Chapter 2

Two

Piper

T yler wasn't glad to see me, not even in the slightest. It was strange because when he first saw me at the airport, he lit up, I swear it.

I bit my lower lip fighting back the tears as we pulled up his long driveway. I was jet-lagged, a little drunk and majorly horny. I'd been in love with Tyler King since my brother's wedding five years ago. And I'd been dreaming of kissing him for so long, the few cocktails I had in first-class to help dull the pain of my broken arm gave me the courage I needed.

The last time I met Tyler, I had been a needy mess. On Harrison's wedding day, my high school boyfriend broke up with me. Apparently, my supposed best friend had been blowing him, an opportunity that I had refused. The result was I spent my brother's wedding feeling embarrassed and sorry for myself.

Tyler put his arm around me as I cried my eyes out that day. He didn't say anything, but he just sat with me at the edge of the reception shielding me from prying eyes. I remember how his date (some gorgeous model) sulked while he sat with me.

I fell in love with him then and there. How could I not? I was sixteen. And he was already on his way to fame with his band, The Kings . Like the teenage dork that I was, I snotted into his suit jacket and babbled about my horse.

No wonder he wasn't glad to see me now. How could I ever recover from that? I hoped he'd see that I had changed, which in all fairness to myself was a low point for me personally. But as an artist, I knew better than anyone that first impressions counted big time.

This trip was a huge mistake.

The trouble was I had nowhere else to go now.

Tyler's impression on me was life altering. Sure he was a drop-dead gorgeous guy that made women swoon. I'd heard them tittering about him in the ladies' room at the wedding reception. A few of the waitstaff slipped him their numbers. I saw it all. People always forget that the ones they don't bother to notice, miss nothing.

It wasn't his rising fame or his chiseled body that drew me to him. I grew to appreciate those for sure but to a romantic teenager, it was Tyler's blue eyes that haunted my dreams. They were full of compassion that day.

After meeting him, I listened to his voice so much I knew it as well as my own. I stalked him on social media, hating each beauty on his arm at awards shows. The only thing that encouraged me was that no one woman persisted.

In the five years since I'd last seen him in person, Tyler only became more successful. And if the fact that Tyler lived on the opposite coast, was a super famous rock star and six years older felt like impossible obstacles.

But my brother's wife having problems with her pregnancy was not anything I could have foreseen. I hoped that she and my new little niece or nephew would be fine. I had to leave Vermont and staying with Tyler was a gift from the gods I was not going to waste. Though how to go about getting him to see me as a grown woman was clearly going to be a bigger problem than I thought. I had to admit my childish daydreams of him declaring he'd thought about me every day and was waiting until I grew up to act on his interest was not going to happen.

I glanced over at him as he pulled my bags from the trunk. His brow was furrowed in concentration. He looked like a Viking and about as pleased as one too.

But even grumpy he was fucking hot. I mean I saw him all the time on my Instagram account, but in person, he radiated an aura of energy and power. And his body was all chiseled muscle. He may travel all the time, but he still worked out a lot.

"Nice car," I said, waving to West as he parked it then retrieved his motorcycle to head back home. I wasn't a car person by any means, but the vehicle reeked of ‘new car smell' and anything to get Tyler talking could only help.

"I ordered it while we were touring Malaysia." His lips were tight as he spoke. "What's with the cast?"

"Accident." I shrugged, following him up to the entrance.

"How's the horse?" He asked.

"Fine." I was glad for the darkness. I was a terrible liar.

"Does your arm hurt?" He paused before punching in a code in another keypad to study me under the half-light.

"A little," I admitted. "Sometimes a lot, especially at night. But this far along in the healing I doubt it will ever truly fade away. Especially when it rains. But for now, I've got pain meds that help. But I try not to."

"Good. Because those are not good." He shook his head, entering the number.

The door beeped, and the handle turned easily for him.

"I'm taking them for a medical reason."

"They're usually not a problem until it's too late." Tyler snorted. "Compared to Vermont, LA is like a different planet."

"I see. Rural America is having a much harder time with drug treatment than the urban areas like this city."

