Dearest Stalker: Part 4 Read online

  Table of Contents

  Dearest Stalker

  Copyright© 2019 by Lane Parker

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek A Valentine's Dream

  About the Author

  Books by Lane Parker

  Dearest Stalker

  Part 4

  By

  J. S. Scott

  Writing As

  Lane Parker

  Copyright© 2019 by Lane Parker

  All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Please visit me at:

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  Prologue

  Ian

  “Son of a bitch!” I cursed, frustrated with myself as I sat up buck naked on the sun bed.

  My first instinct was to follow Kate as I watched her hightail it into the house like her beautiful ass was on fire.

  My fists clenched as I forced myself not to run after her, tell her why I hadn’t told her the truth.

  But really, was there any excuse?

  Bottom line, I was a fucking coward. It wasn’t like I hadn’t planned on telling her everything. But after spending time together, after realizing how much I cared about her in real life, I hadn’t been able to get the goddamn words to leave my mouth.

  I’d wanted more time.

  I’d wanted to convince Kate that we were good together.

  Hell, more than good. I felt like my whole life depended on whether or not she was going to forgive me.

  And maybe…it did.

  I cringed as I thought about the horrified look on her face when she figured out that me and her Stalker were one and the same.

  I’d fucking hurt her, and I knew it. Kate had one of the most expressive faces I’d ever seen. So much so that she’d make a pretty lousy poker player, but it made her incredibly appealing in every other way.

  There had been pain in her dark eyes, and I hated myself for being the bastard who put it there.

  I’d wanted her to never experience pain again, or not anytime soon, anyway.

  I’d wanted to protect her from the harsh life she’d experienced so far.

  I did a pretty shitty job at achieving those goals.

  Instead, I’d been the one to betray her trust.

  “Shit!” I blurted out, even though there was no one to hear me cuss.

  I stood, knowing that Kate was already gone. I’d heard the slamming of the front door moments ago, a sound that made my gut ache.

  I fought an internal battle for a few moments, knowing she’d probably be better off without me.

  Maybe I should just leave her alone.

  I’m fucked up, so I should just let her go live her life without me interfering.

  I gave myself a second to chew on those thoughts, but I felt like my balls were in a vise just from contemplating not having Kate in my life.

  Nope! That shit wasn’t going to work this time.

  Maybe fear had kept me still right after she’d run away from me, but we’d both come too far to go backward now.

  I warned her that being with me tonight would change everything.

  She’d agreed. However, she hadn’t known the truth.

  I went up to my room and pulled on pair of jeans, and a T-shirt.

  I need to catch her before she leaves the guesthouse.

  And sadly, I knew she’d flee.

  Suddenly, I didn’t give a damn about my reluctance to bring her into my dreary existence.

  I could change.

  I would change…for her.

  I knew I’d pursue her ass to the end of the Earth if I had to.

  Mine! Kate belongs with me!

  I was way past the point where I could be cautious.

  She meant way too much to me.

  It was like I’d finally realized that nobody would ever care about her like I did.

  Nobody would ever give a damn about her happiness like I did.

  Nobody would ever know her like I did.

  And lastly, nobody would ever need her as much as I did.

  Yeah, unlike my moniker of Stalker, I’d probably let her go eventually if that was really what she wanted in the end, no matter how hard that might be.

  But I’d be damned if I’d let her go without one hell of a fight.

  I didn’t want to protect myself anymore.

  All I really wanted to protect was…her.

  I took the steps two at a time as I went in search of the woman I knew I couldn’t live without.

  I grimaced as I left the house, wondering how in the hell I could convince her that she couldn’t live without me.

  Chapter One

  Kate

  I leaned against the door of the guesthouse after I’d slammed it closed and locked it.

  I’d hauled ass away from Ian, grabbing a towel as I’d ran for cover inside his house. Clothed or not, I’d sprinted for the guesthouse, wrapped in a towel, where I could put my thoughts together.

  My heart was pounding so hard I could actually hear it drumming in my ears.

  I gulped for air, my thoughts racing.

  I should have known.

  I should have at least had a clue.

  I should have noticed that Stalker and Ian had enough similarities to make it possible for them to be one and the same.

  How likely was it that two different men could make my body react the same way?

  It had never happened before. Hell, not a single man had ever done that in my entire life, much less two in the same period of time.

  “I’m so stupid,” I whispered as I slid to the floor, still leaning against the door with only a towel to cover me. “Why? I don’t understand why.”

  Unfortunately, only one person could answer that, and Ian was the last person I wanted to talk to at the moment.

  My emotions were so raw that I could barely put two thoughts together.

  I startled as a large fist hammered on the door right behind me. “Kate!” Ian bellowed. “We need to talk.”

