I’m so sorry now that we didn’t. But you had so much going on the last few months. The show was ending, and you seemed so caught up in trying to decide which part to take next. Between that and still seeming so sad after Cole’s death and Jordan being a dumbass, we just didn’t want to add more to your stress level, Arie.”
I shook my head in denial. “Are you saying you knew I had a stalker?”
“Your mom was getting letters and packages. Things taped to the window of her car or random boxes left at our front door. We gave it all to Braxton and swore him to secrecy and then asked him to put a secret security team on you. Not even Nevaeh or Barrick knew. Only lately, the letters had gotten more threatening, and we were so relieved when Jordan hired Samuel for you. But we thought it was only because he’s so possessive. We had no idea that you were having issues with the stalker too.”
“You should have told me!” I cried.
His blue-gray eyes narrowed. “Oh yeah? Like you told us about what was going on with you?”
Guilt and shame hit me, and I lowered my eyes to the towel in Jordan’s hand. The starkness of the blood and brain matter against the white cloth turned my stomach, so I quickly looked away.
Straight back into my dad’s eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“Us too, sweetheart.” He tucked a few locks of my hair behind my ear and thankfully didn’t encounter anything slimy in the process. “The last letter showed up a few days ago, and Braxton started shadowing you himself. He saw Garon outside your building and followed him into the garage. That’s when he called us. We didn’t realize it was Garon until today. But after he stopped contesting Cole’s will so abruptly, we should have suspected he had something else up his sleeve.”
I shuddered, remembering how he’d tried to kiss me, the things he’d said.
I only wanted to forget this entire day.
“Okay, folks, we should get going now that the cops have given the go-ahead for her to leave the scene,” the paramedic said as she appeared at the back of the ambulance beside Samuel. “Um, technically, I can only let one of you ride with us, and we tend to let daddies ride with mommies-to-be.”
I let out a disappointed whine at her spilling my secret just as my parents started yelling at the same time.
“What the fuck do you mean daddies? The only daddy in here is me!” my dad bellowed at the woman. “And you’re damn right I’m going to be riding with my baby girl.”
“You’re pregnant!” Mom exclaimed, throwing her arms around me. “Oh, sweetheart, is that why we were having dinner with the Moreittis tonight? Oh my goodness! Are you okay?” She started running her hands over me frantically now. “Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?”
“I just need stitches, Mom,” I assured her.
“Where?” Her eyes scanned over every part of me she could see but wasn’t able to find a wound bad enough to need medical attention.
Biting my lip, I pulled up my shirt to show them the deep gash on my lower abdomen. It was the first time Jordan had seen it too, and my gaze went straight to his face. I could see the banked rage in his eyes and the set of his jaw, but he kept his mouth shut and just held my hand a little tighter.
“That motherfucker better be glad he’s dead,” Daddy snarled.
“Dray.” Mom put her hand on his arm, trying to soothe him, but there was no mistaking the tremble in her voice when she spoke again. “It’s okay. She…she just needs a few stitches. We’ll meet them at the hospital.”
It took a few more minutes, but she eventually got him out of the ambulance. I heard Jordan tell Samuel to follow us in the SUV before the ambulance driver closed the door on us. Through the window, I saw my parents walking out of the garage with Barrick and Braxton, who was still on the phone.
Jordan, kissing my hand that was held tightly in his, pulled my gaze back to him. With my free hand, I combed my fingers through his hair. “I’m okay,” I told him again, but the world was going dark around the edges.
I tried to blink my eyes to clear my vision, but when they closed, they wouldn’t open again.
Twenty-Seven
Jordan
Getting the frantic call from Lana that Arella was