So I Married a Rockstar

Chapter Forty

Ch.40: All About the Publicity

Sick dread lurched in my chest.

Darrell Deal stared back at me, his eyes wild, his hair hanging in greasy tangles around an unshaven face. I knew he was an addict, but this was the first time he really looked like one.

"I need you to listen to me," he said.

Should I scream for help or would that push him over the edge?

"Okay, I'm listening," I said, trying to ignore my thumping heart.

Darrell exhaled and ran his hand over his face. "This shit is out of control. It was never meant to go this far."

"What wasn't?" If Jude wouldn't tell me the truth, maybe Darrell would.

Darrell gestured vaguely to his right, and though there was nothing there but a brick wall, I guessed what he was trying to indicate.

"Did you set fire to Jude's car?" I said.

"Yeah, but –"

Fear took over and I tried to run, but Darrell grabbed my elbow and hauled me back. My shoulder slammed against the brick wall and I whimpered. I wasn't wearing high heels today, so I couldn't whip them off and use them as weapons.

"I didn't want to," Darrell said. "You have to understand that, Camden."

"I don't have to understand anything. You've been blackmailing him," I said.

I tried again to wrench away from him but he pinned me in place with one hand. Sunlight winked off his rings; I recognised one of them from his Angels & Demons days. Another was the same skull ring that Jude always wore.

Darrell made a harsh noise in his throat. "Jude and I fucked up, okay? But I didn't want this."

"Then why the hell did you do it?" I demanded.

"Because he paid me."

I stopped struggling. "What are you talking about? Who paid you? Why?"

Darrell leaned in, and I caught the whiff of stale sweat. "It's all about you, Camden. You're in the way and he wants you gone." His face crumpled suddenly, like he was trying not to cry. "I know I'm a piece of fucking shit for going along with this, but I needed the money."

My gaze slid to the track marks on the inside of Darrell's elbow. He looked so much older than he had during his time with the band, like the life and soul had been scraped out of him.

"It's the publicity, Camden," Darrell said, leaning in. "It's all about the fucking publicity."

Natalie had said something similar, but I'd believed her when she said she had nothing to do with the stalking. She was shallow and selfish, but she wasn't dangerous.

"You're not making any sense," I said, but I let myself relax, trying to convey that I wouldn't run, that he could talk to me.

The answers I needed were dangling just beyond my reach.

"Camden?" Elle's voice echoed from outside the alley, and Darrell's head snapped up. His expression reminded me of a hunted animal, and for the first time, I felt a pang of sympathy for him.

"I'm sorry," he said.

His hand left my chest and he stepped back, his hands trembling.

Elle appeared in the mouth of the alley and froze when she saw us, her eyes widening. "Camden, are you okay?" she said, and there was real fear in her voice. "Did he hurt you?"