The Protective Billionaire Read online

  Thinking about the whole falling incident led to thoughts of the stranger who’d offered to help. She had to stop thinking of every man who approached her as a potential stalker. But it was hard to do that after what had led to her current situation.

  Not wanting to think about that, she finished putting the groceries away, then took out her painting supplies and carried them to the back deck where she had an expansive view of the surrounding forest and the Sierra Nevadas. With Maya stretched out in the sun at her feet, Aubree set up her easel and settled into a comfortable chair before arranging the paints on her palette. Then she picked up a brush and lost herself in the strokes of the brush as color and texture began to cover the canvas.

  Cameron drove down the long gravel driveway, a smile on his face. Buying this cabin had taken a lot of thought before he’d pulled the trigger, but he didn’t regret the purchase for a minute—real estate was almost always a good investment. Ten acres with a good-sized cabin smack dab in the middle of it. The place was twenty years old, but the last owner had recently updated the interior. The purchase had included all the furnishings, which suited Cameron just fine. Shopping for furniture and then decorating a place was at the absolute bottom of his priority list.

  He parked his Jeep, then carried the groceries inside. After putting them away, he went into the room he’d designated as his office, opened his laptop, then got to work.

  Hours later, after struggling with a programming problem with no clear solution, he leaned back in his chair and let his gaze slide to the window. The May afternoon was gorgeous. Time to take a break.

  Shoving his chair back, he got to his feet. After downing a protein shake, he changed into a pair of sweats and running shoes, then headed out the door. The heat of the sun felt great as he stretched his legs against the porch steps. When his muscles felt sufficiently warmed up, he set off at a jog, heading down the gravel driveway before turning onto the road that ran in front of the entrance to his property. As he jogged along the road, he noted where the other houses in the neighborhood were. With all the lots taking up around ten acres, there was plenty of space between properties. For a moment Cameron thought he ought to meet his neighbors, but he quickly tossed that idea aside. He’d bought the cabin for the isolation, not to make new friends.

  With a smirk, he kept running, exhilarated by the fresh mountain air.

  Chapter Four

  Aubree stood, placed her hands on her hips, then arched her back. Her painting session had gone well, although she was nowhere near done with this piece. Even so, it felt wonderful to lose herself in the brushstrokes, to forget her troubles, if only for a little while.

  Maya stood beside her expectantly, having leapt to her feet the moment Aubree had risen from her chair.

  “Let’s go for a walk,” Aubree said. “I’ve been sitting too long and I need to stretch my legs.”

  At the word walk, Maya panted loudly and pranced around.

  Aubree looked toward the forest that surrounded Janie’s property. Trees filled her view and no one was in sight.

  “I don’t think we need your leash, Maya.” She looked at the Golden Retriever. “Do you?”

  Maya gazed at her, her brown eyes filled with trust.

  “Okay then. Let’s go.” With that, Aubree strode forward with Maya on her heels. The afternoon was pleasantly cool and the scent of pine needles filled Aubree’s nostrils. The fresh air invigorated her, and as she and Maya walked along a faint path, she decided she needed to get out and walk at least once a day. She’d been at the cabin a full week, and at first she’d been too nervous to do more than go out on the porch, but as the week had gone on and Tyler hadn’t found her, her confidence had grown.

  Yes, it was time to expand her horizons. At least a little bit.

  Walking on, she drew the brisk air deep into her lungs. From time to time, Maya dashed a short distance away, but she always came back a minute or two later, her tail swinging.

  The soft carpet of pine needles under Aubree’s feet muffled her steps and she enjoyed the feeling of peace and solitude. Used to the bustling activity of Los Angeles, and the even busier atmosphere on set, when she’d first decided to accept Janie’s offer to basically hide out in her family’s cabin, Aubree had been worried about being away from the commotion she was used to. Turned out she really liked it. Especially when it came time to paint. The serenity of the mountains gave her plenty of time to contemplate. Almost like a form of meditation—something she tried to do in LA from time to time. Especially when she did yoga. It helped to center her.

