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I glare daggers at her. If she dares to mention it to him, I’ll kill her. “What is your problem, Amelia? I know you two caught up over the summer. What, are you into him for yourself or something?” The angry words slip from my mouth before I have the chance to stop them.
She looks at me, mortified at the suggestion. “I’m not into him for myself. God knows I have enough on my plate. Cassie, I’m just concerned for you, that maybe you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. What happened today?” she demands, and I don’t like her tone. What is she implying?
“He was in a car accident.”
“Why? How did it happen?”
“Hit-and-run,” I whisper.
“Yeah. Sounds legit.” She rolls her eyes.
And that’s enough for me. I don’t like her attitude toward me right now at all, and I don’t have to stand for it. “Wow, okay. I get it. You're all older than me and you know more, whatever. If you all stopped babying me and actually told me what is going on, then maybe I could make better decisions.” I go to walk away, done with this little sister chat.
“He’s involved with the Rivera brothers,” she calls to me across the dance floor.
“What, are you kidding me? Cassie, did you know this?” Jasmine pipes up, looking worried.
I take a few steps closer to them so we’re not yelling across the floor for all ears to hear. “I only found out tonight. It was Jett who came and got me,” I admit through clenched teeth.
Jasmine’s skin has paled from porcelain to paper-white. “Jett fucking Rivera was in our house? You didn’t tell me that part.” She looks pissed at me now, and I have had about enough of my sisters’ shit.
“Umm, he was trying to help Brandon. I think you're all missing the point here. The man I love could have been killed today, and you're all having a go at me because I fell for him. Sorry I don’t know everything about him, but how could I? It’s always had to be such a secret between us.” I glare at each of them in turn. “Who was the biggest supporter of you, Andy, when you started dating Brad, and you, Jasmine, with Axel? I trusted you to make the right choice for your lives. Why can’t you do the same for me? If it’s a mistake, let me make it. At least I won’t be living my life numb on fucking pills anymore.” I storm from the dance floor, a rage building inside of me so powerful I don’t even know what to do with it. This ismylife, and from now on, I’m going to live it, however the fuck I like.
I slam my bedroom door behind me and throw myself down on my bed. All I wanted to do was get the hell away from this place, but as I took off, I realized I have nowhere to go. A knock comes at the door, and I ignore it.
The door opens and someone comes to sit on the bed. “Cass, I don’t know who this guy is, but if you like him that much, then I trust you,” Andy says. “Do what’s right for you. No one else can tell you how to live your life.” I feel bad it was her that followed me.
I roll over so I can see her. “Go back out and enjoy your wedding. I’ve already ruined it enough today,” I say with a pout.
“I will, but I just wanted to make sure you're alright. I, of all people, know how falling for the wrong guy, who is actually the right guy, can cause such an internal struggle. But you have to do what feels right for you. No one else can tell you what that is.”
I sit up, hugging my knees up to my chest. “Being with Brandon feels right, Andy. Since missing out on a spot in the New York Dance Company, I have felt so lost, and that was mostly because just before I screwed up the audition, Brandon broke it off with me the first time. He’s back now, and it’s our second chance to get things right. I have to give it a shot. I finally feel like myself again, like the girl I was before.”
Andy gets that twinkle in her eyes, that look of determination I have seen her have so many times before. I wish I was strong like her. “Then you already know your answer to the rest of them. You’re an adult now. If Mom and Dad don’t like it, move out and start your own life. I’ll back you up.”
And just like that, the churning settles, and I know what I have to do. She’s right, and her giving me permission to choose him, even though I don’t need it, means everything. I wanted it, and it makes me feel at peace. “Thank you. I think it’s time.” She wraps her arms around me in a hug.
She hops up to leave. “Jasmine feels the same as well. I’m not sure what Amelia’s problem is, but it’s two out of three, so go be with your man. We’ll cover for you tonight.”
“Are you sure? I feel so bad, it’s your wedding day.”
“The day is practically over, and he was in a terrible accident today. You should be with him, Sis.”
“Thank you.” I jump up to hug her again, so thankful that at least she is on my side, and I’m filled with a new energy.
BRANDON
“K, MA, I LOVE you too.” I hang up and toss my phone back on my bed. My head's pounding again, but I had to talk to her and let her know there’s nothing to worry about.
I have been dozing in and out of sleep most of the afternoon. I feel like I’m on another planet, and the constant pain in my head can’t be relieved by the painkillers being administered into my IV. Every time I drift off, I startle, reliving the impact all over again. When I wake up, I try to piece it all together and remember any details of the car that hit us. But every time, I come up with a blank. All I can see is blinding light as my head hit the steering wheel. I didn’t see the other car coming toward me at all. Lucky for the safety features in the Range Rover I was driving or Kobe and I might not be here at all.
There’s a knock at the door, and Leo appears, a cigarette in one hand and a scotch in the other. He’s followed by Kobe.
I sit up a bit farther so I can talk to them, hoping they have the answers I need. “Have you found anything? Who the fuck thought they would get away with killing me?”
“Nothing. The cameras were out for maintenance. Probably why the cops didn’t show,” he gets out before sucking his last draw on his cigarette and stubbing it out in an old coffee mug.
I look to Kobe who is pacing the room like he doesn't know what else to do with himself. “What are you thinking, then? Kobe, do you remember the car?” I ask, feeling more desperate for some sort of information. Someone has to have seen what happened so we can trace it back and deal with the scum that did this.
