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“Where is Cassandra, and what the hell happened?” I direct this at my parents, who exchange a look and then nod at the doctor.
He bows out, probably wanting nothing to do with whatever conversation my parents are about to have with me.
“She’s not … she can’t be …” My heart seizes with panic because all I know is that she’s in the hospital, and my parents have these sympathetic fucking looks on their faces.
“No. No. Cassandra is okay. She’s not hurt.” Mom grabs my hands as tears gather in her eyes. “She just can’t come see you right now because she’s talking to the county sheriff and the officers.”
I breathe a short sigh of relief that she’s unharmed and alive. “Why is she talking to them?”
“You don’t remember anything that happened?” Dad asks, moving closer to my hospital bed.
I shake my head and find that even the slightest motions make my brain burn like it’s being doused in fire. I wince, trying to hold still.
Dad takes a deep breath as Mom holds my hand. “We’ve spoken to Cassandra and the police. From what we can gather, Nikolai was waiting at the Mauer house for you. His nephew tipped him off, and there was something about a payout, but I’m not sure what. Anyway, I guess he tracked you two through town, had some kind of tag on Cassandra’s location the whole time. It’s how he found her the night she was attacked in the alleyway. Apparently, he’s been watching you both as well. He knocked you out when you walked through the door, hit you in the head with a gun.”
My breathing seems to stall because how the fuck wasn’t I more careful? Cassandra had to face it all alone.
“He was threatening Cassandra, who was trying to help you. I’m not sure what all ensued, but Cassandra got the gun Liam gave you from the restaurant and she … Nikolai Drafter is dead, son.” Dad shifts his eyes as he says this.
“What?” I can’t believe the words coming from his mouth.
“Cassandra killed Nikolai,” Mom whispers.
“Good.” It pops out before I can stop it. “That monster came after her, multiple times. She was defending herself.”
My heart surges with pride at her bravery and sobs for what she must be going through. I love her with every fiber of my being, and to know that she’s sitting alone somewhere in this building, having to explain herself, kills me. The need to get out of this bed and go to her is so strong, I might just unplug all these machines and do just that.
Dad puts a hand on my shoulder as if he sees my thoughts. “Stop it, you need to rest. No one is doubting her story, all the evidence is there. I’m sure in time, the PI and the police will put together more of the puzzle. But you’ll be no help if you go storming through here. Cassandra is a brave woman, she saved your life. We can’t imagine what we’d all do if she hadn’t come into your life.”
Dad’s eyes go teary, and he blinks away, Mom choking on a sob at his emotion. I swallow a lump as well; the thought of losing her or not being here for my family too real at this moment.
“Patrick.”
Cassandra stands in the doorway, her voice breaking on my name as she chokes out a sob afterward.
Her clothes are marred in blood, there are dark circles under her eyes, and she looks haunted, like she’s been through a war today. She has, and she won. For both of us.
“Come here.” I open my arms, not caring if it hurts any part of me to hold her.
She rushes in, gingerly coming onto the bed when she gets close enough and laying her head on my chest like I’m the only place in the world where she feels safe.
“Hey, I’m okay. I’m okay,” I coo into her hair as we hold each other, as if we need to know that we’re both physically here and safe.
“I’m so sorry. I convinced you to go there and then …” Cassandra hiccups, her cheeks tear-stained.
“None of that.” I press a finger to her lips. “None of this is your fault. None of it. I love you. I’d take any kind of bullet for you, even if it was just the butt of a gun.”
“Too early for jokes,” Mom scolds me, then comes over after giving us a little space. “Cassandra, we’re so proud of you.”
Mom wraps my girl in a hug, and I see how her body starts to shake.
“I never meant to hurt anyone,” Cassandra says in disbelief, looking around the room.
Now it’s Dad’s turn. “You had no choice. And you saved our son’s life. The position that man put you in, what he did to you two, there was no coming back.”
Cassandra nods, like she’s still trying to convince herself of it, then settles back next to me.
“I thought he killed you,” she whispers, pressing her lips to mine.
