From Rags

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

It was little more than ten minutes after Jaxxon and Connor’s session of morning sex – their last ever morning sex, she couldn’t help but note – was over that she heard her phone ringing. Once upright in bed she answered, “Hello.” She swatted the hand that reached around from behind her and cupped her breast.

“I’ve checked your flight details,” said Ollie, “and everything’s on schedule, no delays.”

“Good.”

“The boys still with you?”

Was she being paranoid or did he not sound his usual self? “Yeah, they’ve managed to get themselves on the same flight as us.”

“If Anna wants Warren to take her home from the airport that’s fine but I’ll be picking you up.” It was completely non-negotiable, his tone told her.

“Hang on a minute, what’s with all this abruptness?”

He hesitated, as if debating how much to say. “It’s just important that I speak to you before you go back to your apartment.”

“What? Why?” She stood up sharply, bracing herself for whatever impact was to come.

“Just trust me, alright. It’s important I speak to you first.”

“Not good enough.”

“I’ll be waiting at the end of the terminal, don’t dawdle.”

“For Christ’s sake, Ollie, what aren’t you telling me?” But he was gone. Pacing the room, she dialed his number but his phone was now switched off. As was Richie’s. As was Tony’s. “The bastards.”

“What’s wrong?” It was the third time Connor had asked her yet still he got no response. Rising from the bed he approached her and seized her gaze. “Who are bastards and why are they bastards?”

She exhaled slowly, hoping to calm herself. “Basically Ollie doesn’t want me going back to my apartment until he’s seen me. He said he’s picking me up from the airport. Something’s wrong, I could tell by his voice, but he won’t tell me. Conveniently, his, Richie and Tony’s phones are currently unavailable.”

He wanted to tell her it was probably nothing but the fact that no one was willing to tell her anything until they were face-to-face with her didn’t sound good. Before he could say another word she was dragging out her suitcase and slinging her belongings inside. He tried to calm her down, as did Anna, but their efforts were futile. Connor wasn’t surprised. He suspected that Jaxx would be fine if she knew what had happened. Sure she’d be swearing and cursing all over the place but she would be alright. It was that she didn’t know what was wrong that had her like this; she couldn’t deal with it because she had no idea what she was supposed to have to deal with. The not knowing was cracking her up and leaving her the space to imagine all kinds of things.

As such, neither he nor Anna nor Warren had been able to offer her any words that would reassure her. Her uptight, nervous mood stayed with her which brought her problems while going through airport security. Connor was thankful that the guards were more amused than offended during the brief body search when she told them to get their grubby hands off her or they’d each lose a bollock. Her mood also earned her anxious looks from other passengers. If they hadn’t recognised her as a celebrity they might have mistaken her for a suicide bomber or something.

When they finally reached the end of the terminal at Heathrow airport Connor half-expected her to launch herself at Ollie and throttle him going by the murderous expression she was wearing. Clearly Ollie was just as worried because he immediately raised his hands in a placatory gesture. It didn’t help him.

“You bastard,” she hissed when she neared him.

“Shhhh, let’s go somewhere private,” urged Ollie.

“Oh not a sodding chance,” she whispered abrasively. “Either you tell me right now what’s been going on or we’ll be testing how well you can balance on one bloody leg because I’ll have snapped the other one.”

He sighed. “Someone broke into your place last night, trashed it and scrawled words all over the walls in corn syrup – obviously hoping it would look like blood, which it did.”

Anna gasped. Warren said ‘You’re joking’. Connor let loose a string of curses. Jaxxon just stared at Ollie.

Ollie saw the question in Jaxxon’s eyes. “Mostly ‘Die Bitch’.”

Why Anna and Ollie thought they could talk her out of this, Jaxxon had absolutely no idea. Connor hadn’t even tried; he knew that she was the type of person who didn’t shrink away from the bad stuff but faced it and then took it on the chin. That was how she got passed it.

