Everyone I get close to could be in danger.
Kelsey. The hairs on the back of my neck lift. I left her on the bus alone. I grab my phone. “Someone needs to call Carmine to let him know.”
Walking far enough away to get some privacy I wait what feels like a lifetime. I shouldn’t have left her on her own.
Kelsey answers the phone. “What’s going on?”
Her voice eases my worst fears, but there’s still a knot in my throat I can’t swallow around. “Candy head, you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” she says breezily.
That tone... it’s never fine. “Is someone there with you?”
“No.” She sounds confused, but she brings it back to edgy quickly. “It’s just me... and this black, lacy thong.”
I shove my hand in my pocket. The panties Sonatina tucked in there are gone. They must have fallen out... shit, when I took my pants off. Women are always giving me things I don’t want. Panties. Dead fucking birds.
“They’re bedazzled,” she says. “Initialled.”
“It’s a funny story.” I’ll say anything to keep her on the phone until I’m back at the bus. “You’re going to forgive me for this.”
Rook, our head of security steps into my path. “I’m going to need you to stay here until we’ve finished our sweeps and the police have talked to you.”
“Kelsey’s on her own.” I shove past him. “So you can tell the cops where to find me.”
“Riot, what’s going on?” she asks, all attitude dropped from her voice.
“She isn’t,” he says. “I already have a team in the garage. She’s perfectly safe.”
That slows my racing heart. Rook is a professional with fifteen years of military training as well as six years in the private sector. His team knows what they’re doing. If he says Kelsey’s safe, then she’s safe.
But I have PTSD from dealing with Alec Hawthorne. I haven’t forgotten that he and Ivy’s bodyguard were working together. That someone we trusted made it possible for Alec to get into places it shouldn’t have been possible for him to get to.
It would be foolish not to do everything in my power to keep Kelsey safe. I won’t be less panicked until I do. “I want her safer. I want one of them on that bus with her right now.”
“Riot?” She drags my attention back. “What is going on?”
A couple of police cruisers pull in around the truck. Doors open and thud shut as four cops assess the scene.
“One of the guys is going to come sit with you, candy head. There’s been another threat.”
“Another?”
“I got another note. Only this time it’s worse.” A hell of a lot worse if she’s killing poor animals and threatening anyone I come into contact with.
“They’re escalating, aren’t they? I can hear it in your voice.”
“There’s a dead bird stabbed to my guitar.” I tug on my hair. “The police are here, and I need to stay and talk to them. But I won’t get off the phone until the guy Rook sent is with you.”
“Jasper’s here now,” she says, before I hear a man’s voice in the background. “I’m in good hands. Do what you have to do.”
She hangs up, and I cup my phone in both hands. At least she’s okay. I can fix the panty drama later.
The officers are still milling around the truck when I rejoin Bronx and Golden.
“Remember when Neil didn’t need rehab, and you didn’t have a psycho stalker?” Bronx smirks. “Those were the days.”
“Yeah, but we also weren’t famous, rich, and swimming in new pussy every night,” Golden reminds him. “There’s always a downside to balance the scales.”
