A Soldier For Bella (Love Conquers Life #4) (9 page)

Jordan: My boy Jared. I’ve worked with him in the past. He’ll watch out for her and trust me I told him if anything happens it’s his balls.

Derek: LOL! Okay good. What are her plans for tomorrow?

Jordan: Gym in the morning at seven. That’s all I know as of now.

Derek: Fine. Trying to get an update from my boy on her stalker, I’ll keep you posted.

Jordan: Talk to you soon!

I get an email back from Sloan a few minutes later.

Derek

I know the guy isn’t her ex but I have a feeling they may know each other. He is working under a fake name over the internet and some of the pictures he has posted are from her shoot. He tells everyone under his fake account that she’s his girlfriend and that they’re in love. He also put that he’s going to propose to her real soon. It isn’t linked to any of her social media and he tells everyone he’s keeping it that way for her safety.

I want you to do me a favor. Go online and change your social media to say you’re in a relationship with her. Tell her you love her. Let’s see if it draws him out.

Sloan.

It’s time to get this bastard. I do as Sloan requests. I update all of my social media to say I’m in a relationship with her, which tags her so she’s going to see it. I hope she doesn’t freak out when she does. I write an apology on her page and tell her that I love her and can’t wait to see her. Next, I send a text to Jordan to let him know about the plan and to alert him to be sure to keep a close eye out when he’s with her. I then email Sloan to tell him what I’ve done and to watch her social media to see what happens.

Satisfied with what I’ve accomplished for the night, I amble to my room to change into a pair of lounge pants, but I’m distracted by the sight of Bella’s stuff all over my room. God, help me. She hasn’t even been gone a few hours and I already miss her and her beautiful smile. I will myself to get changed and climb into bed so I can attempt to get some sleep. I need to be rested so tomorrow I can think about how I’m going to get my girl back. My eyes are getting heavy when my phone chirps. I jump up to check it.

Bella: What are you doing?

Derek: Lying in bed. What are you doing?

Bella: No I mean changing your status to seeing me

Derek: It’s a plan to figure out who your stalker is please don’t change it.

Bella: This is not a good idea.

Derek: It’s the perfect idea. I need to figure this out, so I can stop him and get you back in my life.

Bella: We’re not discussing us right now and stopping him isn’t going to get you back in my life. You need to stop trying to be my parent and be my boyfriend. Goodnight!

Derek: Goodnight. I still love you!

When I hear nothing back, I put my phone down and roll over onto her pillow, taking in her scent as I try to fall asleep.

Chapter 8

Bella

There’s a banging on the door that wakes me with a startle. I jump out of bed and run for the door. I take a deep breath and as I’m about to look through the peephole, I hear, “Bella, it’s Jordan. Open the door.”

I look out the hole and sure enough I see him standing there with a look of pure panic on his face. I quickly open the door, and he sighs with relief. “It’s seven thirty. You weren’t answering your phone or door. I was starting to worry.”

“Shit! I must have shut off my alarm in my sleep. I’m sorry. Give me five minutes and I’ll be out.” He rolls his eyes as I shut the door and run to my room so I can quickly throw on some deodorant and clothes. Literally five minutes later, I’m shutting the door with my gym bag in hand. I lock the door so we can hit the road.

“I’m driving,” he says as we walk down the front steps.

“I can drive myself,” I say, rushing toward my car.

“Bella, come on. It is so much harder for me to watch you if we’re in two different cars.”

“You’ve done fine so far.”

I climb into my car and quickly start the engine so he knows I’m serious. He’s staring at me in total disbelief, so I step on the gas and back out of my spot. He quickly jumps in his car to follow.

When we pull up to the gym and finish parking, Jordan gets out of the car and says, “You know you can be a stubborn pain in the ass, right?”

“I’ve been told that once or twice.” Jordan shakes his head as we walk into the gym. My trainer Jodi is standing by the door.

“It’s about time. You’re late!” she says with her hands across her chest.

“Jodi, this is my security guard, Jordan. It’s his fault I’m late.” She turns to Jordan with a look of frustration, and I can’t help but laugh when Jordan’s jaw drops because I’ve blamed him.

Jordan gives me a dirty look. Turning to the trainer, he says, “I’ll be working out right beside her, keeping an eye out. She has a nasty little stalker that is making life difficult.”

