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Kobe nods his head. "Yeah, it's definitely the guy we saw the other night. I can picture him now. He's got massive gambling debts from when Ace was in charge. His name wasn't Jerry Rodgers though, it was something else. Terry someone? I remember paying him a visit, some rundown shack just outside of town. He was crying like a little bitch. He has one more month to pay up or—" He acts out what will happen to him by shooting himself in the head with a finger gun.
I see red, each one of his words building more rage inside of me. I swing around and punch a hole right through the drywall. "Fuck!" I yell. Anger radiates through my body, along with the pain from my hand. I'm going to kill him myself. "I knew something was off with him, and the slimy fucker just married my ma.”
All eyes come to me, and they look just as pissed as I feel.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Leo's eyes are blazing. He loves my ma, they all do. She was good to them when they were growing up.
"You think it was for money?" asks Jett, and the thought hadn't even crossed my mind until he said it, but now a seed has been planted.
Through my anger fog, I try to think back to every interaction I have ever had with the man at school or when he has been with Ma. He's a bloody good actor if it's not legit. I thought it was her who settled for him, he wasn't good enough for her but seemed to adore her. The more I think on it, the sicker I start to feel. Something about him hasn't sat well with me, but I couldn't put a finger on it. I know one thing for sure—I'm not going to let him take advantage of her. If his intentions aren't good, I'll fucking find him out and he will pay.
"I knew from the first day I met him he couldn't be trusted. He appeared in her life out of nowhere, then next thing I know, the two of them are married. I went along with it because I thought he was making her happy. She deserves so much better than that asshole.”
Kobe’s eyes narrow, and I know what that look means. "Want me to sort him out before his deadline? I'd be happy to."
"No, I'll take care of this one."
The click of the door opening signals Cassie’s finally home. Relief fills me, followed by anger. Why is she so late again?
"Not a word to her," I tell them, and I get nods of agreement.
I know I should be telling her it all, but I can’t. She might slip up and say something to Jerry at work before I have a chance to figure it all out.
CASSANDRA
I ARRIVE HOME FROM an evening rehearsal with my favorite little ballerina, Amy. She's such a delight. She might not have the natural ability that some of the girls in her grade do, but she has the passion and drive. She works harder than any other girl in the room, and she has landed the role of Clara in the performance we will be entering in our town’s Christmas showcase next month. She asked for my help to make sure she nails the role, and how could I say no? It wasn't that long ago it was me up there performing that very character.
The house is strangely quiet for this time of night, so I go in search of Brandon. I find the four of them sitting around a table, cards and chips littering the center of the table like they have just finished a game.
"Hi," I say, still feeling out of place around the lot of them. One on one they’re fine, and I have come to quite like them all in their own ways, but as a group, they are still super intimidating. I feel like all eyes come to me, and I get the impression I have just walked in on something I maybe shouldn't have. No one looks happy to see me, especially Brandon. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine," Brandon says gruffly, pushing back from the card table and taking his glass over to the bar set up to refill his drink.
Wow, okay, no kiss hello or even so much as a smile for me. I'm going to take that as a big fat no. But I'm too tired to get into it with him, especially with all of them here as well. "Okay, I'm going to take as shower and have an early night. See you guys later."
As I go to leave, I notice a fist-shaped hole in the wall behind where Brandon was sitting. I look back to Kobe, and I get what appears to be sympathetic smiles from him and Jett and a nod from Leo. I definitely just walked in on something. And I will probably never know what because this is what happens around here. Conversations behind closed doors, glances and talking in code. They are all so in tune with each other, but I'm not a part of any of it. I’m just the outsider here because of Brandon. Sometimes I think I must be the biggest burden ever on them, but no one really seems to mind having me around, I'm just not included in whatever business they are discussing.
I wander toward our bedroom, feeling like every muscle in my body is aching. Working with Amy this week at the studio after hours has actually been a really nice distraction from all of this. Just focusing on dance. I head straight for the bathroom, flicking on the shower, then I strip off my crop top and leggings and wait for the water to warm up.
The bedroom door slams, making me jump. What the fuck? I grab my towel, tucking it around my body as Brandon appears in the doorway looking extremely pissed off.
"Did you think it might be a good idea to call me and let me know you were going to be home so late?" he demands.
I don't like the way he's looking at me. What's his problem tonight? "Sorry, but I told you I was going to be at the studio. We ran a little later than expected, no big deal.”
“It’s a big deal to me when I’m the one sitting here waiting for you to come home, worried about what the hell might have happened to you.”
“Well, as you can see, I'm fine. Just a little sweaty and in need of a shower." I laugh, trying to ease the ridiculous tension he's creating over nothing.
"You still don't get it, do you. Security might have been eased off this week, but you can't trust anyone, Cassandra. And if I don't know where you are for hours at a time, I'm going to think the worst."
"Okay, from now on I promise to let you know where I am." I shrug out of the towel and slip under the steaming water, away from his steely glare. Since he had the accident and I moved in here with him and the boys, he has been crazy about my safety, and it's starting to drive me insane. "You know this is hard for me as well. I'm used to doing my own thing and not having some overbearing asshole watching my every move, trying to protect me. Oh, wait, now that I think of it, this is exactly like it was living at home with my dad. I have gone from one protective daddy to another," I say flippantly, venting my frustration.
The next thing I know he’s in the shower with me, fully clothed, taking hold of me. He looks desperate, like he’s losing control and he can't stand it. "I'm nothing like your father, and I won't apologize for protecting the people I love when you have no idea the danger you could even be in. No one in this town is who they say they are. Your sister learned that the hard way. I won't have the same thing happen to you."
The way he looks at me scares me, not because I'm afraid he will hurt me but because I'm fearful of what he will do to make sure no one else ever does.
"Has something else happened?" Is this why they were all so quiet? Why there was a hole in the wall? His breathing is ragged as he stares back at me, and I can tell he's stressed by something. And just as fast as he came in here, he's gone, letting go of me and striding away in his soaking clothes, leaving me confused again. But he has another thing coming if he thinks I’m putting up with this shit for much longer.
