“I don’t make it a habit to kiss people I have working relationships with.”
He’d kissed me when I worked for him. “Yes or no, please?”
“No, Alayna. I’ve never kissed her. I’ve never fucked her. I’ve never anything with her.” His tone was smooth but emphatic.
I returned his level expression even though I was an irrational mess inside.
My seeming composure egged him on. Or he sensed that I was a thread away from falling apart. He ran a hand through his hair. “Since she’s in the Financial Division, Norma handled the transaction when I purchased The Sky Launch so she knew I had the club. The other day she asked if there were any management positions available there. I told her no, but that I’d keep Gwen in mind. I didn’t want to tell you about her because I was afraid if you knew, you’d take that as a reason not to be the manager yourself. It’s as simple as that.”
“That makes sense.” And the slightly manipulative way he kept it from me was totally typical Hudson. In my heart I knew he was telling the truth, but my head—it was in overdrive.
So which did I believe? My heart or my head?
He met my eyes and held my stare for several seconds. “There’s nothing with her, Alayna. I’m with you. Always. Okay?”
My heart. I believed my heart. Always.
This was Hudson. He loved me, even if he stubbornly couldn’t say the words. I trusted him. What had he ever done to tell me otherwise?
I shook my head, ashamed of myself. “I’m sorry. I’m being stupid.”
Hudson tugged me into his arms. Finally, I felt calm. I breathed him in—the scent of his soap and aftershave filled me with a soothing balm. There was nowhere that I’d rather be than right there in his embrace.
He ran his hands up and down my back and kissed along my temple. “I know you wouldn’t be like this if something hadn’t happened. And you came in here upset. What’s going on, precious?”
I clung to him, my hands digging into his jacket. Now that he was holding me, I didn’t want to let him go. This was where I was safe.
“Alayna, talk to me.”
I turned my head so my words wouldn’t be muffled in his clothing. “It’s Celia.”
Hudson pushed me away to meet my face. His eyes were wide with concern. “What did she do?”
“She’s following me.”
His brows furrowed. “What do you mean, following you?”
“Like, showing up where I am and going wherever I go. Following me.” I showed him the picture on my phone and explained how I’d spotted her tailing me while I ran errands and added that Jordan had seen her that morning. Plus, she’d been on the boat the night before.
I feared he’d say I was overreacting, that he wouldn’t believe me like the time before. I had a picture, but what did that show? Would he think I was the one who’d followed her?
But his response this time made up for his previous doubts. “Fucking bitch!” He spun away from me and ran his hand through his hair. “I swear to god if she does anything to you…”
Tears sprung to my eyes, half from terror, half from relief that he was on my side. “What does she want from us? From me?”
Hudson circled around to the other side of his desk. “It doesn’t matter. She can’t do this. I’ll call my lawyer. We’ll get a restraining order.” Before I could interject, he’d pushed his intercom. “Patricia, get Gordon Hayes on the phone.”
“Yes, Mr. Pierce.”
I shook my head and sunk into one of the armchairs. “It’s not that simple.”
“I don’t care if it’s simple or not. I’m getting a restraining order.”
I’d never seen him so worked up. His calm aloofness had vanished and in its place was a wild passionate man.
It was me who was the voice of reason. “Hudson, you can’t get a restraining order for simply being followed. She had a measurable distance, didn’t approach me, didn’t threaten me or pull any crap at any of the places I stopped. We have nothing on her.”
His eyes were pinned on the phone, as if he could make it ring by staring at it. “That’s ridiculous. She has you scared. I can see it on your face.”
“Yes, she has me scared. But there’s nothing you can do about it.” Again, I was reminded that I had done this same thing to other people. Paul Kresh had filed a restraining order against me. It had been the first one I’d received. He hadn’t been the first person I’d stalked. “Trust me. I’m well-versed in the art of terrorizing someone while evading police involvement.”