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  His heavy-handed fist on the door was so relentless that I got up and stumbled away from the entrance.

  “Kate! Open the damn door.”

  I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to pull myself together before I faced the man who had just ripped my heart to shreds.

  I wrapped the towel around me, and turned toward the door, giving myself a couple of feet of distance so I didn’t feel the vibrations of his fist against the solid wood.

  “Kate, I can explain if you’ll let me,” he said huskily. “I know damn well you’re listening.”

  I was silent, my body shaking, my wet head down, tears pouring down my cheeks.

  I felt betrayed, humiliated, and u
sed.

  My body had been his for the taking, and he’d greedily used it, both as Stalker and as Ian Blackwood.

  The man had screwed with my head so badly that I couldn’t get my thoughts together.

  All I really knew was that I’d never be the same again.

  “I have a key, Kate,” he warned in a growly voice.

  I finally found my voice. “Are you going to use it? Go ahead. It’s your house. Everything has always been your way or no way at all. You’ve lied to me, invaded my privacy, and manipulated me. Do you really think I give a damn about anything you do to me anymore?”

  Maybe I was shattered, but I was incredibly pissed off, too.

  There was a moment of silence before he said huskily, “No. I’m not going to use it.”

  Thank God! I really didn’t want him forcing his way into the guesthouse. My emotions were chaotic, and for some strange reason, I didn’t want him to see me when I was at my lowest.

  Honestly, I probably didn’t want him to see how much power he had to hurt me.

  Stalker?

  Ian?

  The same?

  How had I never figured that out for myself, long before I’d let myself start to trust Ian?

  “Will you just listen to me, Kate?” he asked in a softer, hoarser tone.

  “No.” I shook my head firmly even though he couldn’t see me. “You’ve had plenty of chances to tell me. Now go away. I need to take a shower and get dressed.” I was glad that my voice didn’t sound as shaky as I felt.

  “I never meant to hurt you, Kate,” he said huskily. “This was never about you. It was about me.”

  “Then you’re a selfish asshole.” My voice cracked just a little. “Because you dragged me into it, too. And you never gave a damn about how all this would affect me.”

  Jesus! I was mad.

  Hurt.

  Disillusioned.

  Crushed.

  “I know that,” he answered. “Open the door so I can try to explain. I’m not about to deny that I was selfish, but I’ll make it up to you.”

  “You can’t,” I snapped. “And I’ll never give you the chance to get close to me a second time.”

  My heart balked at the idea of not seeing Ian again, but I ignored it.

  “You will,” he growled. “I’m not going away, Kate.”

  I swiped the tears from my face angrily. “For God’s sake, Ian, at least give me some time to get my thoughts together.”

  I was hoping he’d leave if he thought I needed to pull myself together.

  “I can give you time, Kate. I have nothing but time. I’ll wait as long as it takes.”

  Somehow, coming from Ian, it sounded more like a threat than an offer to back off.

  “Fine. Go. Just let me take a shower in peace, please,” I said through gritted teeth.

  “I’ll be in the house if you want to talk to me,” he said, sounding reluctant.

  “Not. Happening,” I mumbled to myself.

  Louder, I said, “It’s going to take time.”

  Eventually, I probably would have to face him. I was going to have things I wanted to say, but they wouldn’t be something he’d want to hear.

  But I wasn’t talking to him now.

  I couldn’t.

  I had to lick a few of the wounds he’d inflicted before I’d be ready to see him.

  “Like I said, I’ll be there when you’re ready.”

  I folded my arms in front of me. “Just tell me one thing…”

  “Ask,” he said huskily.

  “Why me? Why did you do this?”

  It was the question that was haunting me the most.

  He was quiet for a minute before he said, “Because I’ve been obsessed with you from the first moment I saw you at your high school graduation four years ago, Kate. I wanted to help you, but I wasn’t in any kind of position to approach you. Hell, I’m probably still not. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I know you, Kate, and everything changed the first time you offered to cook for me just because you wanted to do it. No matter what I did, I couldn’t scare you away. And then I didn’t want you to go.”

  I had no idea how to reply to that. So, I didn’t. “One more question.”

  “Ask,” he said again. “I’m an open book to you right now.”

  I snorted, even though I was completely annoyed.

  Since when was Ian anything but closed up and brooding?

  “Are you standing outside talking to me through the door while you’re naked?” I asked.

  I couldn’t get that thought out of my head. He hadn’t really had much time to get dressed.

  “You’d have to open the door to find out,” he said in a graveled tone.

  “I thought you were an open book,” I said drily.

  “Not when I think there’s a chance that you might let me in to find out,” he stated gruffly.

  I shook myself. “Never mind. I’m going to go shower and get dressed.”

  “I put clothes on,” he said hesitantly.

