Cole

 

Three days later, and I was ready to punch something.

Or someone.

Fucking Sebastian.

I heard his conversation with Evangeline the other day, and it took an act of iron will to not haul off and kick his ass right then and there. But I decided to be the bigger person. To let it go. Besides, it wasn’t like he had said anything I hadn’t already suspected.

That didn’t make it hurt any less to actually hear it out loud.

But now? Honestly, I didn’t even know why I was here since Seb had been sticking to Evangeline like glue. He claimed he was hanging around to be helpful. He was watching over Evangeline so I could focus on what was going on around the set and get a good look at the list of potential suspects Malcolm and I had finally come up with.

Right.

I believed that as much as I believed in the tooth fairy. Seb was sticking around to make sure I wasn’t getting too close to Evangeline or sneaking into her bed.

And believe me, it was a daily battle not to.

The woman was pure temptation. She didn’t even have to do anything more than look at me, and I was hard as a rock and ready to throw her over my shoulder and take her to bed.

Which was why I didn’t look at her when Sebastian was anywhere nearby. He’d catch that look in a heartbeat, and then I’d have to deal with his bullshit.

Or should I say more of his bullshit.

One of the great things about starting the agency with the guys was that we were all independent. I mean, we were partners, but we all worked alone. Sure we’d conference call and occasionally call in to get advice, but for the most part, we each worked our own cases.

Until now.

And it was pretty damn insulting.

The whole reason for my being forced to take this case rather than Sebastian in the first place was because of the conflict of interest angle. Well, what the hell happened to that? Now all of a sudden there was no conflict for him?

Bullshit.

I got it. I wasn’t good enough for someone like Evangeline. I came from the wrong side of the tracks. I had a criminal history. I’d been homeless, and I almost killed my own father.

And I killed my best friend.

So yeah, I got it. I could see where Sebastian was coming from. To a point. Over the past two years that we’d been doing this, I had to sit back and listen to him, Levi, and Declan talk about how they had gotten involved with clients, and to be honest, none of those were appropriate hookups.

For crying out loud, Harper was Gavin’s sister! That alone should have stopped Levi in his tracks. The fact that her life was in danger should have sealed the deal on him keeping his distance. But did he? No.

Ali was a suspect on Sebastian’s case. A suspect! For all any of us knew, she was some lunatic who was aiming to kill the guy who had essentially ruined her father’s life. Yeah, like that was a smart hookup. That had Fatal Attraction written all over it.

And Declan? Well, that was just stupid. Don’t get me wrong, I thought Kristin was amazing. She was incredibly sweet, and her daughter was cute as hell. But Declan was having a hard enough time keeping his head above water teaching the first grade, and he went and started banging one of his students’ moms? What the hell?

The point was, out of the three of them, we all should have been looking out for Harper out of respect for Gavin, and we didn’t. Sure, we were all shocked at how Levi was chasing after her, and we razzed the shit out of him on more than one occasion, but none of us stepped in to stop him.

So why me?

Which was exactly what was playing on a constant loop in my head to the point of madness. Evangeline was shooting a scene on location in a grimy downtown park—which was hell to keep secure—and Sebastian was standing right out of camera range. Next to him were two of Malcolm’s guys and the director’s assistants—Matt and Janelle. Matt was on the top of my list right now because the guy practically salivated when he got within ten feet of Evangeline.

And then there was yesterday’s incident.

I still couldn’t believe we didn’t just haul the kid’s ass in and consider ourselves done. Evangeline was shooting a scene, and Seb and Malcolm were both standing watch. I wanted some time to do a little research on some of the names we were narrowed down to. Matt was sitting off by himself—right across from Evangeline’s trailer.

And if that wasn’t suspicious enough, he was reading. Not that reading was anything to get crazy about, but he was reading a book on animal anatomy.

That piqued my curiosity.

“What are you reading, Matt?” I asked mildly as I approached, but my expression definitely gave away how I was feeling.

