Love, Unwanted (Discovering Love #3) (8 page)

Chapter Eleven

It’s Not A Joke

“So, you’re seeing where things go?” Violet asks me. I can hear in her voice she’s not happy with my decision, which is why I didn’t really want to tell her. When she called me and asked me to come to the pub on Saturday and help her with inventory, I made a mental note to myself to not bring up Phoenix and to stay away from any subject that could lead to him.

I should have known Violet would not let that plan work. I really don’t even know how she knew there was something to tell, but as soon as I walked into the pub this morning, she looked at me and said, “Spill,” so I did.

I told her everything from being locked out of the car and singing in the bar to the decision to see where things go with him. The only thing I haven’t told her is about the note. I haven’t told Phoenix either.

When I first read that letter, my first reaction was to call Phoenix, but I stopped myself. I realized I was finally getting what I wanted, what I’ve wanted for longer than I even allowed myself to realize. I was getting him.

It’s no surprise that, at least to my knowledge, he doesn’t try to have a relationship with girls. My fear is that if I showed him the letter, he would use it as an excuse to end us before we even really began.

Some people may think it’s stupid I’m being threatened and am more worried about losing him than my safety, but they are not in my shoes, and they don’t understand the situation.

Phoenix is a rock star and I’m sure it’s just some no name groupie trying to scare me away so she can have her shot at him. I’m sure this won’t be the last time I have something like this happen. Am I going to run scared every time? No.

“Yes, we are going to try and see where things go.” I turn from the shelf where I’d been counting bottles of booze and watch as Violet’s expression morphs into one of disapproval.

“Hmm.” That’s the only response I get before she goes back to her clipboard and begins checking things off again. I know I’m in trouble if that’s the only response she, a woman who has an opinion about everything, is going to give me.

“What?” I snap. The question comes out harsher than I intended, but I don’t apologize. I’m irritated. Almost from the first day I met Violet, she’s told me I need to get out there and find a man, that I need to loosen up and enjoy life, but now I finally have tried to enjoy my life and take her advice, she’s upset because she doesn’t like Phoenix.

She gives me a wounded look. It almost makes me feel bad for snapping…almost. “Nothing, babe.”

“No. It’s clearly something. Just tell me.”

“Fine.” I jump when I hear the clatter of Violet tossing her clipboard on top of the bar. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. I already told you that.”

“Yeah, you did. After giving me some vague explanation about him not being good for me because of rumors you heard, rumors you won’t even tell me. If you were my friend, you would tell me instead of just giving elusive answers!”

“It’s not my place to tell you, it’s his.”

“You’re right, it is his place, but you took that chance right away from him the moment you let me know first there was a problem. Now it’s your responsibility to let me know what I should be so worried about.”

“He has a drinking problem,” she finally blurts. I would be lying if I said I was surprised by her answer. I mean, I even considered that myself. What rock star has never had some kind of problem or another with substance abuse?

“That’s it?” I ask.

“What do you mean. ‘that’s it?’ That’s a big deal!”

“You’re right, it is. A very big one. But I’ve been around him a lot these past weeks and not once have I seen him get out of control with alcohol. I’m inclined to believe right now he has it under control.”

“What if he doesn’t? How are you going to handle a situation like that? I’m just trying to get you to see the kind of situation you could be putting yourself in.”

“Well, if he doesn’t have it under control, I’ll still be there. Whether Phoenix and I are ever anything more than friends, I’m still going to be there, just like I would be there for you.”

I watch as Violet considers my words, and I see her defenses lower. “I know it seems like I’m being harsh and judgmental, Caroline, but I’m only trying to look out for you. I don’t want to see you get hurt or dragged down by somebody else.”

“I appreciate that.” I sigh. “But I’m happy, Vi. For the first time in a long time, I’m happy. I’m not even saying it’s going to last forever or it’ll turn into anything more than what it is now, but I deserve to give this a try.”

“You’re right, babe. You are and I’m sorry for butting my nose in where it didn’t belong.”

“What are friends for?” I smile and shrug.

“Exactly. What are friends for? And, as your very best friend, I can tell when something else is bothering you. Wanna talk about it?”

How the bloody hell does she always know when something is wrong?

Of course my first instinct is the same one I get every time—deny, deny, deny—but I fight that. I want her opinion. I’ve never been in a situation like this and I haven’t the slightest idea what to do.

I once again turn away from the shelf and narrow my eyes at Violet. “You should have been a detective.”

“My kids tell me that all the time.” She laughs. “So, do you want to talk about it?”

We could talk about it, but I decide I would rather just show her. I reach in my back jeans pocket and retrieve the letter I found on my bed. Without a word, I hand it to her. I wait with baited breath as she unfolds it and then watch as her face goes from curious to worried.

“Did you call the police?” She asks when she looks back up at me. I shake my head. “Caroline, you need to call the police.”

“I don’t think it’s serious enough for that. I really think it’s just some sick joke.”

“Where did you find it?”

“When Phoenix dropped me off a couple days ago, my front door was open. We thought someone broke in, but nothing was missing. After he left, I found it in my bed.”

“Even if it is just a joke, they took it way too far by breaking into your house. You really should talk to the authorities.”

“Nothing has happened since. I would feel like a moron if I wasted the police’s time over a joke.”

“Well, what does Phoenix say?”

I can feel a guilty look crossing my face and I duck my head too late in a vain attempt to try and hide my face from her.

