Last Breath Read Free Page B

face was calm, but his jaw was set. “Carly, Lois, Melissa—come out first.”
    â€œShaley!” someone outside screamed.
    â€œRayne!”
    â€œShaley, how do you feel about Bruce’s death?”
    â€œIs it true your bus driver took you hostage?”
    â€œWill your tour continue?”
    Grim-faced, the three women scooted across their seat and exited the car. For a few seconds, the noise outside lulled. They were waiting for me and Mom.
    I focused through the tinted glass, looking for the familiar faces we hated. My muscles were tight enough to cramp. “Look.” I pointed with a trembling finger. “There’s Frog and Vulture.” We had nicknames for the paparazzi who hounded us the worst, based on what they looked like. “I don’t see—”
    I gasped. “Yes, I do! Mom, Cat’s here!” Fear and indignation shot through me. This guy had just been bailed out of jail. He already faced numerous charges because of the things he’d done to me. And he wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near us. What would it take to make him stay away?
    Mom’s expression hardened. “Where?”
    At that moment, as if he felt our eyes on him, the ugly, despicable paparazzo we called Cat shot past security and sprinted around the back of the limo. His long, bleached-white hair with two-inch black roots flipped in the breeze as he ran, his gangly arms pumping. In one hand he clutched his ever-present camera.
    â€œHow could he be here?” Mom’s eyes slitted. Her fingers sank into the leather seat, and her teeth clenched. “They told him to stay away from us!” She reached for the door handle next to her. “I’ve had it with this guy.”
    I grabbed her arm. “What are you doing?”
    She shook me off. “I will not have him hounding you anymore , Shaley.”
    Cat reached our side of the car and pressed his face to the window.
    Mom cursed and yanked the handle. She threw the door open, forcing Cat backward.
    â€œMom!”
    She jumped from the limo and slammed the door. Cat recovered, swinging up his camera. Mom strode toward him in her high heels, both hands up. “Stop it, now! ” She grabbed his camera, tore it away, and threw it on the ground.
    â€œHey!” Cat’s face went crimson. He leapt toward the camera.
    Mom kicked it away. “You stay away from my daughter!”
    Everyone in the mob jerked around. Spotting Mom alone, they surged around the car toward her.
    â€œRayne!” Mick cried. He started shoving through the crowd.
    Carly, Lois, and Melissa reached the hotel door. Wendell left them and came running too.
    Cat whirled and faced Mom. “I’ll sue you for this!”
    â€œGo right ahead!” Mom jabbed a finger at him. “You’ll be doing it from jail!”
    Pounding feet surrounded the limo as reporters and paparazzi pushed around it. I whipped my head toward Mom, then back to the right. How far away were Mick and Wendell?
    Cat screamed curses, his long arms jerking up and down. Mom yelled back.
    â€œRayne!” Mick reached the right rear of the limo.
    Reporters and paparazzi closed in on Mom, TV cameras rolling.
    My whole body flushed hot. Mom needed help! I went for the door handle.
    Cat scrambled for his camera. Mom went after him.
    I shoved the limo door open. It hit a reporter in the back. He cussed and yanked around toward me. I darted out of the limo.
    â€œShaley, no!” Mick shouted.
    Cat scooped up his camera and twisted back toward Mom. He shook it at her. “I’ll be wherever I want!”
    â€œOh, yeah?”
    Mick burst through reporters to my side and shoved me back in the car. “Stay there!” I landed hard, half on the seat, half on the floor. He smashed the door closed.
    I pressed my face against the window, looking straight ahead for Mom.
    An engine surged.
    My focus spun to the left.
    A car approached in the loading lane next to ours.