Page 10 of Caught Bear Handed
“Like where?”I had a feeling this would be important information for Barrett and Bellamy.Bellamy was one of the most talented digital forensics experts I’d ever met.If there was any dirt, he’d find it.But I could definitely make his job easier.
Kayla shook her head, and I put my hand on her arm.Big mistake.Her big brown eyes widened, like she had electricity flowing through her veins too.
“I know it’s scary, but what they’re doing isn’t a reflection on you.You tried to make things better for yourself.They fucked you over.Keeping quiet because you’re embarrassed only helps them, and I know the she-wolf that jumped out of a moving car doesn’t help the bad guys.”Then I made my second mistake, meeting her gaze.My cock twitched.“If we’re gonna get these bastards, you can’t hold back.”
“You’re right.About all of it.It’s humiliating, and I want them to pay,” she said softly, lowering her gaze.“It’s a drug cartel.Somewhere in Eastern Europe.They think they might be involved in trafficking.I don’t know for sure.We were in public, so the developer couldn’t say much—for good reason, because a week later, I was on set, and I got mail delivered to my trailer.Not unusual.Fans will send things to the production office.It was a picture of me talking to the developer.No note, no nothing.”
“Do you think they tricked you?”
She bit her lip and gave her head a slight shake.“Didn’t think of it like that.I’d thought one of us had been followed, but now, I wouldn’t rule anything out.Soon, the developers who were still with the company contacted me again.Sweet summer me thought they wanted to make things right,” she scoffed.“But they were looking for more money and threatened to expose my ties to their goons if I didn’t comply.I was like, hell no, I’ll call the police.They told me that was a really bad idea, then tried to reassure me that the project was still a go, and if I played the game right, I’d be a billionaire.I just had to be patient.”
“What did you do?”
“Told them I needed to think about it.Obviously, there was nothing to think about besides how to get out of this awful situation.Instead, I contacted a journalist friend at one of the industry’s most important magazines.I knew a lot of actors who had lost their life savings, and I wasn’t the only one who’d been bribed and threatened.I had a feeling there were more I didn’t know about and everyone was too scared to speak up.They’d let me stay anonymous, and I could blow the story open.It felt like the only thing I could do.”
“That’s when Mark came into the picture,” she continued.“Like I said, I didn’t connect the dots at first.Considering the circumstances, the last place I should’ve been was on a dating app, but I didn’t want to be alone.I’m an overthinker, much better at pretending to be someone else, and I needed a distraction.”
“Tell me about Mark.”My bear was clawing inside me, wanting nothing more to take a swipe at these assholes.
She shook her head.“It’s hard to find a partner when you’re a public figure.So even though the date was a disappointment, it wasn’t a surprise.Looking back, the first red flag was he wanted to meet at that same restaurant I saw the developer at.But it’s a hot spot, and they have these amazing fried green olives?—”
“Fried green olives?”I raised a brow.“Never heard of such a thing.”
“That’s what stands out to you in all this?”She laughed heartily.“You seem like you know your way around the kitchen, maybe we can make them while we’re here.”
“Challenge accepted.”I nodded.“Now, tell me more about this dickhead.”
“He looked nothing like his profile picture.It was like he used his son’s photo.It had all my alarm bells ringing, and I got up to leave, but somehow, I let him convince me to stay.I’d liked him, or whoever I was talking to, online.Against my wolf’s better judgment, I gave him a chance.And it was a weird date.Like crazy stalker fan.He knew so much about me.Not just things that were public knowledge.Things I’d only told my inner circle.I’ve never had to text my friend from the bathroom and ask her to fake an emergency before.”
“But it didn’t end there,” I said.
She shook her head.“He kept messaging me, finding me on my personal social media accounts, my email.He showed up while we were filming on location.He didn’t get past security—I’d let them know there was a problem—but still, I was shaken to the core that he found us there.”
“Sounds like someone you trust might have been giving him information.”
Her lips parted.“You’re right.I’d figured he was just an obsessed fan.He wasn’t the first.”
“Do you have any information about the others?”I asked.“It could be connected.”
“I can look, but to be honest, I deleted a lot of it.I was so creeped out I just wanted it gone.”
“Understandable.”One of my pots started to boil over and I had to go back into the kitchen to tend to it.“If you can remember any details, write them down.I’ll give them to Bellamy.If there’s a connection, he’ll find it.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s what you hired us for.”Even though I had a feeling I’d be fighting for this woman long after the job was done.
“I know, but I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear I have some trust issues.”She leaned forward.“Is there anything I can help you with?”
“You can open the cans of beans and get them rinsed and drained,” I suggested.
She slid off the stool and came into the kitchen.I pointed to where she could find the can opener and handed her the strainer.She had a rhythm to the way she moved.I’d always known there was something special about her, but I could never describe it until she was right next to me.
I groaned inwardly.I sounded like just as much of a creep as this Mark guy.
“After Mark showed up on set, it was suggested I take out a restraining order against him.Problem solved, right?”She gave a shaky laugh as she turned the opener along the top of the can.“Then he had the actual audacity to show up at the pool at my apartment complex.”
“That motherfucker.”