunday.”

“Later,” I said as I disconnected the call.

I dropped the phone to the table in front of me and stared at it.

The door from the bedroom into the living room opened and, without looking, I knew Elle walked in.  She immediately sensed something wasn’t right.  Instead of getting my attention by simply asking about it, Elle walked over and stood in front of me.

She didn’t say anything. 

My eyes left the table, traveled from her boots up her tanned, sexy legs to her cut-off shorts.  They continued their ascent up her torso, to her slender and exposed neck until, finally, they found her face and those beautiful fucking eyes.  At the moment, those eyes were worried. 

I leaned back on the couch and held my hand out to her.  She placed her hand in mine and climbed into my lap. 

Elle sat there silently, letting me hold her.  I kept one hand resting on her bare thigh while the other ran up her back, into her hair, and stopped at the back of her head. 

“You look beautiful,” I shared.

She gave me a small smile before she spoke.  “Thank you.”

I searched her face, looking for something.  To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was looking for indication from her that it was ok to give her the news now or if I was simply searching her face to make sure I committed to memory the way she looked.

Elle’s hand wrapped around the back of my neck and into my hair.  Her eyes went from worrying to silently pleading.

“I talked to Trent, sunshine,” I began, not wanting to keep it from her any longer.  “I need to talk to you about something.”

“Ok,” she said softly. 

“It’s not good and I need you to know that I will do whatever I’ve got to do to make sure you stay safe and this doesn’t touch you.”

“Tell me, love.”

“She doesn’t like you, Elle.  Her jealousy has gone to another level.  There’s no doubt this is a sick obsession.  Unfortunately, the fixation is now at a point where it’s no longer just online.”

She grew tense in my lap. 

“Is everyone ok?  Are Wes and Charley alright? What about my parents?  Leah?”

Trample people?  Elle wasn’t even concerned about her safety in this moment.  She was worried that something had happened to the people she loved.

“They are all safe,” I reassured her.  “It’s you, El.”

Her brows furrowed.

“What do you mean?”

I took in a deep breath and let it out.  Then, I told her.  I explained that someone had taken this thing to a level that was beyond unacceptable.  She learned that Becky wanted to see physical, sexual, and emotional trauma come her way. 

At first, Elle looked terrified.  As I continued to talk and enlighten her on everything Trent found, she no longer looked terrified.  She looked angry.  Fuming, in fact. 

“Are you kidding me?” she screeched.

“I wish I were.”

“So, this bitch is the one that’s obsessed with me to the point I need to fear for my safety and hire a security team.  I realize I didn’t actually hire you, but that’s not the point right now.  All I’m saying is that she is the reason I even have not just you, but also Dom and Pierce around right now.  Knowing that, she has the audacity to call me a whore and basically say that I deserve to be sexually violated?!”

“Elle, it’s fucked.  I know.  I debated on whether to even tell you this now because I didn’t want you upset before your show.  Of course, I’d never hide anything from you, but thought it might be better to wait.  I talked to Cruz and he thought it’d be better for me to tell you now.  He was right; I don’t want you blindsided with this should anyone attempt to get to you tonight.”

Elle’s body went rigid.

“They aren’t going to touch you, sweetness,” I assured her.  “I’m with you the entire night.  Even when you are on stage, you won’t be more than a few feet away from me.  We’ve got Dom and Pierce with us, too.  Trust me, Elle.  We will keep you safe.”

“I trust you, Levi.  I know you won’t let anything happen to me.  I’m just over this whole situation.  I don’t understand what someone could possibly be getting out of it.  I didn’t understand it when it was just the social media stuff.  Now?  Being held at knifepoint and nearly kidnapped to realizing that someone wants to see me raped is a whole other level of crazy.  I don’t care how much I dislike someone; I could never wish harm like that on anyone.  Friend or foe.”

“That’s because you are who you are, El.  It’s like Cruz just said to me a few minutes ago.  This isn’t likely to be something we’ll ever be able to fully understand because we don’t work like this.  We will find her, but locating someone’s whereabouts is completely different than understanding their logic, particularly when it’s crazy logic.  You need to be prepared for that.  I know I’ve said it a few times now, but you might not get an answer as to why she’s doing this.”

Elle let out a frustrated sigh.

“I love you,” I shared as I squeezed her thigh. 

She leaned into me and pressed her body into my chest, her face nuzzled in my neck.

“I want this to end, Levi,” she shared, her frustration evident. 

I’d give anything to take this away from her.

“I know, sunshine.  I do, too.  We’re working on it.  I promise you, we’ll put an end to this.  It’s just going to take some time.”