The kid looked about ready to wet himself. He scrambled to his feet and held the book behind his back. “Oh… um… I’m… I’m taking some classes at the community college. I… I want to be a veterinarian.”

My gaze narrowed, and I stepped in closer. “This is kind of an odd career choice for someone looking to be a pet doctor.”

He looked down at his shoes. “Yeah… well… this kind of work is easy for me. I only recently decided to look into veterinary school.”

“Can I see the book?”

Matt’s eyes were wide when he looked up at me. “See it?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Can I see it? I often wondered about how vets learn all about different animals.” I held out my hand and waited. “I’m sure someone who goes through any kind of medical school would have to have a pretty strong stomach. They’d have to cut open animals and deal with blood and guts just like they would with humans.”

Matt paled. “I… I suppose.”

“Have you ever?”

“Ever what?”

“Cut open an animal?”

Now he was a little green. “N-no. Like I said, I… I just started taking the classes and…”

I heard the director yell “Cut!” and before I could say another word, Matt excused himself and ran off toward the set.

Malcolm’s only job was to keep an eye on the kid.

There wasn’t much going on today for the movie other than this scene, so I knew I could take a few minutes to step away and make a call. I gave my surroundings a final look and walked away to the trailer Malcolm had been using. It was half the size of the one Evangeline has, but it would do.

“Hey, man. What’s up? Everything going okay?” Levi asked as soon as he answered the phone.

“Yeah. It’s fucking great,” I murmured.

“Christ,” he sighed. “Now what?”

“I want you to tell Seb to leave.”

Silence.

“Levi?”

“I heard you. Okay, tell me why.”

“I resent the fact that he’s here. I was forced to take this case because he was busy, it was a conflict of interest… and everyone trusted me. Well… clearly none of that’s the case anymore because he won’t leave. I can’t do my fucking job because he’s constantly looking over my shoulder and questioning my every move.”

“I’m sure it’s not…”

“It is.” I interrupted. “I’m serious, Levi. I’m tired of this shit. I don’t interfere on anyone else’s cases. I don’t step on anyone’s toes, and I certainly don’t go around treating you all like a pack of morons or say anything when you’re sleeping with someone involved in a case or—”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Levi snapped. “You slept with Evangeline?”

Shit. “Not the point, Levi. I’m just saying it’s time for Sebastian to leave, or I’m leaving. The two of us aren’t needed here. If he thinks he can do a better job and find this psycho, then more power to him. I’ll gladly step down. Hell, I’ll gladly step down from the company too since I’m clearly too incompetent to do my job.”

“Okay, hold on. You’re getting ahead of yourself here and not making any sense. You want to quit the company? Since when?”

Yeah, since when? “It’s just obvious I’m the weak link here. If it weren’t for the Marines, I wouldn’t be friends with any of you guys. I’m not like you. And I’m tired of being made to feel like I don’t measure up.”

“And you came to this conclusion all because Sebastian is helping with a friend?” he asked flatly.

“Partly. I’ve known it for a long time. I just think it might be best for everyone if Seb just officially took over here, and once we go to DC and hear the findings on Gavin, I just go out on my own.”

He made a noncommittal sound, and then I heard the baby crying in the background. For a minute Levi must have put the phone down because I heard him talking softly to Harper before coming back on the line. “Sorry about that.”

“Not a big deal.”

“Um… here’s the thing. No.”

“What? What do you mean ‘no’?”

“I think you need to get your panties out of their knot and quit pouting. No one thinks you’re incompetent, and no one thinks they’re better than you. And that shit about us not being friends if it weren’t for the Marines is bullshit. I think you’re using some sort of reverse snobbery here, and you know what? Now I’m insulted. How do you like that?”

“Seriously? That’s your theory?”

“It’s no more ridiculous than yours,” Levi countered.

“Just… just get him to leave. If you truly trust me… if all of you trust me… then get him to leave.”

“Cole, seriously man, his being there is more out of some sort of misplaced sense of obligation to his family. It’s not about you. It’s about—”

“Then I’m done,” I snapped. “I’m… I’m just done, Levi. There’s my offer. Take it or leave it, but if Sebastian stays, I’m leaving. He can work with Malcolm. We finally have a decent list of suspects, and he can just take over.”

