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Chapter Thirty-Two

B eing an expert on women wasn’t something future generations would read about me on my headstone. However, even I could tell there was a definite change in Marlee’s behaviour. Her mood was noticeably flat yet any time I asked she responded telling me she was fine . Which, having a sister who frequently told me ‘she was fine’, even once while literally launching a shoe at Cooper’s head, I knew was bullshit. She’d smile, nod and appear her normal bubbly self for a little while, and then I would find her staring off into the distance, lost to a thought I was desperate to read. It happened no less than half a dozen times today and her attempts at feigning nonchalance were starting to piss me off.

I had a feeling there was something on her phone which was causing the frown lines between those eyes because as soon as she opened it this morning, it was like a flipped switch. I tried to subtly look over her shoulder, knowing full well how entirely inappropriate it was in doing so, but she would just lock it and move it out of my sight. A small part of me wondered if I’d done something wrong. I’d never been in a relationship before so I was bound to fuck up but if she wasn’t going to communicate, how the hell would I even know?

Flashes of that piece of shit ex of hers infiltrated my mind and I ended up messaging Wayne to get his boys to do more digging. I wanted to know everything about him, including what he ate for breakfast and how often he took a shit because if he was still chasing my woman, I would sort that out and make sure he never bothered her again. Looking forward to seeing her again tonight, I hoped to take her mind off whatever was bothering her but that small niggling worry still sat heavy in my gut. What if I wasn’t enough for her and she decided she was better on her own? If she decided it would be easier to leave without even a backward glance because staying was too hard? Not entirely far fetched given how easily my father left Mum after much longer than a couple of months together.

The second-guessing gnawed at my usually impenetrable armour. Self-confidence was always a strength and it cemented my decision to have Wayne get information because I couldn’t support her if I didn’t have all the details. Hopefully I could then have a conversation with Marlee. Encourage her to talk to me, because I couldn’t help her otherwise, and help was exactly what my body was screaming at me to do.

Fuck.

The unfamiliar shadow of self-doubt was stifling, making me edgy. The plan was for her to stay over tonight, part of what was becoming a regular routine for us, and it meant I had something to look forward to throughout the night but I still had six hours before that happened.

“Boss, I have what you asked for,” Wayne said, entering just as I was about to go behind the bar to restock. Anything to stay busy.

He slapped a large yellow envelope on the desk in front of me along with a bag which smelt deep fried and appetising as fuck.

“Steamed barramundi in ginger broth for you, ya healthy prick. And six spring rolls and a large fried rice for me.”

“I thought you were meant to be maintaining a healthy blood sugar level,” I opened the container and salivated at the delectable looking fish and rice despite what Wayne thought of my preferences.

“Alyce won’t know unless you tell her,” pointing to the envelope he added, “guess we both have things the misses don’t need to know.”

I rolled my eyes but nodded reluctantly. He made a fair point. Not that I would hide this from Marlee, but I wasn’t sure she would appreciate me looking into her ex-boyfriend without her knowledge, especially when I didn’t even know if he was why she seemed off.

“Total dropkick that one. Can’t believe she stayed as long as she did,” talking around his food he gestured towards the envelope again as if the contents justified his opinion.

Unable to wait any longer I started reading. His boys had done well in a few short hours. The information was comprehensive and included photos of Lucas Smith, 32, single, currently unemployed, with a fairly large drug debt. Hobbies included drinking and spending his days at the local pub specifically in the gambling area.

“Could probably add philanderer and dickhead to the list too.”

“Hmmph,” I grunted, skimming over the photos of him leaving a pub on the outskirts of town, clearly off his head and with an equally messy woman on his arm.

“Boys said they saw him roughing one of the women up and when they stepped in he nearly shit himself. Fucking coward.”

A sound almost akin to a growl rumbled in my throat and I felt hot. Pushing my dish to the side, no longer hungry, I stood and began pacing.

“I'll kill him if he ever even thinks of Marlee again.” I was looking out at the empty club, adrenaline coursing through me at the thought of how he used to treat her and I wished I had a punching bag in my office.

“You need to relax, boy. He’s a total cocksucker from what they said, but his phone shows no records of having contacted her.”

“That doesn’t mean shit. He could have a burner,” I snapped.

“Maybe. They're pretty thorough but I’ll have them continue to keep an eye on him. It won’t be cheap but it –”

“I don’t give a fuck how much it costs,” I snapped, before shooting him an apologetic look. “I appreciate your help. I’m in over my head with this one. She's wedged herself so deep she's all I can think about. The thought that there is something bothering her is eating at me,” I admitted.

“Seb, it’s all good. I know she matters to you, mate, leave it with me. You just eat your fish like a good little lovesick puppy,” his deep laugh rumbled through the office and I tried not to throw a spring roll at his head.

Finalising the last of my nightly emails, I reached for my ringing phone and smiled at my sister’s name.

“Evangeline. Wassup?”

“Ew. Don’t ever say wassup again,” I chuckled at her outrage realising I missed her. She hadn’t called me in a while with hundreds of irrelevant questions and with everything going on, it was nice to hear her voice.

