Two (Count to Ten Book 2)

by Jane Blythe

  “Did the police catch him?” Ryan’s chest had tightened uncomfortably.

  “No,” Sofia shook her head wearily.

  “He disappeared when she got sick,” Edmund elaborated. “Everything just stopped, but it still creeps me out that he’s out there somewhere, especially when she’s clearly in no condition to deal with him if he comes back.”

  Sofia frowned but didn’t disagree.

  “Did the police have any leads?” he demanded, the thought of someone stalking Sofia turning his blood to ice. The fact that the stalker was still out there added to his fear a hundredfold.

  “No.” Sofia sank further into the pillows; she was beginning to fade.

  Ryan looked to Edmund for more information. “The police have all the letters and gifts, but they had no suspects,” Sofia’s friend explained. “They didn’t find any prints or anything from any of the break-ins either.”

  “If it’s someone out for revenge against my family, why would they steal Brooke’s baby?” Sofia asked. Her voice had gone faint and she looked like she was fighting to keep her eyes open. Ryan still held her hand but it had gone limp in his grip.

  “I don’t know, cupcake, but we’ll sort it out,” he assured her. “I think that’s enough for now, though; you look like you need to rest.”

  “I want to help,” she protested weakly.

  “I know you do, but you’re exhausted,” Ryan reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. Sofia caught his hand and pressed it to her cheek. Aware of Paige and Edmund’s eyes on them, he self-consciously brushed his thumb along her cheekbone. “We offered police protection to your family. They refused, but the offer is still on the table for you.”

  “She’ll take it,” Edmund answered immediately.

  “Edmund,” Sofia looked frustrated.

  “Sofia,” Edmund shot back, equally frustrated. “They’re offering, you take it. So you don’t end up dead,” he reminded her.

  “I’ll take it,” Sofia nodded.

  “Good,” Ryan and Edmund murmured simultaneously.

  “Now you go get some rest,” Ryan told her.

  “Maybe I will take a little nap before tonight,” she relented.

  “Sofia, you are not going to that charity event tonight.” Edmund was glaring at her, daring her to disagree.

  “Yes I am,” Sofia frowned. “Don’t try to tell me what I can and can't do, Edmund. I don’t like that.”

  Edmund didn’t back down. “Sofia, you’re not strong enough to handle that tonight. Especially when there’s someone out there who’s killing off your family,” he reminded her.

  “So what do you want me to do?” Tears were brimming in her eyes but she angrily brushed them away. “You want me to lock myself away until Ryan and Paige find this guy?”

  “Yes,” Edmund nodded emphatically.

  “And what if they never find him?” she demanded. “You want me to give up what’s left of my life and lock myself away in some safe house? What about you?” Sofia turned her frown in Ryan’s direction. “Do you think I shouldn’t go tonight, too?”

  Hesitating, Ryan didn’t think she should go tonight, but unlike Edmund who didn’t seem to care if he made Sofia mad or not, he wasn’t confident enough with her yet to upset her. “I’m not sure it’s the best idea,” he ventured carefully. “After your father drugged you, and another of your brothers was killed last night, maybe the safe house idea isn’t such a bad one.”

  Growling, she wiped away the tears that trickled down her cheeks. “I’m only crying because I’m mad and tired.” Lifting her eyes to Paige, “You with them? You think I shouldn’t go to the charity event tonight?”

  “Sorry, sweetie,” Paige grimaced. “I’m just not sure you’re up to it.”

  “Well, I’m going, and there’s nothing any of you can do to stop me.” She looked at them all defiantly from eyes she could barely hold open.

  “Sofia,” Ryan took her hands, “we’re just worried about you.”

  She calmed a little, “Which is very sweet, but I’m going tonight. This is the first gala I’ve held since the one where I…collapsed,” she forced the word out. “I need to go. I need to know that being sick hasn’t cost me everything. So I am going to go upstairs and get some sleep, and then I’m going to get ready for tonight.”