  A twig snapped. It hadn’t come from her own feet—or from Maya.

  Heart racing, Aubree froze, her ears pricking as she concentrated on every little sound. Then she heard the crunch of someone walking.

  Is it him? Is it Tyler?

  Terror cascaded over her in ever more powerful waves.

  “Maya,” she whisper-screamed, frantically motioning for her dog to come close.

  Kneeling on the ground, she wrapped her arms around Maya. Knowing her beloved dog would protect her, she felt a small sense of comfort.

  The sound of approaching footsteps thundered in her ears, but with so many trees around, she couldn’t see anyone or tell exactly where the person was.

  Whoever was walking wasn’t even trying to be stealthy.

  Was Tyler so confident in knowing she was alone and vulnerable that he wasn’t even trying to hide that he’d found her?

  She had to protect herself. She couldn’t just sit there and wait to be attacked.

  Leaping to her feet while holding on to Maya’s collar, Aubree walked quickly yet silently to the nearest tree, then pressed her back against the trunk. The path she’d been walking on was not well established, so there was no guarantee whoever was out there was on the path.

  With her cheek against the rough bark, she peered around the side of the tree, her gaze shooting in all directions as she searched for her stalker.

  How had he found her? No one knew she was there. No one but Janie. And Janie had no connection to Tyler.

  The memory of meeting Tyler for the first time flashed in her mind. He’d been a member of the Love & Lies crew, filling in for someone who’d been on vacation, and when he’d chatted with Aubree during breaks, he’d seemed like a nice guy. So, when he’d asked her out, she’d readily agreed and they’d had a good time on that first date. Soon after that he’d left the Love & Lies crew, but he and Aubree had stayed in contact, and when he’d asked her out a second time, she’d said yes. That date had been less fun—he’d been pushy with wanting more from her than she’d been willing to give. After they’d said good night, she’d decided she didn’t want to see him again. Unfortunately, he’d had other ideas and he’d continually texted and called, asking her out. Even after she’d flat-out told him she wasn’t interested, he hadn’t given up. Eventually she’d changed her cell number, but then he’d resorted to constantly sending gifts to the set for her as well as trying to get in to see her. It had driven everyone on the lot crazy.

  It was only after security had warned him off that he’d changed tactics, making up stories about her and selling them to the tabloids, all in a bid to get her attention. It hadn’t taken long for even the tabloids to ignore him, which was when he’d broken in to her apartment and taken some of her personal items, leaving a note telling her that he loved her and that he would give her the items back on their wedding night. She’d filed a report with the police, but Tyler had disappeared before they’d caught up with him. She’d also filed a restraining order against him and had found out that a former girlfriend of his had also filed a restraining order claiming he’d held a knife to her throat.

  Thinking about that now, she unconsciously touched her throat as her heart pounded harder in her chest. The man was delusional and dangerous. Shuddering at the thought of Tyler finding her, she stayed behind the tree and tried not to let her imagination scare her any worse than it already was.

  A branch snappe
d as if someone had stepped on it.

  Aubree’s heart battered her ribs. She couldn’t let Tyler find her. If he’d come all the way here to get to her, who knew what he had in mind? She hadn’t heard from him since reading the note he’d left in her apartment, so she had no idea what was going on in his head.

  With her eyes riveted to the nearby trees, when she saw the flash of a man as he passed by about twenty yards away, she nearly gasped.

  Was it him? Was it Tyler?

  She’d barely gotten a glimpse of the man and she was desperate to know if it was Tyler, desperate to know if he’d found her. Maybe it wasn’t even him. Maybe she was panicking for no reason. Before she completely freaked out, she needed to see who it was. She just had to make sure he didn’t see her.

  First, she needed something she could use as a weapon. It took only a moment to find a thick branch that would do the job. She picked it up, hefting it in her hands. Not too heavy for her to handle, yet heavy enough to wield if needed.

