Gail laughed. It occurred to Sage her laugh never sounded as though it was filled with joy or even much amusement.
“It would allow you to write off all the expenses of our trip,” Gail said. “Come on, we’ll have fun, and I’ll make all the arrangements.”
Sage rolled her eyes, glad they weren’t on a video call. She was well aware what Gail meant was that she’d book them first-class tickets on the plane, arrange for them to stay in the best hotel, and allow Sage to pick up the entire cost of the trip. She also knew it was pointless to argue with Gail. For one thing, they would have a good time, and for the other, Gail could be relentless when she wanted something. While her public might think of Sage as tough, dominant, and in charge of her own life, Gail knew different and knew just which buttons to push and how to get what she wanted.
“I guess that would be nice. Could we stay at the Savoy?”
“The event is at the Four Seasons. It would be more convenient to be there, and I prefer it.”
Again, she rolled her eyes, then she had an idea that would allow her to stay at the Savoy and would appeal to Gail’s penchant for drama.
“What if you stay at the Four Seasons, and I stay at the Savoy? We can rent a Rolls Royce limo and driver while we’re there. You could set it up so I make a grand entrance, and you could control access to me. Besides, Roark lives at the Savoy. It would strengthen my brand. They’ve always said they’d give me a discount…”
“Hmm… and maybe we could have a small gathering there for industry people. Not a bad idea, Sage. Leave it all to me. And don’t bother packing anything except the outfits I bought you for the signing at the Huntington. The last time I visited, I went through your closet. We’re going to need to go through it and purge a lot of your things. I can get a few things here for you in New York. If we go early enough, I can pick you up some more suitable things in London. They really do have some of the most amazing shops. I know a lot of people rave about Paris, but they’re so Parisian. I much prefer London. I’ll get something for you to wear over and bring it down. You can drive in from your little island and spend the night, then we can fly out of Charlotte.”
“Don’t you think we should shop together? I’ve gained a little weight since Derek and I split up.”
“Yes, I noticed. Not to worry. A good set of Spanx, the right tailor, and you’ll look perfect. I’ll see if Henri can’t come down to do your hair. Don’t do anything to it until he gets there. Agreed? Of course you do. You’re such a dear girl and my favorite author.”
Before Sage could get in another word, the line was dead.
Oh well, at least I get to stay at the Savoy, and maybe if I tip the driver enough, I can see a bit of London.
She picked up the paperback of her latest novel and smiled. Roark wasn’t the hunk du jour—he wasn’t blond, pretty, and polite. He was tall, dark, and lethal, with a strong, muscular physique. He had black hair, chocolate eyes, chiseled features, and the requisite six-pack abs—actually an eight-pack—and a pronounced V-formation that led to his sizeable cock, which rarely seemed to tire. Roark was arrogant, demanding, quick to spank, and even quicker to fuck, and like her readers, she was just a little bit in love with him.
She sighed. Too bad guys like him didn’t exist outside romance novels.
The phone rang.
“Hello?”
There was nothing but silence on the other end—silence and heavy breathing. Sage glanced at the phone, which showed ‘Unknown’ on the caller ID.
“Who is this?” she asked, keeping her voice steady.
“You can’t get people all hot and bothered, then not put out,” said a quiet, raspy voice.
Sage tried to keep from panicking. How the hell had he gotten her cell phone number? She was assuming, based on what Charlie had said, it was a man since there really wasn’t any way to tell for certain.
“Why are you doing this to me? What have I ever done to you?”
“You’re breathing, aren’t you?” the voice said, cackling as the line went dead.
She tried to remember what buttons you were supposed to push to get some kind of caller ID but couldn’t. She called the Sheriff’s Office and reported the call to Charlie, who told her not to call anyone else and he was on his way.
Within minutes, Sage could hear sirens, and for once, was glad someone was making a fuss. The call had been unnerving. She checked the alarm system, and everything showed as working properly, but still, she shivered with fear.
She glanced at the Roark Samuels cover hanging on the wall, then down at her laptop.
“I really wish you were here, Roark. I’m beginning to think I could use a hero right about now.”
When she heard the patrol vehicle pull up, she walked out to let Charlie in.
He tried to see if he could figure out where the call that had so unsettled her had come from. Who the fuck was stalking her, and why wasn’t Deputy Puppy Eyes doing more about it? He pounded on the barrier and tried to see if he could hear and see more of what was going on. He couldn’t, but was grateful when he heard footsteps coming back into the solarium.
“Sage, you shouldn’t have opened the door without confirming it was me,” the lawman admonished.
“Who else has the security code to the front gate? I could see it was your SUV, so don’t treat me like a child.”
Therein lay the problem. She wasn’t a child, but she desperately needed boundaries, rules, and