"Did you read that in The New York Times ?" He shook his head heading down the hall.

"More like watching those around me fall into miserable conditions at school. The art world is not a pretty place."

"Don't expect LA to be any different."

"I don't." I scratched my cast out of habit. Nothing stopped the itch inside, but it gave me something to do. "But at least it's a fresh start."

Tyler glanced back at me in the hall. "That I can understand. Who doesn't dream of starting over?"

My mouth dropped open. Why on earth would he say that? He was killing it with his career. I half expected there to be a line of women waiting for him around the block from his home.

But I closed my mouth, deeply curious to take in the first impressions of Tyler's place.

I expected him to live in a modern home with giant ceilings, but his choice surprised me. His house was a 1920s' Craftsman with five bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a half acre of mature trees. He was very proud of it, I couldn't blame him. He'd earned it.

The house was also the space of someone who valued their privacy which wasn't surprising given how popular Tyler was.

"Sorry about all the security, but it's better to be safe than sorry." He gave me a small smile, and my heart rate sped up.

I had no problem with extensive security.

"It's not like in the magazines." I wanted to clap my hand over my mouth. I sounded like a stalker. Which I was but he didn't need to know that.

"It's never in any media. If I have to, I meet an interviewer in someone else's home. usually West's." He paused. "Do you have any allergies to pets?"

"Nope."

"Good." He stepped in front of me and opened the last door. A bear-sized blur flew toward us growling.

"This is Hercules." Tyler laughed.

His joy was like the sun breaking through the clouds on a chilly day. I was familiar with angsty Tyler from his music, but a happy Tyler was truly glorious.

I peeked around Tyler to get a better look at man and beast.

Hercules had his paws on Tyler's shoulders. The dog was massive, clearly a mix of several breeds and missing the top of one ear. He really did look like a bear, but his eyes were of an old soul.

"Meet Piper," Tyler said.

The dog cocked his head, and dropped down to all fours with a thud. He sniffed my offered hand and my cast too.

I had never owned a dog but not from lack of pleading. My parents were not dog people. Finding a pet friendly apartment was high on my list.

I dropped down to him. "Who's the good boy?" I scratched behind his ears. "What kind of breed is he?"

"Mostly he's a Newfie, but I can't say what else. He's a rescue. If he ever had any papers, he probably ate them."

Hercules padded behind us when Tyler showed me around the house.

"I love architecture. I never got to college to study it, so this is my chance to own some." He showed me little used rooms for entertaining before passing into the more private areas of the house. I could tell the transition because the large paintings gave way to a hallway filled with framed charcoal sketches of flowers, Hercules, and musical instruments. Naturally, I paused to examine them. They were fantastic. In the corner were the initials "CB" and the date.

"You did these?" I pointed at the sketches.

Tyler stopped wheeling my suitcase. He shrugged. "Gotta do something when I can't sleep. Here's your room."

I stepped inside to find a light and airy bedroom. The walls were a pale yellow with crisp white linens. A vase filled with fresh pink poppies decorated the nightstand.

But it was the bed that made me blush. All I could think of was Tyler sharing that bed with me. Meanwhile, Tyler was busy showing me the closets, the air conditioning controls, and the extra blankets. Thank God he didn't notice I was bright red.

"My room is at the other end of the house, if you need anything, text me. Good night."

He and Hercules left me alone, rather abruptly. It was only early evening. But I was feeling the effects of jet lag and alcohol. I laid down on the bed, feeling tired and yet strangely keyed up.

It wasn't like I wanted to be in love with Tyler. I dated a few other guys, but my interest in the relationships was half-hearted at best.

My heart and my fantasies belonged to Tyler alone.

Now we were finally in the same place, and he appeared none too pleased. He was polite but clearly having me here was an intrusion. I fell asleep fully dressed on that ridiculously soft bed, feeling disappointed in how things had started off between us. At least, I felt safe here with Tyler, and maybe that was a good enough start.

I was awake before daylight the next morning, that time change was killer. Now though I was hungry and sorry I'd skipped dinner last night. I felt much more like myself. I wasn't some school girl to moon over Tyler. If he thought I was the same kid at the wedding, he had a lot to learn.

