I jump as the bedroom door suddenly slams and a female voice says idly, “Did you bother to research the meaning of that tree before you painted it on the wall?” My heart stutters as I turn around to see a disheveled woman looking at the mural on the wall. It takes me a moment to recognize her, as the one other time we met her appearance was much neater. “The trees are a reminder that life is beautiful, but it is also tragically short, much like the blooms on the branches.”
“Cassie,” I murmur while taking a step backward. “How did you get in?”
She holds up a metal object proudly. “Aidan’s key and a security guard with a very small bladder.” She laughs as if there is something particularly funny about her explanation.
I start toward the door trying to sound casual. “I’m just going to say hello to Aidan then.”
Before I’ve gone more than a couple of steps, she moves to block my path. “He’s not here.” Without thinking, I cup my stomach protectively. Her gaze follows the movement and she looks almost spellbound as she extends a hand toward it. “Why do you have my baby?”
Fear overtakes me and I find it hard to breathe. I’m close to a panic attack, but I fight for control. I have to keep her distracted while I figure out how to escape. “I’m just helping you take care of the baby. Why don’t we call Aidan and let him know you’re here? I bet he’s really worried about you.” I can only hope she hasn’t hurt him.
“Monique sent Spence away. He’d never let me come see Luc if he knew.”
“Okay, then we can call Monique. She’s your sister, right?” Crap, is that what this has come to? I’m reduced to looking to Monique to save me?
Cassie is showing signs of agitation again as she snaps, “I told you. Monique knows where I am. She’s getting Luc for me and then we’ll be together when you’re gone.” There is pure venom in her voice as she adds, “She told me all about what you did. He loved me until you fucked him that night. You watched us until you found a way to take him and my baby from me.”
She’s not making any sense. I hold out my hands in a placating gesture. “I’ve never met you before today, Cassie. If Luc is yours, then I’ll just leave and you can have him.” I’m almost to the door when something slams into the back of my head, causing me to stumble and fall heavily to my knees. I raise a shaky hand to the back of my head and it comes away smeared with blood. “What—”
“Stop trying to leave!” Cassie paces the room holding the mini-hammer I’d left on the changing table. Her hand repeatedly grips and loosens on the handle as if getting ready for her next attack. “Why aren’t you listening to me?” She’s waving it erratically now and I shrink back, using the nearby rocking chair as a shield. “I want my baby. Now!”
“What?” The hammer she is wielding has streaks of my blood on it. Why was I so stupid to have turned my back on her even for a moment? Had I actually imagined she would let me open the door and leave? If it had been a full-sized hammer, she might have killed me. Oh God, is that her plan?
She runs to the chest of drawers and begins throwing tiny clothing from it as if searching for something. Finally, she holds up a blue onesie and tosses it at me. “That’s Luc’s favorite color. He’ll want the baby to be in it. Put it on him. Quickly!” I’m baffled when she takes the rest of the clothing from the drawers and piles it into the crib. “We don’t need any of these things you bought for our baby. We’ll get our own stuff.”
Oh, Christ. No. I have to get away from her. I feel something dripping onto my neck and close my eyes for a moment against the dizziness assaulting me. If I pass out—I’m dead. There is no room for weakness. “The baby is sleeping,” I say softly. “We have to be quiet and wait for him to wake up.”
That causes her to pause as if considering what I’ve said. “Why have you made him live here? This isn’t his house. I hate it. I want it all gone.” She’s beginning to ramble even more. She alternates between obscure conversation and loud rants. She tosses questions at me, but before I can answer, she moves on to something else. I wrap my hands around the spindles of the chair in front of me and prepare to launch it at her, hoping to buy enough time to get out the door and if nothing else—hide. As if some sixth sense has alerted her, she steps away from the crib and studies me. “What’re you up to now?”
