Chapter 10

Teddy

One week. Those two words acted as my mantra all day because, for some reason, my focus was shot. Last minute wedding planning for Kip and Gillian, plus another new couple who wanted a midnight Elvis wedding in two weeks wasn’t a lot for me. Yet, as I left the office with several assistants still making calls and picking up items for this weekend’s wedding, all I wanted to do was go home and pass out.

I was searching in my tote for my car key and I heard, “Teddy! Teddy, we need to talk.” Gillian Frye was tottering up the sidewalk in stilettos she could barely walk in, wearing skintight jeans and an adorable pink crop top that made her look at least a decade younger than her twenty-five years.

“What about, Gillian?” Though based on the scowl she wore and the way her hands fisted at her hips, I could guess.

“Kip. I know you’re sleeping with him and I want you to stop.” I opened my mouth to tell the fool how wrong she was, but a hot pink nail pointed at me before I could. “I don’t care that you used to be somebody or that you’re still hot, I want it to end or I will end you.”

I could’ve eviscerated her with just one sentence, but that would be like kicking a newborn puppy. So, I decided to be mature. “First of all, I don’t sleep with other women’s men. Period. It’s too much drama and I’ve yet to meet a man worth it. Second, you need to talk to Kip. He’s been hitting on me for weeks and I shot him down. I don’t fuck around with pretty boys.”

She sucked in a breath, skin flushed an ugly shade of red. “I don’t believe you.”

“And I don’t care, but it’s the truth. Look Gillian, you seem like a nice girl so I’m going to give you some advice. Kip is young and newly rich and if you really want this to work, not just for the cameras but for real, you need to speak up. Men need to be handled so if you’re not happy with his behavior, let him know. I don’t want him, believe me, but one of these women out here will and they’ll have no problem with the fact that someone else is wearing his ring.”

It was more than I wanted to say, but she seemed like a girl out of her depth with the Hollywood game. If she didn’t toughen up, she’d end up being one of those sad reality starlet stories.

“I followed him, Teddy. I saw him come here early in the morning. Without any cameras, and Kip will barely take a shit without a crew in the house. I believe you, but I also believe what I see.” She pointed from her eyes to mine for emphasis and I shook my head in disbelief. Shit. Could she really be as naïve as she looked?

“I’ll tell you, Gillian. But if I hear one word of this on your show or in any kind of press, I’ll use my money and whatever star power I have left to ruin you both. Got it?”

Green eyes went wide with shock, she nodded quickly and a long ponytail bobbed behind her. “I swear.”

I took a deep breath and let it out. “Someone has been leaving, let’s call them gifts, outside my house. The first time it was Kip, so when the others appeared, I assumed it was him. Incorrectly, it turns out, but the police showed up at your house and he got scared. Worried and wanted to talk without the cameras. That’s it.”

“Oh my god, Teddy! Are you all right?” Her eyes were even bigger now, like the queen’s emeralds, and I really hoped she didn’t get chewed up and spit out in this industry. “I’m so sorry this is happening to you.”

“Yeah, me too. But whoever it is doesn’t seem to be targeting my office, so your wedding will go off without a hitch. I promise.” She opened her mouth to protest and I held up a hand to stop her. “No, Gillian. Don’t worry about this or me. Just pamper yourself so you’re beautiful and blissed out on your wedding day. I’ll take care of the rest.”

How I ended up comforting her, I had no clue. But it was all part of the job.

“Thank you again, Teddy. And I’m sorry for the accusations.”

I grinned. “I respect you more for coming to me. Just keep that shit up, okay?”

She nodded, squeezed me in a hug I didn’t ask for but accepted, because I wasn’t a complete asshole, and tottered back off to her sleek little sports car. She’d come without her entourage, which was a testament to how worried she was about Kip and how genuine her feelings were for him.

With that distraction out of the way, I jumped into my car and put on some NWA to clear my mind on the drive home. Between that knockout sex with Tate, which I still wasn’t ready to even think about, let alone talk about, and the stress of this stalker, gangsta rap was the only thing that could help me. And I didn’t give a damn who watched me rap along, complete with hand gestures, because that was just how bad I needed to lose myself in the music.

My love of rap music was the only thing that had followed me from foster care to fashion and all the way out to Vegas. By the time I pulled into my driveway, I felt about ten percent more relaxed than when I left the office, and considering the past few weeks, that was a win.