  “If we can't stop you, then maybe we can use it to our advantage,” Paige suggested.

  “What do you mean?” Edmund was eyeing Paige warily.

  “No,” Ryan knew what Paige wanted to do and no way was he going to let her do it.

  “What?” Edmund looked more concerned.

  “Ryan . . .”

  “No, Paige,” he repeated more forcefully, cutting her off.

  “No to what?” Sofia asked.

  “She wants to use you as bait,” he answered tightly. “Try to lure this guy out.”

  “No way,” Edmund said frantically. “She can barely stand up on her own and you want to use her as bait to try and catch a killer who’s already killed her mother, two of her brothers and her sister-in-law? Are you insane?” Edmund ranted.

  “She’ll be protected bait,” Paige soothed. “We’ll have officers all over the place.”

  “Okay,” Sofia nodded. “I’ll do it.”

  “Sofia!” Ryan and Edmund exclaimed.

  Sofia ignored them, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do; anything to make this nightmare end.”

  “This is stupid!” Edmund exploded. “You’re upset because you feel like you’ve lost control of your life since you got sick, so you’re going to make yourself bait for some psychotic serial killer? That’s stupid, Sofia! You’re being ridiculous.”

  “You really want to do this?” Ryan asked. He agreed with Edmund’s assessment of Sofia’s logic, but he decided to attempt a different route with her.

  “Yes,” she nodded firmly.

  “Then I’ll go with you; kind of like your own personal bodyguard.”

  “What?” Edmund whirled around to face him. “I thought you liked her; you can't possibly think this is a good idea.”

  “I don’t,” Ryan conceded grimly. “But she’s going to do it regardless. The best I can do is make sure she stays safe.”

  “I’ll go set this up, then,” Paige nodded. “We’ve got your back, Sofia—we won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “This is ridiculous,” Edmund muttered as Paige headed out. “I’m going to call Mary, maybe she can talk some sense into you.”

  “Are you sure?” Ryan asked Sofia once again when they were alone.

  “I have to. I can't lose any more of my life; I don’t want to end up dead or locked away in some safe house.” Her serious frown smoothed away, replaced by a shy smile. “So, are you only coming tonight to be my bodyguard?”

  His fear for her safety was immediately replaced by a nervous anticipation. “I’d like to be more.”

  “Maybe you could be my date. Or at least date-slash-bodyguard,” her silver eyes flickered with trepidation.

  “You don’t have to do this,” Ryan pleaded desperately, instantly back on edge.

  “Yeah, I do,” she whispered, lifting a trembling hand and running it through his hair, then tracing her fingertips down his cheek.

  Catching her hand, he brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss to it. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “You’ll keep me safe,” Sofia murmured, her eyes fluttering closed as she drifted off, unable to fight sleep any longer.

  As he settled her on the couch, Ryan prayed that her blind faith in him was well founded and he could indeed keep her safe. The possibility that she would be the next Everette to not survive the night was too horrifying to contemplate.

  * * * * *

  9:42 P.M.

  “Come in here and take it easy for a minute,” Ryan led her out of the main reception room and into a smaller, quieter room.

  “I’m okay,” Sofia assured him, not wanting to admit she was struggling. The charity event had been going on
ly a little over an hour and already she was fading.

  “No, you’re pushing yourself too hard.” He sat her gently down in a chair and began to rub her shoulders.

  Sofia let his kneading hands soothe her jangled nerves. As much as she wanted to end this, and was prepared to do whatever necessary to make it happen, it didn’t change the fact that she was scared. Edmund was right. She had lost a lot being sick, and she wasn’t going to lose anything more because some lunatic was out to slaughter her family. If making herself bait was the only way to stop this, then she would do it. But knowing that the monster who was killing off her family could be here right this second and planning on making her his next victim was terrifying. The only thing that was giving her the strength to keep it together was Ryan. He hadn't left her side; his warm, solid hand holding hers as she made the rounds, spending time talking with each of her guests. She was aware of him constantly scanning the crowd, checking for anything or anyone who could be a threat to her. It was comforting. If it wasn’t for him, she was pretty sure she would have fallen apart already.

