like yours and she’d been strangled.”
“What? No!” Tears filled my eyes. “What does this mean? He’s dead. I watched him die with my own eyes by Tabby’s hand. He bled out in that basement. He can’t be alive!” I choked out through my tears.
Jonah reached out and ran a comforting hand down my bicep. “I know, Addy, but until we know more, we can’t take any risks. That’s why I was so relieved when we found you. Both of you had your phones off. I had to call your agency to find out where you were. Simone is beside herself, honey. We need to take you home. Talk all this through and make a plan.”
I closed my eyes remembering the last time we were all brought together at Kerrighan House. We were told about Simone narrowly escaping the Backseat Strangler and how a body had been found dead in her apartment. Things got so much worse after that.
I nodded numbly. “I need to change. Blessing, can you, uh, talk to the clients. This is only the first of twelve shoots we were supposed to do for your new lingerie line. I’m so sorry.”
Blessing took a breath and shook her head. “Don’t you worry. I’ll handle them,” she said and then left to do just that.
“I can be available anytime, anywhere. I’m freelance, and I even have my own setup at home,” Killian offered as Jonah turned around and spoke to Ryan. Killian continued, “If you have the product, we can shoot anywhere depending on if you’re up to it.”
The weight on my shoulders felt too heavy to bear. I had no idea what I was about to be facing or what to do.
He pulled out a card. “My cell phone number is on the back. Call me. We can discuss making new plans… Or you can just call me to talk.”
I reached for the card, but he held on to it. “Talk?” I asked.
His lips lifted into a small smile. “Talk, text. Get to know one another by phone, until I can ask you out properly.”
“Wh-what? Ask me out? Like on a date?” I asked as though the request was so beyond foreign it was spoken in a different language.
My response had him grinning. “Yeah, Addison, a date. When you’re up to it and things cool down. For now though, sometimes it helps to talk out an intense situation with someone who’s not involved. Sounds like you’ve been through a lot and are about to go through more. I know how that feels. Drowning in the thoughts you’re too afraid to share with your loved ones.”
I nodded, feeling every word of what he said. Putting my fears and anxieties on my sisters and Mama Kerri had to stop. They’d been through enough.
“Call me,” he reiterated.
“Um…”
“Addison?”
I licked my lips and blinked, not sure what to say or do. So many things were coming at me all at once.
“Just reach out. We can talk about everything or nothing, but I’d like to hear from you. I’ll worry if you don’t.”
“You’ll worry about having my foot shoved so far up your ass you won’t be able to eat. Ever.” Jonah growled, catching our conversation and clearly not liking what he was hearing. He tugged me to his side and away from Killian. “Come on, Addy. Let’s get you home.”
“Okay. And Killian, I’ll call.” I fingered his business card.
“I’ll be waiting. Be safe.”
I barely had it in me to smile sadly.
Safety was an illusion. I didn’t think I’d ever feel safe again.
CHAPTER TWO
Eight beloved women were all staring at me, equal expressions of worry plastered across their loving faces. Simone was glued to my side, meaning her thigh and my thigh were touching from hip to knee. She held one of my hands in both of hers. Mama Kerri was on my other side, holding my other hand. Sonia per usual was pacing, her type-A personality and supreme intellect trying to put two and two together while Jonah and Ryan stood across the room. Liliana, Charlie, and Genesis sat quietly on the opposite side of the huge U-shaped couch. Blessing sat dead center, legs crossed, a sexy stiletto-covered foot kicking the air in barely controlled fury as she leaned back against the couch, arms crossed over her chest.
“You told us that the Backseat Strangler was gone. History. Dead to rights. Now you’re telling us there’s a potential copycat or worse, a second killer?” Sonia stopped mid-pace, spun around, and glared at Jonah and Ryan.
Ryan