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CHAPTER1
October,New Orleans
CASSIE
Ever since I could remember, I loved Halloween. I like…lovedit. A lot of my friends thought I was kind of creepy for thinking that, but I can’t help it. I’ve always loved it. I’ve always been a Nightmare Before Christmas kind of gal, and it’s the color black all the way. So, one would find me on Halloween at a Halloween party, of course. And it was a Halloween kind of karaoke thing that night.
My friends and I loved to sing. It’s been our thing for years, and it’s what’s kept us together since college. That and we were roommates. But while my two friends, Jane and Sadie, were like bright sparklers on July fourth, I was like a piece of dark coal buried under a black mountain. The fact that I didn’t shine as brightly had made me only the slightest bit jealous when we were younger, but I came into my own. This was me.
And I sang my heart out that night at the karaoke contest, and when we were done, my friend Sadie’s man-love jumped on the stage and sang a song to her. That song from10 Things I Hate About You. We all watched as he poured his heart out. I drank down a shot of tequila and watched from the shadows, wearing my bloody bride costume, until Sadie jumped up on the stage and hugged him, everyone clapping around us.
I loved my friend. I really did, but this was just too much brightness for me. I was sick of people falling in love too. Jane had fallen in love with her brother’s best friend who used to be a major dick, and now Sadie had fallen in love with Jane’s brother. It was all like a twisted lovefest. And yet, I was happy for them. But love just wasn’t for me. Hello, one-night stands.
I watched as Sadie and Parker skipped out on the rest of the party, and I drank myself into sweet oblivion, meeting someone who had a great mouth, but I couldn’t remember their name. I didn’t go home with them, at least, and I got to wake up with a pounding headache, a mouth as dry as a desert, and no regrets to my name. I didn’t even win Queen of the Karaoke that night either. Sadie did, and I had to lug homeherprize! Her mind had been so sex-fueled that she’d rushed out as soon as possible, not even knowing there would be a prize at the end.
I came into my living room that morning for water, and it was empty. “No wonder,” I said aloud. “Jane’s at Derek’s, and now Sadie’s at Parker’s. For as long as they both shall live, I’m sure.” Bitterness was one of my greatest skills. It had gotten worse over the years. I used to be just as bright-eyed and cheerful as the pair of them, but I’d eventually realized it didn’t suit me. Nor did it suitreallife.
I opened the cupboard for a glass and poured some water from the Brita. My face was set in a grimace. What was my problem today? Why was I beingespeciallyunpleasant? And it wasn’t like I needed to be. My friends were happy. Oh, so happy.
But I guess at the bottom of it all, I knew that things were changing. And I wasn’t sure I wanted that. My phone buzzed, and I looked down to see Sadie texted hearts and stars into our group chat.
Happy?I texted back.
You cannot believe! Parker is so incredible in bed and everywhere else! Sorry, Jane.
I burst out laughing at that. Not everyone wants to hear how good their brother is in bed. I put the phone down, made breakfast, and ate it out on the patio even though it was November first. Halloween was over. It was now Day of the Dead, which was what I felt like that day. I always got into a mood after Halloween, like other people get when Christmas was over. What else was there to look forward to? Oh right, going to work and learning what fresh Hell our new boss was putting us through.
Work was a passion of mine. I loved science, research, studying, and all that came with researching cures for HIV. I wanted to do it for the rest of my life and eventually succeed, and I was still working towards my PhD, but lately, the new boss was ruining what dreams I thought I’d had.
The next day, I walked into work feeling a bit better, with only the slightest hint of a headache. My birthday had only been a few weeks before, so maybe this was me turning twenty-seven? Full of aches and pains? I swiped into the lab, put all my stuff away in my locker, and put on my lab coat.
My friend Stevie was there, tying up her blonde hair. “You are so smart,” she said. “I should cut my hair like you did. But you look cute. Like a goth fairy. Whereas I would look just like a giant balloon head.”
I chuckled. “I’m not sure that goth fairy is much better?” I said, locking my locker, and she laughed.
“Isn’t fairy good?”
“Sure. I’ll bite. So… what’s up with dickhead today? Any news over the weekend?”
“Ugh,” she said and frowned. “Dave’s gone.”
“What?” I nearly shrieked. “Dave was the partner on one of my research studies. Why in the hell is he gone?”
Stevie shrugged and twisted her ponytail with her finger to smooth it. “That you will have to ask Boss Dickhead. He is the man behind the curtain, and I know not what he does.” She sighed and faced me. “I’m out of here. Good luck to you. Just hope you don’t have to see him.”
“Damn it. I’ve got to give him the updated reports today. And why shouldn’t I see him? I thought he was God’s gift to women or something, or so people keep telling me.”
Stevie laughed as she opened the door. “That may be, but sometimes, the best wrapping hides the worst gift.”
She left without another word, and I let out a low growl. My work was my sanctuary and now, so many things were changing ever since we got this new owner. Some billionaire had decided he wanted to play Mr. Scientist and had decided to be a private owner of a previously government-owned lab. I didn’t get it at all.
I left the locker room in a huff. Science made sense to me where people did not. Science was cold and hard and logical, whereas people just did whatever the fuck they wanted, and you never knew what would happen or where you’d end up. I grabbed my files from my lab with a quick hello to the other scientists and walked to his office, holding the files like a shield.
I was meant to meet with him first thing that morning, or at least, drop off the files. Talking to him was another thing. But in my rage, as I looked down to organize the papers inside, I ran into a wall and shrieked, dropping everything onto the floor.
At least I thought it was a wall. But when I looked up, all that met my eyes was the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my entire life. No fucking joke.
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