Until I got to my door and saw a sight that finally had me worried. The last two gifts had taken on a different tone than the first six or so. The photo was a clear threat, but what faced me now, as I dialed 911, was as overt as a threat could get. A giant blue dildo with a knife through the center hung on my door, both of them on top of a photo, I assumed of me. “Die Bitch” was written in red paint on my door but it looked like the blood it was meant to resemble.

I did as the 911 operator instructed and went to sit in my car while I waited for the police. A tap on the window startled me and I realized I should’ve been paying better attention. Just because this weirdo hadn’t shown his face yet, didn’t mean he wouldn’t.

I smiled. “Mrs. Welliver, how are you?”

She wore a frown, but I could see her concern and I stepped out of the car to talk to my neighbor.

“Honey, I’m worried. What’s going on?”

“I wish I knew. Someone, it seems, doesn’t like me all that much.” Not that it was a surprise, I didn’t do much to endear myself to anyone but my clients, but this was something else. “You should probably get back inside before the police come.”

She was at least seventy years old, but as active as a woman half her age. Still, I didn’t want her caught up in this.

“I’m packing, sweetheart, don’t you worry about me,” she lifted her denim jacket to show the handle of a gun.

“I want to be like you when I grow up, Mrs. Welliver.”

She winked. “I’ll go have a seat in my rocking chair but send one of them over when they arrive. Make it a cute one too.”

I was amazed that Mrs. Welliver could get me to smile after what I’d just seen, but the old woman was a character. And apparently a meddler because I turned around just as Jana slammed on her brakes and jumped from her car. She practically ran to me with Max following at a more reasonable pace behind her.

“Oh my god, Teddy! What’s going on?” Jana flung her arms around me and squeezed tight and I looked at myself in the passenger window of my car, wondering if there was a sign on me that said I needed hugs. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine Jana.” I did my best to keep my voice even and calm. Didn’t want to upset the pregnant lady. “I just got home from work and found it,” I told her and pointed to the door. “911 said to stay here.”

Max grabbed Jana’s arm to stop her forward momentum and she glared at him. “They need to see if the asshole left any evidence, babe,” he explained. “So they can catch him.”

I had to give Max credit for daring to talk to Jana in such a reasonable tone when she was so wound up.

“Fine,” she snapped, not sounding fine at all. “What is it?”

I sucked in a deep breath, closed my eyes and explained what I saw. “The knife through the dildo was jarring, but the ‘die bitch’ really got to me.”

“This ain’t funny,” Max said in a low, lethal growl. “You’ll come stay with us until this mess is settled.”

I turned and glared at Max. It was my best glare, the one that could freeze a set of balls in less than three seconds, but Max was a bona fide badass and he didn’t scare easily. “And put my pregnant best friend in harm’s way? Yeah, I don’t think so buddy.”

I walked off before he could say more, heading off to greet the first uniformed officer who had just arrived. He asked questions and I answered them with more attitude than was necessary, but they hadn’t taken me seriously at all over the past month. “I’m sorry ma’am, but we are taking it seriously now.”

“Better late than before this psycho kills me,” I muttered, forever a smartass. But when the forensic team finally arrived, dusting for fingerprints and bagging everything, I felt my knees buckle. It wasn’t just a dildo-knife through a photo of me. It was a recent photo from a write up in Las Vegas Magazine, and my eyes were slashed out, my throat sliced from ear to ear and several holes in the Armani blazer I had on. To me, they looked like bullet holes, but the officer claimed they couldn’t be sure yet.

Right.

“Can you think of anyone who would do this?”

Shaking my head, I shrugged. “No. I haven’t been in the spotlight for years and I keep a pretty low profile. I’m not dating anyone and I work for myself. Honestly, officer, I am at a loss.”

He nodded and walked away, and hours later when the sun finally set I was free to go. Where I would go would be a nice hotel suite with a big tub and kickass security.

Max and Jana still waited by my car. “I told you fools to go home hours ago. I appreciate you staying but one of you needs to rest.”

“And what about you, Teddy?” Max’s voice was angry and irritated. “Where will you go?”

“I appreciate your concern Max, but they have these things called hotels that let you stay there for a small fee each night. And they always have rooms available.” Arms crossed, I gave him a defiant grin and waited for his response.

