Page 49 of Sweet as Sin (Bad Habit 1)
I was almost afraid to say “no.” “Um . . . ”
He didn’t wait for more. “Do it. We leave in five.” He looked at Grace, then at Chloe. “You girls get ready, too. Barney will drive you home.”
“But my car—”
Nico cut Chloe off. “We’ll get it to you later today. Just give Barney your keys, and he’ll handle it. You don’t want those guys outside following you home, trust me. Once they know where you live, you’ll never get rid of them.”
Never? Appropriately, Chloe paled. As did I.
“Why do I need a bag? Where are we going?” I asked Nico.
“My place.”
He correctly interpreted my stunned look, but wasn’t taking “no” for an answer.
“You’re staying with me until this dies down.” He jerked his head toward the closed door. “And we’ll figure out what we’re gonna do to get this place more secure. I know a guy who does great security systems. Gates, surveillance, the whole—”
“I’m not installing gates around my house, Nico. I don’t want to live like a prisoner!”
And why had he just assumed I’d stay with him? He hadn’t even asked! I’d stay at a hotel. This was too weird to be believed.
“Kat,” said Grace, still with that quiet, unnerving voice, “he’s right.”
That was the last thing I expected to hear her say. I turned to stare at her.
“If you and Nico are going to be together, you need to be realistic about what that entails. What’s happening outside today is the tip of the iceberg in terms of what you’re up against. You have to start thinking about protecting your privacy, and your safety. Now that they know who you are, you’ll be hunted.”
Hunted? Chills coursed down my spine.
“They’ll start going through your trash. They’ll follow you to your car, the grocery store, the movies, the doctor’s office. They’ll climb the trees to get a better view into your yard, to see if they can get private pictures of you and Nico . . . ” her face slightly reddened, “together. And if they do, they won’t hesitate to publish those pictures. Or, God forbid, video.”
Lurid and horrible, snippets of celebrity sex tape scandals flashed through my mind’s eye. Was I about to join the ranks of such women as Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton, and Kim Kardashian?
“This isn’t making me feel better, Grace.”
“Sorry, sweetie. But you’ve been through worse. I’m sure you can handle this. It’s not the end of the world, it’s just . . . a major adjustment.”
Nico’s fingers tightened around my arms. He was looking back and forth between me and Grace. I knew he was wondering what she’d meant by “been through worse.”
The story I’d told him about why I hated my birthday wasn’t the worst of my little Pandora’s box of sordid stories. Not by a long shot.
“All right. I’ll get my stuff.” I didn’t add that I’d be staying at a hotel. I didn’t want to have that particular discussion with Nico in front of the girls. I knew how he was about getting his way.
“C’mon.” Grace moved toward the bedroom. “I’ll help you pack. Chloe?”
Still looking dazed, Chloe nodded, following Grace into the bedroom. Nico and I were left alone.
The first thing he did was pull me into a hard hug. He smelled like cigarettes again, and leather, and some kind of spicy cologne. He put his mouth to my ear, his unshaven cheek scratching my skin. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Yeah. Thanks for that, but it is.”
My head tucked against his chest, I sighed. Then, realizing I hadn’t yet brushed my teeth, I mashed my lips together in horror. And my hair. And my face!
I gently pulled myself from Nico’s arms, noting as I did that he was still wound tight as a bowstring.
“Okay. Five minutes. Be right back.”