I headed to the kitchen we'd passed through the previous evening. It was like a set from a cooking show with fancy appliances, wood cabinets, and stone countertops. I didn't get the impression it got any more use than the rest of the house.

With Tyler's schedule, I expected frozen dinners and old bottles of ketchup, so I was delighted to find the refrigerator stocked with fresh food.

I studied the selection of fancy yogurts when Tyler's voice behind me made me jump.

"What are you wearing?" He demanded.

I straightened and turned from the fridge. For the record, I was wearing my white string bikini. My eyes narrowed. I never had any complaints when I wore it before. In fact, the results were the opposite.

"Good morning to you too. Got up on the wrong side of the bed? And in answer to your question, this is a swimsuit." I crossed my arms over my breasts, letting the refrigerator door close. My nipples were hard, it'd be great to say that it was from the cold air.

But let's be real.

Tyler was standing before me in swim trunks. He was all cut muscles and tattoos. I had no doubt he could make a girl come on command.

Not that I had a snowball's chance in hell of finding that out for myself.

His face was tense, and anger rolled off him like a heat wave. "I'm going to the hot tub." He stalked away without another word.

I watched him walk away noting one, the back of him was as sexy as the front and two, he was not a morning person.

Hercules had followed Tyler out to the kitchen. Now his big head swung from his retreating master to me standing by the fridge.

"Oh, go on, you big baby. Maybe you can improve his mood."

The beast lumbered after Tyler, but he did cast a quick glance back at me.

Tyler didn't have to be a jerk about this. It was clear he wasn't happy with me here.

Looking for a simpler problem to solve, I opened the fridge again, resuming my yogurt selection.

After a few seconds, I slammed the door empty-handed. I'd lost my appetite for breakfast. I needed something stronger.

And it was time to level up this visit.

Tyler's house was built high in the Hollywood Hills. The result was jaw-dropping views from every window. The Pacific Ocean stretched out on the western horizon and city of Los Angeles wrapped around everything else.

I followed the direction Tyler and Hercules went off in. I took a few wrong turns on the way, locating a state-of-the-art gym behind one door and a home theater behind another. This place was crazy big.

Finally, I found the pool area on the upper level of the property. I paused to take in the scene. There was an infinity pool, a hot tub, a lap pool, and several cabanas. I pushed open the sliding glass door and stepped out into the warming California sunshine.

The pool area at Tyler's rivaled any luxury hotel. But the best part was the privacy. Not a soul besides us. I felt the recent tension from back home start to ease slightly with the fragrant breeze. I was safe here with Tyler. He might not be happy about my presence, but I was more relieved than he could know to be here.

Hercules lay next to the hot tub, his massive body sprawled out like a carpet. I made my way to the hot tub in my apparently offensive white bikini. I was not about to change now that Tyler had mentioned it. He could deal with it. I felt his eyes on me as I approached him though with his sunglasses on I couldn't see if he was really watching me or not.

I worked damn hard to get this body. Running, yoga, and riding before the broken arm. I was not about to let Tyler ruin my mood this morning.

But a little help couldn't hurt.

I detoured to the fully stocked outdoor bar I'd spied to the left side. Since it was barely eight in the morning, I made myself a mimosa. I was wary of alcohol after I literally threw myself at him at the airport. But orange juice and champagne wasn't a big deal, besides for this one day I gave myself as a mini-vacation. A me day.

Usually, I considered myself a put together person. Events in the last year tested this image I had for myself though. But with Tyler, I seemed to find myself more vulnerable. I worried a lot about appearing weak. Strangely though Tyler probably didn't like certain things I did, I felt like he accepted me underneath it all. Maybe it was just wishful thinking.

I poured my champagne into a crystal flute without offering any to Tyler. I felt pretty certain he didn't start his day off with alcohol. In the wet bar fridge, I found a glass pitcher of orange juice. After months of wearing a cast, I was good at working around my injured hand. It might not be pretty, but I could get the job done.

"Is this freshly squeezed?" I sniffed, the aroma of citrus made my stomach rumble. The rubbery chicken on the flight seemed days ago.