  “Good.” Really, there was something sexy, but definitely disconcerting, about the thought of Ian outside, in view of everyone, with no clothes on. “We’ll talk later.”

  “Just don’t leave,” he demanded.

  I turned my back and walked away. I wasn’t making any promises to him I couldn’t keep, even though he didn’t deserve that courtesy.

  I dropped my towel, turned the water on in the bathroom, and stepped inside.

  Once I was away from Ian, I completely lost it, knowing he couldn’t hear my sobs of pain and confusion as I leaned my head against the shower door, wishing the water could wash it all away.

  Chapter Two

  Kate

  “You do realize that this story sounds pretty crazy, especially considering that it’s my reclusive brother you’re talking about,” Ben said with a huge, masculine sigh.

  I raised a brow at him as he sat on his leather sofa across from me. “Since when do I tell you anything that isn’t true?”

  I hadn’t told Ian that I wouldn’t leave, so the moment I’d donned clean clothing after my shower, I’d bolted in his Jeep.

  I’d needed to get away, so I’d gone to Ben’s place. Yeah, maybe it wasn’t the best location to hide out since he was Ian’s brother, but Ariel had been out when I texted her. And maybe deep inside I’d wanted to talk to Ben about it because he was Ian’s brother.

  I guess I somehow wanted to understand what Ian had done, and nobody knew Ian better than his brother.

  Of course, I’d held the intimate details. Those were between Ian and me. But I’d spilled my guts about Stalker and Ian.

  Ben raked a hand through his perfect hair, which made him seem much more approachable. He seemed even more at home in a pair of old jeans and a college sweatshirt that looked like it was well worn.

  It occurred to me that I’d never seen Ben when he looked less than perfect.

  Right now, he was frowning, which was also very unusual for him.

  He shook his head. “I have no idea why he did it,” he confessed. “I know he went with my mother to your high school graduation. That was about the time that he realized that people were going to stare at his injuries, and it was probably the last time he went out in public for anything other than work.”

  I stared at him in confusion. “Your mother went to my graduation?”

  He shrugged. “She wanted to go so that you had somebody there to see you graduate, whether you knew it or not. You were top of your class, Katie. And your father wasn’t going. I wasn’t in town. So, Ian went with her.”

  I was stunned. I hadn’t really known my stepmother—still didn’t, so I was surprised. “That’s…nice,” I answered.

  Ben smiled. “My mother is a pretty nice woman. You should get to know her better. She’s always wanted a daughter.”

  I hesitated. “It’s a little…awkward.”

  “Not really,” he mused. “She doesn’t want to replace your mother, Katie. She’s always just wanted you to
know that she cares.”

  “I don’t know why,” I admitted. “My father was a jerk to her.”

  “She isn’t going to blame you for the sins of your father,” he answered. “None of us will, Katie. You should know that by now. If anything, because we knew your father, we’ve always wanted to be the family you never had.”

  “Everyone except Ian,” I mumbled.

  Really, I was touched by his mother’s gesture of kindness. I’d never even known that somebody had been there to see me graduate. Of course, I’d been so nervous I hadn’t even looked into the crowd. In fact, I’d barely stumbled my way through my speech.

  “He was there,” Ben reminded me. “But something tells me he had no interest in being your stepbrother. I can’t pretend that I know where his mind was at back then. But he obviously gave a damn. Granted, his methods of keeping in touch and watching out for you did suck. But Ian doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do. I guess you have to know how he was back then. He was scarred, and it was pretty soon after he recovered. Ian spent months in the hospital, and he was in and out for surgeries and physical therapy after that. His head wasn’t in a good place. Soon after that, he isolated himself because he didn’t want anyone to talk about his injuries. It makes sense that he wouldn’t approach you directly.”

  “But he’s had plenty of time to tell me the truth,” I argued.

  “Maybe,” Ben agreed. “But it sounds like the stakes got higher for him once you’d met in person.”

  Yeah, we slept together twice when I knew him as Stalker, and then again when I knew him as Ian.

  Maybe Ben had already surmised that Ian and I had been intimate, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to share just how stupid I’d been about his brother.

  Honestly, I had to admit that maybe it had been kind of a sweet gesture that he’d wanted to help me pay for my education, and to keep an eye on my wellbeing. Had I known the truth, I probably wouldn’t have accepted his assistance. And it had been me who had assumed that Stalker was my father. I couldn’t pin that on Ian since he’d never claimed to be my parent.

  “It’s not really the past that hurts me,” I told Ben. “It’s the now thing. He should have told me the truth when we met in person, before I started working for him. We’ve been getting along so well. We went and checked out the new café in town, and we went to the farmer’s market. Ian and I eat lunch and dinner together almost every day. I thought we were becoming…friends.”