Jodi nods her approval and tells him we’re starting out on the elliptical.

An hour later, I’ve done my cardio and toning exercises and I’m a sweaty, nasty mess, but I feel good. Jordan had no problem keeping up. As a matter of fact, he’s in amazing shape. He stayed on the elliptical longer than I did and ran harder than I did. Of course he probably works out more than me what with being in the security business.

“I’m getting one of their all-natural fruit smoothies. Want one?” I ask him as he wipes his face down.

“Nah, Jared is meeting us back at your house. I need to get showered and be back prior to his shift ending.”

I nod as I think about what I’m going to do with the rest of my day. I can’t sit around thinking about Derek because that will just make me a train wreck and my eyes can’t afford anymore tears.

The girl behind the counter hands me my smoothie, and Jordan walks me to the car. As we approach my car, he spots something on the hood so he steps in front of me and says, “Stay right behind me.”

We slowly approach my car. As we get closer, we see it’s an open box with flowers lying inside and a note.

My dearest Bella,

I know Derek thinks he loves you and that you two are perfect for each other but what he doesn’t realize is you already have someone to love you and care for you. I realize you don’t know exactly who I am yet but I’ve started to make my way into your life and soon you will know my identity. I love you Bella and can’t wait to show you how good we can be together.

Now be a good girl and tell Derek to back off because I’d hate to see something happen to him.

Your love

I gasp and place my hand over my mouth. “All Derek did was piss him off,” I say, my voice low.

“It’s going to be fine,” Jordan says. “Get in the car and go straight home.”

“I need to warn Derek,” I say, staring at the flowers.

He grabs the box and puts it in his car. “I will take care of all of that, but first I’m going to call Jared and tell him to watch for you outside, okay?” I nod in response.

Once I’m safely inside my car, he runs to his. I do as I’m told and drive straight to my place. I need to shower and call Patty to see what she’s up to. Maybe she’s free for lunch today. I need a distraction because now he’s threatening Derek and I don’t know what to do. I’m still mad at him, but I don’t want him hurt.

As I drive home, the note keeps running through my head over and over again. I know Derek wants him to come out of hiding so the police can get their hands on him, but I don’t want Derek getting hurt either. Maybe I should just respond to his post, or maybe I should remove the tag so it doesn’t look like we’re dating. Well, technically we’re not dating because I ran out on him, but I didn’t officially break up with him either. I don’t know what to do.

***

Derek

I walk into work feeling like shit because I slept awful last night. I saunter straight past Carter’s office to mine, not bothering to say hi, though I see him sitting at his desk. I know he’s going to ask questions, and I don’t feel like dealing with it. I feel a serious need to bury myself in my work so I can focus on something other than the nightmare I had last night that this stalker got to Bella.

I quickly open my email, hoping to find something worthwhile in there, and I find nothing other than an email from Carter saying that he booked the club that his mother-in-law is a part of and they’re working on comedians. I give him a simple response and move on.

There’s an email from Tobey. He wants to know when I’m stopping at Stuart House. He’s wondering if there’s any improvement on the situation there, so I tell him I’ll go by later this week or early next. I fill him in that I want to check with Carter because I want him with me. I catch myself staring at the screen when my phone chirps. I check it to find a text from Jordan.

Jordan: He struck again. Flowers and a note threatening you. He wants you to back off.

Derek: haha he’s a funny guy.

Jordan: Bella is scared and worried about you.

Derek: Send me a picture of the note and get it to the police.

Jordan: On my way there now. I will send the picture when I pull up.

Derek: If you’re on your way to the police, who is with Bella?

Jordan: Jared. I wouldn’t leave her alone. He already sent me a text that she got home safe.

Derek: Thank you!

Jordan: No problem. Talk to you later.

“What’s going on?” I look up to see Carter standing in the doorway.

“Hey, come on in.” He walks in and takes the seat across from my desk, crossing his legs with a slight grin on his face. He looks like he’s waiting for me to say something, but I just stare back.

“Are you going to talk to me? Or are we just going to sit here and stare at each other?”

I roll my eyes and begin my spiel, catching him up on the stalker and his fake identity. I tell him how my post made him leave flowers for Bella. I smile as I realize I’m really going to piss this guy off.

“What are you doing?” Carter asks, looking leery.

“I pissed him off with my post last night. I’m going to continue to piss him off. That way he’ll come after me and not Bella.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? You may push him to go after Bella sooner.”