"Organic oranges from my trees here. The kitchen staff pressed the juice for you."

"Thank you. What a treat." I liberally mixed the juice and champagne. The mimosa overflowed the rim, and I swiped at the liquid running down the sides. I didn't bother to suppress a smile. This was about as far away from how my days started in Vermont as I could imagine. "You've got staff? I haven't seen anyone."

"They are paid well to stay out of sight." Tyler tossed his sunglasses on the deck as I stepped into the hot tub.

The full effect of his glare was impossible to miss. "Tell me you're legal."

"Excuse me?" I almost choked on my drink. What the fuck happened to the nice sweet guy who consoled me five years ago? He'd been replaced by a cranky uptight asshole. "I'm twenty-one and I just graduated college." I stepped into the hot tub, pausing to get used to the heat. The morning air was cool, but that just made the warm water feel divine as it flowed around my calves.

"I didn't ask to see your diploma. I asked if you were old enough to drink that." He pointed to my champagne flute. It was impossible not to stare at how his tattoos rippled across his muscled chest when he moved.

Holy fuck. He was hot.

"I am. Happy now?" I snapped. "For a rock star, you're kind of a prude." My muttering morphed into a sigh as I stepped deeper into the tub. The swirling water felt amazing. The few sips of mimosa took the edge off Tyler's sour mood.

I sank down to the level of my boobs so that they were covered by water. I had to hold my cast out of the water though which majorly sucked. Still, I was not going to miss hot tubbing in Los Angeles because of the stupid cast. Luckily, it was due to come off in a few days.

"That may be," Tyler reached for a switch behind him to stop the tub bubbles from splashing me. That was thoughtful of him. "But this is my house, and these are my rules. I'm not breaking the law, even for you Piper."

"I wasn't asking you." What was he so uptight about? I was hardly going to get carded in his house.

"Good, then we understand each other," he said.

His scowl said it all. He really did hate having me around. That made me feel like a giant empty pit was stretched out before me, waiting to swallow me up.

Thank God for the mimosa. I needed it. At this rate, I'd be spending most of my time drinking to avoid feeling crushed about Tyler. I didn't have a pill problem but I didn't want to end up a drunk either.

"This feels heavenly." I changed the subject as I rested my casted arm on the edge of the hot top with the rest of my body submerged. "I'm really sorry about all this. I know this is a favor to Harrison."

Tyler glanced over at Hercules as he spoke. The dog had moved to a shady spot on the grassy lawn. His black coat must've been heating up fast. "What do you plan to do out here?"

"I get my cast off in a few days. Then I can start showing around my portfolio to the studios. I'd like to start looking for apartments too. What's your week like?"

Tyler shook his damp curls before leaning back on the edge of the hot tub. "Lots of business meetings this week."

"That's good."

He raised his head and squinted at me. "You have never met my manager."

"I meant you could use the rest. You look pretty exhausted."

"If I could get to sleep that would help."

"That's the worst." I shifted my position so that I was floating on my stomach just keeping my cast propped on the tub edge. "I usually do my sketches at night when I can't sleep. Just one of the many ways I'm done with this thing." I motioned to my cast. "Counting sheep is highly overrated."

Tyler nodded then he stood up, water streaming off him. I tried not to stare and failed.

"I'll be gone for most of today. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Don't let Hercules tell you I haven't fed him. I'll be bringing us back some dinner."

He was out of the tub and gone, leaving a trail of wet footprints rapidly drying in the morning sun.

"Was it something I said?" I asked aloud, but there was no one but Hercules and me left to answer. He thumped his tail but remained in the shade.

For someone who made his living from communicating, Tyler was not much into conversation.

I was disappointed he didn't ask if I wanted to come along. I wouldn't have minded having a look around LA while he had his business meetings. But he didn't offer, and it felt rude to ask when he was already going to the trouble of having me here. There were worse things than spending the day in a Hollywood Hills mansion.

Unfortunately, even in an amazing house, time dragged for the rest of the day. It was evident that Tyler didn't spend much time here. A dog walker showed up twice to take Hercules out. From him, I learned that when Tyler was away touring the dog lived with West.