“When are you coming to see me?”

“Just listen, old man, I’m about to run into an exam. Mum’s birthday is next week,” I pulled my phone away from my ear, to see she was right.

“God, that time already. Yeah, okay. Where are we taking her or does she want to have us at her place?”

“I was thinking we could have dinner at your house for a change. Get her to come into the city and then Toby can see your apartment. Let’s kill all the birds with one stone.”

“Lucky your brain is numerically wired because idioms are not your forte.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, nevermind,” I chuckled. “Okay, sounds good. I’ll send a ride to pick you all up and you guys can stay in the city the night. Let Mum know the details and I'll sort the rest.”

“Mum will bring her new camera for sure. She is obsessed.” I groaned. Mum loved nothing more than an impromptu photo shoot and we were always the victims. “Will Mum get to meet your new giiiiiirlfriend?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I fly solo,” I lied with a grin. It was probably time I told Mum about Marlee but loved having her all to myself.

“You’ve been hit with Cupid’s arrow, Seb, and it suits you,” she made a kissing noise into the phone and I grimaced.

“Goodbye, Eva,” I said, hanging up with a grin before she said anything else.

Evangeline

I already told Mum she is coming so don’t disappoint us. Lovelovelove x

Her immediate follow up message, with her favourite farewell, made me simultaneously laugh and roll my eyes. She was such a brat.

I knew Marlee was upset the second I stepped foot into my office. From across the floor, she’d given me a seductive wave when she arrived in her tight little black dress and heels, and my jaw practically hit the ground. At times I still couldn’t believe she was mine and then whenever she directed that bright smile my way the solid, organised walls I kept around my world would lower a little more. I kept all conversation to a minimum after that, engaging only with the VIPs, as she grabbed a drink from the bar and walked up the stairs to my office. She would often head up and watch the cameras while I worked, scrolling her phone until I arrived. But tonight she was standing in front of my desk and her eyes were red.

Fuck . Was she crying?

“What’s wr–,” she held her hand up to stop me as I approached and I froze as she stepped aside revealing the yellow envelope I stupidly forgot to put away. The pictures and sheets of information about Lucas were scattered across my desk, my empty dinner container no longer sitting on top of them.

“What is this?” While her I’m fine was ambiguous, there was no way I could misunderstand the anger in her tone now and she took a step back when I moved towards her.

“Marlee, please let me explain. I’m worried about you and you keep saying you’re fine, but–”

She scoffed and when she spoke, her words held more fury than I’d ever heard from her.

“I didn’t ask you to look into him, ,” she spat, pointing towards the papers and I nearly flinched at the way she used my full name. “Why do my boyfriends always do shit like this? I am capable of taking care of myself, you know? Or do you think I’m that weak? Do I seem weak?” Her questions increased in volume, each hitting me in the chest like a series of darts.

“Of course not. That was never my intention. Fuck,” I reached for her and she stepped aside, averting her eyes as hot tears fell down her face.

I was out of my depth. I wanted to know everything I could about this jerk so I could help, but I’d taken away the one thing she begged for. The one thing she craved – honesty.

I needed to fix this but I didn’t even know where to begin. She was the first person I’d ever dated, cared for, possibly even loved and I was drowning. Navigating a new city with no access to a map.

She paced my office, her arms flapping as her breathing increased.

I wanted to hold her but the look on her face was terrifying. She was pissed and an angry Marlee wasn’t for the faint of heart. This was exactly why I didn’t date. I didn’t have the first clue about how to support someone else in life. I made decisions proactively and when I couldn’t, my reactive response was clearly messy. And look where that got me.

Running an exasperated hand through my hair I waited for her to speak, to give me some indication where she was at mentally. I didn’t know what to do and for once I needed to let someone else lead.

“I know you think what you’re doing is okay, but it’s not,” she snapped, and like a can opened after having been shaken she erupted. “I’m tired of constantly fighting for governance of my own life,” she ran her hands through her hair, holding tight fists at the back of her neck, “and now I have you investigating me like some kind of vigilante fucking detective.” I watched the fury emanating from her acidic words but didn’t dare interrupt.

“I have a doorman who won’t take no for an answer no matter how many ways I say it and a fucking stalker who has contacted me three times and I have literally no idea who they are. It’s everywhere I turn and I'm exhausted!” Any form of hold on her emotions was long gone, the last words spilling from her on a scream. This version of Marlee was filled with despair, driven purely by emotion and it clawed at my skin, creating my own form of torture at having to see her like this. My first instinct was to get in her space and make her see me. See my intentions and my love for her so I could reassure her and work through it with her but before I could, realisation slapped me across the face.

“Wait!” I strode towards her, unable to stay away. Her hands raised defensively, causing me to halt. “Did you just say stalker? Clarify what you mean by stalker?” I gritted.

Her eyes were wide, signalling her own recognition of what she’d just admitted.

I took a deep breath to kerb the fire that was swirling inside my chest as each of her comments swarmed in the silence between us.