“Well that’s all fine and well,” began a familiar voice behind me. “But I have an available room and no fee.”

I turned with a half-smile. “Thank you for the offer, Tate. But I’m going to have to pass.”

He stepped closer and placed his hands on my shoulders. “I’m not asking.”

“Good, then I won’t feel bad about saying no.” I stared at him, his gray eyes matching my blue ones in intensity, dogged determination and plain old stubbornness. I didn’t want to give in, but I knew I would. Eventually.

His mouth curled up into a smile that sent me reeling. My body heated up and my skin tingled at the predatory look in his eyes. “Good. Then I won’t feel bad for tossing you over my shoulder and carrying you.”

Damn. I must be sick in the head, because just the thought of that is hot as fuck.

***

Nothing helps shove a trauma down deep like getting fucked within an inch of your life. At least, that was what I always said. And last night when I got back to Tate’s, or Max’s place — or whoever’s house it was — Tate had been happy to oblige my need to forget. To just fuck for the sake of fucking.

And good Lord that man knew how to be a proper distraction.

The man groaned behind me, his grip on my stomach and my breast tightening. “You’ve been up for like one minute and already you’re overthinking every damn thing.”

I laughed at that. “How do you know I was even thinking, never mind overthinking? I could have simply been...reliving.”

His teeth sank into the tendons between my neck and shoulder, his morning wood nudging insistently between my thighs. “Why relive in your mind when I’m right here?”

Why indeed? There was no need to answer him, not when he gripped my ass and spread my cheeks, slowly sinking into me from behind. I was drenched already, pulsing and aching for him as he slid slow and deep at first, but it was too good and my orgasm didn’t seem to give a damn if Tate was close or not. He apparently got the message, gripping my hips tighter with one hand and pushing my back into a deeper arch as he pounded, hard and fast, and so damn deep it made me tremble. My legs began to shake and my breaths were shallow, hard to inhale as he slammed into me again and again.

“Oh, shit Tate! Yes! Fuck me...yes!” I should’ve felt ashamed of how loud and enthusiastic I was, but damn that was some good dick and if I wasn’t careful, I might start jonesing for it. “Damn, that was better than coffee and vitamins in the morning.”

His deep laugh sounded, turning into a groan when I joined in, the move making me clutch around his still hard cock. “Good morning to you too, Cover Girl.”

I rolled my eyes at the name, but hell, I was used to it by now. “I should probably get up and check on my place.” Though the thought of going back there made me sick to my stomach. Even though feel-good sex hormones still coursed through my body, the image came back to me quickly. Someone really wanted to fuck me up and I released a long, shuddery breath at the thought.

“No, you’re not.”

“I am too, dammit.” I pushed off the bed but he grabbed me around the waist. “Let me go!”

“Just stop!” His words stopped me. I was ashamed as hell to admit it. “Max said they were planning on processing everything since there were some, uhm, things inside. Long story short, your place is off limits for a few days.”

“No! Goddammit, this isn’t happening.” His grip loosened, and I took the opening to get out of the damn bed and put some distance between us.

“I know Teddy, it’s shit. But there’s nothing we can do about it today. Now get your pretty little ass in the shower because I have a meeting at the club in an hour.”

I whirled around, not giving a damn about my nudity, though the look in his eyes as he took me in had me close to agreeing to do just about anything. Including hanging out at biker gang headquarters. “I don’t need to go with you, you’re a big boy Tate.” Very big.

He smirked like he could read my thoughts. “I’m in charge of keeping you safe, which means for the time being, you go where I go.”

His damn jaw was set in that determined clench that looked like it could crack marble and my shoulders fell. “Fine, whatever.” He chuckled as I marched away, laughing out right when I slammed the bathroom door behind me.

“Save me some hot water,” he called out, his voice still ringing with amusement.

With an evil smile I stepped into the mint green tub and turned on the shower spray before I called out, “Sorry, can’t hear you!” Being around Tate was fun and waking up with a big strong body wrapped around me was a new experience because I never stayed the night with a man. Sex was one thing—trust was something entirely different.

But, I had to trust Tate, at least for today, so I kept my comments to myself as we entered the converted airplane hangar he called their clubhouse. “Doesn’t look very clubby,” I told him. “Looks like a bar designed by boys. Boys with questionable taste, at that.”