“Dammit! You’re not being reasonable! This is business, Cole. You can’t take this shit personally. You just need to…”

“Did any of us come and check up on you when you were protecting Harper?”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“I’m just saying… she’s Gavin’s sister. We all knew her. Her life was in danger too. Did we all come around and set up camp in your living room and make sure you were doing your job and keeping your hands to yourself?”

“Is that really what this is all about? You’re pissed because Sebastian is cock-blocking you?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Are you sure that you know what you’re talking about anymore?” Levi stopped and sighed loudly. “Look, if you want Sebastian gone, I’ll make the call.”

“Thank you.”

“Under one condition.”

“Motherfucker,” I hissed under my breath.

“There’s no more talk of you leaving the company. We’re friends, Cole. More than that. We’re brothers. All of us. Got it?”

My chest tightened. How many times had we all said that to one another when we were deployed and missing our families, our friends, our lives back home? “Yeah,” I said quietly. “I got it.”

“Okay then. Good.” He paused. “And for the record, Cole? I get what you’re saying. Back when it was me and Harper? It was wrong for me to sleep with her while she was under my protection.” He gave a small chuckle. “The only problem was that it was completely out of my control. I couldn’t deny my feelings for her. And if you or Seb or Declan had stepped in and tried to interfere? Well, I probably would have put up one hell of a fight. Sort of like what you’re doing now.”

“Look, it’s not just about sleeping with Evangeline.”

Levi chuckled again. “You keep telling yourself that. Yeah, Seb’s there when he said he wouldn’t or couldn’t be. But the reality is that he could be a real help to the case.”

“All he’s doing is standing guard. He’s not talking to anyone—except Evangeline—and he’s not helping me or Malcolm with squat.”

“Ah, so he really is just there to cock-block you,” he said and laughed again. “I’ll make the call, Cole. You’ve got my word on that. But do us both a favor?”

“What?”

“If you’re just looking to get laid to pass the time, find someone else to do it with, and stop complicating this case.”

“I’m not—”

“But if you’re really into her,” Levi continued, ignoring my words, “then explain that to Sebastian so he can leave with a clear conscience. Please. Can you do that?”

“Can you guarantee he’s not going to come at me like I’m some low-life degenerate who isn’t good enough to lay a hand on his friend?”

Another laugh. “I’m not sure I can guarantee that, but I’ll see what I can do.”

He hung up before I could argue with him any further.

***

“Dude! What the hell?”

I looked up from the notes I was making while Malcolm and I went over the events of the day to find Sebastian angrily staring down at me. “Problem?”

Malcolm nervously looked between the two of us and quickly made an excuse and walked out.

“Yeah, problem,” Sebastian said snidely. “You called Levi? You threatened to quit if I didn’t leave? Seriously? What is your fucking problem?”

“You!” I snapped as I stood up and kicked my chair out from behind me and came around the table at him. “You’re my problem! I thought that was obvious!”

“Why? I’m here, and I’m trying to help! Why is that a bad thing all of a sudden?”

“If you wanted to handle the case, why didn’t you from the beginning? You gave me that whole line of bullshit that you were going away with Ali, it’s a conflict of interest, and now all of a sudden, you’re free as a bird! We’ve never worked as partners on any case before—none of us! —and suddenly here you are. Well I’m tired of it. Either take over the case or leave!”

He glared at me long and hard, and for a minute I thought he was going to rear back and punch me.

Then I remembered who I was dealing with. Pretty-boy Sebastian didn’t do that sort of thing. It wasn’t dignified. Only white trash like me gets into fistfights I guess.

Sebastian sighed. “Can’t you understand where I’m coming from? We’re friends. Just like you and I are friends. If it was you who was in danger, I’d want to be there too.”

“You’re full of it. You know that, right?”

He looked at me quizzically. “What are you talking about?”