Elle stayed silent a bit before she spoke again. 

“I love you, too.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door. 

“Dom and Pierce,” I informed her.  “Are you ready to go?”

She nodded. 

“Ok, wait here while I get the door.”

I shifted Elle out of my lap and stood.  Before walking to the door, I used my thumb and tipped up her chin. 

I pressed a soft kiss to her lips and instantly regretted it.  My regret had nothing to do with not enjoying the kiss and everything to do with the fact that Elle’s lips tasted of coconut and I had Dom and Pierce waiting outside the door.

Fuck.

Shit.

Damn.

Reluctantly, I pulled away and walked to the door.  I opened the door, took one look at their faces, and knew they had spoken to Trent.

“Is she alright?” Pierce asked.

I shook my head as I let them in.  “Not really, but she’s managing as well as you could expect considering the circumstances.”

They acknowledged my response with chin lifts and walked into the suite.  When they entered the living room area, they saw Elle sitting on the couch.

I hated seeing her like this.

Frustrated and unhappy. 

She looked up from her lap as we entered the room and moved to get up from the couch. 

“I’m just going to grab my bag and we can leave.”

Elle walked into the bedroom.  Pierce and Dom gave me concerned looks.

When Elle came back into the room a minute later, she had a look of determination on her face. 

“Ok, boys.  Ready?”

We nodded at her. 

“Don’t let me get violated tonight.”

“Elle,” Dom called. 

When her eyes went to him, he continued, “That’s not fuckin’ happening.  Not tonight, and not ever.  Do not joke about that shit.”

She held his eyes and, with her voice deadpan, she said, “I wasn’t joking.”

“We’ve got you covered, rock star,” Pierce chimed in.  “You’ll go there tonight, do your thing, and be back here in a couple hours safe and sound.”

“I know.  I trust you three to keep me safe.  That said, when we get back to Wyoming, Dom, I want to start training with you immediately.”

“Sure,” he agreed.

“I mean it,” she persisted.  “I’m not going to be a victim.”

“You won’t be.  We’ll train when we get back, babe.”

Elle nodded at him.  “Thank you.” 

Pierce turned to me.

“We’ll go ahead of you.  We met with the owner of the venue earlier today.  Cool guy.  He understands a bit of what we’re dealing with and is willing to accommodate us in any way we need.  As soon as we get there, I’ll make sure he knows the threat is heightened.  He’ll give us what we need to be certain Elle stays safe.”

“Thanks, Pierce,” I responded.  “We’re coming right behind you.  See you in a few.”

With that, the guys let themselves out and I walked to Elle.  I put my arms around her and held her a minute.

“I can’t wait to get home, Levi,” she sighed.

“I know.”

“I feel like I could deal with this so much better if I was home.  The constant traveling, not having any of my family or friends around, and having to live in constant fear of whether she’s going to do something is starting to take its toll on me.  Right now, you are the only thing I’ve got that’s keeping me from completely breaking down.”

Fuck, I wanted to find this bitch and stop this shit.  My girl was strong, but she was beginning to crumble. 

“Sunshine,” I started.  “For the next two nights, I’ll be what you need to me be and then some if I can help make this easier for you to deal with.”

“I feel like I’m suffocating, Levi.  I’m genuinely trying to act like it doesn’t bother me and just go about my business, but the reality is that it does bother me.  I can’t just shut that feeling off.  It’s so consuming, it’s like I can’t breathe right now.  I want to be able to breathe again.”

“I’m with you, Elle.  When I’m with you, you breathe easy.”

“I’m trying.”

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  Elle pulled her face back to look up at me. 

“It’s easier to breathe when you love me,” she admitted.

My gut twisted as I gave her a warm look. 

“Then let’s get you to your show so I can get you back here and give you all the love you need to breathe easy for at least the next day.”

“I think I need lots of love, Levi.”

“I’ll make sure you get it, sweetness.”

“Thank you for being so good to me.”

“It’s easy, Elle.  You’re so easy to love…especially when you taste like coconut.”

She beamed up at me. 

That smile with those sparkling bedroom eyes. 

“You like it?”   

“Number three,” I admitted.

Confusion washed over her face. 

“Grape is still in the lead, watermelon is a very close second.  Coconut is number three,” I explained.

I could see her mind working a minute, so I left her to it.

“Ok,” she finally piped up.  “Take me to my show, keep me safe, and bring me back here as quickly as possible so you can give me lots of love.”

With that request, I took my woman to her show.

I kept her safe.

Then, I brought her back and gave her a lot of love.