“It was you, wasn’t it?” I accused Connor angrily while I paced in the living room with my phone against my ear.

“What are you talking about?” my brother responded.

“Don’t play dumb with me,” I said, trying my best not to explode. I was so angry.

After trying to think of a reason why someone would follow me, the only person I could think of that would that was my brother. This exactly the type of thing he would do without telling me.

“Honestly Taylor, I have no idea what you’re talking about?” He sounded genuinely perplexed.

I frowned. He would never deny it, if he was responsible for having me followed he would explain why it was a necessity even if my knowledge of it had been optional.

“What happened Taylor?” He was using that dad voice, the one where he wasn’t going to let things slide. Only the truth would suffice.

If it wasn’t him, then who? I bit my lip.

“Answer my question.”

There was silence as I tried to think of what to say to him. He would worry if I told him the truth but I wasn’t sure he would settle for any less.

I hadn’t even considered that it hadn’t been him. Not for a second from when I had made my mind up that I hadn’t imagined, did I consider it might not be him. He was the only explanation that made any sense.

“Answer me Taylor.” My brother’s voice reflected his growing anger.

“It’s nothing,” I sighed, knowing there was no point in stalling.

My brother was a force to be reckoned with, he would not let it go until he knew everything. I had not thought this through properly. It was just such a Connor thing, I hadn’t considered any other option.

“What happened?”

Damn it.

“It’s really nothing. I think I might have imagined.” I was trying my best to delay what I knew was inevitable.

“If you don’t tell me what’s going on I will get on the jet right now,” he threatened. He never made idle threats.

“I went for a walk and I thought…I was being…um followed.” Saying the words out loud, made it sound like I had imagined it all.

“What kind of car?”

“It was some sort of SUV. I don’t know what type.” I hadn’t taken a good enough look to be able to give him any other details.

“What color?”

“Black.”

“Did you see the driver?”

I rolled my eyes. This conversation was more like an interrogation than just a few questions. It was so Connor.

“No. The windows were too dark to see anything.”

“Did you remember any else? A license plate?”

“Stop Connor.” I made sure my voice was firm. He was running with it like someone was out to get me. Who on earth would follow me? The idea was crazy. Eric was still locked up. There was no more threat. “I think I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. You know Sin’s mother’s passing and everything else. It might just be my over active imagination.”

After everything I had been through it was hard not to be suspicious of little things that wouldn’t usually raise any suspicion. I had probably blown the whole thing out of proportion and worse I had made my brother aware of it. The only thing worse than my own fear was my brother’s over protectiveness.

“I can have a bodyguard there in an hour Taylor.”

I knew he meant the best but sometimes it was too much. Besides a bodyguard showing up would definitely raise questions with Sin. And the last thing I needed was to burden him with my over active imagination.

“I’m fine. I’m sure it was nothing.” I held my breath hoping he wouldn’t push it any further.

“I would prefer to have someone watch you anyway. Just a precaution.”

I looked up the ceiling trying my best not to lose my cool with my brother. I knew his actions came from a good place but at times they could be too much.

“Please don’t Connor. I’m an adult. I can look after myself.”

He was quiet.

“I promise, if any I notice any other suspicious activity I will let you know. Okay?”

He didn’t immediately answer and I was worried he would make a bigger deal than I wanted.

“Fine. But the next hint of anything you call me. Do you understand?”

I sighed with relief. “Yes.”

“I’ll see you in a few days,” he said.

He would be attending the funeral.

“See you soon.” I ended the call.

Opening up to Connor about being followed made me realize how crazy it sounded. The fact that I had struggled mentally after my parents’ death made me very aware of how fragile I had been and I didn’t want to slide back into that. I had to figure out a way to deal with my stress better for fear of what it could to my fragile state of mind.

It felt like I had too much to deal with and I was struggling to cope.

Shortly after my conversation with my brother, Sin came out of his study.

I was sitting in front of the TV flicking through the channels, when he entered the living room. He crossed his arms. This wasn’t a good sign.

“Is there something you need to tell me?” he asked, his tone brisk and his eyes dark and stormy.

I frowned. My heart fell from my chest. Did he somehow know about the possible pregnancy? But that wasn’t possible. I hadn’t told a soul. There was no way he could know.

“I…” I had no idea what to say.

“Your brother called.”

My momentary relief was replaced with anger that my brother had gone behind my back. It meant he hadn’t believed me.

I bit my lip, unsure of how to approach this.

“Why didn’t you say anything Taylor?”

I stood. “I didn’t want to worry you. And beside I didn’t know if there was really anything to worry about.”

“If you’re concerned enough to call your brother you should have come to me. Why didn’t you?” He was angry but I loved how his eyes glittered when he was mad.

“You’ve had enough on your plate and I didn’t want to add to it. Besides I wasn’t even sure there was anything.”

“What happened?”

I felt like a fool. What if all this was only my over active imagination? What if I was blowing everything up over nothing?

“I thought there was a car following me earlier when I went for a walk.”

He asked me the same questions my brother did and I gave him the same answers.

“It’s probably nothing.” I shrugged. I now wished I had kept my mouth shut. It would have been much easier than dealing with this.

Sin was angry, but beneath the hot emotion I could see the dark circles and stress in his features. His mother’s passing was taking a toll and I was only adding to it. How selfish could I be?

And that was without taking into account the possible pregnancy looming over me like a bad omen.

I would not breathe a word of it to him until I was sure there was something to worry about. That was the one thing I had learnt from this situation.

“No more walking. I’m going to get Jeff to watch over you when I’m not around. You don’t leave the house without him. Either I’m with you or Jeff is.”

He held his hand out to me and pulled me to stand.

“I can’t let anything happen to you. Do you understand that Taylor?” His anger from before wavered and I saw fear.

“I know.”

“After what I went through when Eric took you, I will never forgive myself for not being there.”

He somehow still believed if he had been there then he could have thwarted Eric. I didn’t believe that for a second. Eric had been crazed, he would have done anything to get me. Including hurting anyone to get to me.

“I would rather be over cautious than have something happen to you.”

I moved to stand in front of him and I hugged him. “Nothing is going to happen to me.”

His arms closed around me. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Ever.”

It was a promise, I knew he would keep, no matter what it cost him.