Ollie made one last ditch effort to reach Jaxxon. “Luv, I promise I’ll tell you every single detail, I won’t leave anything out. You don’t need to do this.” He didn’t want her to; there was a big difference between knowing someone had invaded and wrecked your own personal space and seeing that defacement for yourself. Even though he had been prepared for the scene by Lily – who had let herself into Jaxxon’s apartment to leave her some milk and bread and other little bits for when she got back the next morning – the mess had knocked him for six. Hell, it had enraged him and it wasn’t even his apartment. She hadn’t yet spoken another word since he revealed what had happened. A swearing, pissed off Jaxxon he could deal with. But this hard, mute, unreachable version of her he didn’t know how to handle.

Her focus still on confronting this, Jaxxon held her hand out to Ollie for the key of the new lock he had fitted on the door. When he gave it to her with a sigh she unlocked it and gave it a hard shove, making it swing open. The smell hit her first. Cracked eggs and stale milk and other such crap – once contents of her fridge now decorating her carpet. She might have gagged if she hadn’t been prepared for it. Plenty of times she had got back to her old flat to be greeted by foul odours; sometimes it was the smell of the blood of whoever broke inside, cutting themselves on the door or window in the process. Sometimes the sick buggers would even leave her a present by using the middle of her living room carpet as a toilet. So the smells she could overlook. Being no stranger to damaged belongings, she could even overlook the smashed vases and lamps and kitchen ware, could overlook the strewn of clothes that seemed to cover the floor of every room. Could overlook the overturned couch and mattress and could shrug at the rolls of toilet paper that were scattered everywhere like garlands. It was the words smeared repeatedly all over her walls that snagged her attention:

‘Bitch’, ‘Slag’, ‘Slut’, ‘Die Bitch’.

“How do you know it’s not blood?” Warren asked Ollie as he put a gentle, comforting hand on Anna’s shoulder. Warren thought she was more unsettled than even Jaxxon who looked more curious than anything else. Oh she was enraged, there was no denying that. But there was no fear there to be seen on her face.

“Don’t forget I have plenty of scientists and lab technicians working for me. It was easy enough to get them to test it.”

“Why didn’t Lily phone the police?” asked Anna. “You said in the car that the police haven’t seen this yet and that’s why the papers haven’t got hold of it.”

Ollie sighed. “I asked her not to. I don’t think we should get the police involved.”

“What? How can you say that? Look around you. Whoever did this was sick.”

“And cowardly,” muttered Jaxxon.

Anna double-blinked. “Cowardly?”

Jaxxon turned to her. “Did they have the bottle to come and say any of this to my face? No. Did they leave a signature? No. There’s nothing big and bad about breaking into someone’s place, making a mess and then running off so it doesn’t exactly strike fear into my heart. Same as with the letter.”

“Letter?” said Connor, Anna and Ollie.

“Last Sunday someone stuck an envelope under my window-wiper. Inside was a piece of paper that said ‘Die Bitch’.” And in her opinion, it was too much of a confidence for it not to be the same person who did this to her apartment.

“What?” demanded Connor, Anna and Ollie.

“Will you all stop talking at the same time, it’s freaky.”

“You got a threatening letter and didn’t think to say anything?” Connor wanted to throttle her. “Where is it?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘threatening’. Besides, it was just a little note. I binned it straight away. Come on, celebs must get things like that happening all the time.”

“Indeed they do,” confirmed Ollie with a sigh. “So we can assume they also did this.”

Warren nodded. “And that she has a stalker.”

Connor frowned, skeptical. “A stalker who doesn’t make themselves known until she buggers off on holiday?”

“Maybe he missed her.”

“I know stalkers are, normally, stealthy but they do like for their existence to be acknowledged by who they’re stalking. I’m pretty sure Jaxx would have picked up on someone following her around.” The twist of her lips and the way she dropped her eyes bothered him. “Jaxx?”

She scratched her head. “A couple of times I did get this feeling like I was being watched.”

“What?”

“Could have just been the paparazzi,” said Warren.