  “Sofia, you should have told me you had a stalker,” Ryan admonished, breaking the silence.

  “We only just met a couple of days ago,” she reminded him. “And it’s not like the first thing I say upon meeting people is, ‘Hi I’m Sofia, and I had a stalker until he disappeared off the face of the planet.’ Besides, I’ve been a little preoccupied with what’s been going on with my family. And the stalker is gone now, so it’s no longer an issue.”

  “Did you ever think maybe he was arrested on other charges and is in jail, and that when he comes back out he’ll pick back up straight where he left off?” he asked gently.

  She let out a defeated sigh. “No.”

  “I don’t mean to scare you, honey. I know you already have a lot on your plate right now.” He dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “I just want you to be prepared in case he comes back.”

  A little thrill tingled through her as he called her honey. Other than Edmund, no one had ever used any term of endearment with her. Twisting around so they were facing each other. “You always come to my charity events,” she commented, catching the surprise that flitted through his eyes as he realized that she’d noticed him. Ryan had caught her attention many months ago, the way his blue eyes studied her so longingly as he watched her every move. “I was going to talk to you that night, before I passed out.”

  “You were?” his brow creased in disbelief.

  “Mmhmm,” she nodded. “The way you looked at me, it made me feel . . .” she trailed off, searching for the right word, “wanted. Like I was the only person in the world. So I was going to talk to you, only then I fainted, and I was sick, and it didn’t seem fair to start something with you.” She was still concerned about that. She was sick. The doctors didn’t know what was wrong with her, and there were no guarantees she’d ever get better. It didn’t seem right to drag Ryan into all of that.

  Before Ryan could respond, there was a knock on the door and it swung open. “Okay, Sofia,” Paige announced. “It’s time for your speech. You ready?”

  This was her focus now, so she pulled herself together. She would worry about Ryan and her illness later. “I’m ready.”

  “Are you really sure you want to do this?” Ryan’s bright blue eyes were filled to the brim with concern. “It’s not too late to change your mind.”

  “But I haven’t changed my mind,” she told him gently.

  He gave a resigned sigh, “Then you don’t leave my sight, okay? You stay where I can see you at all times, and when you give your speech, I’ll be right beside you.”

  “Okay,” Sofia replied, shivering anxiously.

  Tugging her to her feet, Ryan paused, sighed, opened his mouth to say something, then apparently changed his mind and snapped it shut. Sofia was about to say something herself when his hands suddenly cupped her face, and he brought his lips to hers, kissing her softly and sweetly. Too soon he broke contact, took her hand and pulled her to the door. “Come on. Let’s get this over with so we can get you home safely.”

  She let him lead her back through the reception room, barely stopping to give her a chance to greet well-wishers. Before she knew it, Sofia was standing at the microphone. The room grew quiet; all eyes were expectantly on her, and for a moment, she froze. Any one of the faces looking back at her could be the killer. Feeling lightheaded, she almost threw herself into Ryan’s arms, but then she caught sight of Paige’s calm face smiling at her encouragingly. Paige was there, as were several of Ryan’s colleagues. They wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

  Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down, and began the speech the police had given her to read. She eased her face into a well-practiced smile. “I want to thank you all so much for coming tonight. Your support means a lot, especially given what my family is going through at the moment. As you know, my family has worked tirelessly in the name of many charities, donating millions to help and improve the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves. My father . . .”

  Sofia never got any further than that in her speech. A bang echoed throughout the ballroom and something pierced her chest, sending her flying to the floor.

  Screams erupted from every direction.

  “Sofia!” Ryan dropped to his knees at her side. She could feel his fingers press to her neck, then heard his small exhale of relief. As if to reassure himself, he quickly unbuttoned her blouse, his hands running over the Kevlar vest the police had given her to wear. He let out a shuddering breath, “You’re okay, Sofia, it got the vest.”

