Page 22

“She’s a trip,” Gambit muttered, his eyes following Talia out of the door.

I tapped a message out to our driver to call him around. “She’s a fucking ballbuster, but I can’t say I hate it when she uses her powers to look after my girl here.”

“Thanks,” Saint murmured sweetly. “But I could look after myself.”

“You pay her a percentage so that you don’t need to, baby,” I pointed out, pocketing my phone. “Let her earn her cake.” I dipped my chin to catch my girl’s eyes. “You ready to jet?”

“Yeah,” she breathed, pulling the lapels of my jacket closer around her, flashing me a grateful smile. “It’s been a long day.”

I gave Gambit a fist bump before placing my hand on the small of Saint’s back and guiding her through the thinning crowd.

As we approached the door, she glanced up at me and murmured, “Brace. ”

The second we stepped outside, blinding flashes went off, and the crowd of photographers began yelling.

“Saint. Where’s Hunter?”

“Is it true you sang with the band tonight?”

“How’s the new album coming along, Saint?”

Saint instinctively moved closer to me, seeking refuge from the chaos around us.

I could feel the tension in her shoulders by the way they stiffened as I hustled her toward the waiting car that had just pulled up.

She remained composed, her gaze fixed ahead, and a polite smile plastered across her face as she ignored their bellowing and intrusive questions.

Leaning forward, I went to grab the door handle, glancing back at Saint to make sure she was okay, and that was when I saw him.

A photographer was behind my girl, on his knees, trying to take a picture up her skirt.

White-hot rage flashed behind my eyes, and I didn’t think; I just reacted. My hand shot out, and I snagged the photographer’s shirt, dragged him to his feet, and slammed his back against the car. His camera went flying, and I caught it mid-air.

My hand went to his throat, and I collared him with it.

“You a fuckin’ pervert?” I snarled, getting in his face.

“You a fucking peeper?” I dragged him from the car and threw him to the ground, watching as he stumbled and went down face-first. I shoved Saint behind my back to protect her from the photographers, who were going crazy as their bulbs flashed, and the shouts became deafening.

Saint grabbed my arm, and she urged, “Jacob. Let’s go.”

Clasping my girl’s shoulder, I crowded her between my body and the car, pulling the door open before growling, “Get in, but do it carefully. ”

Her eyes were wide with fear, and she nodded, her bottom lip trembling as she perched her ass on the back seat and swung her legs inside while making sure to keep them closed.

I slid in after her, leaning across to swing the door shut behind me, giving us instant relief from the flashes of the cameras and the loud shouts from the paps.

Saint pressed herself back against the leather seat, her chest rising and falling with panicked breaths and her eyes wide with disbelief. “What the fuck?” she whispered, her voice shaky. “I haven’t got any underwear on.”

My hand went to her neck, where I could see her pulse fluttering, and I stroked my thumb across it, trying to soothe her. “They’re fuckin’ vultures,” I ground out. “That sick fuck was almost laid out trying to fucking upskirt you.”

Her hand rested on mine, which still stroked across her throat. “I know,” she replied quietly. “Thank you. If he’d have gotten a shot of me bare...” Her voice trailed off, and she closed her eyes. “They sell them to porn sites, Jacob.”

Something primal in me rose up, and I pulled Saint closer, trying to comfort her. “I’ll call Kennedy,” I assured her. “She’ll sue his ass into next year.”

“Who’s Kennedy?” she asked.

I stroked Saint’s hair back from her face. “She’s an ol’ lady at my old chapter in Wyoming. Ned’s also a lawyer and a shark.”

“The guy may try to sue you, too,” Saint relayed, her voice taking on a matter-of-fact tone. “I’ll call Talia now and get her on it.”

“Don’t worry about me,” I told her. “You’re the one that asshole tried to fucking violate. What the fuck was all that about? Does it happen a lot?”

“The premieres and organized events are more controlled because the photographers are cordoned off, but it’s still crazy.

It’s the paps outside the nightclubs who are the worst, though.

They’re not regulated, so anyone can pick up a camera and follow me around, and there’s nothing I can do about it, legally or otherwise. ”

I could feel Saint’s frustration and hear the resignation in her voice.

My chest tightened as my thoughts flashed back to that asshole on the ground, trying to violate my woman’s privacy and her body.

I’d been to LA before and had experienced how fucking sinister this town could be, but I never understood what a vulnerable position women like Saint were in with something as simple as going to an event.

What just happened was sick. That so-called photographer should’ve been on a fucking sex offenders register. Did he have a wife and kids? How would he have felt if somebody tried to do that shit to his daughter?

No woman should have to endure that bullshit. It was a stark reminder of the nasty shit that lurked behind the glitz and glamor of fame, and it made me realize exactly how much danger Saint and other women in the industry were in.

If something as simple as being photographed could result in that kind of abusive shit, I could only imagine how deeply being stalked must have affected her on the daily.

Could you fucking imagine walking out of a nightclub or restaurant and having some guy get on his knees trying to get pictures of your fucking private parts?

Jesus.

The peal of my ringtone filled the car. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, saw who it was, and clicked to answer the call .

Saint’s gaze darted toward me when I greeted, “Talia.”

