I frowned. Her green eyes were sharp when she told me that my mom was killed. Murdered.
âBut it was a stupid plane crash.â
âAnd how often do private planes of huge celebrities crash, kitten?â Zayed asked, his chocolate brown eyes pinned on me.
I shook my head, âNo. She couldnât have been murdered. Iâm sureââ
âThereâs a chance that she was.â
âAutopsy?â Cillian asked Elena.
She pursed her lips and shook her head. âIt seemed a fake, but they cremated her after the funeral ceremony so we canât prove it.â
âWho couldâve killed her?â I asked, looking up from my lap to all of them. Cillianâs face was hard to read as always, but Zayed, slowly rubbing his lips, looked like there was something churning in his head.
âMy bet is on the stalker⦠but why would he kill her mother?â He seemed like he was talking to himself.
âEmma, did you know if you were going to inherit everything?â Elena asked me, holding out a few different papers in her hand. âRich people and royals always die because of their greed and inheritance. Never from weapons.â
âI didnât know until Lincoln announced it.â
âIf the stalker knew Emma since she was a kid, he must have known Dorothy,â Cillian said, tilting his head at the picture of Lincoln. I couldnât stomach it, so I looked away. âWhat if he knew she was going to inherit everything?â
âThen why stalk her if he could just kill her?â Zayed asked and leaned back in the chair. He didnât seem like an idiot at all like I thought he was. Sure, he was rich and handsome and maybe a little charming, but he didnât have tattoos or piercingsâshut up. Focus, brain. âIf I was a stalker, I would just drug her and keep her. No offence, kitten.â
âNone taken.â I cleared my throat.
âBut if I knew her since the beginning and found out she will inherit everything and I loved herâ¦â Cillian muttered, staring at me. I had the sudden urge to hide my face so they wouldnât see me get so flustered. âIâd ask her mom for marriage and because Iâm delusional, I would think she would agree and give me her blessings. Insteadââ
âMy mom didnât agree and threatened him?â I finished his sentence.
Elena continued, âThat is a possibility. And then the stalker got mad, he murdered her, made it look like a plane crash and then it⦠wait. He sent her the text after he was done sneaking into her bedroom and placing the gifts. So he saw her with you, got jealous and went to her room.â
âNo,â Cillian shook her head. âHe stayed at the club. He drugged her, planned to kidnap her. She could barely move when I found her.â
I remembered it vividly and straightened up. âI think⦠do we have surveillance for your suite?â
âI do. It is necessary for safety,â Cillian said, standing up. I remembered that there were cameras in the private suite if the member wanted to either watch it later or for protecting the submissive. I didnât think Cillian had agreed for the cameras, but it made me feel better.
We watched the entire clip on the television and I held my breath when it ended.
âI think we are all thinking the same thing,â Zayed said when no one said anything. âIt was the man carrying that champagne.â
Cillian was holding his shaking head, his elbows on his knees and hiding his expression. âI watched him walk away after drugging her. He was right thereâ¦â
I bit my lip and shook out my nerves. âSo, he took my purse but left my phone.â
Elena sighed and leaned back on the couch. âHe was definitely planning to take more than the purse, but he didnât think Cillian would walk in the room.â
He stood up and pulled out his phone, looking anywhere but me. âIâll tell your brother and ask him about the man. We canât see his face, but if someone remembers him from the club, we can have a sketch.â
âKeep it low. We donât want him to know we are onto him,â Elena suggested before Cillian walked into the kitchen to call my brother.
âI think he already knows, little witch,â Zayed commented and glanced at me. âHe threatened Cillian in the last text. He knew he was her bodyguard, not her boyfriend. The only reason you received those texts and gifts that night is because of Cillian. You both got along, and it pissed him off that there was someone in his way. If I was a delusional weirdo, thatâs what Iâd think.â
âYou already are,â Elena answered.
He gave her an air kiss. âToo bad you love me.â
If Zayed was right, then Cillian was in danger. More than I was. The creep already killed Lincoln after beating him up, and now he was spying on my relationship with Cillian and threatening him. What if he tries to hurt Cillian? And succeeds? What would I do then?
The trill of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts, and I excused myself from the bickering royal couple. âHello?â
âMrs. Karen said you havenât arrived home yet,â Summer said in a singsong voice, âWhere are you, Em? Are you eating delicious sushi without your best friendâ¦? Hm?â
âOh, shoot.â I bit my lip and looked at the coffee table. âIâ¦Iâm out. Iâll be back soon!â
âDonât tell me she forgot,â I heard Miaâs muffled voice before Summer spoke again, âListen, if you are busy banging your hot bodyguard then say, yes daddy, and Iâll end theââ
âSummer. Iâll be back soon.â I cut the call, my cheeks red.
âWhat did Damon say?â I asked Cillian who was checking his phone in the kitchen.
He pocketed it and looked at me. His face was stony. âIâll send a few investigators in the early morning once the club closes, so heâll send me any updates if they find something. Who was that?â
âSummer and Mia. I invited them for a sleepover.â I leaned on the island and pursing my lips, I said, âI thought I could tell them about the whole stalker thingââ
âNo. Youâre not.â
He was already walking out of the kitchen.
âBut they are my friends! They need to knowââ
Cillian turned back, looming over me like a dark shadow, and glared at me. âNo, they fucking donât. You can barely defend yourself and you want to tell your friends about a dangerous stalker who has already killed a man twice as big as you. You will only talk them into danger.â
âI wonât let anything happen to them,â I said, my hands clenching into a fist.
âHow? By throwing a punch?â Cillian leaned closer. âYou are already a danger to them by being close. You should be glad I havenât locked you up in your room aââ
âCillian.â I didnât look away from his burning eyes when Elena said, âThatâs enough.â
âIâm going home,â I said, keeping my voice soft, and took a step back. âOnce you untwist your fucking panties, you can apologize for being such an asshole.â
I walked past him, bumping into his shoulder and keeping my chin high even though it wobbled. I took my backpack and looked at Zayed. âYou.â
He raised his brow. âMe?â
âDrop me home.â
Zayed grinned, a dimple poking his cheek. âWhat will I get, kitten?â
I glared at him. âGetting to spend time with my charming personality. And maybe sushi if you are good.â
âYes, maâam. Lets go!â I was surprised when he took my backpack and before we walked out of Cillianâs house, he yelled back, âBabe, Iâm dropping the kid at home. Donât wait up for me!â
Despite everything that had happened in the kitchen a few minutes ago, I had to stifle my grin when Elena yelled back, âGo away!â And his grin widened.
âShe loves me.â
I nodded when he opened the passenger door for me. âShe does.â