“What did Phoenix say?”

“I didn’t tell him,” I mumble.

“Caroline!”

“I don’t want him to worry!”

“That’s too bad! This is clearly about him, and you’re supposed to be together. Either way, he has a right to know!”

“I know he does,” I reply. “But nothing has happened since and I don’t see a reason to bring it up and cause worry for no reason.”

“It’s your choice whether you tell him or not. I’m just saying, starting a relationship off with secrets isn’t good. Plus, I can tell this note is bothering you more than you’re letting on. You should tell him for your peace of mind, if nothing else.”

Thankfully, nothing else is said about Phoenix or the note the rest of the time we do inventory, but that doesn’t stop her words from echoing through my mind.

By the time I leave the pub an hour later, I’m no closer to deciding if I should tell him or not about the threat. I don’t want to go home because I know I’m just going to spend the entire night fretting over this, so I head to the library, hoping I can distract myself with work.

I don’t make it two feet in before I realize distracting myself with work isn’t an option. I cover my mouth and choke back a sob when I see that my library has been broken into and torn apart. Thousands of books are thrown all over the place. Tables and chairs are tossed upside down and garbage is strewn everywhere. All three of the computers are on and each one is displaying the same message:

Leave him or die!

I guess the choice was made for me. I know keeping this to myself isn’t an option any longer so, in spite of the risk of Phoenix finding out, I pull out my cell phone and ring the police.

***

“What the fuck is going on here?”

All hopes of Phoenix not finding out about this are dashed when I hear the roar of his voice over the chaos. I turn from the kind police officer I spoke to at the library entrance a few minutes ago and see Phoenix standing at the entrance, looking incredibly pissed off as he scans the crowd gathered inside of the library

He finds who he is looking for when his eyes land on me. It takes no time at all for him to cross the room and get to me. I mentally prepare myself to tell him about the threats, but I’m caught off guard when his mood goes from irate to concerned as soon as he’s standing in front of me.

Since we decided to give us a try, we haven’t really seen each other, so I’m momentarily stunned into silence when he gently grabs my face and kisses me in front of the current audience around us. Not just an our-lips-touch kiss. No, a full on, tongues intertwining, making my toes curl and head fuzzy kiss.

“Are you okay?” he asks softly. I try to answer, but my mind is stuck on that kiss and how we could possibly go back to that.

“Huh? What?” I ask dumbly.

The corner of his lips tip up in a smile before he asks again. “Are you okay?”

Good Lord, Caroline. Pull yourself together!
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”

“Thank Christ,” he says while he closes his eyes in relief. I ignore the giddy feeling I get over the fact that my safety meant that much to him. “You had me scared.”

He doesn’t give me a chance to respond. Immediately, he turns his attention to the officer who was just questioning me a moment ago.

“What’s going on here?”

“Well, Mr. Castle, that’s what we were trying to figure out. It looks like a break-in.”

“I can see that. What I want to know is how you’re going to find out who did it.”

The officer looks taken aback by Phoenix’s tone, but he recovers quickly.

“We’re going to do what we can, sir, but right now I have a few more questions for Ms. Taylor.” Without waiting for Phoenix to argue with him further, he turns back to me. “Was this threat the first one you’ve received?”

I open my mouth to answer, but I’m interrupted. “Threat? What fucking threat?” Phoenix demands.

My stomach churns violently with nerves. I don’t even risk opening my mouth to explain. I just point across the room to the small bank of computers. Phoenix leaves my side to storm across the room. I jump when he slams his fist down on the desk after he finishes reading the words on the screen.

“I want whoever is responsible for this found immediately!” He roars to the group of police who have gathered.

“We are going to do everything we can to find them, but we need her to answer our questions in order to get anywhere.”

“She doesn’t know anything. This clearly has something to do with me. If it wasn’t for me—”

I can already hear the guilt in his voice and I don’t want to hear what he’s going to say next, so I cut him off. “It’s not the first threat.” As soon as I speak up, all eyes and attention are on me. “A few days ago, I came home to find my door open. I thought it was nothing because nothing was out of place or missing, but later I found this note.” I hand the note to the officer, who barely gets to read it before Phoenix rips it from his grasp.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks me, his expression furious.

“Because I knew you would do this.”

“Do what?”

“Blame yourself.”

“You’re damn right I’m blaming myself. If I hadn’t come into your life, this wouldn’t be happening.”

His words sting more than I’d like to admit and I react before I can think better of it, not caring who’s around to witness it.

“So what? You regret our relationship now? You going to leave now?” I growl when the tears I’ve been trying to battle since finding my library in a mess begin to sting my eyes.

“Is that what you think?” I look at him when I hear no hint of anger in his voice. Instead, all I hear is disbelief.

“Yes.”

In a flash, I’m in his arms. “Baby, I’m not going anywhere,” he whispers in my ear. The tears I was fighting win and start to cascade down my cheeks. “I probably should because we both know this is happening because of me, but I’m hooked, birdie, and there’s no place I’d rather fucking be.”

I smile despite myself. He holds me for a little longer, then lets go so he can wipe the wetness from my face with his thumbs.

“You get me?” he asks, and I nod.

“I only have a few more questions, Miss, and then you can be on your way,” the officer assures me. Forty-five minutes later and I’m finally walking outside the library in search of Phoenix, who disappeared twenty minutes ago to make a phone call.