“I know. But this was different…it didn’t feel right.”

Connor resisted the urge to growl. “Jaxx, when did this happen?”

“Sometimes I’d feel it just as I was going into or leaving my apartment building. Other times it’s been when I was out shopping or walking Bronty.”

“And it didn’t occur to you to tell me?”

“Exactly what could you have done? Besides, it doesn’t have to mean anything. Being glared at and being stalked are two different things. I’m not even saying that if someone was watching me that they had anything to do with this or the stupid note.”

Anna ran a hand through her hair in a movement that screamed ‘stressed out’. “We have to phone the police, they can look for fingerprints and stuff.”

Ollie sighed. “There are plenty of nutcases out there, Anna, and plenty of them fixate on someone, often a celebrity, and do crap like this. What they want is to scare, distress and unsettle that person, to get themselves some attention. It makes them feel good, clever, and powerful. A reaction of any kind only encourages them to continue. The way I like to handle things is to clean up the mess discretely and quickly and then keep quiet about it. The trick is not to give the nutcase what they want.”

“I’m sorry but I don’t see the logic in annoying a nutcase.”

“When they realise they haven’t got themselves a reaction or any attention they’ll get bored and stop.”

“In theory.”

“I’ve seen it happen. Look, it’s uncommon for stalkers of celebs to be violent toward them. Having said that, I still think Jaxxon should stay elsewhere for a while.”

“No one’s scaring me out of my apartment,” Jaxxon insisted sharply.

Ollie appealed to her with his eyes. “Be smart, not stubborn.”

“This isn’t about being stubborn, it’s the principle of -”

“Luv, you’ll be leaving for the tour in a week, your lease ends then. Will it really make that much difference to you to leave the apartment a week early? Besides, the cleaning job will take at least two days.”

“He’s right.” Connor stood in front of her. “I’m not saying you need to run and hide. I’m saying you don’t give this person the satisfaction of getting near you. Make it hard for them.”

Jaxxon could see where Connor’s thoughts had led him. “It wasn’t Anita.”

“You think it’s a coincidence that while me and you are away together this happens?”

Ollie frowned. “Who’s Anita?”

“Oscar Award Winning Actress Anita Donovan,” elaborated Anna. “I agree with Connor, Jaxxon, it’s not looking good for Anita that while the tabloids are printing photos of you and him looking all cozy -”

“Hold on a minute,” interrupted Ollie. “What reason would she have to do this?”

“She didn’t take it well when I ended things with her,” said Connor.

“I’ll bet she didn’t, you’re not known for your sensitivity.”

“It’s hard to be sensitive to someone who was planning to get pregnant with your kid to try to trap you into marrying them.”

“Still, why mess up Jaxxon’s apartment, why not yours?”

“Anita came to see Jaxx a few days ago and fed her some crap about being pregnant, hoping it would make her back off. Instead Jaxx slammed the door in her face. I don’t think Anita did this in a rage, I think she did it as part of a game; wanting to scare her.”

“That makes sense,” said Warren. “That’s the type of thing she’d get a kick out of. Phone Dane and ask if she was out last night.”

Ollie waved his hand. “We’ll look more into who’s responsible once we’ve sorted out what we’re doing next. I still say we don’t involve the police -”

“I say we do,” Anna spat.

“- or we’d be giving this nutcase what they want.”

“That’s better than winding up said nutcase.”

“Ollie’s right,” sighed Jaxxon. “Phoning the police will show that all this got to me and give this arsehole all the satisfaction they’re hoping for. And seen as I can’t do what I really want which is to pound their face into the ground, I’ll have to settle for cheesing them off.”

Pleased, Ollie smiled and nodded. “A few things though: If there’re any more notes or whatever, save them, they’re evidence – just in case it’s something that ever went to trial. If there’s ever a time they contact you wanting to meet up, the answer’s always no. If you’re ever cornered by them and need help, shout “Fire!” That always gets people’s attention and it’s a cry for help that’s rarely ignored. Change any patterns you have and maybe use a different route to get to the studio or anywhere else you regularly go. Try not to go about alone if you can help it. You might want to change your phone numbers as well.”