“Can’t I leave you alone for five fucking minutes?” she screeched.

Pulling the cell away from my ear, I clicked the cell onto speakerphone and replied, “You could try leaving me alone for a few hours. Me and Saint need some sleep.”

“Well, that’s gonna be impossible, seeing as there are videos of you all over social fucking media having an altercation with the paparazzi.

The fucks I give are negligible, Jacob. You could drag every one of those asswipes into a street full of speeding Mack trucks for all I care, but what I do care about is that you don’t do it on goddamned camera.

The pictures and videos are everywhere.”

“You’re shitting me,” I muttered, glancing at Saint, whose face was starting to twist. “That fucking pap was trying to upskirt her, Tally. He was on the fucking ground trying to snap up her dress, for God’s sake. He’s a goddamned perv.”

Talia sighed loudly. “I get it. The paparazzi are assholes when they do that, but you can’t beat every photographer up who goes over-the-top trying to get a shot.

I’m sure Saint doesn’t want her panties plastered all over the World Wide Web, but better that than you in jail.

Who’d protect her if you were behind bars?

I’m not saying you have to let them get away with it; I’m saying, in the future, we go through legal channels.

The record company has a law firm on retainer; it’s about time we gave them something to do. ”

Saint let out a humorless laugh. “I wasn’t wearing underwear, Talia.”

Silence fell over the car.

“Did you hear me?” Saint prompted.

“Stop talking,” Talia bit out. “I’m trying to think of all the ways I can ruin that fucking pap’s life. ”

“Jacob was just doing his job,” Saint explained softly. “Just like he was earlier with Jonny.”

Talia went quiet for a moment, and I could almost hear the cogs turning in her head.

“The cops may turn up at your place, Saint. If they do, call me immediately. Let them in and answer their questions, explain what happened, and don’t leave anything out.

Even the underwear thing. With any luck, I can get them to go back to the pap and try to pin him with some kind of sexual assault charge.

” She started murmuring to herself. “We could use this to our advantage. Saint’s bodyguard is of such high moral standing that he won’t allow some pervert to take advantage of his client. I can work with that, no problem.”

“The guy was a fucking creeper,” I retorted.

I felt Saint’s shoulders tense up again, and I twisted my head to kiss her temple.

“I’ll go through all the online footage and patch some shit together,” Talia stated.

“The other paps will be out to take you down, so their footage will favor the guy you dragged, but there’s also phone footage from some of the Dischordium fans who were outside waiting to see the boys.

I could ask Noah to go onto his Instagram page and ask if any of them would send in what they’ve got.

I’ll arrange a meet and greet to convey our gratitude. ”

“Thanks, Tally,” Saint breathed.

“Remember. If the cops show up, call me. I’m too hyped to sleep, anyway.

The guys from the security company are coming out, too, so I don’t think you two will get much rest either.

” Talia sighed. “I’ve canceled your credit card, too, and your new cell phone should be with you by nine in the morning. ”

Saint smiled, shaking her head. “What would I do without you?”

“Live a phoneless, keyless, and broke life because somebody maxed out your credit card,” Talia replied. “ Remember, keep me posted.” And with that, the line clicked as Talia ended the call.

Despite the disastrous night, I chuckled. “I should take you to Virginia before we go to New York. You need some fucking peace from all this bullshit.”

Saint’s neck twisted, and she peered into my eyes. “Really?”

“I was joking, baby. Our home and base is an old hotel, which is great if you’re a biker, but I’m not sure it’s the kind of place you’ll feel comfortable in. The guys are great, but they’re fuckin’ crazy, and we’d get zero privacy.”

“Do you share a room?” she asked.

“No, I’ve got my own space, but I live communally. I keep meaning to look for places nearer town, but there’s been no urgent need, and with my work, I’m not there all the time, anyway. Still, your pad puts mine to shame.”

“I love my house,” Saint mused. “But it’s just a house.

With all this stalker bullshit, it’s lost its shine a little because I don’t feel totally comfortable there anymore.

It’s made me realize that home is about safety and the people in it, not the environment.

” Her eyes held mine, and she smiled softly. “Home wouldn’t be home without you.”

“Baby,” I murmured, my voice husky with emotion. I cupped her jaw and turned her face toward me, lowering my head to kiss her bottom lip and suck it gently until Saint’s lips parted under mine, and her hands came up to rest lightly on my chest.

She pulled back slightly, and her eyes searched mine. “I missed you.”

I kissed her forehead, feeling the weight of her words settle over me.

“I missed you, too, baby. Every fucking day, I’d hear one of your songs on the radio and have to change the station ‘cause I couldn’t fuckin’ stand how much I ached for you.

Everywhere I went, I saw reminders of you, and they drove me insane. ”

She leaned up and kissed me softly, her hand going to my cheek, her thumb stroking gently across my stubble.

My gut was filled with a sense of fierce protectiveness for the beautiful woman in my arms.

I’d never let anything happen to her. Nothing would touch her when she was with me. Fans, photographers, even stalkers; none of them stood a fuckin’ chance.

I’d burn the world down for Saint McClure, and if anybody tried to take her from me, they’d burn with it.