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“But if you die now, everyone will remember you fondly as you were when you first appeared on the charts, not like the whore you are now.” She looks me up and down with a sniff. “Thosewholesome songs will be downloaded and played. But this isn’t about money. It’s about disrespect.”
“You think I disrespected you?”
“I don’t think; Iknow. Time for you to pay.”
Shit. I have to keep her talking until Rand comes back and hope for the best. “How did you find me?”
She tsks as if my question—and me by extension—is annoying. “I’m far more clever than you ever gave me credit for. It was your lipstick. I paid the stylist to make sure you carried the tube, with the tracking device inside, just in case the gunman proved unsuccessful.” She sighs. “I hate being right so often.”
And I hate that she seems to have lost her damn mind. Was she always so full of malice?
Never mind. Not important. What is? Figuring out how to deal with Dorinda. The old me—before Rand—would have asked what she wanted and done my best to comply. Of course, the me without Rand wouldn’t have escaped the parade alive. We might not have had a lot of time to talk about how I should defend myself, but I learned a lot from observing him. One thing I know? Rand wouldnevergive in.
Neither will I.
“Very clever,” I murmur. Let her think she’s got the upper hand.
“I told you. You just didn’t believe in me enough.”
Wrong. I knew her professional limitations. They cost me millions. “Then we’re even. You didn’t believe in me enough, either. You sold me short.”
“I proceeded cautiously. After all, most child stars fail at going adult.”
“I’m not most.” Clandestinely, I align my elbow with her stomach, situated directly behind me, then give a vicious shove.
Instantly, she doubles over with an “Oomph!”
I don’t dare wait for a better opportunity or for Rand to return. Heart roaring, I spin around and shove her onto her butt. She’s not any bigger than me, but I’m stronger. I have surprise on my side. And I’m absolutely determined to come out of this in one piece.
But when I bend to swipe the gun from her, she raises it again and points it in my face. “You stupid fucking bitch. I’ve never killed anyone, but I’ll enjoy wasting you.”
Suddenly, I’m staring down the barrel of her gun. Oh, god. It’s over. I’ve failed.
Then I hear a gunshot. I flinch, waiting to fall, bracing for death. Instead, something warm splatters me—blood?—as Dorinda jerks. Then she flops to the grass like a ragdoll, unmoving.
“Sophie! Are you okay?”
Rand! I turn and find him rushing up the hill, straight toward me, his aim still pinned on Dorinda.
“I-I’m fine.” I think. My voice trembles, but I’m in one piece.
I’m alive—thanks to him.
At Dorinda’s side, he kicks the weapon from her hand and bends to check her pulse. A moment later, he lets out a relieved breath. “She’s dead.”
With a cry, I launch myself into Rand’s arms. “I wouldn’t have made it without you. Thank you.”
He pulls me even closer. “You helped. You kept her talking and held her off until I could get a clean shot. Thank God.”
I hear his heart hammering against the side of my face. Every muscle in his body is taut. Then he dips his head to take my lips in a hard press. “I don’t know what you think should happen between us next, but you’ll have to get a restraining order and a crowbar to pry me away from you.”
“I don’t want that. I want you. Always.”
“I want to spend my life with you, Sophie. Wherever that takes us, let’s do it together.”
“We should start by getting married.” It’s unconventional as far as proposals go, but why not?
“You took the words out of my mouth.” He smiles as he presses a kiss to my forehead, then gives me a solemn stare. “But first we need to call the police and sort through the red tape.”