“Don’t you think that’s all a bit extreme?”

Ignoring that, he continued, “Lily and Tony have already offered for you to have their annexe again for as long as -”

Anna held up her hand. “No, she shouldn’t be alone. Jaxxon, you can stay with me.”

“Anna, no, it’s fine.” As much as she wasn’t looking forward to being coddled by Lily and Tony, she didn’t want to crowd the two lovebirds and listen to them shagging at all hours.

“How about this then: me and Warren won’t do our business unless we’re at his apartment?”

“Our business?” echoed Warren.

“She’s staying with me.” A hush fell over the room and all heads turned to look at him. Connor felt defensive though he couldn’t explain why.

This was obviously a day for shocks, in Jaxxon’s opinion. She knew why Connor was making that offer: he felt guilty because he was convinced Anita was responsible and that he had brought all this on her. Jaxxon also knew that what Connor was offering would cost him. Having grown up in an environment where he never had much to call his own, he was territorial about whatever was his. More than anything, he was territorial over his own personal space. He would never let anyone pass the threshold of his room when they were in foster care. He didn’t like to share that space that he had reserved as his own. He needed that distance, that special place where only he went, that place that nothing or no one could taint. She was still surprised he had taken her to his apartment that time. “Connor, it isn’t your fault that this happened. Even if it was Anita, the blame would be hers, not yours.”

“This isn’t about Anita, this is about you needing somewhere to stay.”

“And I can stay with Lily and Tony.”

“No, Jaxxon, please,” intervened Anna, “stay at mine. I’m not going to see you ages once you go on tour and -”

Connor shook his head. “If you’re going to be in Warren’s a lot then she’ll be on her own a lot, won’t she.”

Anna snorted at him. “You’ll be at the gym all the time so what’s the difference?”

“I’ll cut back on my training hours.” Again everyone’s eyes snapped onto him and again he felt defensive. “It’s only for a week until the tour starts.” He flippantly shrugged to give emphasis to the simplicity of it all. He could tell that Jaxx didn’t buy that he was truly comfortable with this. “If you stay anywhere else all I’m going to do is wonder where you are and if you’re alright, then I’ll end up harassing you by phoning you all the time and if you don’t answer my imagination will run away with me like yours did today – remember how you thought you’d crack up? This way I’ll know where you are and I’ll be there with you. Most of the time anyway.”

“I couldn’t ask you to cut back on your training.”

“You’re not. I’m saying I will. For once, Jaxx, don’t fight me.” For a long moment they just looked at each other. He knew Jaxx was searching his eyes for uncertainty or uneasiness. He was confident she would see neither because there was none to be found. Eventually she gave him one simple nod.

“When you said you had to pick up a few things, I didn’t think you meant that,” griped Connor as a huge Great Dane trotted inside his apartment and settled onto his sofa. Jaxx had insisted that before going with him to his place she needed to go shopping to stock up on some items and clothes, since most of hers had been destroyed. He’d wanted to go with her but she threatened to go stay at Tony’s if he was going to coddle her so, after whining about it, he relented.

Jaxxon stayed behind the threshold and shrugged. “Bronty’s mine, end of.” He threw her a pained look but she saw that there was humour there. Still she didn’t walk through the door. “Connor, are you sure about this? About me staying here for the week? I swear I won’t get cheesed off if -” He yanked on her wrist, bringing her crashing into his chest and swung the door shut. She let her shopping bags drop at her feet as his hands shaped her.

“Why wouldn’t I want this body in such easy reach for seven whole days?”

“You’ve just had it in easy reach for four consecutive days.”

“I’m greedy when it comes to you, you know that.” He regarded the bags on either side of her. “That all you got? I was expecting something like twelve bags and ten boxes.”

