Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 137176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
With the single word I’d just uttered, I’d painted a target on my back. If the person who’d shot me had even the slightest inkling that I might be starting to get my memory back, they’d have no choice but to put me down because I could clear Cass’s name for real and the hunt for the true killer would be on.
I’d laid the trap and placed myself as bait squarely on it. Unfortunately, it meant I was putting Cass in the line of fire too, but that had always been inevitable. Cass might not have wanted to bait the hook today, but Renly’s interest in the current state of my injury was impossible to let go.
“There were some bumps along the way when he… when we saw…” I let my voice crack.
“It’s okay, baby,” Cass said to me, his voice sorrowful. To Renly, he added, “Let’s just say things didn’t go so well when we ran into each other after I was released.” He pulled me forward so he could run his finger lovingly over the scar at my temple.
Cass gave me the slightest of nods. Knowing he was on board, even if he didn’t necessarily like it, made it easier to play my role as the innocent, oblivious victim who didn’t know when to stop talking. “I started seeing these pictures in my head. Like really short movies. I saw enough of them to know Cass would never hurt me,” I murmured. I continued to sound like naive prey being lured to its death. “And as you know, Cass is almost as much a member of my family as he is of this one,” I said as I nodded toward Mrs. Ashby. “There’s a lot to figure out, but the one thing we do know for sure is that we want to do it together,” I added as I lovingly looked at Cass.
“That is good news indeed. Mrs. Ashby will be delighted to have Mr. Ashby vindicated. Then, perhaps, you will be able to visit with her more,” Renly said to Cass, his voice dripping with insincerity.
Cass released me and turned in his chair so he was looking at his grandmother. “Mother Ashby, are you feeling okay?” He sounded truly concerned about his grandmother and her lack of participation in the discussion, but I had a different take on her silence.
He had to repeat himself several times before Mrs. Ashby turned around. “Cassius,” she said in delight. “You’ve come home.”
Mrs. Ashby tried to stand, but Cass was prepared for the move because he quickly jumped to his feet and leaned over her so he could hug her without her needing to rise.
“Yes, Mother Ashby, I’m home,” he responded. My heart broke for him as he clung to his grandmother. Cass definitely wasn’t pretending.
This time, when Mrs. Ashby saw me, she repeated her earlier question. “Cassius, have you made a new friend at school?” she asked, a wide smile on her face as she clasped her hands together.
“Yes, Mother Ashby,” Cass said. Behind his patient tone was a hint of despair. The knowledge that he was losing his beloved grandmother to such a cruel disease was taking its toll on him. He was the strongest man I knew, physically and psychologically, but he wasn’t impenetrable. Like everyone else, he had his kryptonite, and the woman who’d raised him as her own was clearly on that list.
Before Cass could say anything else, Mrs. Ashby’s expression changed from one of delight to one of confusion in the blink of an eye.
“Chandler?” the old woman asked as she looked me up and down. “No!” Mrs. Ashby said sharply before snatching her hands back from Cass’s hold and trying to stand. Her wild gaze shifted from me to him. “Cassius, my little rose, come, you must hide. Your grandfather cannot know you are here!”
With surprising strength, Mrs. Ashby climbed to her feet and tried to drag Cass away from me. I remained completely still as I watched the scene unfold.
“Come,” she said desperately. She grabbed Cass’s wrist and struggled to pull him closer to her. “Chandler, you must stay in the closet no matter what! Your father isn’t angry with you, my little boy,” she whispered as she gently clasped his cheek. Tears began sliding down Mrs. Ashby’s face before she covered her eyes with her hands and began to sob.
“Mrs. Ashby,” Renly said calmly, forcing Patricia Ashby to focus on him instead of Cass. “Why don’t you lie down for a bit? I’m sure your grandson will come to see you again very soon.”
Her eyes kept shifting between me and Cass. “Chandler is here? Chandler?” she called.
Although Cassius’s legal first name was Chandler, he’d never let anyone refer to him by the name he shared not only with his father, but his grandfather as well. As Renly began walking past Cass, presumably to escort his grandmother to her room, Cass reached out to touch her arm. Patricia pulled back, her eyes now filled with hate.