The next day, as Kinslee led me to the car where Cassius was waiting, she told me I’d been out of it for five days.
Five days.
My mind whirling, I walked next to Kinslee, almost on autopilot, her hand a gentle but firm grip on my arm. The crisp, fresh air on my face was welcome after all the time I’d spent cooped up inside.
We reached the car park, and my eyes were drawn straight to the hulking, matte-black SUV where a tall, gorgeous man with dirty-blond hair waited, casually leaning against the car door, twirling his keys around on his finger. As we approached him, a smile appeared on his face, but worry was clear in his gaze as he watched me.
Cassius.
As happy as I was to see him, and I was happy, I wished more than anything that waiting alongside him had been a certain raven-haired, brooding man with stormy eyes.
We reached the car, and Cassius moved from where he leaned against the door to draw me into a hug. “How you doing?” he murmured into my ear.
“I’m alright. Thanks, Cass.”
His voice dropped even further. “You gave us all a scare. Cade, more than anyone.”
“Sorry,” I whispered, twisting my head to look at him and giving him a wry smile. “I couldn’t really help it.”
“Don’t be sorry. Just…don’t do anything that reckless again, okay?”
“I’ll try not to.”
He tutted, shaking his head at me, and opened the passenger door. “Let’s get you home.”
I felt like an invalid as Cassius and Kinslee fussed around me, settling me into the passenger seat. Kinslee reached across me and snapped my seat belt into place, before hopping into the back of the car.
As Cassius started the engine, I pulled down the sun visor to see just how bad I looked.
Yeah. I shouldn’t have bothered looking. I groaned as I took in the greenish-yellow bruising mottling my cheek, dark against my pale skin. Stretching my neck gingerly, I examined my throat, noting that the cut was almost completely healed, just the faintest line remaining.
I twisted in my seat, meeting Kinslee’s eyes. “What happened to me?”
Silence reigned.
“Kinslee Stewart, you’d better start talking, right now.”
I wasn’t expecting her laugh, low and bitter.
“Oh, like you told me what was going on with you? Like you just decided to keep your bestie in the dark? You couldn’t fucking trust me, huh?”
Shit.
“Kins,” Cass warned in a low tone, meeting her eyes in the rear-view mirror and giving a small shake of his head.
I stared at her, trying to gauge her mood. Pissed off, and hurt, if I had to guess. Did I take a risk and trust her?
I took a leap of faith.
“When we get back to the house, I’ll tell you everything.”
We pulled up to the Four’s house, and I gingerly stepped from the car, rubbing at my head as the ache intensified.
Silently, I followed Cassius up to the front door, Kinslee gripping my arm once again. As we entered the wide hallway, a blast of heat hit me, welcome after the chill outside. Kinslee placed my bag just inside the door, and I stood with her for a moment, tension I hadn’t realised I was holding seeping out of me. I felt safe here. I was safe.
“We’ll be in the kitchen,” Kinslee muttered, her eyes flicking to the stairs. Then she tugged on Cassius’ arm, giving him a pointed look, and they disappeared off down the hallway.
I turned to look, the pounding in my head forgotten as I saw him.
Standing partway up the staircase, a black T-shirt stretched across his torso, faded, ripped jeans low on his hips, he stared at me silently, his gaze impenetrable. I tracked his movements as he descended the stairs, coming closer and closer until he was standing right in front of me.
I stared into his stormy eyes, noticing the dark circles, the way his hair was all tousled like he’d been pulling at it, the stubble darkening his jaw.
“Cade,” I whispered hoarsely, and my whole body started trembling, tears filling my eyes and spilling down my cheeks as I broke apart in front of him.
He closed his eyes briefly, scrubbing a hand across his face, before his gaze met mine again. “Snowflake.” His voice was just as hoarse as mine as he reached down and took my hand, gently tugging me towards the stairs.
I just wanted him to hold me. To tell me everything would be okay. I could barely see through the haze of tears as I stumbled up the stairs, one hand encased by his, and the other gripping the banister, letting it take my weight.
We ended up in his room, and he sat on the bed. “Come here,” he commanded, and I was finally, finally in his arms. He cradled my body, breathing into my hair, as I hugged him tightly and let his solid presence soothe me until I was finally calm.
Drawing back, I looked at him, and he finally let his mask drop. His eyes swirled with a mix of worry, hurt, and relief, but I could see the anger simmering just under the surface. With a rush, the whole situation with James came back to me, and I gasped, needing to explain, needing to know if we were okay.
“Caiden—”
He cut me off with a forceful kiss.
I opened my mouth for him, kissing him back just as aggressively, manoeuvring myself without breaking the kiss so I was straddling him, running my hands over the hard planes of his muscles and up to the back of his neck. He groaned into my mouth, his hands sliding up to tangle in my hair as he took my breath away.
I winced, and he immediately pulled back, both of us breathing heavily, our eyes locked.
“What’s wrong?”
“My head. It started hurting again.”
“Shit. I’m sorry, I didn’t think.” He brushed my hair back from my face, his gaze full of concern.
“It’s not your fault. I wanted to kiss you.”
Lifting his hand, he traced the pad of his fingers carefully across the bruise on my cheek, his eyes darkening. “I want to kill whoever did this to you.”
My stomach flipped. “I’m okay. It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”
I didn’t know who I was trying to reassure more—him, or myself.
He lowered his hand and carefully moved me so I was sitting sideways on top of him. “What do you want to do? Do you want to rest? To talk to the others?”
The pain in my head intensified. “Rest, please.” I clambered off him, crawling up the bed until I collapsed with my head on his pillow. “Will you stay with me?” My eyes were already closed.
I felt him move, and then his body was next to mine, his arm draped across me.
“I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed my forehead, pulling me closer. “We need to talk when you’re up to it.” His voice was soft, but I could hear the intent and meaning in his tone.
I sighed. “I know.”
Sleep pulled me under.
SIX
When I woke, the sun was high in the sky, streaming through the window. I turned my head to see Caiden sitting up against the headboard, engrossed in whatever he was doing on his phone.
“Hi.”
His head shot up and he met my gaze, his lips tipping up into a small smile. “Feeling better?”
“I think so.” The pain had dulled to a low ache, nothing that couldn’t be fixed by the painkillers the hospital pharmacy had provided me with when I’d been discharged.