Stoking the Fire (Salus Security #1) - Teodora Kostova Page 0,19

nothing left.

My heart is pounding, my palms are sweating, and my face is wet with tears. I start shivering, my brain not capable of forming a coherent thought.

“Jesus,” Alec mumbles and I lift my head to see him standing next to me.

He helps me up, turns the water on, and I splash my face. I feel marginally better, but when I look in the mirror, I barely recognize the guy staring back at me—eyes red and tired, cheeks hollowed out, skin pale.

When was the last time I ate?

“All right, we’re going home,” Alec says, circling an arm around my waist.

I don’t know how we make it home; it all seems like a blur. Alec undresses me and helps me into the bathroom, where he turns the water on in the shower and follows me inside. Gently, as if I’ll break, he washes my body and then my hair, massaging my scalp with his talented fingers.

“It’s not true,” I say. “What they said about Evie. And my parents. None of it is true.”

“I know,” he says, finishing rinsing my hair and turning me toward him. “You gotta stop, Zach. Your family will always be in the public eye, but you have control over what you read and how it affects you.” He’s looking at me with hard dark eyes, his lashes clumped with water. I look away. He brings my chin forward with a gentle finger until I meet his eyes again. “You need to seek help for your anxiety.”

I feel his words like a knife in my back.

“I’m fine. Everyone gets a little anxious from time to time.”

The muscles in his jaw contract as if he’s forcing his mouth to remain shut.

I’m glad.

I have to call Evie and check on her, but I don’t have the mental capacity. I’m tired, my stomach is upset, and just thinking about what I’ve read makes me nauseous again. All I want to do is curl around Alec in my bed and not move for a while.

I don’t know why, but when he holds me, I feel whole. Unbreakable. And I’m afraid of what would happen when he lets go.

The gossip website that published lies about my sister, and my entire family, is shut down the next day. That doesn’t stop people still discussing the topic online, but my father’s lawyers make sure the vilest trolls are running scared back to their holes. He files lawsuits against dozens of people and websites and uses his considerable power and influence to shut down the rumor mill once and for all.

Evie takes it in stride, or at least that’s what she makes everyone believe. Mom is worried about her, texting me every day for the next week to check on my sister, make sure she’s fine and not pretending. I go to a couple of parties Evie invites me to and watch her interact with her friends, watch her when she thinks nobody’s looking. She seems perfectly fine and uninterested in the whole scandal—refusing to even acknowledge it.

If it’s not true, why bother?

I wish I had her confidence.

Chapter nine

In January, Alec lands another high-profile client—reality show star Rupert McCarthy. He’s swamped with work, unable to cope without an investor and some serious company expansion. His potential investor still hasn’t gotten in touch after their meeting in Los Angeles. I barely see him during the day anymore, only managing to be close to him when he sneaks in my bed at night.

In February, he gives me a key to his apartment, and I slide it onto my keyring with a huge smile on my face. The cat doesn’t hate me so much anymore, mostly because I bribe her with treats. The dog is a sweetheart, and his tail is always wagging when I come over. I even manage to meet the mystery roommate, Elias, who is a tall guy with a mop of blond hair he never combs and kind brown eyes that are always shadowed with dark circles.

In March he hears back from the investor and flies to LA to meet with him again. He asks me to check on the pets, and water the flowers at his place. I go to Alec’s apartment on the first day and don’t leave until he comes home five days later, spending every night in his bed, wearing his t-shirt.

In April Alec receives an offer from the investor. It’s very generous and more than what Alec expected and will definitely secure a good financial future for his company. But