Blanching, I relax my hands on the chair and try to look innocent. “Nothing…trying to get comfortable.” She approaches me, still holding the hammer and I know it’s now or never. I grasp the chair and—it barely fucking moves. Lucian had placed it where I’d wanted and I had no idea it was so solid and heavy. Blood rushes to my head as I rise too quickly, attempting to evade her—and then I’m falling. The last thing I see before blackness takes over is her standing over me with the hammer raised above her head. “I’m sorry, Luc,” I whisper.
Lia
The sound of someone pounding on something wakes me. After a couple of attempts, I manage to open my eyes. My body is stiff and I have a horrible headache. The cool, hard surface beneath my face momentarily gives me pause. This doesn’t feel like my bed or even the sofa where I’ve taken to napping in the afternoon. There is something strange happening. The air is thick and hot. The more I try to breathe, the harder it seems. With great effort, I manage to raise my head, but the room is filled with fog—how bizarre. I’m still asleep I realize. This is just a dream…
“Lia! Are you here?” More shouting, but it barely registers. So hot in here. If I could just wake for long enough to push the bedcovers from my body, I’d feel so much better. My eyes are heavy though. “Shit, Lia. Dear God.” Something cool touches my face and I try to turn toward it. A round of coughing shakes my body and I moan as pain shoots through me. “Honey, I’m going to pick you up. Just hold on.”
A loud scream fills the air and the comforting touch is gone. “Spence! No! You can’t be here!”
In a blinding moment of clarity, it all comes back to me. I remember falling. Cassie stood over me. Groggily, I blink my eyes, opening them to a slit. What I see makes me jolt in fear. I’m on the nursery floor and there is smoke. Everywhere. Cassie is struggling with someone and at first I think it’s Lucian. I croak out his name before the person turns. Aidan. Beyond them, flames lick at the crib and spread to the walls and ceiling above and behind it. Sheer terror grips me and I begin to struggle. At first, I think my feet are asleep before I realize with dawning horror they’re tied together.
The fire is rapidly spreading. I can barely see the outline of Aidan as Cassie strikes him with the hammer. “Fuck, Cassie! Stop! We’re all going to die here. Don’t you understand that?” he yells as he shoves her back. She leaps onto his back and begins lashing out once again with her fists.
“You’re not taking my baby,” she chants repeatedly as they struggle.
I stare into the fire, thinking it almost beautiful. My lungs burn and my eyes water, but I can’t look away. It’s coming for me now, and I cease struggling as the fight leaves my body. My thoughts scatter and a strange peace enters my body as I cede control to fate. I’m no longer in the room with Aidan and Cassie. I’m lying in Lucian’s arms as he smiles down at me. We’re so happy and in love. I cradle our daughter against my side and I marvel that life has given me everything I could have possibly ever wanted or needed. When something attempts to pull me away, I begin fighting. “No! Please don’t,” I plead as I battle to remain with Lucian.
“Lia!” I’m pulled from my dream as both Aidan and I wheeze from the smoke that covers every inch of the room. The fire is everywhere now and I can see no avenue for escape. He has me in one arm while pulling a limp Cassie with the other. I hear sirens in the distance, but we’re in the midst of an inferno. Suddenly, as if in slow motion, the floor beneath us creaks loudly before shuddering. Cassie comes around at that exact moment and lurches away, disappearing back into the recesses of the room. “Cassie! Goddammit, we have to go!” Aidan shouts. Then she has her hands buried in my hair as she attempts to wrest me away from his hold. What little hope
I had is draining away. She’s willing to die as long as she takes me with her. Aidan, obviously having the same epiphany, gives a howl of what sounds like anguish before he shoves her backward, then bends over me and runs.
The next few moments are surreal as people converge upon us. I’m lying on the sidewalk watching helplessly as it takes at least ten firefighters to subdue Aidan while he screams her name. An oxygen mask is placed over my mouth and nose as I’m lifted onto a stretcher. They are loading me into an ambulance when I hear someone yelling my name. “Luc,” I rasp. My throat is dry and raw and tears of frustration roll down my cheeks. “Luc…” Then he’s here, frantically running toward me.