By the time Tyler returned, I had hoped he would be in a better mood. He had seemed so at ease at the wedding five years ago. All I could remember was his gentle nature and my abject misery. This broody man was familiar to me from his music but sharing a physical space with him was tenser than I imagined. Though to be honest, I'd not had any realistic idea of what the visit might really entail. Judging from the last twelve hours, my hopes were dying a painful death.

When Tyler did arrive back home, it was with a delicious take-out dinner. But he was his usual subdued self while I tried to draw him out. After dinner, he excused himself to practice piano. Though he was a vocalist with The Kings , I'd discovered two other music rooms today on my further exploration of the house. He had a whole room of guitars and one room held a baby grand piano.

I retreated to my room to organize my portfolio and make a list of agents to contact. I wasn't going to use Tyler's name to get me in the door anywhere. I would make it on my own talent. The sooner I could get this damn cast off, the better.

I'd started designing dresses for friends during college to make extra money. I learned to sew one summer when I was in high school. As a result, I'd become pretty good at creating party dresses. I could start that up again out here. LA had a reputation for endless socializing though you wouldn't know it from Tyler's solitary lifestyle.

I paused in my organizing, hoping to hear the sounds of Tyler's music but this place was like a tomb. It figured in a mansion like this, his music rooms were soundproof. I refused to listen to his music with my headphones. I was living in the same house with the man!

That night, I turned in without seeing him again though Hercules showed up later. He flopped down next to my bed and soon was snoring away. It was comforting, though when I finally fell asleep my last thoughts were of searching for Tyler in a mansion full of empty rooms.

I woke up when I hit the floor. Or rather when I banged my arm on the thick rug. A cry escaped me before I was awake enough to realize what happened. The floor was so lushly carpeted, so I didn't really hurt myself. I startled easily these days, and that was what made me cry out. Hercules's solution was to lick my face.

"What's the matter?" Tyler rushed into my room, flicking on my overhead light. He was wearing pajama pants but no shirt. My sore arm was temporarily forgotten when I got a good look at him. It was the same amount of clothing as he'd worn in the hot tub this morning but knowing he had been wearing it in bed made me swallow back a moan.

How had he heard me way down in his room?

"You ok?" He crouched down to me.

Before I had a chance to reply he scooped me up, careful of my cast. He held me in his lap on the side of the bed.

I winced. My whole arm felt like it was full of pins and needles now. I must've whacked my elbow when I fell out of bed. "How could you hear me down in your room?"

He waited a moment before replying. "I left the intercom on."

He was listening to me in my room. Holy fuck. I tried to unscramble my thoughts enough to figure out if I'd used my vibrator and panted his name.

That was pretty much my usual nighttime routine back in Vermont.

I remembered I'd not unpacked the vibrator yet. Thank God.

Why had he been listening to me?

With just my panties and a tank top on, I wasn't wearing much as I perched on his lap. Under my ass, I felt his dick harden. I tested that theory out by shifting slightly. And it twitched.

"I should let you get back to sleep." Tyler didn't move.

"Don't leave." I leaned my head against his massive chest. It felt so right to do that.

"Piper," he sighed. "Stop."

"At the airport, you liked me well enough."

He remained quiet.

"Tyler, I'm a virgin," I whispered.

" Fuck, Piper. I really don't want to know that."

I wiggled my ass against him. More twitching. "Don't you like me?" I persisted.

Tyler's laugh was hard. "I do. And that's the problem."

Hooray! Had circumstances been different I would have indulged in a victory fist pump.

Heat radiated throughout my body from its contact with him. "How is that a problem? We're adults."

"Harrison asked to look out for you. I shouldn't be thinking of all the ways I could fuck you."

My breath caught in my throat. I exhaled shakily. "Touch me, Tyler, please. I want it so badly." I turned my head against his chest, planting a kiss on his muscled pec.

"Piper, don't ask me to do this."

"I want to know what your touch feels like," I whispered. The fingers of my good hand combed through his hair. I loved feeling his curls against my touch.

"This is not a good idea."

