Shadowed by the two huge man mountains assigned to protect me, and with the real estate agent hovering discretely in the background, I cast a critical eye about the brand new furnished penthouse apartment that was situated in a block of high security luxury units. After my bodyguards had taken one look at my LA home, they insisted that I move straight away. They advised the move because they felt my house was too much of a security risk, vulnerable to unwanted surveillance and they felt I shouldn't expose myself in this way to the stalker. So reluctantly I agreed to rent my house out and find a suitable apartment. In the long run I knew I would eventually sell my house. I would probably never feel comfortable there ever again, it would always hold the association of that terrible night for me. And both Gideon and James were relieved that I had agreed, although I didn't really need any persuading, I could see the sense of their reasoning, which amused Kevin no end at my unexpected docility. I'm sure he expected a fair bit of resistance from me at their suggestion, and knowing how intractable I could be, I surprised myself as well.
Gideon was a tall, well built African American, who was an ex navy seal. He had a serious, intense face, till he smiled or laughed. His stern features belied his good nature, which was just as well, if they had to shadow my every move, I wanted someone I could get on with. James was equally tall and sandy haired, with arm muscles that looked like tree trunks. Both men made Kevin look small built. James was soft spoken, quiet but underneath his quietness, lay a will of iron. It was James who was vehement that we find an apartment, he was horrified how exposed my house was to any incursion. Having examined every nook and cranny in the apartment, I turned to them both. 'Well what do you both think? After all you two will be living here indefinitely as well.'
'Jacqueline' Gideon smiled showing a mouthful of gleaming teeth, he against my will insisted on calling me by my given name and I gave up trying to persuade him otherwise. 'This looks the best of what we have seen, it fits all your needs. Security wise, it fits the bill. I say take it.' His deep voice seemed to rumble in his chest.
'James?' I inquired with a raise eyebrow. He nodded, his taciturn face broke into a grin. 'Yeah this is just what you want, I agree with Gideon, take it.'
'Ok it's done, I'll take it.' I said with a relieved sigh as I turned to the real estate agent. 'Ok pick your bedrooms, Kevin and I will have that one in the middle, you two can fight it out for the ones on either side. That will leave one bedroom spare for a guestroom. So I guess this leaves arranging the lease.'
'I'll look after all the details for you Ms Ryecroft.' He said 'You only need to sign'
James loomed threateningly over the agent. 'You will of course respect our client's confidentiality. Secrecy and security is of the upmost importance.'
'Um yeah, I've got that, digitalised and memorised up here.' The agent pointed to his head. 'I am a professional, and I resent you implying otherwise.'
'Just doing my job.' James said unrepentantly. 'Make sure you remember yours.'
The agent swallowed at James veiled threat, he tugged at the collar of his shirt as he gulped. 'Yeah ok I will, umm Ms Ryecroft, the lease is drawn up and ready to go. I understand your need to move into this apartment as soon as possible, and we will fast track this so you and your husband can move take possession of the apartment. Would tomorrow suit you?'
I looked at Gideon and James and they nodded. 'Ok that's fine, thank god it's furnished, can you imagine trying to move and make a movie at the same time? Kevin will need the patience of a saint to put up with me.'
Gideon laughed. 'Well, after ten phone calls in the last two hours from Kevin you're showing saint like qualities yourself.'
I smiled at them both, then as I stared out of the window. I lost myself in my thoughts. Kevin was out of town with the guys, and he had rung me constantly, wanting to make sure things were running smoothly? How was the apartment hunting going? Was I ok? I was rather touched at his concern and worry. He didn't want to leave me, but after a quick, short, sharp, fiery argument, where we both had shown our true potential in the verbal stakes, we declared a truce. I stressed that we still needed to live our lives as best we could, otherwise if we didn't, that in itself was a victory for the stalker. And I wasn't conceding the stalker any victory without a fight. Besides Kevin couldn't babysit me indefinitely as much as his company was both welcome and a source of delightful torture for me. But I did miss him dreadfully, I had grown accustomed to him being around. What was that old song from My Fair Lady ? I've grown accustomed to your face. I guess I had, I thought ruefully to myself. I missed his smile, I missed his sudden laugh, and how his eyes crinkled up and shone brightly as they narrowed with mirth. I missed his tidiness to my tendency for upheaval and chaos as I trailed my belonging about the house. I really missed his stable influence in my life, and the fact that I had come to rely on his always being there, whether he only offered comfort and support. But really, I missed him because I just loved him. And the thought of not having him in my life forever was something at the moment I wasn't prepared to deal with. In this I was being true to my personality, the future would take care of itself. One crisis was enough to have to deal with at the moment.
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The shadowy figure stood still, gazing pensively at a still from the movie shoot. He reached out a hand and slowly trailed a finger across the face portrayed there. He closed his eyes, and his breath came unevenly through his thin lips as he expelled it through his teeth in a sibilant hiss. Closing his eyes he sighed, things were getting desperate, he needed to think and think fast. They had sought to take his love away from him and they had indeed made life difficult for him with this new apartment. Taking a step back, he gazed around him. There she was, all about him. Pictures of his love covered every available space. Pictures from magazines, pictures from his camera lens, photos together with that husband of hers. Here he bared his teeth in an animal like snarl, at first he thought this marriage had been a publicity stunt, she was renown for her wild, reckless behaviour. But the more he watched his love, the more she concerned and worried him. She seemed to show an obvious affection for this pretty boy singer she married on a whim. He noticed these things if others did not. He saw the light of love soften in her eyes as she gazed upon this man. He saw how she unconsciously relied on him and how protective of her this pretty boy was. They obviously had some sort of bond between them, biting his lip he pondered this development and a jealous wave overwhelmed his body, causing a pain so terrible that he doubled over. Letting out a scream of anguish that echoed about the room, he ripped a photo of them both from the wall. Screwing it up in his hands, and tearing it into a thousand tiny pieces, this action didn't ease the knifelike pain in his heart. The shredded bits of the photo tumbled from his fingers and scattered about his feet. Raising his hands to his face he groaned. He needed to make her love him. He needed to act before she found herself in too deep with this husband of hers. Running his hands through his hair, he paced about the room trampling over the twisted remains of the photograph, grinding them with his boots into the carpet. 'Think. Think. Think.' He told himself over and over. Then his head snapped up and his ice blue eyes hardened. 'Yes, yes.' He whispered 'It might work. Yes it just might. Then she'll be mine once and for all.'