“Lia, dear God. Baby!” He pushes people aside until he’s reached me. My strong lover looks completely broken as he grabs my hand and then my face. “Lia! Fuck, Lia. Are you all right?” His hands attempt to touch every limb to make sure I’m okay. “Shit baby, what’d she do to you? Where the fucking hell is she?” He’s so hysterical that I’m afraid he’s going to have a heart attack. I can literally smell the fear and anger rolling off him in waves.
“I’m okay, Luc,” I manage to get out, stroking his hand to try to reassure him. I’m trying my best to appear calm to soothe him, but inside I’m falling apart as what happened really begins to sink in. I could have died today…and our baby along with me. I want to completely lose it right along with Lucian.
I’m almost relieved when an EMT says, “Sir, she needs to go to the hospital to be checked out. Please step aside so we can load her into the ambulance.” Lucian jumps, and then reluctantly moves to comply, while walking alongside me.
“I’m going with her,” he states, but frowns when I shake my head. I motion him closer, knowing my voice won’t carry far.
“Need to stay with Aidan,” I manage to get out. I point to where his friend is sitting a few feet away with his head in his hands.
“Baby, I can’t leave you,” he protests. “He looks okay to me.” Lucian probably has no idea yet what happened. He doesn’t know that Aidan’s world has fallen apart—but I do, and I can’t bear for him to be left alone.
My throat is on fire, and it takes me several attempts before I manage to say, “He saved me…but Cassie’s still in there.”
I see the moment he comprehends my words and all that they mean. Anger fills his face before he looks once again at Aidan. I think I see sad resignation there as he runs an unsteady hand through his hair. “I don’t think I can let you leave my sight right now, Lia,” he says shakily.
The words have no sooner left his mouth when I see someone running toward us. I wonder briefly why Max and Rose are together, but I’m so grateful to see them that I don’t question it for long. Rose is at my side in an instant as Luc fills Max in on what little he knows. I see them both shoot Aidan a worried look before Max nods and walks that way. “What happened?” Rose demands as she visually checks me for injuries. “We were having dinner at Leo’s when we heard the fire trucks. I’m sorry; we didn’t know they were coming here until we were leaving.” I’m grateful neither she nor Lucian can see my head injury. They look like they’re barely hanging on as it is. I’m not doing much better myself and know I’ve about reached my limit of maintaining control. Even the strong have to fall apart eventually and I’d rather that not be here for everyone to see.
“It’s a long story,” I say huskily before pointing to my throat to let her know it’s sore.
Lucian puts a hand on her arm. “Rose, I really need you and Max to stay with Aidan. I don’t know the full story yet, but he needs someone with him. Don’t leave him alone until we’ve talked. Can you do that for me?”
Rose looks conflicted but leans over to kiss my cheek before giving Lucian a brief hug. “You can count on it. Please call me from the hospital with an update.” The fire department is moving everyone farther from the building as they continue to battle the blaze. I wonder if there is any way that Cassie survived. Recalling the crippling heat and blinding smoke, I can’t imagine anyone could have been in there much longer and live. I hear them assuring Aidan they’re trying to contain the fire enough to safely go in. Max is speaking with the police while keeping one hand on Aidan’s shoulder. Why must tragedy continue to search and find us? I wonder tiredly as the ambulance door closes. Lucian is sitting near my head as the EMT checks my vitals. Our dreams will once again be haunted and I can only hope that this time God feels we’ve finally paid our dues and deserve to be happy.
Chapter Twenty
Lucian
Today, I marry the love of my life. Our road has never been easy and has in fact been hell again recently. I can hardly believe what has transpired in the last few weeks. Cassie—our once childhood friend turned twisted, dark woman—almost succeeded in taking Lia’s life. By the time the firefighters were able to enter our apartment, Cassie was dead. The fire chief said the nursery door was locked from the inside. Aidan swears it was open when he left with Lia so we can only deduce that Cassie locked it. Possibly not wanting to face the reality of what she’d done.