"It'll be our little secret." I drew the tip of my tongue along his collar bone. I inhaled his scent of leather and soap. It was imprinted on my brain after he'd lent me his jacket all those years ago at the wedding. "Please," I whispered. "I have this little ache inside me. I can't make it go away no matter how hard I try."

"God help me." His hand slid between my legs. At my knees, he parted my thighs, his warm touch left a wake of goosebumps over my skin. His fingers skimmed higher and higher, drawing circles on the insides of my thighs. At the top of my thighs, his fingers brushed against the outside of my panties. I practically bucked off his lap.

"You shave your pussy?"

"Do want to see?" I was pleased he noticed.

"I shouldn't, but I do. Show me how you touch yourself."

"I don't want my touch, I want yours ."

Tyler kissed my forehead. "Show me."

I slipped my hand down my panties. My bare pussy was a new thing. I was surprised how turned on I was touching myself in front of Tyler. Before it had been out of necessity in the darkness of my room. Now it was to bring mutual pleasure.

My pussy was already wet when I tickled my clit and sank a finger into my wet cunt. I rubbed myself while Tyler groaned, shifting beneath me. I could feel his cock brushing my ass from underneath his briefs. I slid my finger in and out of my pussy. A slurpy wetness echoed loudly. I whined, trying to adjust my angle but my finger wasn't thick enough to bring me the relief I craved.

"Let me take care of you." Tyler murmured, pulling my hand away. He kissed my open palm with his sensual lips. Then his tongue licked my slick finger hard.

My whole body shuddered in relief at his touch. It was like I died and went straight to heaven.

Tyler rubbed the outside of my panties as I shifted restlessly against his fingers. Then he pushed my panties aside, and his bare fingers made contact with my pussy lips.

I cried out from happiness.

"You're so wet. Do you like me stroking your pussy?"

I swallowed a sob. I nodded, not risking speaking.

Tyler slid one thick finger inside me then another. "God, you are so fucking wet and tight."

I pressed my thighs together, trapping his fingers inside me. I started riding his hand. While his fingers stroked inside me, he thumbed my clit.

"Please don't stop," I begged. I could feel my orgasm building. The thought that Tyler was getting me off was making me dizzy with need. "I can't hold on much longer."

"Come for me, you dirty little virgin."

"I'm close." I murmured.

Tyler increased his stroking speed, his thumb rubbed my clit harder.

Mother of God that felt so fucking good.

"Tyler," I gasped. "Please, please, don't stop."

His dark chuckle reverberated in his chest. "Come for me, baby girl. I want to feel your cum all over my hand."

Of fuck. That was all I needed. I tipped over the edge, my body splintering apart in a million pieces. I bucked and cried out, not caring about anything other than the way Tyler made my body feel.

As I quieted down, I could still feel his erection pressing against my ass. The back of my panties was wet from his precum leaking.

He started to lay me down on the bed, his hand sliding out of me. I cried out at the loss of contact between us though my body felt boneless in the best possible way.

But I knew that this opportunity was too good to waste. Odds were Tyler would be back to his usual aloof self the next day.

"Don't leave." I reached out to him.

"I'm not made of stone. Let me go jack off to the smell of you. Go back to sleep."

"No, I want to help."

"Piper, I'm a grown man, I'll be fine."

While he was standing next to the bed, I reached down under his pajama pants. His shaft was thick and pulsed in my hand. His balls were smooth and full of hot cum.

Tyler shuddered with pleasure at my touch.

"We can do better than fine. Show me what you want." Now the head of his cock jutted out of his pajama bottoms. I'd never seen a real live cock before. I licked my lips. I wanted to taste Tyler more than anything in my life.

Glancing up at him, he was watching me with hooded eyes.

His cock was thick, veined, and the tip had a fat drop of cum ready to be picked off.

"This is what you do to me. Ever since I saw you at the airport, I've been dying to bury myself inside you," he growled.

I had longed to hear those words, and yet he seemed so angry at me last night and this morning. It wasn't anger. But desire.

"Fuck me. You know I want it." I didn't want to waste a minute of what had brought us to this place.