“You weren’t concerned enough to be here until you thought I was sleeping with her. Then all of a sudden your schedule cleared up. Tell me, is Ali okay with you being here, hovering around your movie-star friend?”

“Please, don’t try to use that sort of nonsense on me. Ali knows exactly who Eva is and what she is to me. She’s even met her a couple of times. Don’t try to plant the jealousy seed because it’s an embarrassment to us both.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Just answer one question for me, and then I swear I’ll never bring it up again.”

I had a sinking feeling in my gut that I knew what he was going to ask, but I simply nodded and waited.

“Do you really have feelings for her, or are you just fucking around?”

Man, I hated to have to have this conversation with him. And I hated that I was going to have to admit out loud to him something I was having trouble comprehending myself. I cleared my throat. “I’m not… I mean… she means something.”

Sebastian stared hard at me for a long time before giving me a curt nod.

I wasn’t sure what we were supposed to do just then—shake hands? Hug? I mean, it was only one question, and I gave a relatively short answer, but it felt like it all held a lot more weight than that.

“So,” he began, “are we good?”

Were we? I still didn’t want him here. I wanted him gone. I wanted to figure out who was stalking Evangeline so I could stop being her bodyguard. I wanted…

Her. I just wanted her.

He was still studying me—waiting for an answer. I was just about to reach out a hand to him when there was a scream and a loud crash from outside the trailer. We both cursed and bolted for the door. Malcolm went racing by, and it hit me—who the hell had been watching Evangeline?

Malcolm got to her trailer first, and Sebastian beat me by a few seconds, but by the time I stepped in the door, I was ready to kill. I scanned the room and saw that Malcolm was looking at some photos that were positioned on the makeshift kitchen table.

“What happened?” I asked, my voice gruff.

I expected someone to answer me. No, that wasn’t right. I expected Evangeline to come to me and answer me. But she didn’t. She took one look at Sebastian and burst into tears and then threw herself into his arms.

For a brief moment, the case was all but forgotten because the shock and rage I felt at seeing Evangeline in Sebastian’s arms nearly blinded me. Never in my life had I felt this… this… jealous. I never get close to anyone—not even my friends—and yet somehow in a matter of weeks, Evangeline had become so important to me, so vital, that I was actually contemplating killing one of my best friends because he was comforting her.

Mentally I shook myself out of my stupor and walked over to Malcolm. “What have we got?” He motioned to the photos. All of them were of Evangeline—all of them taken off the set. There were even a few taken at Sebastian’s family estate when we were coming and going. All taken with a high-powered camera lens.

And all had various threats written on them in red marker.

“This just got worse, didn’t it?” Malcolm asked, and I nodded. He lowered his voice as he pulled me farther away from where Seb and Evangeline were still standing. “This means all our decoys and changing how and where we drive isn’t working, Cole. Whoever this is has got to be here on the set. Someone closer than we’ve thought.”

Suddenly I remembered Evangeline mentioning how she thought Malcolm had been acting odd. I studied him hard for a long moment—until he visibly started to squirm under my scrutiny.

“What? What are you thinking?”

My emotions were too close to the surface, and I said exactly what I was thinking. “I think it’s you.”

“What?” he hissed. “Are you fucking kidding me? Why? Why would you even think that?”

“What do you expect me to think?” I backed him into a corner but kept my voice low. “You and I are the only ones who have constant access to her. Hell, we don’t even tell most of your team what we have planned. So since it’s not me—because this shit started long before I ever got here—that only leaves you, Malcolm.”

His eyes grew wide for a second before he shoved me—hard—and came at me. “You arrogant son of a bitch. Do you even hear yourself?”

I wanted to fight. Hell, nothing would give me more pleasure than to unleash all the rage I had in me on Malcolm right here, right now. I looked over my shoulder toward Sebastian. “Get her out of here. Now.” My tone left no room for argument, and I was glad that he simply complied and led her out of the trailer.

Then I turned my attention back to Malcolm. “Yeah. I hear myself, and I can’t believe we’re even going to have this conversation. And yet… here we are.”

