Chapters (20)
She glanced at Xander. “Are you coming with me?”
He nodded and they headed upstairs.
With both men beside her, she stopped at her door and automatically reached to open it.
“I’ve got it,” Jared said. He turned the knob and stepped inside.
She followed and ran right into his back because he’d stopped mid-stride. She bounced backwards and Xander’s hands settled on her waist, steadying her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, wondering why Jared hadn’t just walked completely into the bedroom.
He turned, his features expressionless. “Xander, get her out of here.” He all but pushed her out of the room and closed the door.
She felt the blood rush from her head and dizziness assaulted her. “What? Why? My bag and my phone are in there,” she said, realizing the comment was foolish in light of something serious going on, but it had slipped out.
Ignoring her, Jared lifted his cell and made a call. “Send security to Sasha Keaton’s dressing room and call the police,” he said.
“What happened?” Xander asked, his arm now wrapped firmly around her waist.
“Someone broke in and trashed the room.” Jared set his jaw. Arms braced across his chest, he blocked her from going inside.
“Here? How? Everyone inside has been checked at the door. Vetted.” She shook her head, her body trembling. “What did they do?”
“Your clothes were scattered and cut up, and there’s a note on the mirror across from the door. The same type of cutout lettering used in the other notes,” Jared said, oblivious to the nausea filling her.
“You need to make sure the police were notified.” Xander’s tight voice told her all she needed to know about his reaction.
Before Jared could reply, two uniformed security guards ran up the stairs and joined them outside the room. “The police are on their way,” one of them said.
“Good,” Xander muttered. “Come on. Let’s go somewhere quiet and let everyone do their jobs,” he said into her ear, his hands now settled on her forearms.
Jared nodded. “Stay put. They’ll want to question you both.”
“We’ll be in the empty bedroom at the end of the hall,” Xander said.
He started to turn her but she dug in her heels. Or rather her bare feet. “What did the note say?”
Jared glanced over her head to Xander, and Sasha drew back her shoulders. “You’re my security. This stalker is after me. Now tell me.”
Jared nodded in understanding. “The note said, He can’t have you. MINE,” he said, emphasizing the last word.
She blinked as the words penetrated. “Wait. How does this person know about you?” She spun to Xander. “About us? And how? Has he been following us? Is he here watching?” she asked, panic spiraling.
All day today, she’d felt safe on the closed set and yet somehow… she wasn’t.