“It serves its purpose,” he grunted back, fixing a fake ass smile on his handsome face. “You’ll be okay for a little while?”

I patted my laptop bag and nodded. “There’s always work to be done. Just show me where I can charge if I need to and give me the Wi-Fi info and I’m good.”

He flashed a bemused smirk and guided me to one of the small metal bistro tables near an outlet. It was far enough from the pre-party atmosphere so I could work undisturbed and that was good enough for me.

“Try and stay out of trouble, Cover Girl.”

“I make no promises, Golden Boy.” I watched his ass, snug in worn denim as he walked away. Tate was one fine man, and the fact that he stood up to help me, meant he was also a good man. I’d met so few of those in my life, it’d taken me until this moment to realize it.

But I had work to do. Fleshing out the final details for the upcoming wedding this weekend and making sure that everyone had the final schedule. With a big ass camera crew stomping around everywhere, I needed everyone to arrive at least thirty minutes earlier than scheduled and send out individual and mass emails to get my point across.

With that done, I turned to my file on Jana and Max’s wedding. Between the two of us, Tate and I had gotten a lot of information from the lovebirds and I decided on a surprise engagement party at the clubhouse. But before I could set a date, I made a note to talk to Tate.

“Hey beautiful, why are you over here all by yourself?” The voice was gruff and when I looked up, my eyes met a pair of sea green ones lit with charm and sex appeal. And youth, because he couldn’t have been more than twenty years old.

“Working while I wait for Tate.”

Shoulders slumped, he shook his head. “Damn, Golden Boy still has all the luck with the ladies. I’m Zig,” he said and held a hand out to me.

“Teddy,” I told him and took it, appreciating his strong handshake free of any smarminess. “Nice to meet you, Zig. What’s your role here?”

“A little of this and that. Mostly agriculture.”

“Interesting. Did you grow up on a farm?”

“Ohio,” he said with a mile-wide grin and held his arms out wide, showing off a wide chest and ripped arms filled with tattoos. “Born and raised. Though this gig is much better than mucking out stalls and stepping in pig shit.”

I laughed at that, appreciating his candor. “Much better product too?”

“Definitely. If you need anything Teddy, I’m on the bar for another few hours.”

“Thanks, Zig.” He was nice, just like the guys who worked the tattoo shop with Tate. Sure they were all big as shit, with big muscles and bodies covered in tattoos. The leather vests stating their identity only added to the badass persona they perpetrated, but so far they were all nice guys.

Charming, even.

But the women who draped themselves over tables, men playing cards and even the pool table at the center of the room. They wore pretty much the same outfit, same kind of skintight denim, black shoes and skimpy tops that showed off tons of cleavage, midriffs and plenty of tattooed arms. And each and every one of them had a dirty look for me, like I was some kind of threat.

That was fine with me. Women always treated me like I was some tramp out to steal their men, and nothing I said or did ever changed their minds. So I didn’t even try. I stood and stretched my stiff back before stepping outside. Head tilted toward the sun, a smile crept over my face, a genuine smile despite the shit show my life had become.

“Now that’s a smile I’d kill to have.”

I jumped at the voice, so close to me, yet I hadn’t even noticed anyone. That kind of awareness would do nothing to keep me alive. I turned at the sound of the voice to see a petite woman with hair so blonde it was practically white and cut in the most adorable pixie style. She had big green eyes that made her look like an anime character. “You can have the smile, it was as phony as a two dollar bill.”

She laughed. “Mandy. I’m just visiting, not here to steal anyone’s man.”

I laughed at her words and her hands up gesture. “A woman after my own heart. I’m Teddy and I’m only here because my babysitter made me come.”

She frowned. “So you’re not a Reckless Bitch?”

“A what? I’ve been called reckless and I’ve been called a bitch, but I didn’t realize there was a club.”

Mandy shook her head. “No, it’s what the club women are called. The ones who hang around and fuck the guys when they need it. They hook up hoping to become someone’s old lady.” She pulled a joint from her back pocket and sparked it up. “You look way too classy to be one of them. You have a kid with one?”

That pulled another laugh from me, a long hard laugh. “No. I’ve got a stalker. One of the guys inside,” I thumbed over my shoulder. “Tate? His brother is engaged to my best friend, which means Tate got stuck babysitting me until shit blows over.” I accepted the joint and took a long pull, letting the smoke filter through my veins until my body relaxed. “Thanks.” I handed it back to her. “What are you doing here?”

