doesn’t happen again,” he said and proceeded to keep my mouth occupied for the next several hours.
22
I’d just pulled my jeans over my ass when Frankie burst into our room without warning. “Okay, Sloane, this shit’s getting freaky! A breakfast tray was delivered to my room, and there was a tray of fruit with Brat’s name on it! And I bet there’s a tray for you and one for Bronze sitting outside of your door right now.”
Sloane started to move toward the door. “No fucking way,” I insisted and quickly moved in front of her to open the door myself. Sure enough, two breakfast trays were waiting for us right outside the door.
“One of you needs to start talking and tell me what the fuck’s going on.”
Sloane kept her mouth shut, but Frankie spoke up loud and clear. “I’m sorry, Sloane, but I’m telling him. He’s more than capable of protecting you if he knows,” Frankie said and turned to me. “She’s being bullied online, and we think she has a stalker.”
“We don’t know either one of those for sure, particularly the online stuff,” she argued.
I turned to Sloane, shocked that she hadn’t mentioned anything to me. Instead of focusing on that, I went into work mode and started grilling her for answers.
From what I could get out of both girls, a few of Sloane’s social media accounts had been shut down for various reasons that weren’t explained by the administrators. Shortly after that began, she started receiving unexpected gifts. Most of the gifts arrived at events, but at least two had been delivered to her mother’s estate. Fortunately, none of the surprises were anything other than what they outwardly appeared to be—a nice gift.
I rubbed my chin, just like all the other men in my family, and grinned as I carefully chose my words. “I know someone who can help you with the online issue if you’re interested. Actually, I know a few people who can help with this one,” I said and paused. “You should’ve said something about your stalker to someone way before now. I’m not necessarily saying me, because we didn’t know each other that well then, but you could’ve and should’ve told your father or your brothers. In the meantime, I’ll act as your security detail for this event, and then we’ll make sure you’ll have personal security at all of your future events.”
“Um, not that I disagree with your plan, but I’d appreciate it if you’d include me on decisions that affect, well, me,” she said firmly.
“It’s not in my nature to pose things as a question. Doesn’t mean what I say is the law. You can say no, or disagree, like you just did,” I explained.
“Are you hearing this shit?” she asked Frankie. “Is that not the most alpha thing you’ve ever heard? ‘It’s not in my nature to pose things as a question.’”
Frankie giggled. “It’s definitely up there in the top ten.”
“Ladies,” I said and redirected the conversation. “We need to focus on Sloane’s security. Since we don’t have time to arrange shit, the best plan I’ve got is to keep you by my side at all times.”
“I don’t have a problem with that,” Sloane practically purred.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. Do not eat the breakfast from the unknown trays and finish getting ready. We’ll get food on the way. I’ll call the organizer and tell her we need another spot at your table. I can explain why and have her sign an NDA when we get there. And I just sent a text to see if the pig sitter can come early. There. We have a plan. Move it or lose it,” she said and snapped her fingers before disappearing into her room.
“I really don’t think it’s anything to worry about,” Sloane explained as she continued to get ready for the day. “We don’t have any proof that the gifts were from the same person. The only thing they’ve all had in common is that there’s never a note.” She paused before adding, “Correction. Two things in common—no note and no return address.”
“It is something to worry about. There's a reason people don't sign their names to gifts, and more often than not, it's not for a good reason."
“But none of the gifts were harmful or anything bad,” she argued.
“Yet,” I said and turned to face her. “Are you checked in under your name?”
“No, the rooms are in an alias my family frequently uses. Why?”
“Is that something that’s widely