  “You need to stay near me,” she whispered to Maya, confident that Maya wouldn’t leave her.

  Wishing she’d brought Maya’s leash, she softly sighed before dashing to a tree a dozen feet away with Maya on her heels. Then she stopped to listen for the man’s footsteps.

  She heard nothing.

  The pine-needle carpet she’d been enjoying a short time before was now a detriment. At least as far as hearing the man. On the other hand, it would muffle her own footsteps.

  Dragging in a breath to calm herself, she focused on the direction the man had gone. Using the tree trunks as cover, she went from tree to tree, pressing herself against each trunk as she scoped out the area. But the man was nowhere to be seen.

  She knelt beside Maya, then whispered, “Where’d he go? Can you find him?”

  When Maya just panted in reply, Aubree stood, placing her hands on her hips as she surveyed the area. No sign of another human being.

  She hadn’t imagined the man. She’d clearly seen him walking by. A man who didn’t belong here. A man who had to be looking for her. Tyler.

  Fresh terror wound its way up her throat and her chest constricted. She reminded herself to breathe.

  With Maya by her side, she slowly walked forward, her head on a swivel, her ears straining to hear any sound.

  Without warning, Maya dashed away.

  “Maya!” Aubree shouted, then she slapped her hand over her mouth. Darn that dog!

  Why had Maya run off? Was that the direction the man had gone? Was she chasing after him? After a moment’s hesitation, Aubree set off after Maya. Wanting to shout her dog’s name, she clamped her lips shut and kept an eye out for a flash of cream-colored fur as she carefully moved from tree to tree.

  Not thirty seconds later, Aubree heard the crunch of a footstep.

  She froze.

  In the midst of several trees, she held the branch against her shoulder like a batter ready to hit a home run. Then she scanned the area. Nothing but trees.

  A hand clamped over her mouth from behind. The branch fell from her hands.

  Chapter Five

  “Why are you following me?” a deep voice muttered in her ear.

  Momentarily stunned, a full second passed before Aubree reacted. But then she went into full-on fight mode. Screaming against the large hand that covered her mouth, she thrashed against the man holding her, clawing at the powerful arm that held her in place. She had to get away. She was fighting for her life, but nothing she did seemed to make a difference.

  “Stop fighting and I’ll let go,” he said loudly.

  Not about to stop fighting, she thrashed harder, kicking backwards at the man and fighting with all she had.

  “Okay, okay,” he said, his tone showing that he knew she wasn’t going to stop. Then he released her.

  Triumph rocketed through her, but before fear gripped her any harder, she scooped up the branch, then spun around, her weapon at the ready.

  The man, wearing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, had fallen back a step, and when he saw the branch held over her shoulder, his eyes widened and he threw his hands up, then he backed up several more steps.

  “I just want to talk to you,” he said.

  It wasn’t Tyler—this man was tall, athletic, and extremely attractive. Not that any of that mattered. The important question was, why had he grabbed her? Who was he?

  Her fear melted away, replaced by cold rage. This man had scared her so badly that she’d nearly wet herself.

  Glaring at him, Aubree wanted to stab him with her eyes, then she realized that Maya was missing. She should have come to her aid. Had this man done something to Maya? “Where’s my dog?” Her jaw was tight and her voice was filled with fury.

  “Your dog?” He looked perplexed as his hands fell to his sides.

  “Yes.” Without taking her eyes off of the man, she called, “Maya! Maya, come!”

  The man took a step in her direction.

  Aubree moved the branch like she was about to swing it. “Stay back or you’ll regret it.”

  The man froze and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

  Moments later Maya came bounding toward her. Relieved beyond belief, Aubree was also worried. What if this had been Tyler? Maya was supposed to protect her. But she hadn’t been there when Aubree had needed her.

  She relaxed the hold on the branch, letting it swing toward the ground. “Where were you?” she asked Maya as if Maya would tell her.

