Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,3
star’s protective detail, she hadn’t had any success making Selena realize that Leslie was there as her bodyguard, not her personal assistant, not her personal valet when she shopped, not a shoulder to cry on when the latest co-star broke things off and not her friend.
She trudged back through the deep snow to the car. After opening the back door, she reached inside for the several shopping bags of food from the last convenience store they’d passed before turning off the highway and escaping any sign of civilization.
It wasn’t fresh mahi-mahi or whatever Selena’s macro diet demanded she consume, but at least Leslie was giving her the option to not starve to death while they were stuck here.
Anxiety made her chest tighten. Just how long would that be? Being “home” or in close proximity was already stressing her out and the circumstances around it were enough to cause a severe panic attack. She hadn’t had one in over a year, but now seemed like the perfect time for old psychological ailments to return. She forced a chilly breath as she kicked the door closed with her foot and headed back inside the cabin.
Selena still stood exactly where she’d left her. “It’s freezing,” Selena said, dancing from one foot to the other, rubbing her arms in her thin jacket. “Where’s the thermostat?”
Right. ’Cause cabins in remote Alaskan wilderness had electric heat.
Leslie brought the groceries to the kitchen, placing the bags on the counter, then went straight to the hall closet. She carried a stack of blankets back to the living room. “Sit and wrap up in these. I’ll start a fire right away.”
Selena remained standing, looking around the cabin. “Take me back to LA.”
“So your stalker can kill you?”
She huffed. “You think I’ve never had a stalker before?”
As if it was something to be proud of. Though based on the number of social media followers these VIP people had, fandom was almost low-grade stalking anyway. They craved the attention and validation they received from society. “Not like this one,” she said.
“What makes this one so dang...dangerous?” Selena’s teeth chattered and she reluctantly grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders, though she stayed standing near the door.
“He was in your bedroom, that’s what.” That was all she’d reveal to her. Selena didn’t need the sordid details...not yet anyway. If she continued to not take this seriously, then that might be the time to be brutally honest with her. Scared straight kinda thing, if all else failed.
Leslie’s hands trembled from the cold as she stacked several logs into the fireplace and lit a match. Grabbing some old newspapers, she lit the end and tossed it in, then closed the protective metal gate.
“All I’m saying is that if I were in that much danger, wouldn’t they have assigned some big, burly—preferably hot—bodyguard to keep me safe instead of you?”
Leslie ignored the question she’d already answered a dozen times. She was assigned because she was just as capable, if not better trained than any of the men at the agency and she...blended in better. Selena’s management had been clear that the star’s brand depended on her being seen as approachable by her fans. A thick-headed guard didn’t go well with the image they were trying to portray.
“But we are only here for a few days, right?”
Leslie’s grunt was noncommittal.
“Leslie...” Selena’s tone was a warning bell. “How long are we staying here?”
A three-year-old would be easier to deal with. “Until it’s safe to go back.”
Selena’s eyes widened. “What about my commitments? I’m starting on a new movie in three weeks. I have a promotional tour for my upcoming movie starting next week.”
Yeah, she most likely wouldn’t be making that tour. The thought depressed Leslie just as much. She wasn’t exactly thrilled to be putting her own life on hold indefinitely either. Not that she had much of a life outside of work, but still... “Look, I’ll get you back to LA as soon as I can. I need to call the office for updates. Hopefully, the stalker will be caught and arrested quickly.”
Selena’s eyes narrowed. “You flinched just now when you mentioned the office. Do they know you took me out of LA?”
Damn. Lie or tell the truth? If she expected Selena to trust her, better to be honest. “No.”
“But you cleared this with my management, right?”
“It might have been an inside job. Someone was in your house—they had to have gained access somehow.” Leslie couldn’t trust even the people closest to Selena right