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“Well?”
“Oh my God, so good,” Joy says. “It’s beautiful, Starla.”
“We would be honest if it sucked,” Lia adds. “But trust me. It doesn’t.”
“Thanks.” I smile and make a tweak on the notepad. “I’m glad you guys came over. This was fun.”
“Well, you’re dating our brother-in-law,” Lia says. “And we wanted to get to know you a little better.”
“I’m glad,” I repeat and then reach for my phone sitting on the top of the piano. Just as I grab it, it pings with an incoming message. “Sorry, I’m waiting for an email from my manager on something. I just need to check this real quick.”
“No problem,” Joy says. “We should probably head out anyway. I have to go feed that little kitten I rescued behind the clinic.”
Joy’s and Lia’s voices fade as I read the email.
You fucking bitch. Did you think you could ignore my last email and I’d just go away? I won’t be ignored! Who do you think you are? You’re not special. There’s a place in hell reserved for cunts like you. In fact, maybe I’ll send you straight to hell, sooner than later.
I see you. I’m watching. Killing you, making you PAY for what you did, would be so damn easy. If you think I’m kidding, I’ve attached a photo of what I’d like to do to you.
There’s a picture attached that makes me sick to my stomach. I drop the phone to the floor and grab a nearby wastebasket to hurl into, unable to run to the bathroom.
“Starla?”
“What’s going on?”
“Honey, what is it?” Lia asks, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. “What was in that email?”
“Oh my God.” I look up at Joy’s voice and see her reading the email. “For fuck’s sake.”
“Let me see,” Lia demands. Joy passes her the phone, and they switch places. Lia reads while Joy comforts me.
“It’s just a maniac who likes scaring you,” she says. But she’s wrong.
“No,” Lia says flatly, and the next thing I know, she’s speaking into my phone, talking to Levi. “This is Lia. Joy and I are with Starla at her house, and we need you here, Levi. Starla’s been threatened. Yep. We’ll be here.”
She hangs up, puts my phone to sleep, and sets it aside.
“He’s on his way.”
“I wish you hadn’t called him,” I whisper. I’m shaking. I’m dizzy. Blood rushes in my ears, through my head, making me unsteady.
“He’s a cop, and he’s your boyfriend,” Joy reminds me, rubbing circles on my back. “He’ll take care of this.”
“Just a stupid fan. It happens sometimes.”
“He didn’t say he hated your new song,” Lia says. “He fucking threatened to kill you.”
I fold over the wastebasket again, heaving.
“Hey, he can’t hurt you, honey,” Joy says. “No one’s going to hurt you.”
“No. They’re not.”
My head comes up at the sound of Levi’s voice. God, he looks good. I’m so relieved to see him, tears suddenly flow, and I can’t stop them.
He folds me into his arms and holds me close, kissing my head and temple.
“You’re okay,” he says. “I promise, sweetheart, you’re okay.”
“Here.” I open my phone and pass him the email. “Read it.”
He’s quiet, but I watch his eyes. They go from brown to black with pure rage as he reads the words and then sees the photo.
It’s Meredith and me at Nordstrom a few weeks ago, shopping. But whoever it is used Photoshop to make it look like we’re both dead. Bloody.
It’s like something out of a horror movie.
“Fuck me,” Levi growls. He taps on the screen, and then he pulls out his own phone and makes a call. “Yeah, it’s Crawford. I just sent an email to you from Starla’s email address. I need the original note traced. I’ll wait while you open it.”
Levi kisses me again and rubs his hand soothingly up and down my back.
“Yeah, I know. Great, work on it and keep me posted.”
He ends the call and hugs me close again.
“Thanks for calling me,” he says to Lia.
“Of course. We’ll get out of your way. But, Starla, if you need anything, I’m just across the street. Don’t hesitate to call.”
“Thank you,” I say with a watery smile. “And thank you for being here. For lunch and everything.”
“Of course.”
Both women hug me, and then they’re gone, and it’s just Levi and me, watching each other with sober eyes.
“It’s probably nothing,” I say at last, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “Just some asshole who wants to scare me. It happens.”
I stand and pace the room, suddenly filled with nervous energy.
“How often does this happen, Star?”
I stop and look at him. “People send stupid messages and comment on my posts on Instagram all the time. I hate your new song. You’re not that pretty. I don’t know what all the fuss is about, your talent is shit.”
I shrug and pace into the kitchen where I pull a bottle of water out of the fridge and take a drink, the cold liquid soothing my hot throat.
