Page 82 of Sangre
She placed her hand on top of his. “I’m okay. It’s just shocking and kind of freaky.”
It’s more than freaky. The fuckin’ psycho is killing women on some arbitrary list he made, and I know Isla’s on it. Who’s this fucker?
For the rest of the dinner, the conversation centered on lighthearted topics, and everyone had a lot of questions for Isla about LA, spotting movie stars, and touring with four men in a van for months.
After the women cleared the table and washed the dishes, Sangre stood up and went over to his parents. “We’re gonna take off. I have to be at the office early in the morning.”
“She looks so pale. I could kill your sister for bringing up what happened to that poor woman. She frightened Jordan half to death.”
“She’ll be all right. She’s just tired from recording and practicing.”Sheisscared to death. I have to make sure she stays safe. I gotta find out who this fucker is.
Isla came over and leaned against him. He bent down and kissed the top of her head, and from his peripheral vision he saw his mother beam and Nicole and Rachel whisper to each other. “I’ll come by during the week to help you with the deck, Dad.”
“I almost forgot,” Diana said, wiping her hands on her apron. “I have a box for you to take home. It’s the stuff that was in the corner of the closet in your old room.”
“You still had all that shit?” Sangre said.
“Yes. I still had all thatstuff. I’m turning it into a craft and design room.” Diana and Rachel were co-owners of the Sweet Spot Bakery, and Diana was the one who designed most of the cakes and cupcakes.
“My old room’s gonna be a craft room? What are your plans for Tom’s room?”
“Pool table and wet bar,” Martin said, coming over to the door.
“Here you go,” Tom said, handing a large box to Sangre.
On the way back to Isla’s house, she sat mute, staring out the passenger window. Sangre stroked the side of her face. “I know you’re freaked out.”
“Whoever this madman is, he’s coming for me. Ifeelit. The sheriff told me that I’m one of the five girls from Jefferson that the killer seems to want to hurt.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Four are dead. I’m the last one still alive,” she said softly.
“There’s no fuckin’ way I’m gonna let anything happen to you.”
“If I go back to LA, I’ll be safe. I didn’t have this shit in LA. Some damn psycho wants to kill me, and I don’t even know why.”
“If he’s intent on doing it, he’ll find you in LA. I’m gonna try and figure this out. I’ll ask my club to help. In the meantime, you’re with me.”
“You can’t be with me twenty-four seven. That’s not realistic.”
“I have the top guards watching you. They’ll be going everywhere with you even if you don’t want them to: like at the gym, the recording studio, practice, every fuckin’ place. Do you have any idea who’d want to hurt you from high school?”
“No. I’ve wracked my brain over and over, but I just can’t come up with anyone. So much has happened to me that high school seems like a lifetime ago.”
“Is your band trustworthy?”
“You mean my bandmates? Of course. Definitely. Absolutely. Anyway, they don’t even know the women who were killed.”
“Maybe the women were just decoys to get to you.”
“Don’t say that. I’d feel awful if I was responsible for their deaths. I just can’t believe this is happening,” she said, her voice hitching.
“I’ll keep you safe. I’ve got your back, honey. There’s no way I’m lettinganyonehurt you.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.
When he pulled into the driveway, his senses were on high alert as his eyes scanned the area. He closed the garage door while they were still in the car. “Make sure you close the door while you still have the car in gear. It’s just a precaution.”
They went into the house, and she disarmed the alarm then set it again right away.
“I’m gonna check around the house. You hang in the living room.” He slipped his hand inside his cut and took out a gun.
“You carry a gun?” she asked, her eyes wide.