  Instead, Maya looked at the man, then trotted over to him and began sniffing his pants. The man reached down and scratched Maya’s fur.

  This only fueled Aubree’s anger. She snapped her fingers and told Maya to come. Thankfully, Maya obeyed and sat beside Aubree.

  “You didn’t answer my question,” the man said.

  Still livid that he’d scared her so badly, Aubree looked at him with bunched eyebrows. “What?”

  “Why were you following me?”

  “What makes you think I was following you?” She had been, but that was beside the point.

  “I saw you going from tree to tree like you were trying to sneak up on me.” His eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  Not liking to be called out, especially when she’d let her paranoia get the best of her, she scowled. “I can do what I want on my property.” Well, Janie’s property. Same difference.

  The man’s eyebrows rose and he tilted his head. “Maybe. Except you’re on my property.”

  “What?” He had to be wrong. Because that would be beyond embarrassing. Except that he’d accosted her. She couldn’t forget that.

  “That’s right,” he added. “You’re trespassing.”

  Did that give him the right to sneak up behind her and slam his hand over her mouth? Maybe it did and maybe it didn’t. Either way, she was still upset about it.

  “You shouldn’t have grabbed me,” she said, putting as much anger into her voice as possible, which wasn’t difficult because when she remembered the abject terror she’d felt when she’d been certain Tyler had found her, fresh rage tore through her.

  He seemed to consider that. “I apologize for scaring you.”

  He had no idea. But at least he admitted to being in the wrong. Calming somewhat, Aubree reached down and stroked Maya’s head. That helped to calm her even more. “For the record,” she said. “I thought you were trespassing.”

  A smile slowly lifted his lips. “All right. Yeah. I guess it’s hard to know where the property lines are.”

  Cameron kind of felt like an idiot for overreacting the way he had. But when he’d seen the woman dodging behind trees and then peering out from behind the trunks, he was certain either a paparazzi or a crazed gold-digger had found him. It wouldn’t be the first time.

  The thought of either of those kinds of people tracking him down in his one place of solitude rankled. He would not allow it.

  “In the future,” the woman said, sarcasm dripping, “I’ll try to stay off of your property.”

  He actu
ally didn’t mind. Not at all. Not if she was a neighbor. Besides, she was quite beautiful. Not that it mattered. It couldn’t matter. He was there to work on his latest gaming app. That was all. Not to get to know the neighbors. He’d already decided that. Just barely, in fact. When he’d been on his run. A run that had changed to a hike when he’d veered off of the road and into the forest surrounding his newly purchased home. The serenity of the swaying trees had called to him and he’d answered, deciding to walk his property. Which is when he’d seen the woman skulking about.

  She’d never fully explained why she had been acting that way. Even if he had been trespassing on her property—which he hadn’t—why had she been hiding behind a tree?

  Before he had a chance to ask, she turned around as if to leave.

  “Hold on,” he asked, not ready to see her leave yet.

  She stopped and half-turned toward him.

  “What’s your name?” he asked.

  She gave him a look that said he hadn’t earned the right to know, then she turned back around and briskly walked away, her dog right beside her.

  Cameron watched her go, at a loss as to how to fix this. Briefly considering following her, after the way she’d threatened him with the branch, that didn’t seem like a good idea. Instead, he finished walking the perimeter of his property before going back to his cabin.

  The nerve of that man scaring the living daylights out of me. And then having the audacity to ask me my name like we’re at a party or something.

  Fuming—and also kind of embarrassed that she’d been attempting to sneak up on the man on his own property—Aubree huffed out a sigh.

  The confrontation had sucked all the peace and serenity right out of her. Now, as much as she wanted to keep working on the piece she’d been painting, she was too keyed up, too annoyed, to focus on anything besides her own feelings of embarrassment and the sense that she could have been attacked. Yeah, it had all been a big misunderstanding, but that didn’t change the fact that she’d been certain Tyler had found her.