“I don’t like shopping. Anyway, I’ve got my suitcase of stuff from the holiday so I didn’t need all that much. Speaking of the suitcase…”

“It’s in the bedroom.” He swatted her arse before releasing her. “Unpack your stuff wherever you want.”

“Oh, guess what, I bought some lovely little pink decorative cushions and ornamental candles and some tubs of jasmine-scented pot pourii.” At the look of horror on his face she burst out laughing.

“That wasn’t even funny.” But he was already laughing with her.

“You’re so easy to wind up.”

He shook his head, smiling, as she headed to his room. He was surprised at himself. He had wondered if once Jaxx got here with her stuff and it all became real he might start regretting his decision or at least feel a bit uncomfortable. But no. Not even the sight of that huge dog dominating his sofa had him second guessing himself. He might have even been able to cope with decorative cushions for a week…then again maybe not.

It was while she was still unpacking that Dane arrived, paying him a surprise visit. Connor sighed at the smile that Dane was trying to hide on spotting Bronty. “Warren phoned you, didn’t he.”

“Why would Warren phone me?” But his smile broke free. “Alright, Warren phoned me and I had to see for myself if you really were being the Shining Knight.”

“I think it’s supposed to be ‘the Knight in Shining Armour’, isn’t it?” said Jaxxon as she caught the end of Dane’s sentence on her way into the kitchen where he and Connor were leaning against the long, black, marble breakfast bar.

“Hello there, Jaxx.”

Connor’s brows flew upwards. “When did I say you could call her that?”

“Oh, right, yeah. Jaxxon, sorry.” But he wasn’t sorry, and Connor knew it.

“I don’t suppose you know where Anita was last night…?”

“She went to bed about ten o’ clock and there wasn’t a murmur out of her ’til this morning.” Which meant that Dane was thinking the same as what he could see Connor was thinking right now: Anita could have gotten out of the house without them knowing and gone to Jaxxon’s apartment, but there was no knowing for sure.

“It wasn’t her,” said Jaxxon with surety. She didn’t know why she was so certain considering that her opinion was based purely on theories. Her gut told her it wasn’t Anita.

Connor threw her an impatient look. “Who else could it be?”

“Maybe she has a stalker,” said Dane.

Jaxxon tapped his temple. “Connor, think about it: would Anita do that to my apartment risking that you might ask me to stay with you? I seriously doubt it.”

He waved away the comment. “She’d never think I’d do that.”

“Well if she felt threatened enough by my being in your life to come to where I live and feed me some tripe about being pregnant then she must believe what the tabloids are printing about us being in some heavy relationship. If she believed that, then she could easily believe you might ask me to stay with you if my apartment was trashed. I doubt she’d risk it.”

Dane winced. “Actually, the main reason I came here was to pass on some news that I don’t think you’re going to sing and dance about.” He sighed. “Anita’s pregnant.”

Silence met that statement for a few seconds.

“You know this for sure?” asked Connor after he got over the sensation of his stomach plummeting.

“She did a pregnancy test yesterday morning while Niki stood outside the bathroom door. She never tried convincing us she was pregnant the way she did with Jaxxon. But then the past few mornings she was spewing her guts up so she did a test. I don’t have to tell you she’s ecstatic. She’s planning on coming to tell you tonight.”

Jaxx was going to leave now, wasn’t she? Connor wouldn’t blame her. As soon as he told Anita she still wouldn’t be getting a ring on her finger she’d be onto the tabloids, spreading news of the pregnancy, and then Jaxx was going to get caught up in the whirlwind that followed. He spared a glance at her and, yep, there she was putting on her black leather coat.

“Where you going?” asked Dane.

“There’s someone I need to have a little chat with.”

Connor’s head snapped up. “What?”

“Wait.” Dane placed himself in her path to the door. “Of course you want to tan her hide -”

“Oh I don’t want to tan her hide,” snapped Jaxxon. “I want to carve out her heart with a burning hot knife while she’s alive and screaming in agony, but that’s completely off the subject. As it happens, it’s not her I’m going to visit.”

“Then who?” asked Connor.