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I sat the computer and clicked the mouse button. Reading the e- mail from Sue brought a smile to my face. Letting out a loud whoop of pleasure, I made enough noise that I brought Kevin's head poking around the door. 'Happy about something Jax?'
I turned nodding, a smile wreathed all over my face. 'Yeah sure am, very happy.'
At his raised eyebrow of inquiry I added. 'It's from Sue. She'll be back in time for the Halloween party. They are ahead with their shooting schedule, and she wraps up tomorrow. She'll be in LA in three days time. It seems like forever since we've seen one another. Us three girls will be together for the first time in months.'
Kevin grinned, pulled up a chair and sat at the desk across from me placing a pile of sheet music he'd been working with on the desk. 'That'll make Brian a bit more pleasant to be around. He's not been in the sweetest of moods the last few days.'
'Oh that's because they had a fight the other day.' I grinned at him as I leaned back in my chair watching him.
'Oh did they, how did you know that?' He leaned back in his chair, stretching his long legs out as he studied me from under those heavy black eyebrows that added so much character to his face.
'Because Sue told me. I hear you Kentuckians are the most stubborn men. She warned me about you both. It's those chins of yours. They have stubborn written all over them.' I teased him making his thin lips curl into a grin and his green eyes twinkle as I reached out and tweaked his chin. 'Seems they were talking on the phone. Brian was lonely and I think moaned a bit too much. Sue being stuck working with a difficult director and being fed up lost patience, end result, one spat'
Kevin smiled and pushed a lock of his hair that had fallen across his face behind his ear. 'Arh so that's why he's been like a bear with a sore head. He even snapped at Nick yesterday. You should have seen the look of shock on Nick's face. It didn't stop Nick from winding him up more though.' The thought of Nick goading Brian made me smile, he was such fun, but he had this habit of seizing on your weak spots and teasing mercilessly.
'Oh they made up last night. Seems Brian sent the most beautiful yellow roses as an apology and a peace offering and all is forgiven.'
'Yellow roses huh? Good thinking on my cousin's part. You know I don't know what your favourite flower is, what is it by the way?'
'Why planning to argue with me?' I teased, but saw he was seriously wanted to know. He leaned in close cupping his chin in his hand as he rested his elbow on the desk, and his eyes had a sudden intensity about them, His hand sneaked across the desk and took hold of mine and he absently played with my fingers.
'Well better to be safe than sorry, could be some self preservation involved.' He flashed me that quick grin of his and my heart flipped both from that killer smile and the effect his fingers were having on my hand. 'I've been on the receiving end of your temper.'
'I hear you're pretty good in the temper department yourself Mr Richardson.' I answered trying to ignore the tingling sensations that were burning in my hand and arm.
He leaned in closer his face was only inches from mine. 'So who's been telling tales out of school.' Our gazes locked and I flicked my tongue over my lips nervously. I felt my body flush with heat as he continued to hold my eyes prisoner. 'Umm Aj…. Aj told me.' I stammered out.
'I thought so.' He lowered his mouth to mine, caressing my lips so achingly slowly that I feared my heart had stopped. My arms somehow found their way about his neck as I gave into temptation to play with his long fine hair, delighting in it's smooth silken feeling between my fingers. Kevin deepened the kiss as he held my head close, all conscious thought was driven from my mind as I gave myself up to his embrace and the wonderful magic his lips made me feel as they cast their spell and drew me in.
A rap at the study door splintered the mood. 'Hey Jacqueline, James and I have finished doing the daily check of…. Oops sorry guys, I didn't mean to intrude. I'm so sorry, so sorry. Um…I'm going now..' Gideon stammered backing out of the room acutely embarrassed. Kevin groaned and sighed and then rested his forehead against mine. He trailed a finger lightly along my nose. 'I think I'm fated to be disturbed whenever I kiss you.' He pulled away and looked at me with a wry smile. 'One day I won't be.' He cryptically promised. 'One day I'll finish what I start. I better go make sure Gideon is ok.' He looked frustratingly amused. Flicking my cheek with a finger he stood up swinging his long frame out of the chair and he made for the door. As he reached it he swung about on heel and said with that sideways grin of his. 'You still never told me what your favourite flower is?'
Still recovering my breath, I stammered out. 'Um it's daisies Kevin.. Daisies are my favourite flower.' His grin widened and he winked at me, cheekily blowing me a kiss as he left the room.
Shaking my head at him, I tried to concentrate on reading the rest of my mail, but I found my thoughts drifting off to a certain pair of beguiling green eyes that belonged in a chiselled handsome face. I gave up, there would be no concentrating this morning. Shutting the computer down, I decided to go help Kevin reassure Gideon. It would be my revenge for his persistence in calling me Jacqueline I thought with a smile. Then I would drag them all off for our final costume fitting for the halloween party. I was looking forward to this. After the dramas lately, to be able to relax with friends and have some fun was what I needed.