“Cole, I’m telling you… it’s not me. I swear,” Malcolm said, his voice earnest and sincere. “I don’t care if you believe me or not, but I’m telling you, it’s not me!”

“Then explain this! Explain how it’s possible that you’re the only one who could have known where we were in all these pictures!”

He looked like he was about to argue, but then his posture became defeated. “I… I can’t. I wish to hell that I could, Cole. I’ve been with Evangeline for so long… Why would you think I’d want to scare her? I spend my life trying to protect her!”

“Maybe you’re trying to prove that you’re actually needed. Maybe guarding a former teen idol was getting boring for you. You’ve gotten lazy. Maybe you heard a rumor that you were going to be replaced, and you needed to do something to show that you could still do something around here.”

His eyes narrowed at me. “You know, I’m getting a little tired of you putting me down all the damn time. I have done everything you’ve asked me to do—even more—and yet you still talk to me like I’m some sort of rent-a-cop!”

“Prove me wrong,” I snapped. “Seriously, dude, fucking prove me wrong! If you didn’t take these pictures, who did?”

“Isn’t that your job?” he asked snidely.

I saw red. I was trembling from head to toe with the need to just pound him into the pavement, so I took my shot. I reached out and swung, and my fist hit what felt like concrete in his jaw. He immediately swung back, and before I knew it, furniture was flying and we were on the ground.

“What the fuck!” Sebastian yelled as he came back into the room. He ran over and pulled Malcolm and I apart. “That’s enough! This is not helping anything!” He shoved Malcolm in one direction and me in another.

“Where’s Evangeline?” I demanded.

“She’s in Pete’s office with Cali. I’ve got a guard stationed right outside the door. No one is allowed in or out unless I tell him.”

Fucking great. Now Sebastian was in control.

My jaw and my ribs hurt like hell, and I could feel some swelling near my eye. Just what I needed on top of everything else.

“What were you two thinking?” Sebastian asked, looking between us.

“I think Malcolm is our stalker,” I said.

“What?” Sebastian looked at me like I was crazy. “Why?”

I gave him my theory, and for a minute there, I thought he was going to back me up. Then he turned to Malcolm. “Did you do this?”

“No.”

“Then prove it,” Seb said.

“How? How the hell am I supposed to do that?”

“You’re suspended. You and you’re entire team. I want you all off the set until this case is solved. As soon as it is, you’ll be back as Evangeline’s bodyguard—if she wants you to—but until then, you and your guys collect your things, get off the set, and stay away from it until either Cole or I call you. If I see even one of your guys snooping around, I’ll have all of you arrested for harassment. Do I make myself clear?”

I wanted to throw my two cents in, but basically, Seb had nailed it. It was exactly what I would do—had I been thinking clearly. I looked over at Malcolm, expecting some kind of argument from him, but he simply nodded and began collecting his things. He pulled a business card out of his wallet and handed it to Sebastian.

And then he was gone.

When the door closed and it was just the two of us, Sebastian studied me. Hard. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” I rubbed my jaw a little. “I really… I thought it was him. Evangeline mentioned how weird he’d been acting and…”

“I know. She mentioned that once I got her out of here.”

“Is she all right?”

He shook his head. “No. She’s asking for you.”

I froze. “Why?”

He chuckled softly. “Hell if I know. Look, I want you to go and be with her. I’m going to work on getting a new team out here ASAP. Once they’re all in place, I’ll meet up with you back at the house. I’ll also make sure to beef up security there too.”

“I can do something, you know,” I said defensively.

Seb said wearily. “I think you’re wound up right now, and maybe you need a little time to cool off.”

“Whatever,” I muttered.

“Now what? What the hell have I done now?”

I turned to leave, but then without looking over my shoulder, I said, “She went to you first.”

“What?”

“You. When we all came in here to see what happened, she went to you.”

“So?”

I paused and felt more than a little deflated. “Never mind.”