  While that was true, it still hurt worse than anything else she’d ever experienced. Her chest ached and she was struggling to draw a proper breath. Her head was spinning and she’d clenched her eyes shut in a vain attempt to still it.

  “Ryan?” Paige’s voice.

  “She’s okay. I got this, Paige; go find the shooter,” Ryan assured his partner. “Sofia? Open your eyes, cupcake.” He was working to keep the panic from his voice.

  “I can’t,” unable to keep the tremble from her own voice. “It hurts.”

  “I know it does, honey. The bullet probably cracked your ribs. EMT’s will be here soon. Open your eyes for me.”

  Fighting to do as he asked, Sofia managed to pry her eyes open. “Did they get the shooter?”

  “Not yet.” Anger and fear battled in his face.

  So, she’d done this for nothing. Let them use her as bait, taken a bullet to the heart which would have killed her had it not been for the Kevlar vest, all for nothing. She let her eyes fall closed again, the pain in her chest was overwhelming.

  “We’ll get him, cupcake,” Ryan assured her. “I’m going to take you out of here, okay? We’ll wait for the medics in another room; there are too many reporters in here.”

  As Ryan gently picked her up and carried her from the room in his strong arms, Sofia realized this was the second time from two that she’d been carried from one of her charity events to a waiting ambulance. She wondered whether it was possible for her life to spin any more out of control. Then she wondered nothing else, her mind faded to black as she passed out.

  * * * * *

  10:11 P.M.

  That had been close.

  Too close.

  For a moment there it had seemed like everything was over.

  That would have been a nightmare. Especially when half the Everette family was already dead. Halfway was good, but it still meant that half of that despicable family still lived. Logan Senior and Logan Junior were the worst; taking them out would be deliciously satisfying. Simone wasn’t really an Everette. It was unfortunate that she was caught up in all of this, but she was, so she had to die too.

  Sofia, on the other hand, well, that one was particularly unpleasant. There would be no pleasure derived from the death of Sofia Everette. The one member of the Everette family who was actually a decent human being. On the one hand, the desire to let the woman live was overwhelming; on the other
, it would mean that the Everette family wouldn’t be completely destroyed.

  Still, appearances had to be kept up. The police expected another of the Everette family to be dead by morning and so an attempt on her life had to be made. Thankfully, the police had been on the ball enough to make sure Sofia was wearing Kevlar, and while she probably had a horrible bruise and perhaps some broken ribs, she was alive. And honestly that made...

  “Isabella?”

  Isabella started at the voice and sudden appearance of someone behind her. Turning, she found her sister’s knight in shining armor studying her with worried blue eyes.

  “How’s Sofia?” she asked, genuinely hoping for good news. She sincerely wanted there to be a way to keep her older sister alive. Sofia was the only member of their family who had ever cared about her, who had ever looked out for her, who had ever loved her.

  “She’s unconscious, but she’s stable. I just left her with the medics to come and check on you, then I’m going to ride in the ambulance to the hospital with her. How’re you doing?”

  Ryan Xander was watching her with such sincere concern that for a moment Isabella was almost tempted to tell him everything. The detective was a good guy and she was glad her sister had found him. Sofia deserved some happiness. And while Sofia was under Ryan’s watchful care she’d be safe from their family’s curse.

  “I’m okay,” she assured Ryan.

  “Do you want to come with us to the hospital? Or I can get my partner to see you safely home if you’re tired?”

  “My father and brother are both here; I’m sure one of them will take me home.” Isabella still had the gun hidden in her pocket, it would have been too risky to try dumping it while the place was crawling with cops. And as Sofia’s younger sister, no one had given her a second thought, nor had it occurred to them to check she wasn’t the shooter.

  “Isabella, that house isn’t safe,” Ryan said hesitantly. “Why don’t you come home with me and Sofia tonight; stay at her place. I’ll be there with her, you’ll be safe.”