Page 82 of Rest In Pieces
“You’re insane, you know that? Jokes aside, he really is as big of a deal as he claims, and he generally doesn’t take shit from anyone.”
I shrug. “So? I’m not any less of a person because I have a vagina, and that’s the impression he gave me, which sucks because he’s important to you and I want to like him.”
He sighs. “I’d be lying if I said there isn’t a part of him that forgets that outside the MC world, women have just as many rights as the rest of us.”
I nod, letting it go. If Blade can be civil, then so can I. That’s enough for now.
A commotion makes us both turn as Monica’s trailer door slams against the siding. She runs outside half-dressed, looking around wildly, her eyes flooded with tears.
I take a step toward her. I might not like the woman, but I’m not a heartless bitch. Something’s freaking her the fuck out.
She spots me and G and runs over to us, practically throwing herself into G’s arms. He stiffens, keeping his arms out wide as he looks at me in shock. He’s not the only one; I’m just assurprised. It was only a few hours ago that she was calling him a criminal and asking me to keep him away.
“Monica? What’s wrong?”
She turns her head, tears running down her cheeks as G carefully extracts himself from her arms.
“You said he does security, right?”
I look at G, and he nods. “We do.”
“Okay, I want to hire you,” she whispers, holding out a letter with a shaky hand.
He takes the letter from her and looks down at it before looking back up at her. “Hire me for what?”
“To keep me safe.”
“Safe from who?” Blade snaps as he walks up behind her, making her flinch.
She moves closer to G, wary of Blade, and she’s got good reason. He looks like he eats children for breakfast and uses their bones to pick his teeth.
“My stalker,” she whispers, her face going ghostly white as she sways.
I reach out to stop her from falling, but G’s faster than me, wrapping his arm around her waist as she leans against him. I step closer and move the hair from her face as Blade takes the letter from G and reads it.
“My dearest Agatha, I cannot begin to express how happy I am that you’ve returned to me. I’ve spent this past year waiting for you, and now that you’re here, I’m never letting you go.
“What the fuck is this?” Blade asks as Stefan notices that something’s wrong and heads our way.
“I’ve been getting letters—some of them tame, some of them pretty graphic. When the, um… gifts started showing up with them, the studio started handling my fan mail. I thought he’dgive up when he didn’t get a response, but this was in my trailer. It’s hand-delivered. He’s here,” she whispers as Stefan approaches us.
He spots the letter in Blade’s hand and curses. “Son of a bitch.”
“I take it you know what this is?” Blade says, lifting the letter as G pulls himself free of Monica again.
“Yeah, they started coming after the second movie.” He runs his hands through his hair as Blade looks at me for more details.
“This movie is part of a franchise. Each movie is set in a different universe but features the same lead character, Agatha Alamanda. That’s why it’s called theAlamanda Chronicles. I’ve worked as Monica’s body double since the first movie, but I didn’t know about the stalker,” I tell him, so he doesn’t think I kept this from G.
“The studio kept it quiet,” Stefan says. “We have involved the police, but they can’t find anything. The letters usually come from all over the country, and up until now, they’ve never been delivered on set.”
He looks at G and then at Blade. “This needs to be kept hush-hush. Not just because the media will swarm this town like a bunch of locusts, but because things like this tend to bring the other crazies out of the woodwork, making it harder for us to find the real stalker.” He looks at me and sighs. “Head to wardrobe, Amity. They’re waiting for you. I’ll handle this. Remember, not a word.”
I open my mouth to protest, but G shakes his head. “I’ll be here when you come out. Go do what you’ve gotta do.”
I move around Monica and press a kiss to his cheek, careful not to flash anyone, before walking over to wardrobe. I pause for a moment before I enter and turn to look back at G, but he’s deep in discussion with Blade and Stefan.
My eyes drift to Monica, who has her head down and her arms wrapped around herself. If anyone had told me earlier that I’d ever feel sympathy toward her, I would’ve thought they were crazy. But now, seeing her look so lost, I can’t help but hope they catch this guy before he hurts her.