Page 37 of Strider's Misstep

Anna’s dead?

I’ve been taking it on trust that she’s only here because she read my books and enjoyed them. I narrow my eyes. She seems to know a lot about Strider and what he’s been like since I left. “Just why did you want to come to the signing?”

I think she can see by my expression that I’m not going to accept any half-truths or lies. As the corners of her lips curve upward, she says, “Strider’s been searching for you. He knows exactly who you are. Andhe still wants you.”

My jaw drops. How could he? I never gave him any clue to suggest I wasn’t Jasmine Smart. Shaking my head, I refute it. “He can’t know.” My voice is just a whisper.

She grins. “He knows you’re Katrina Aster and that you’re still married. It did take a while to find out the details, but the essence you told him yourself. You wrote it all down.”

I bang the heel of my hand against my forehead. I’ve known Strider had read my book and realised I’d written about him, as prez, me as the club girl, and the relationship I’d always dreamed of. As for the rest of the story, I’d thought it so incredible that no one would believe there was any truth behind it.

“He’s been so worried,” she continues. “That’s why I thought I’d volunteer to be part of your protection. Which is why I’m here now.” She glances down, then up at me again. “Chaz counts him among his closest friends, and fate hasn’t treated him kindly.”

“Whoa. Back up a moment. Protection? Why did anyone think I needed protection?”

Patiently, as though speaking to a child, she explains, “Because if the Soulz could find out you’re really Katrina Aster née James, then Barclay with all of his connections wouldlikewise know where to find you.” She pauses, then says with emphasis, “At the signing you decided to attend.”

Lowering my head into my hands, I realise I really haven’t been as clever as I thought I was. “I used my grandmother’s maiden name.”

Raising her chin, she agrees, “That was the key to finding you.”

I shake my head and say with feeling, “Shit.” Then I realise while this kidnapping had come to me as a complete surprise, my companion had come along today knowing the risk something like this was going to happen. “I don’t know why you would put yourself in danger if you knew there was a chance Barclay had found out where I’d be and come for me. What the fuck were you thinking?”

She bristles now. “Girl, do you hear what you just said to me?”

“You could have been killed!”

“I could have died many times before, but I haven’t. You’re important to Strider, which means you’re important to all the Soulz. There was no point putting a brother on you. They’d have been killed, not brought along. But a woman? Yeah, Barclay’s played right into my hands. As soon as they saw another female, they wanted me. Even with my small tits,” she ends with a laugh.

I burst into a chuckle. “But a fine ass.”

She does a body shimmer and giggles. “A girl’s got to work with whatever she has.”

Soberness comes over me. “I still can’t understand why Chaz would put you in danger.”

“Chaz doesn’t ‘put’ me in anything. And facing someone like your ex is child’s play, considering all the other risks I’ve taken.” Grimacing slightly, she admits, “And then I let my guard down. Just before you needed that comfort break, I got a text sayingBarclay was out of the picture, in front of a judge. So I stupidly thought it was unlikely he’d try anything.”

Again, my mouth drops open. Hope floods into me. Has the legal system really caught up with him? “Will he go down?”

She throws cold water on that immediately and rolls her eyes. “Unlikely. He’s got good connections to the judge.”

“I’m sorry.” Suddenly, the words flow out of me. “You shouldn’t be here. This is all on me, on my head. I should never have thought I’d have anonymity while attending the signing.” Rubbing my hands over my face, I continue, “I was so damn stupid. I let the success of my books run away with me.”

Helo approaches, her features set. “Jasmine. You’ve built yourself an incredible career. I’m not a reader, but the minute I picked up your first book, I was truly drawn into it. It’s Barclay who’s got no right to interfere. And it’s him who’s going down.”

Her fierceness and the forceful delivery of her words start me thinking that maybe there’s a way to get out of this. I’m terrified, yes. Dreading seeing Barclay again, but I’m not alone, and there’s no one else I’d rather have beside me.

Except for the whole charter of the Wretched Soulz, of course.

If I’d been alone, I’d be going crazy. “Why did you let yourself get captured along with me? Couldn’t you have gotten away yourself?”

Helo sits on the floor beside me, lays back, and puts her hands behind her head. “I had a split second to make a decision. Yeah, I could have disarmed that man easily, but there was a risk that there were more of them outside. If they saw me as a threat, they could have disposed of me and taken you. Thought you had more of a chance if I stuck with you.” She’s certainly not wrong there. She changes the subject. “Reckon we should try to get some rest. I estimate it’s around midnight, and we’ve got a few hours before Barclay’s likely to make it here.”

I suppose she’s got a point. I’ve still got a dull headache from whatever drug I was given. Beneath my ass, the floor is cold, hard and unyielding, but dutifully, copying my companion, I lie myself down and then sit back up. Helo seems as relaxed as though she was lying on a five-star mattress.

At my restlessness, Helo opens her eyes and raises her brow quizzically.

“The floor’s too hard.”

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