"Piper, it's not that simple, and you know it."

"No one will know."

" I'll know."

He hissed when I ran my hand up and down his length, pumping more precum to spill over my fingers.

"I've been saving myself for you, Tyler." I can't believe I've actually shared my darkest secret, but now that I have a huge weight has been lifted.

"Piper, I can't make love to you. I want to more than anything, but it's just not right."

"Tyler, please, fuck me, I want to know what it's like to have you inside me."

He brushed my hair back from my face. "You are so beautiful. You steal my breath."

My phone started vibrating. It was the absolute worst fucking time. Story of my life. I didn't want to move, but then again I wanted to make sure everything was all right with Harrison's family.

Reluctantly I untangled myself from Tyler. I grabbed my phone off the bedside table and headed into the bathroom.

Everything changed when I closed the bathroom door and read the message.

I went cold all over. Every ounce of pleasure drained out of my body. I was numb, but I let out an agonized moan.

Within seconds, Tyler pounded on the bathroom door. "Piper! What is it? Let me in."

I opened the door, shaking like I'd been standing in a freezer. Tears flooded down my face, and I didn't bother to wipe them away. "He…He's got my number." I thrust the phone to Tyler as I stumbled past him fleeing the bathroom.

I was shaking so hard my teeth chattered. I huddled against the wall in a corner by the bed where I could see the window. I had to know I was safe. It wasn't over. That knowledge had me curling into a ball.

"What are you talking about?" Tyler looked at my phone.

I knew what he was seeing—a picture of the two of us from last night of me kissing him at the baggage claim.

"Fucking paparazzi." He spat the words. Disgust made his lip curl. He dropped the phone on the nightstand.

I couldn't stop shaking. Tyler gathered me up into his arms. "They're maggots, but they won't hurt you. I'm so sorry about that. It's a sad fact of my life." He pushed my hair away from my face.

I shook my head, pushing back my tangled curls more. "It's not the paparazzi, Tyler. It's him."

Tyler stilled. His voice was deadly calm when he spoke. "Who is him , Piper?"

"Will Laurent. He's been stalking me. I left Vermont. I got a new number. He shouldn't be able to find me." Now that I started to speak and Tyler's arms were around me, the words tumbled out. "Everything was ruined."

"Start at the beginning, Piper." Tyler put me in my bed and wrapped me up in the comforter then he put his arms around me again. My panic dropped a notch. If I could only stay like this forever.

I took a shaky breath then continued. "I did an internship in New York last summer at the Met's Costume Museum. Will worked at the museum as a security guard. At first, he seemed nice by walking me back to my sublet when I worked late. But then he started following me everywhere I went. He said we were a couple, but we never were. I didn't—couldn't think of him like that. Anyway, I told him we weren't and that I didn't want to see him anymore. That's when the notes and photographs started. It was relentless. I ended up leaving my internship early. I thought it was over when I went back to Vermont, but he showed up there too. I called the police but Will was good at not getting caught." I caught my breath on a sob. "I thought it was over when I came out here."

"What did Harrison do about all this? Why wasn't I told?" Tyler asked. His voice was deadly quiet, but I heard the steel in it.

"I asked him not to. I wanted to handle it myself. Then a few months ago Will showed up at my apartment disguised as a delivery man. He tried to kidnap me. I fought him off." I touched my cast lightly with the fingertips of my other hand.

"You didn't fall off a horse," he said flatly. "He broke your arm."

"I fell down the stairs trying to get away from him. A neighbor came to help me. Will escaped. The police have been looking for him, but he vanished. Now he's here in LA."

"One thing is for sure. You're not going anywhere until this fucker is apprehended."

Emotions churned through me. On the one hand, I wanted to be with Tyler, but I absolutely didn't want to be a burden. I wanted him to want me there not feel like he was duty bound to protect me. I knew that was his nature from when we first met.

"I can't stay here forever. The police have tried to find him, but he's very good at evading them." I chewed my bottom lip. I hated feeling hunted.

"I'll hire private security. I swear to you, we'll find him before he bothers you again. Trust me."

And so help me, I did.