Page 58 of Sebastian
“Who could forget Sebastian Luttrell? Tall, dark, and out-of-this-world handsome. That deep voice alone was enough to make my panties wet,” Hannah said, then clamped a hand over her mouth. “Not that I tried anything when he met with me to lay down the law for your schedule. Seriously.”
Gabrielle laughed. “I believe you.”
“Because he let you know that he only has eyes for you?”
“Yes.” Gabrielle bit her bottom lip. “This is the real deal, Hannah. I know it seems fast, but—”
“When you know, you know,” Hannah squeezed her hands. “I’m happy for you, even if this new stalker is causing a pause in your new love life. Have the two of you done the dirty yet?”
“I am not answering that.”
“Oh, you have! Good for you! I was worried you had cobwebs down there, so I’m glad he gave it a good sweep.”
“Hannah, we are not having this conversation,” Gabrielle said, then gulped her coffee. The last thing she needed was to be inundated with memories of making love with Sebastian last night. “Back to the stalker. The good news is the cops know his identity, and they are confident he’ll be arrested soon. Until then, I need a distraction. What’s the latest with my calendar?”
“Forget your calendar. Don’t you think you should do a video on this new stalker? Tell your followers how some asshole is trying to rain on your homecoming, but you refuse to let him win.”
“I don’t know. It could impede the police investigation. What if the stalker sees it, and it spooks him or, even worse, makes him accelerate his plans to do something to me.” Gabrielle shook her head. “It’s not a good idea.”
“Hear me out. Part of your journey is about owning your true self without regrets or fear. The trauma you experienced made you feel like you had to dim your light so that you wouldn’t attract psychos. But you fought against that and emerged as the strong woman you are today,” Hannah said. “The public only knows what happened at the airport. They think you are safe and enjoying life instead of being holed up here, an inmate in a luxury prison.”
Gabrielle looked away. Hannah was right. The newspapers reported:Police security arranged for Gabrielle King was mistakenly thought to be an attacker, causing a partial shutdown at St. Killian airport. The misunderstanding has since been resolved. Ms. Gabrielle King is safe and reunited with her family.
Hannah persisted, “You didn’t balk at doing a video to share your feelings about Damian’s death. That could’ve backfired, but it didn’t stop you. In only a few days since we posted it, that video has become your most watched of all time, with positive reactions from your supporters. You let everyone in on your journey. That’s what they expect from you. That’s what you expect from yourself. It’s part of your Emerge Anew brand. I’m surprised you don’t want to do that now.”
“I haven’t had time to think much about it. I was whisked away to this hotel and told to put most of my life on hold until the stalker is found.”
“But I wouldn’t be here if the police didn’t want you to keep living your life. Running your business.”
“The cops think it’s important for me to maintain my same pattern of online activity so the stalker isn’t tipped off that they are on to him.”
“Well, you’re in the business of sharing content that motivates and inspires women to overcome devastating setbacks. There’s nothing more devastating than one stalker dying only to be replaced by another psycho. You need to talk about this. We can do it without the full crew. They can edit the footage later,” Hannah said as if Gabrielle had already agreed.
She wasn’t sure. There was wisdom in not poking a bear. She didn’t know much about Tony Brooks. Only what she’d learned from Brad at the police station. He didn’t have a history of physical violence toward women, but that had already changed with the snakes he’d left in her purse.
She did like the idea of putting him on notice through her social media. She didn’t have to give his name, but she could make it clear that her days of cowering were over. She was warming to the idea. If Sebastian were here, he would tell her if this was a good idea or if she was crazy to consider it. He was the only one who could lay things out with brutal honesty and objectively, without any agenda. But Sebastian wasn’t here. She’d need to make this call by herself. She gripped her butterfly necklace in her hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Let’s do it. Call the team. Have the video equipment sent over,” Gabrielle said. Tony Brooks would soon learn she wasn’t putting her life on hold for a stalker ever again.
Chapter34
Holding the thick, black steel card in his hand, Sebastian rubbed his thumb over the etched outline of the stingray and then pressed it against the badge reader. The door to the compound swung open. He stepped inside and looked around the state-of-the-art facilities that seemed frozen in time.
Two years ago, they had planned on using the space as the headquarters for the security team. Ike had poured most of his inheritance into the start-up, only to have everything fall apart when the King family jet vanished over Africa.
Sebastian couldn’t help wondering what could have been, how all of their lives would be different if Ike had been capable of handling his parents’ disappearance. With Ike gone, none of those plans seemed viable anymore.
Until now.
The search for Tony Brooks had reunited them.
Ignited them.
Kane, back from his trip to Miami, had been the one to suggest they meet here. It felt right to all of them, even if Ike wasn’t around. There was no other place on the islands with everything they needed to launch a coordinated, strategic, and time-sensitive search but the Stingray Security Compound. The compound had full living quarters, a kitchen, game room, and workout facilities rivaling the Air and Land Forces military headquarters.
Weaving through the maze of corridors, Sebastian pushed open the double doors of the war room. Everett, Bobby, and Kane were inside, standing in front of three massive screens.
“This was two days before Gabrielle arrived back in the Palmchat Islands. See the request to send a message to Black Butterfly with goat hearts for all the hearts the slut has broken,” Bobby said.
