Page 87 of Living Hell

TWENTY-NINE

Tyler

“I DON’T LIKE THAT SHEagreed to do this,” I said to Cara for probably the twentieth time today.

“She’s a professional and knows how to handle guys like him. If you hadn’t heard, Hollywood isn’t the most female friendly place. Yet, she’s worked her way through that town unscathed. There’s a rare actress who can say that.”

Despite hearing how unsafe Hollywood was for Iona, it warmed my heart to hear the admiration in Cara’s voice as she spoke about her.

“It only takes one man . . .” I reminded her.

“I know, but this idea today was good. I think the mayor’s going to like it when we present him with it, and it will distract him from Iona. Did you tell her this morning?”

I shook my head. “I had to get up early to meet with the sheriff. He needed some clarification on a few things.”

Apparently, this case was bigger than just some stolen furniture. The FBI is now involved, which worried me. What if it affected Iona? I wasn’t just on the lookout for her at the parade, but my brother, too. He needed to beef up his security, as it has only been him. I wanted a whole team here watching her.

“I found the mayor’s assistant, but no one can seem to locate the mayor,” Terrance said as he jogged up to us. We were standing beside the apple float so there would be no way we could miss them.

At the edge of town, near our secluded spot, was where all the floats and people in the parade gathered before it started. After Iona and I made love yesterday, I was so happy to have her in my life, baby and all, that I called Cara with my idea.

I knew why Iona had her as an assistant—she was thorough and quick. Cara contacted all the right people and made it happen. Babette even contacted me and offered to help finance the thing as an apology for tricking us into living together.

“Perhaps we’ll tell her after the parade,” Terrance said with a shrug.

I knew she wasn’t happy being forced to sit next to the mayor up on a big apple float during the parade. But that’s why I wanted to surprise her with this news—to give her something good to think about.

Ever since we talked with each other yesterday about the pregnancy, I had felt this need to keep her happy.

I hated seeing her so mad when I teased her about a big pregnancy belly. However, she had no idea that the thought of her waddling around with my baby inside her did things to me. I worried there was something wrong with me that it turned me on to think of her filled with our child. And, I was concerned my dick would hurt the baby when she was close to her due date. Mainly because I knew we were going to have lots of sex the bigger she got.

“Has anyone seen Iona?” Jake asked from behind.

I turned to find my brother and Babette coming up to the float.

“You’re her bodyguard,” I said as I fisted my hands.

That’s what I worried about. The mayor was a leech. Iona may be tough when it came to men like that, but she wasn’t immune to danger.

“She could be anywhere. They could be anywhere.” I waved my hand around.

“It’s going to be okay, Dr. Ferguson. Perhaps you should speak with the sheriff? I know Iona spoke to him the other day.”

Why would Iona need to talk to Garrison?

“I noticed him right over there,” she said.

I nodded to thank her and couldn’t help but notice the blush on her cheeks. I glanced at my brother, but he was speaking with Cara. I wondered what my brother and Babette were doing before they showed up.

As much as I wanted to interrogate my brother and warn him about her deceptive ways, I had to find Iona first.

Moving through the crowd, I saw Garrison by a cop car.

“Sheriff!”

He looked up and gave me a nod. With his hands on his hips, he turned to face me. “What can I do for you, Tyler?”

Get it together, Tyler, and don’t embarrass yourself. This is for Iona. He’s just a man doing a job. He may be the coolest guy to walk the Earth, but he’s human like anyone else.

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