Monique also seemed to have a moment of clarity; she was attempting to flee to Mexico when arrested by airport security for attempted murder. She’s currently in prison awaiting a preliminary hearing. Max has assured me the judge will not set bail for her since she’s proven to be a flight risk. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure that she serves the harshest sentence possible. She is the perpetrator of so much of the evil that nearly destroyed us. There is so much we may never understand about what transpired between her and Cassie. What we do know is that she preyed on a mentally ill woman and used her for her own sick purposes. I truly hope the devil has a special place in hell reserved especially for her.
Lia spent two days in the hospital before being released. She had a mild concussion and needed five stitches for the wound on the back of her head. The baby was fine and the doctor saw no reason for alarm. We’ve been staying with my Aunt Fae since leaving the hospital and we’re to be married in the pool area here in just over an hour. We had agonized over whether we should postpone the wedding until after the baby was born. With all that had happened, it was difficult to imagine moving forward, but in the end, we’d decided that a new beginning was something we desperately needed.
I turn from the window I have been staring out when I hear movement behind me. I turn, my mouth dropping open in shock as I see Aidan standing there. I fully expected he wouldn’t come today and assured him that I understood. He had been holed up in his apartment—drinking heavily from what Max and I had gathered—since Cassie’s death. I know he blames himself that he couldn’t save her—yet when the decision had to be made, he knew he first had to get Lia and our child to safety. I’ll never be able to repay him for that—knowing what it cost him to leave Cassie behind.
He realized as she’d fought him, determined to kill Lia, that she’d never really gotten better. It had all been an illusion. She was still a danger to herself and everyone in her path. But love is not something you can suddenly turn off, and he’s suffering her loss greatly. I study him as he walks closer, noting that his liquid diet has left him thinner—almost gaunt. His expression is bleak as he stops before me. I pull him into a hug, holding him for longer than I ever have before. He doesn’t return the embrace, nor does he pull away. There are no words of comfort I can give him—nor do I try. What can I say when I’m marrying the woman I love today while his lies in the ground? While I can’t fathom the gamut of emotions he is dealing with, and while I know he wasn’t in love with Cassie anymore, I have no doubt that he grieves for the woman he thought he saw emerging from Cassie’s shell. Aches for how fooled we’d all been, and how unwell she truly was.
He steps away and rocks back on his heels. Anger flashes across his face. “I talked to Monique yesterday,” he spits in disgust. His voice is hoarse as if he has barely used it in days. “At first, she refused to say anything, but when I went into graphic detail of what was going to happen to her in prison, she finally br
oke down and started begging for my help. I guess her daddy has even refused to come visit her. I told her that I needed some answers before I could even consider it.”
Shocked, I ask, “Surely to hell you’re not going to help that bitch?”
“No! Fuck, no way,” he hisses. “I just needed to know what happened. I mean, Cassie’s doctors were so certain she was getting better. I had just talked to them right before Monique signed her out for the trip to Colorado. They had no reservations at all about it. Then she’s…trying to kill Lia in the next breath?”
No matter how much I’d never like to hear Cassie or Monique’s names again, I’m as hungry for answers as he is. I know from what Lia has recounted that Monique likely spun some elaborate tale to send Cassie back off the deep end. And in all likelihood, she was probably never as far from the edge as Aidan and her doctors had hoped she was. I straighten my shoulders and brace myself. “What did she say?”
“What we already suspected. She told Cassie that Lia was trying to take her baby away from her. Convinced her that with Lia gone, she could have you and her baby back. She also told her that Lia had been the one who had been screwing around with you behind her back in college.” I grimace at the last part, grateful I’d finally told Aidan about cheating on Cassie the night that everything had imploded eight years ago. “She is fucking insane. Cassie was unstable and Monique recognized that fact and used it to her own benefit.” Turning, he brings his fist down on a nearby table, almost toppling it. “And I was sleeping with her. You tried to tell me to get away from her, and I didn’t listen. I mean, I knew she was a bitch, but I never saw the evil within her. If I had, I could have prevented all of this. Instead, I signed Cassie over and maybe a part of me was even relieved to let Monique handle things.” Fuck, he blames himself? What the hell?
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