Suppressing my anger, I spoke as calmly as I could manage. “We will get to these,” I pointed towards the documents, “but first, you need to explain what you mean by stalker?”

“, please, I just want to go home,” she looked up at me through her lashes, but despite the pain splashed across her features, I needed clarification.

“No!” I stated, matter of factly. “I know I fucked up but you don’t get to say someone is stalking one of the few fucking people I lo - argh - care about and not explain.”

Shit, had I just been about to tell her I loved her. Christ. The fire in my chest was an inferno and I wasn’t even remotely ready to go there right now .

“I don’t know, okay!” Exasperated, she threw her hands in the air. “Someone has been sending me messages,” she took her phone out facing the screen towards me, “and they’ve commented on what I was wearing or they mentioned you. I didn’t say anything because you don’t need to worry about my bullshit drama. And I don’t even know who’s sending them so what’s the point of worrying you?” I took her phone and scanned the screen before I forwarded screenshots of each text – and the number they came from – to myself.

“This first one was sent days ago, Marlee. How the fuck am I supposed to protect you if you don’t tell me things like this? How were you actually going to fix this on your own? Do you think you have it handled? Because it doesn’t fucking look that way to me.” I could see the way each of my questions ripped right through her before she seemed to deflate in front of me. She shrugged, the external anger almost viscerally melting away whereas my vision was near blurry from the rage that lingered in my stomach like a brick. I teetered on the edge, the pressure mounting underneath my skin.

I needed to speak to Wayne.

I needed to see Cooper so I could punch the shit out of someone.

But more than those things, I wanted to protect her. Which meant I needed to find out who the actual fuck was messaging her before I lost my mind. Quickly opening my phone, I shot a message to Wayne to get to my office immediately.

Marlee’s small voice snagged my attention, drawing me away from the flames licking at the edge of my resolve.

“I’m going home now, okay. I know you’re upset and I know you mean well but I need to breathe and I can’t do that when I’m near you. Your anger is palpable, , but I’m angry too. And I can’t think when you smell like, like, that,” she flung her hand in my direction and the look of aggravation was so Marlee-like I nearly smiled. I wanted to wrap her in my arms. Tell her I was sorry and vow to protect her but the fury was still clawing at my chest, my thoughts swirling.

Marlee had a stalker. A fucking stalker. And the doorman at her building was bothering her. How long had that been going on? I knew he was a shit stain when I first saw him but I didn't realise it was this bad. I made a mental note to call Andy ASAP.

Who the fuck was this guy and more importantly, who the fuck was messaging her?

As much as it pained me to let her go, I knew it was what she needed right now, and I also needed time to process and calm the fuck down. I wanted her near but she didn’t deserve my anger and I didn’t know how to defuse my own anger with everything swirling.

“Okay, babe,” my voice sounded utterly frustrated, even to me. “Wayne will drive you home. I’m sorry. I - I never meant to hurt you,” my voice broke on that last line and I turned away from her. My nose twitched and if I wasn’t wrong, I felt on the verge of tears. Something I hadn’t done since I was child. Taking a moment to compose myself I paused at the door to my office, my back still to her. I couldn’t let her see me like this, especially when I was barely hanging on.

“Go home and breathe, Marls, but just know, I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep you safe and I’m sorry if that’s the wrong thing to do. But you’re mine now and I protect what’s mine.”

I left the office, bumping into Wayne on the stairs, asking him to take Marlee home immediately.

“When I get back we can debrief,” he said knowingly and I nodded, avoiding looking at either of them when I was still feeling the stinging in my eyes.

Once they left I headed straight back to my office to call Andy. He answered on the third ring and I had no time or patience for pleasantries.

“Marlee is on her way home and she’s upset,” I heard Arna in the background obviously able to hear me and I rubbed a hand down my face in frustration.

“Babe, let him explain before you send the attack dogs,” he said to her before his voice became clearer. “What happened?” Andy asked in a clear attempt to calm Arna and placate me.

“A number of things, but, look, your fucking doorman has been harassing her. Sort him out or I will,” I knew none of this was Andy’s fault and felt instant guilt at my displaced aggression but it was my only outlet right now. “Wayne is bringing her home and will walk her to your door. Don’t let her leave unless one of you is with her. I’m sure Marlee will explain why.”

“What the fuck!” His voice became muffled as I heard him asking Arna if she knew anything, but this time I couldn’t hear her reply.

“Okay, man. Consider the situation here sorted. He won’t fucking talk to her again.”

I sighed, relief at least one of the issues was being handled. “Thanks, man. Sorry I came in heavy. It’s been a long night.”

“We will look after Marlee, so don’t stress about her. Is there anything else I can do?”

“Not at the moment but I appreciate it. Keep me posted, yeah, I’m happy to come over and speak to him myself if he has an issue.”

“I think it’s probably best if I manage this one,” he said, before hanging up.

I sat back and re-read the sheets of information on Lucas. If he was stalking her, he was as subtle as a gunshot and I was going to bring him to his knees.

But first, I needed to prove that theory. There had to be something here I was missing.