Page 25 of Savage Angels

The woman’s face twists into a scowl.

Truth holds out a hand and tugs me to my feet.

“Jesse, Kristen, time to go.”

“About time,” scolds Tony, the only person on the beach wearing long pants and a jacket. He’s carrying a gun, but he doesn’t even try to blend in.

“Everyone, pack up,” Tony orders the rest of the group. “We’re leaving.”

The woman walks toward me. “Kat,” she calls out, stopping us in our tracks.

“Stay away from me and my family,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “We’re on holiday and don’t need the press. I’m sorry, but this isn’t a good time for a fan.”

“Kat, please,” she continues, stepping toward us. “I just want to talk.”

Shaking my head, I pick up our towels and move away from her.

“Please, hear me out,” she insists, her gaze unwavering.

The closer she comes, the more I realize how truly dangerous this situation is, and I do not want her any closer to my family.

“Tony, get everyone out of here. I’ll talk to her… you get them to the cars.”

“I don’t like this,” he warns.

“You can see me. I’ll be fine. We’re in public, after all.”

Tony takes a deep breath, nods once, and herds everyone toward the cars. They move around a parked van and disappear from my sight.

“Kat,” she whispers again, but her voice has changed—it is cold, determined.

Now she’s within a couple of feet of me, and there’s something about her, something familiar.

“Do I know you?”

The woman nods and tilts her head to the side. “I killed Gareth for you.”

“Stella?”

She nods, but this woman looks nothing like the person I knew. Hell, she’s had so much plastic surgery, her mother wouldn’t know her.

Stella reaches me, grabs my arm, and twists it behind my back, forcing me to my knees. The pain is intense.

“What the fuck do you want from me?”

“Quiet,” Stella hisses, her grip tightening on my wrist. “I’m doing this for your own good, Kat. You need me.”

“Need you?” I spit out, struggling against her iron grip. “You’re fucking insane!”

Stella’s other hand shoots out, gripping my hair and yanking my head back, forcing me to look into her dark, unyielding eyes. “You have no idea what I’ve done for you. What I’ve sacrificed…”

“Let me go, you crazy bitch!” I snarl, attempting to kick her, but she easily dodges the attack, keeping me pinned to the ground.

“Shut up and listen!” Stella demands, her voice shaking with barely contained fury. “Everything I’ve done is to protect you, Kat. You’re in danger, and you don’t even realize it!”

“Protect me?” I scoff, the absurdity of her claim fueling my anger. “By kidnapping me and terrorizing my family?”

“Your so-called ‘family’ is the reason you’re in danger,” Stella growls, dragging me to my feet by my hair. “You need to see things clearly, and I’m going to make sure that happens.”

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