“Even if that’s so, she has security. There’s no way they’re going to allow this guy anywhere near her.” I sigh as I bite my lip. “I just need to figure out what to say on her wall that will get him going and let her know that I’m thinking about her and love her.”

Carter chuckles at me. “Um, how about you say just how you feel? I’m sure any sign of affection you show her is going to piss him off.”

I smile and open my social media.

“I know we had a misunderstanding, but we are great together and we can get through anything. I still love you and can’t wait to see you.”

I say the words out loud as I type them so Carter knows what I’m putting.

“How’s that?” I ask Carter.

“I think it’s perfect because it assumes you two will fix things and that you already have plans to get together. Plus he’s probably stalking her page, so he’ll probably see it immediately.”

I nod and hit submit so the message pops up on her wall. Of course she’ll see it, and I hope she realizes that it’s not only for him but for her too. I want her to know that I really can’t wait to see her again.

“Now that that’s done, what happened with you and Bella?” He gives me the look that screams
spill it
.

I sigh yet again. “She wants to pose half naked in the swimsuit edition of Maximum magazine. Can you imagine? She has a stalker, and she’s going to give him spank bank material?”

“She’s going to give a lot of guys spank bank material.”

“Dude, you’re not helping me.”

“I think I am. I think your problem is with more than just the stalker. Are you sure this isn’t about the millions of guys who are going to see her?”

“Are you saying I’m jealous?” Damn fucking right I am. She’s mine, and why should I have to share her body with the world? My shoulders slouch. Of course I have to share her body. I knew what her career meant from the start, and I still fell in love with her.

“You are, and I understand, but if you love her…” He stops.

“I know. I have to accept it and realize she comes home to me at night.”

He nods at me. “You said it.”

I nod, ready to move on to talking business. “I want you to come on an in-home visit with me later this week. You can meet me there first thing in the morning, and when we’re done we’ll come back to the office to discuss what we found.”

“Okay. Are we going to that place you were talking about? Is it Stuart House?”

“Yes. As you know I went there while you were on your honeymoon, but they had some issues. Some were minor, but some of the complaints have been serious. Tobey has tried calling the director, but he won’t take his calls so he wants us to pop in to see if he really is busy fixing things or if he’s avoiding us.”

“When do you want to go?” he asks as he writes notes on his notepad.

“Let’s go there Monday. We want it to be a surprise, and Friday makes two weeks since I last went in. I told him I’d be back within two weeks to check on him. I’m hoping he’ll think he got away with whatever he’s trying to pull if I don’t show up.

“I’ll add it to my calendar and meet you there for say…eight thirty?”

“Can you meet me there by seven thirty? They should be serving breakfast, and food was one of the issues I had with them.”

“You got it. I’ll see you there. What else are we looking for?”

“The biggest thing is do the patients look cared for. The last time I was there they looked scared and dirty. One of the men there wouldn’t talk to me, and he smelled like he hadn’t been bathed in days.”

“That’s disgusting,” he says, looking angry.

“Have we spoken to the counselors there to see if some of this is the patients?”

“No, because to be honest there is nothing that should stop them from making sure the patients are clean. Part of their job is to figure out how to make them comfortable so they can get them bathed or showered.”

He nods. “Fair enough. Is there anything else I need to know about?”

“Nah, not really. How’s everything else going?” I ask him, hoping to keep myself busy.

“Fine. Sandra is asking around about some of the local comedians I’ve found to see if she can find a way to get them to donate their time.”

“When are you planning this for?”

“We’re planning it for late summer so it doesn’t interfere with wedding season for the club. We’re basically only going to pay for the cost of the food. The club is donating the staff and venue to save us a ton of money. There will be three meal options to choose from. I should be getting a menu any day now. We’ll pick the three options, and then we can print the tickets.”

“Great. Keep me posted.”

“Listen. On a personal note, Patty wants to have everyone over this weekend. She misses having the family together, and since there are no holidays coming up to celebrate, she figured we’d just plan something.”

“Cool. What time?” I say flatly. At this point, I’m barely listening. I’m hoping to hear from Sloan with an update since I posted on her wall, but so far I’ve heard nothing.

“I’ll let you know, but I think you should know that I really like Bella and I’m hoping she’ll be willing to hook up with me…”