I walked out of the trailer and made my way to where Evangeline was. But the scene continued to play out in my head. There were three of us there with her, and she chose to go to Sebastian. Didn’t that really say it all? Here I was tormenting myself and agonizing over the fact that I wanted her—needed her—so damn much, but at the end of the day, she was no different than anyone else. I was beneath her. I was always going to be beneath her.

I wasn’t good enough.

Not as a lover.

Not as a bodyguard.

I arrived at the trailer and saw the guard on his phone. “Yes, sir. He just got here,” he said. “Okay. Thanks.” He placed his phone back in his pocket. “Mr. Maxwell said you can go in.”

Like the cherry on a fucking sundae. Yippy for me. Seb said I can do my job.

Rather than be a dick to the guard, I nodded and walked up the steps and let myself in. Evangeline and Cali were sitting on the sofa. Evangeline’s head was on Cali’s shoulder. I knew instantly that she was still shaking.

Lifting her head, Evangeline looked at me and gasped. “Oh my God! What happened? Did you… did you catch him? The person who took the pictures?”

I shook my head and looked at Cali. “You can go. I’m going to take her back to the house.”

“Are you sure?” Cali asked. “Isn’t there someplace else you can go?”

“It’s still the safest place for now,” I said, my voice flat and emotionless. She finally stood and wished us both a goodnight before leaving.

“I don’t know if I can go back there,” Evangeline said quietly. “I mean, whoever this is, they know where I am.”

I nodded. “But they won’t get in. Sebastian is bringing in more security, and Malcolm’s entire team is being replaced.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s none of your concern,” I said firmly. “Let’s go.”

“But—”

“Now, Clementine,” I added snarkily.

Her eyes narrowed at me as she stood up. “We’re back to that?”

“We never should have left it.” Then I called Seb to find out where the car was and had the guard walk with us to escort her there.

The drive back was spent in silence. Well, she was silent. I was on the phone with Sebastian and then Levi and Declan to go over who the new team was that was coming in and what high-tech devices we were finally going to bring in to plant around the set. The movie studio and the director were not on board with us putting up surveillance equipment in the beginning. They thought it would somehow leak to the media, and they didn’t want any scenes getting out.

They were singing a different tune now.

By the time we’d arrived back at the house, I was pretty sure Evangeline was a little more relaxed, but I was still on edge. We went inside, and I secured every room and made sure every window was covered.

“We’re clear,” I said to her when I was done.

“Cole… I… I wanted to… I need…”

“Go to bed, Angelina,” I murmured. “Just… go.”

“Can’t we at least talk? I mean, this is my life we’re dealing with. I have the right to know what’s going on!”

She had a point, but at the moment, I was all talked out. “You heard me on the phone while we were driving here. What more do you want?”

“How about a little kindness? A little sympathy?”

“Sorry, princess. I’m fresh out of that crap.” I stalked to the kitchen and began to make myself a sandwich. I knew she followed me in, but I was serious. I didn’t want to talk, and sympathy was the last thing on my mind.

I didn’t offer to make her something to eat. I didn’t pour her a drink when I got one for myself. I acted as if I was in the room completely by myself.

Yeah, I was a piece of crap. What else is new?

“Why are you being like this?” she finally asked, her voice cracking with emotion.

“Just here to do my job, Your Highness. That’s all.” I put all the food away and turned and gave her a mock salute. “Sebastian will be here later. I’m sure you’ll wait up for him.” I grabbed my plate and glass and left the room.

It was too much to hope that she’d just let me go. I was halfway to my room when she called my name. I stopped, but I didn’t turn around.

“What am I supposed to do?” she asked quietly.

“Go to your room. Grab a sandwich. Hell, watch some TV. You’re safe in here. No one’s getting in. Just don’t open the curtains or the blinds.” And then I continued to walk away.

“Aren’t you supposed to stay with me?”

“I’m entitled to a fucking break,” I snapped. And then I was done listening. I was done talking.

I was done caring.

As soon as I got to my room, I stepped in and slammed the door.

And cursed Evangeline to hell for making me feel like this.