She sighed as shadows fell over her face, and that haunted look I knew so well dominated her delicate features. “I just got back to town about six months ago and took a job over at Knead,” she said, referring to the most coveted pastry shop in all of Vegas.

“Damn! I knew you looked familiar, but in the photo you looked more...mature. You’re the hottest damn chef in the city!” I didn’t fan girl over much, but Mandy was a big deal, and in my business, she was the holy fucking grail.

Her fair skin flushed prettily. “I will be, if I can keep my job.”

“Well I’m always looking for a skilled pastry chef. Do you do wedding cakes?”

“It’s been a few months, but in New York that was more than half of my work. Why?”

“I’m an event planner, mostly weddings, but this one is personal. I’d love a truly awesome wedding cake for my sister from another mister. Shit,” I patted my pockets. “My bag is inside, but please don’t leave without exchanging contact info.”

“I won’t,” she promised and handed me the joint again. “Tate, isn’t he the one who—" her eyes widened and I took a step back. “Sorry, but you’re Teddy Q, the model, right? My god, I was so obsessed with you back in the day. Your long legs and that ass wore jeans perfectly. Shit, I loved and hated you for those legs.”

“Well, they’re still long but one is damn near useless,” I told her.

She frowned. “What? They look fine to me, and I have to tell you that, yeah, right now I’m still kind of hating on your long legs.”

I laughed, not bothering to fill her in on the missing pieces of the story. “I’m used to it, but that still doesn’t tell me why you’re here.”

She rolled her eyes before answering. “Bossy. My brother was part of the club. He joined young because we needed money after our parents died. Anyway, he joined the military and...long story short, his friend Savior, that’s who I’m here to see.”

She seemed nervous and reluctant to talk and I respected her wishes. “I met him once, at the shooting range. Anyway, they’re in a meeting right now and the women in there have turned staring into an art form.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

I shrugged, suddenly feeling way too relaxed to worry about anything that I should be, like work, an increasingly unstable stalker and my vandalized house. “Women always hate me,” I blurted out.

“We treat each other worse than men ever could,” she said, totally commiserating with me.

“Amen, sister.”

The door pushed open, startling us both, but it was just Tate and his trademark smile. “I thought maybe you got antsy.”

“I did, but someone stole my keys.” I rolled my eyes and he laughed as he stepped out, the man they called Savior with him as both sets of eyes took in the blonde pixie.

“Mandy? Is that you?” The smile Savior had worn faltered, shifted into an uncomfortable glare. “What are you doing here?”

She flashed a shy smile. “I came to see you, Savior. I’d like to talk to you, if you have a minute.”

He gave a sharp nod and held the door open. She ducked inside and he followed with a somber expression his face. “Damn that was tense. Oh crap,” I remembered and ran inside, grabbing a card from my purse and pushing it into her hands. “Call me. Even if you just want to talk.”

“Thanks.”

“What was that about,” Tate asked with a frown.

“Business and girl talk. We done here?”

His nod was terse, and he grabbed my elbow, standing guard while I packed up my belongings and we went back out into the sunny Nevada day. “Everything go okay?” he asked, a little more protective than earlier.

I looked over my shoulder with approval. “Aside from all the bitchy, evil looks, everything went fine. Actually, I was thinking we could—” my words were cut off by Mrs. Welliver’s ring tone. “Mrs. Welliver, are you all right?”

“Honey, I’m sorry to tell you but someone set your house on fire.”

I felt my knees buckle.

“I’ve already called 911, dear, but I thought you’d want to know. I’m so sorry,” she said again.

“Thank you for letting me know, Mrs. Welliver. Stay safe, okay?”

“I will. See you soon, Teddy.”

I disconnected the call and stared into space to get my thoughts together. Whoever this was, whatever they had against me, it was getting worse. They had gone from small gifts and threatening words to destroying my house. But I couldn’t break down. I wouldn’t.

“Is everything okay?” Tate asked, breaking my concentration.

“No. Let’s go. Someone set the house on fire.”

“Shit.” He pulled my keys out, opened the passenger door so I could climb in, then he jogged around and jumped behind the wheel, burning rubber through the blacktop parking lot. He kept his foot on the gas until we turned onto my block to a sea of red and blue lights.

And my front yard and porch completely engulfed in flames.