AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She glances down at her dress, smoothing the soft fabric, some sort of realization coming over her. “Shit,” she whines. “Andy’s wedding. With all the craziness going on, I forgot what I was supposed to be doing today. My family are going to be freaking out.” Panic is evident in her features. “Oh my God, can I borrow your phone? I need to call Jasmine so they know where I am.”
I had forgotten it was her sister’s wedding this afternoon. If I make it through the day with my injuries, her family are literally going to kill me anyway. They already hate me and have no idea what we have been up to. If they work out she left the wedding to come to be by my side, they won’t care why, they’ll flip. “I’m so sorry to have dragged you away from it, Cassie.”
“It’s okay, I needed to be here with you. They’ll understand this is more important.”
But they won’t, not her dad anyway. I hand her my phone reluctantly. “What are you going to tell them?”
“Umm, I don’t know. I’ll just call Jasmine. I can tell her, and she’ll help me come up with a story.” She dials her number and waits then wanders toward the window.
Kobe gives me a look of worry. The Riveras don’t want any trouble from the Stone boys. I know that’s what he is concerned about. I block him out so I can listen in.
“Jasmine, it’s me, Cass. I’m so sorry if I scared you guys.” She pauses, and I can only assume Jasmine is ripping her a new one. “I’m so sorry, there was an accident. There wasn’t time to think, I just had to go. Brandon was hurt,” she glances at me, “and I can’t tell you the rest now. Can you please tell Andy I’m so sorry and to get married without me? I will be back as soon as I can.” She drops her head and tries to talk into the phone more quietly. “I don’t anymore. But can you not tell Mom and Dad that part? Just tell them a friend from work was nearly killed in a car accident and they needed me.” Another pause. “Just a little. I will come and tell them myself when I get back there. Just do this one little thing for me. Please, Jas,” she begs her sister, sounding desperate.
I feel terrible she is missing her sister’s wedding because of me. She needs to get back there and be with her family.
“Thank you, I will.” She hangs up the phone.
“You need to get back there, don’t you?” I can tell she’s biting the inside of her cheek, not knowing what to do. She’s torn like she always is. She wants to be with me, but she needs to be with her family today. I’ll make it easy for her.
She lets out a long sigh. “They haven’t started yet. Jas will hold them off a bit longer. Andy refuses to get married without me there. It’s a sister thing.”
“It’s alright. I know how important your family is, and as you can see, I’m okay now. I’m just going to rest up, anyway. There is nothing more that can be done.”
She comes back to my bedside, and I lace my hand with hers. She kisses me on the lips softly. And when she pulls back, I can see her eyes are teary again.
“Go on, get back to the wedding. Jett can drive you back.”
“Okay,” she says sadly. I pull her into my chest as best I can, and I hug her, breathing her sweetness in, savoring the moment. Today scared the shit out of me, and all I could think of was how I wouldn’t get any more time with her. That I haven’t been able to tell her how I really feel.
She pulls back from me and gives me a weak smile. “Brandon, I’m so glad you're alive.”
“I know, Shortcake.” She walks out of the room, and I feel the distance between us immediately. I should be worried that she is in the Rivera house with three of the most dangerous men in the city. But these men are all like brothers to me, and I know if I tell them she’s my girl and what she means to me, they’ll take care of her just like they would one of their own.
My body aches all over, and I just want to go back to sleep. I look over to Kobe, who has been busying himself on a laptop in the corner of the room. “Why did you guys bring her here?” I ask him, knowing how risky it was for so many reasons.
“Because when you were out of it, you wouldn’t stop asking for her, and the truth is, I wasn’t sure that you weren’t going to die on us. You lost a shit ton of blood, man, and if we didn’t get you that transfusion so quickly, you might have. I know what she means to you.” He gives me a stern look that I don’t like.
I knew my injuries today were bad. I was in and out of consciousness until an hour ago. My head is so foggy from the accident, I really don’t remember much at all. I just remember feeling the impact of the other car, then the sounds of tires squealing as I tried to slam on my brakes, but it was too late. My head hit the steering wheel and that was it. I was out cold. I woke up back here hooked up to a drip. “If I was as bad as you say, why didn’t you take me to the hospital? What’s really going on? Are you boys in some sort of trouble already?”
“Leo taking over the Acevedos has ruffled a few feathers. They might have mistaken me for him.”
I try to sit up, but my head spins, and I close my eyes trying to stop it. I slowly open my eyes. “Why would they do that? I thought it was all under control,” I get out through gritted teeth.
Kobe looks over at me, a look of concern flashing in his eyes. “Leo will look into it. But things are a bit tense, and not everyone is happy that he took over.”
“The Stones?” I ask. They were Ace’s biggest threat.
“Nah. Not likely. They try to play by the rules.”
“Guess we better up security because I didn’t come back here to give up on what we deserve that easily.”
“It’s already done. But you need to talk to Cassandra. People know you hang with us, they’ll put it all together. Eventually she could end up a target.”
I know he’s right. This isn’t how I wanted to do this, but keeping her safe has to be a priority. After today, it’s the only thing that matters.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CASSANDRA
