Page 37 of Half of My Heart
“I have night shoots the majority of this week, so I will be out of commission.”
“I can stay here with them,” Robert suggests but I shoot it down.
“Can you get me the name and number of the building manager? I can see if I can hire extra security around the perimeter of the building.”
“I already know him. I will send you his number now.” Robert vigorously types on his phone and texts me the information.
“I’m going to keep this.” I hold up the envelope and he shudders before nodding. I walk back into the living room and place the envelope in my bag, underneath my clothes. I sit down on the couch and lean my head back with a sigh.
Robert follows suit and joins me on the couch. “I’m scared to open the mail now,” he admits, and I can’t say I blame him.
“Let’s hope we catch whomever it is before they can send another one.”
* * *
Robert and I tagged team the following week to make sure Jenna and Avery were never by themselves before bedtime. Any free time I had, I was with them, and Robert made up for the times that I wasn’t. It isn’t unusual for Robert to always be around, so Jenna never questioned anything.
No other death threats have been sent and when I submitted the photo to the local police and FBI, they told us the only fingerprints on it were Robert’s. They questioned Robert, but because the photo was anonymously mailed to a P.O. Box and had no other fingerprints, they had nothing to go by. They gave the photo back to me and I increased security in and around Jenna’s building to help, especially with the paparazzi. They’re still being a nuisance and following her every move when she leaves her building. Chase reported that when Jenna met Layla for lunch two days ago, she couldn’t even leave the restaurant due the number of paparazzi that were camped out front. The restaurant called the police and they escorted her to the car and followed her to make sure she got home safely.
“What’s the status of the bodyguard, Cal?” Robert inquired when I was back again at Jenna’s place helping him watch Avery while Jenna was at Jax’s hockey game. It’s the last game of his season and fortunately for me, they won’t make the playoffs. This means no more hockey games for her to attend by herself at nighttime, but I have yet to hear if Jax plans on staying in Chicago this summer or going back to Canada to visit his daughter.
The fucker better go home.
“He should be here any day now. Contract is signed but he just got back from Europe, so I agreed to give him a couple of days to go home and get what he needs. Fortunately, he lives here and used to work for some of the famous local basketball players.”
“Good. When do you plan on telling Jenna?”
“The day before he arrives.” I give Robert a knowing look and he shakes his head at me.
“Why do you want her mad at you?”
“I don’t, but what other choice do I have? If I tell her now, she’ll probably just concoct some scheme against it. Why give her time to think about it?”
Robert tilts his head to the side and thinks about it. “That’s a good point.”
“How’s she been, Robert?” I ask softly, needing someone to tell me something about her. Layla is barely in town due to her job, so Robert is the only one who can give me any insight. “And please don’t bullshit me. She’s keeping me at arm’s length and her wall is up. I’m genuinely concerned.”
Robert studies me before sighing. “Truth? She’s hanging on by a thread. Her relationship is in shambles and now she must question everyone’s ulterior motives for getting involved with her—both personally and professionally. She has lost all privacy due to her association with you. She puts on a brave face, but I can tell everything is affecting her.”
His words are tiny puncture wounds to my heart, and I hate that her association with me has consequences. “If she would just open up to me, I can try to help make things better.”
“How would you make things better, Cal? And why should she? Technically what happens in her personal and professional life is not your business.”
“That will never be the case. Everything she does is my business.”
Robert bursts out laughing. “God, you’re so possessive. You sure you don’t have a single, younger, long-lost, gay brother for me?”
I smile and am about to joke about cloning myself for him when we hear the lock on the front door turning. Jenna walks in and I’m relieved to see she is back with no Jax behind her, but one look at her face reveals she’s been crying.
“Jenna, what’s wrong?” Robert asks before I get the chance. We both jump off the couch and swiftly make our way toward her.
“Jax broke up with me tonight,” she mumbles, not looking at either of us. “If you both will excuse me, I’m going to bed now. Please see yourselves out if you don’t mind.”
“I’m sorry, Jenna,” I tell her sincerely, hating to see her hurting even though this is what I’ve been wishing for.
“Somehow, I quite doubt that,” she says bitterly, and we watch her walk to her room and shut the door behind her.
Robert looks at me with raised eyebrows. “Well now, isn’t that a game changer.”