“Ben?” She waited until her brother got back on the phone. “I’m fine. We’re both fine. We ordered delivery. It should be here soon.” She glanced over at Calvin, and he looked down at his watch. “The police agreed to send someone over to keep an eye out,” she said. Calvin nodded and held up two fingers. “Two cops.”
“I wish you’d never left Silver Cove,” Ben said with a sigh.
“That makes two of us.” She rested back again.
“So, you’re coming back then?” Ben asked.
“Yes, at the end of—”
“No, I mean, you’re hopping on a plane tomorrow,” her brother broke in. “There is no way I’m letting you stay out there now.”
She chuckled slightly. “This is my home, until I move in September.”
“To hell with—” Suddenly, the phone was grabbed, and Sarah’s voice came on the line.
“Hi, sweetie, how are you?” her sister-in-law asked in a calm voice.
“I’m good,” she answered with a sigh.
“Bella, we think it’s best that you come back here. Cancel your commitments. It’s obvious that the person… well, he’s willing to go to great lengths to get at you and, now, he won’t even stop at murder.”
Bella shivered and pulled the blanket closer to her.
“I can’t bring this to you.” She closed her eyes as more tears rolled down her cheeks. “Kenny, he was… a friend. If it had been you or Ben or, god forbid, one of the girls…” Her breath hitched. “I’d never forgiven myself.”
Sarah was quiet for a moment. “I can’t say the same thought hadn’t crossed our minds, but we’re family. We’ve got your back. Besides, if anyone snoops around Silver Cove, they’re bound to stand out. There in the city, well, this is just another Saturday night shooting.”
Bella knew Sarah was right. It was a lot harder to get away with things in a small town. But someone had broken into her rooms at the resort and at Calvin’s place without any witnesses. How safe could she really be anywhere? At least here in the city, she had a full force of police to protect her now that they’d agreed to put someone on her full time. At least, that’s what Calvin had been arguing to get for almost half an hour.
“One month,” she said, suddenly. “The end of July. I promise…”
Suddenly Sarah was gone, and Ben was back. “Fine, then tell Calvin not to leave your side until you get back here. I’m holding him personally responsible to make sure you get home safe.”
She looked up at Calvin. “His job—”
“Is secure,” Ben said. “Just make sure you are. I trust him.” Ben sighed. “He’s the only one I trust with my sister.”
Since Calvin had been standing directly in front of her and her brother’s voice echoed, Calvin smiled.
She reached up and handed the phone back to him.
“I’m on it,” Calvin said with a smile, then he laughed at something her brother said to him before hanging up. “He says not to bother him again unless I really get shot and not just scratched.”
She frowned at the white bandage on his lower arm. “You were really shot. The medic said…”
He sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her. “Looks like I’m not leaving your side until we head back home.” He glanced down at her. “You okay with this?”
She held onto him and nodded her head, not wanting to let go.
“You’re shivering.” He pulled back and frowned at her.
“I can’t seem to get warm.” She tried to hold onto him again.
“Come on,” he said as he picked her up. “I could use a shower. A hot one.” He carried her into the bedroom but set her down when her doorbell rang. “That’ll be the food. Stay put,” he warned her, then he disappeared back out front.
When he came back, she was lying on the edge of her bed, half-awake and still very cold.
“The food’s in the oven on warm.” He picked her up again. “Shower, food, bed. That order.” He set her on her feet and started removing the clothes that she’d changed into the moment she’d entered her apartment.
Now, he pulled them off her slowly as the water in her shower heated. When they stepped under the spray together, she melted under the warmth.
“Your bandage,” she said sometime later when she felt her bones stop shaking.
“They gave me some extra gauze. I’ll cover it again after I’m dry.” He held her still in his arms.
“Poor Kenny.” She sighed and shut her eyes. “I don’t even know if he had a family.”
“Divorced, no kids,” he answered. “I asked the other security guard.”
She nodded. “He was always so nice to me.”
“He stepped in front of the bullets,” he said and this time she felt him shiver. “I don’t even want to think of what could have happened.”
“Do you think this was Michael?” she asked.
“Your manager seems to think so. She called when you were changing.”
“I didn’t think. I should…” She glanced towards the shower doors, but he held her still.
“Later. I told her you were resting and safe,” he said. “For now, let’s turn everything off.” He kissed the top of her head.
She nodded in agreement. “Calvin?” She glanced up at him. “I’m thankful you’re okay. I didn’t mean to drag you into my mess.”
He cupped her face and pushed her wet hair aside. “This is in no way your fault. You didn’t drag me. I surrendered to those sexy eyes of yours.” He smiled. “And those lips, not to mention those legs.”
She laughed and then sighed. “Thank you for being here. For staying with me.”
“Hey.” He hugged her again as they stood under the spray together. “I’m not complaining. I get a whole month off with pay.”
She sighed. “Playing bodyguard to me. Maybe you should have asked for double pay?”
After they stepped out of the shower, she dried off and pulled on the thick sweat suit again. They ate the pizza in her living room and turned on the television when Ben texted them that it was all over the news already.
Sure enough, there was even grainy security footage of the entire incident. She closed her eyes after seeing Kenny’s body hit the ground.
“In what’s being described as a murder attempt on Bella Rothschild, tonight’s drive-by shooting has left Miss Rothschild’s doorman, Kenny Morton, a fifty-three-year-old employee at the Stanford Arms Executive Apartments, dead. No word on Miss Rothschild or her date to the Hollywood Highlights Music Awards, Calvin Winters. Miss Rothschild was up for Best New Artist, but at the ceremony lost out to up-and-coming star Cara Knightswood. In a shocking twist shortly after tonight’s ceremony, the HHMA committee has come forward and issued a statement that the award was given to Miss Knightswood by mistake. They have released a statement that the award should have gone to Bella Rothschild instead…”
Bella sat up, her heart jumping in her chest. “I won?” She frowned at the screen as the reporter continued to talk about an investigation into why Cara’s name was called instead of Bella’s. “I won?” she asked again.