27. Followed

"...what? no, Grady! I'm just going to Player. Look, it's before opening hours for a couple of hours max, I'll be home around seven or eight. It's just going to be the four of us."

"Or nine, or ten, Ella...it hasn't even been a week since you got back from the hospital." Grady sounded irritated more than upset with me, he has always been the perfect son. Everyone has to follow his reasoning, if not then he would step down from his pedestal and fix everything and every one to his liking.

It was then when I realized that my supposedly fun brother Percy rat me out to my overprotective brother Grady, saying that I was going out for drinks. Grady was scolding me, telling me that I should still get some rest since I hit my head pretty hard last time.

But I was not budging, and he took a deep sighed and muttered in annoyance. "Me and Percy will pick you up, nope..." he cuts my words when I was about to object. "You should think about that before you set your drink date with your friends, where's Brice anyway?"

I rolled my eyes, perfectly knowing that he couldn't see me from the other side of the line.

"Don't make this into Brice thing, I'll get Trisha to drop me off, she has her driver. Satisfied?"

"No, I'll be picking you up, later."

I greeted my teeth, flexing my fists, trying to relax myself, and letting my frustration out.

"For fuck's sake Grady, let me live my life, okay?"

"No, we'll pick you up." The man didn't wait and hung up on me in seconds. Knowing it's easier for me just to ignore him and let him do what he wants, that's exactly what I did. At least they're too busy to drop me off at the gallery.

It was the day before the show, my last painting had been hauled to the gallery and I was on my way to meet Trisha, Brenton, and Devon there before we go out for drinks. I didn't even see her when I stumbled onto Ann, my fangirl bestie for Brice... in front of my apartment building.

Did she live around here?
I thought she lives across town.

"Ella? hey, it's been a while. I've been wondering where you've been."

"Oh, my, Ann..." I hugged her and she hugged me back. We haven't seen and talked to each other since my fallout with Brice. I deleted all of my social media apps from my phone without bothering to close the account. She must've been wondering what happened to me.

"Where did you go? what happened? it's like you vanished and I felt silly for not having your phone number, I can't even check up on you." She looked at me truly concerned. I never did give her my number since we chat so often via DMs and inboxes. We never feel the need to exchange our phone numbers.

"Family issues, then work," I lied through my teeth. She subtly tilted her head, as if she could see right through me but then genuinely smiled. Probably thinking that we're not that close anyway.

"So, how about Durant's new book? or are you not his number one fan anymore?" she giggled, making me laugh at her.

"No, I'm having too much on my plate at the moment. Haven't got time for social media, not even to read his books." It wasn't a total lie, up until today I haven't ordered his new book.

I was at a stage where I was comfortable with Brice, but still reluctant to read his books. I've even stopped painting the greys. Luckily my new paintings are still a hit at the gallery.

"Oh, okay. So, I'll see you around?" she winked and didn't ask further, as if she was in a hurry to get somewhere and I was gladly letting her walk away.

"Yeah, I'll email you."

Bad, Ella, you should stop lying.

"Yeah, catch you virtually!" she waved and leave me, pacing her steps and vanishing just around the corner.

I took a deep breath and stepped into the taxi, the drive to the gallery didn't take long though somehow I kept on looking back as if I felt someone was watching me.

Don't be ridiculous, Ella.

Biting my bottom lip, I couldn't help but smile when my phone buzzed with a text from Brice.

Miss you, wish you're here.
I'll be in the red-eye, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. Love you (Brice)

I type my reply instantly.

Miss you too. I'm meeting some friends tonight then back straight to my apartment. Can't wait for tomorrow. Love you too. (Ella)

Brice was attending a meeting with his agent, some hotshot producer who wanted to make his book into a movie. Though he didn't want to leave me, telling me that Clara was more than capable to attend the meeting by herself, but I pushed him to go knowing it was a great opportunity for him.

The feeling of being watched was still there when I get off of the taxi and disappears when Devon greeted me with a hug, twirling me like we haven't just met a couple of days ago.

"Devon! is this how you treat your artists?" I giggled in his arms.

"Nope, just the lucrative ones." He chuckled as he ushers me inside.

"I heard that, I expect a twirl next time, Dev." Brenton, the tattooed muscular man made Devon laugh.

"As much as I'm willing to test my strength in twirling your body, Jordan is very jealous of you and I seriously can't lie to him," Devon sighed exaggeratedly, "...I hate fighting with him. Especially over you, my non-available, money-making, emotionally-fluid artist."

We all laughed and Bree almost dropped a vase.

"Okay Bree, you're coming with us, I'm going to steal Ella for her signatures and y'all get ready we leave in ten minutes." Trisha was taking me to her office where she sits me down and asks about my brothers.

"What about them?"

"Well, they say something about your boyfriend's stalker that might still lurk around..."

Did my brother have me watch?
Was I panicking over their people?
Those two are so going to feel my wrath.

"Huh?" my heart suddenly beats a little bit faster as the anger builds up inside me. "Why would they think that?" Trish must've seen it in my face and mistook it for fear when she took my hand in hers, assuring nothing's going to happen to me.

"Look, you've met Shane, my husband has bodyguards on call, let's talk to him and if you're more comfortable you can use his guards if not then use your brothers' people. I don't know what's going on, but I'd like Shane to put someone to shadow you. Just for my peace of mind."

I was torn between wanting to spite my brother and go with Trisha, or just go home and drink my wine alone.

"Maybe I should just go back,"

"What? no... Player, his club is definitely safer than your apartment. Let's just talk to your brothers there and hear them out?"

"Trish, I'm pretty sure they're just overprotective. This stalker thing is too exaggerated, I'm sure everything is good." I did feel better when she told me about my brothers and convinced myself that it was one of their guys that I kept on feeling their eyes behind my back.

"Okay, just come with us, it's better than going back to an empty apartment if you say everything is fine, which I'm really hoping that's the case. Don't be upset, have drinks with us, take your mind off. Brenton is here, Dev and also Bree, come on."

"You always make a good argument, okay, let's go before I change my mind. Oh, there's nothing I need to sign, is there?"

"Nope, I just need to talk to you." She winked, ushering me out of her office and joining the others.