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CHAPTER13
Cassie
The hours seemed to drag on, keeping me on edge. The sun had already set, creating a dazzling light show of vibrant colors crisscrossing the sky. The balcony outside had no way of escape, but the small area was a respite nonetheless, the fresh air and light breeze allowing me to feel alive. Sadly, I was dead inside, incapable of feeling any additional emotion.
I couldn’t.
No, I refused. I felt like in doing so, I was betraying Garrison. I tried to remember all the good things he’d told me about the others. More and more snippets of stories came to the forefront, adding to the guilt I felt in my actions. The three men hadn’t deserved my wrath.
I’d thought of little else but the limited time I’d managed to spend with Garrison. I hadn’t even known who he was until I was twelve or thirteen. After that, visitation had been only after several arguments in the house between my parents. They’d hated each other after that, barely saying two cordial words to each other. I’d suffered in silence, trying to concentrate on my studies when hundreds of questions had entered my mind.
Most were never answered.
But Garrison had told me every single time that he was with me that the Wild Boys felt like family. That had made me so sad. Now I almost understood what he meant. They were protective of each other, even though they were no longer the same people they’d once been.
I closed my eyes, suddenly remembering the last time I’d seen him outside of prison. On that day he’d been happy and free. He’d convinced me to sneak out of the house, taking me to my favorite diner, requiring that I order anything I wanted from the menu, then ordering even more of my favorite things. It had been our little secret, one I could have gotten into a hell of a lot of trouble for. I’d been miserable, thinking I’d never see him again. I’d never forget how I felt when he’d appeared that day, a face at my bedroom window, tapping on the glass and making crazy faces.
At the diner, we’d had a very serious talk. I could still envision his face as he’d leaned over the table, folding his arms, never blinking as he spoke softly.
“You’re going to hear some things about me, Cassie, bad things. Some of them are true, but most aren’t. I gotta do something. After that, I’ll be home free. Graduation is a month away. I’ll have a job. A life. And you’re going to be a part of it. I mean, as much as your ma will allow.” Garrison sighed.
“What are you talking about?”
“You just need to remember I’m a good guy. So are the others. I know I told you to stay away from Alexander, but things are different now. He’s like my best friend.”
“I thought you hated him,” I said, confused.
He laughed. “I was wrong. That happens sometimes. You can trust the Wild Boys. If you ever need anything, you can look them up and they’ll help you. That’s what family does. But I need to tell you something else. If anything happens to me, you’re going to be sent a letter, a very important letter. Make certain and keep it with you. It’ll matter on the day you turn eighteen. Okay?”
“Garrison. What are you saying?”
He reached over, tousling my hair, which he knew I hated. “Nothing, kiddo. Eat your lunch before it gets cold.”
I hadn’t thought about that memory for ages. That had been the day before he’d been arrested in New York.
“Oh, Garrison… Why…?”
The Wild Boys had changed him, shaping him. They’d also given him a place to feel like he was wanted.
I’d known my brother had crossed more than one line. I’d simply looked the other way. But now, all the blame and anger I’d felt came rushing to the surface. I gripped the railing, leaning over, tears rushing into my eyes. Garrison had left me. That’s why I was so angry. He’d left me alone.
Why. Why!
As the visions changed, the explosive passion I’d shared with the three men crowding in, I’d never felt so lost in my life. If only things had been different, maybe Garrison would still be alive. I knew he’d been protecting someone, which had enraged me. That’s what was expected of him. Had he killed those two men? I had to know.
The sadness lingered, my heart racing.
I was dressed as required, even taking the time to style my hair and put on a little makeup. That’s what they wanted. Maybe that’s what I wanted as well. I smoothed down the dress and sighed. How had things gotten so far out of hand?
And how could I feel so strongly about all three men? The question continued to shift through my mind with no decent answers.
I stared down at the glorious-looking pool, the surrounding lights creating a tropical atmosphere. Everything here was gorgeous, but it couldn’t hide the darkness unfurrowing just under the surface. The place had been built on the blood of others. I knew too much about Alexander’s family and what they were capable of. I was no fool in thinking there wouldn’t be severe consequences—if not from Alexander and the other Wild Boys, by his aging but still brutal father—if I didn’t confess my sins.
The chains hanging around my neck were tightening.
What troubled me almost as much as being their prisoner was knowing someone else was also threatening them. I felt like I was drifting in a maze, mirrors placed on every surface. A part of me wanted to stay here, pretending like life meant nothing off the island.
Another laugh bubbled to the surface. That wasn’t going to happen.
