“Might as well end it here, I suppose. No need to take you back out of here. I’ll leave you for the others to find.”
“You’ll never get away with this! They will find you and when they do, you won’t stand a chance.”
“Just like what you did to my brother, huh? Send me to prison?”
“I’d rather watch you die,” she said viciously.
Brian held his gun to her temple. “You won’t get to see the day.”
He pulled the trigger.
She heard the gun go off and screamed, but felt no pain. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Brian laughing maniacally.
“Thought I was going to do it that quickly, huh? I want you to see my eyes when I kill you. I want to see the life drain from your body.”
* * *
Andrew had sprinted to Cassidy’s tree, her hiding spot, but she wasn’t there. He saw the foot prints walking away from the tree. He saw Brian’s footprints.
Andrew made his way through the woods, backtracking to find Cassidy and Brian. He had to find them before anything happened. He heard the gun shot and Cassidy’s scream. Oh god, no. It couldn’t be. She had to be alive.
Andrew sprinted even faster than before and slowed down when he saw Brian standing to the right of Cassidy. She was kneeling on her knees, tears coming down her face, but she was alive. She was alive.
“Say goodbye, bitch,” he heard Brian say just as he raised the gun up to Cassidy. There was no time to stop him, he couldn’t protect her. He was too late.
Everything played out in slow motion. Tears were falling down his cheeks, but he didn’t care, he just watched as Brian cocked the gun and put his finger on the trigger. Andrew forced his eyes to remain on Cassidy as he heard the shot echo through the forest.
Cassidy flinched as the sound of the gun went off. She looked up and watched as Brian dropped the gun and fell to the ground. He was dead. She looked up just to see Detective Coulter walk through the thick foliage. “I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
Cassidy turned her head at the sound of rustling. She looked up and saw Andrew rush toward her.
“Don’t ever scare me like that again!” he cried.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” Cassidy sobbed. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Cassie. I don’t know what I would do without you. I’m just glad you’re all right.”
“Don’t let me go,” she whispered as they clung tightly to each other.
“Never.”
Epilogue
Four years later, Christmas Day…
“Mommy! Daddy!” Cassidy heard faintly. She moaned and rolled over. Two weights came down on top of her as she opened her eyes.
“Hey, careful,” she laughed.
“What are you two doing up?” Andrew groaned. He sat up and pulled his children further up on the bed.
“It’s Christmas, Daddy!” their son Benji said happily.
“Presents!” their daughter Mikayla cried out in joy.
Cassidy looked over at Andrew and laughed. “It seems like our children would like to go open their presents. Are your grandparents here?”
“Yeah, and Auntie Rachel and Uncie Ian!” Mikayla replied.
Cassidy smiled at her daughter as they heard a knock on the door. “Come in!” she called.
The door opened and Rachel stuck her head in the room. “Sorry, I was watching them, and they just slipped by me.”
“No, you and Uncie Ian were kissing! Like Mommy and Daddy do,” Benji said, climbing off the bed.
Rachel laughed uneasily and shrugged her shoulders. “Okay, so maybe I wasn’t watching them the whole time.”
“Benji, why don’t you go show Auntie Rachel what I taught you yesterday,” Andrew told his son, who smiled and nodded his head then ran toward Rachel and jumped up on her at the last moment.
“Andrew Eugene Winbright, what did you teach our son?” Cassidy chastised him.
Andrew smiled at her then kissed her cheek.
“Eww!” they heard their children say.
“Come on, guys. Let’s go downstairs and see what your grandparents are up to.”
“Presents!” their kids called out in unison.
“No opening any presents until we come down there too!” Cassidy called out as Rachel shut the door.
“How much time do you think we have?” Andrew asked when Cassidy turned toward him.
“Ten, maybe fifteen minutes?” she smiled.
“That’s enough time, right?”
“Aren’t you tired? It’s not like you weren’t up all night.”
“Baby, I could never get tired of you.”
“Well, Daddy,” she said and kissed him affectionately, “we need to get up and get dressed before our children do any more damage. I mean your sister is watching them.”
Andrew threw back the covers. “You’re right, you know we probably should get down there as soon as possible.”
Cassidy laughed and got out of bed. It didn’t take them long before they were opening the door to their bedroom and walking down the stairs to the large living room.
“They're coming!” Cassidy heard their children yell.
“All right, calm down, you two. We’re here,” Andrew said and immediately the two settled down.
“Sorry we weren’t up earlier,” Cassidy said and sat down on the couch with Andrew, smiling at all their family members who had been patiently waiting. “Are you two ready to open your presents?”
“Yeah!”
“Okay, go pick out one. Only one though,” she told them and immediately they both went for the biggest boxes.
Andrew laughed and put his arm around Cassidy. “You did something really mean, didn’t you?”
“Why would I do that to our kids?” she asked innocently.
Andrew kissed her cheek and laughed when he heard his children groan in disappointment as they found clothes.
“All right, our presents now,” Cassidy and Andrew's parents said, producing two presents for each of the kids.
“Kayla, Benji, careful with the presents,” Cassidy said as she watched them tear open the wrapping paper and jump up and down with joy. “Your parents really do spoil them.”
“My parents, what about yours?”
“Okay, you two, settle down,” Mrs Winbright warned.
“So the parents need to be warned by their parents,” Rachel said.
“What are you talking for, Rach?” Cassidy smiled at her sister-in-law and best friend. “You were the one who went off and eloped with Ian despite the fact that the wedding you had planned was going to take place the very next day. Who was the one who got in trouble, eh?”
Rachel smiled. “Okay, so I might be more of the troublemaker than you two.” She leaned over and kissed Ian sweetly then turned back to her nieces and nephews. “All right, guys, come get your presents!”
They jumped up from where they were currently playing and ran over to get their presents from Rachel and Ian.
“Benjamin Lukas Winbright, what do you say to everyone?” Cassidy said after he had opened all his presents.
“You too, Mikayla Mariah-Faith.” Andrew smiled down at his daughter. She nodded and went over to thank everyone. They knew when their parents used their full names, they meant business.
“So where’s my present?” Andrew turned to look down at his wife.
“What did you get me?” she asked in mock indignation.
Andrew pulled out a small box wrapped neatly. “Just because I love you,” he said, handing her the box.
“Thank you,” she said, taking the box. “What is it?”
“Just open it, Cassie.” He laughed as she carefully removed the wrapping paper. She opened the box and immediately a smile broke out on her face. “Do you like it? I figured I would give you something that held some sentimental value.” It was a collector’s edition of Pride and Prejudice.
Cassidy smiled up at Andrew and kissed him. “Thank you, Mr. Darcy.”
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Andrew laughed and kissed her nose. “So where’s my gift?”
“Well, I can assure you this is so much better than your gift,” she said, setting the book Andrew bought her on the side table.
“How can you say that when I don’t even know what it is? You’re just prejudiced,” he claimed.
“Trust me, you’ll definitely think this is better.”
“Well, then give it to me.” He held out his hand.
“It’s not exactly going to fit in your hand, baby.”
“What is it?” he asked, curious now.
Cassidy smiled and took Andrew’s hand then placed it on her stomach. “Merry Christmas, Andy, or should I say Daddy?”
Andrew looked down at his hand then up at Cassidy. “Are you trying to tell me, that’s what my gift is? Baby, are you pregnant?”
Cassidy’s smile widened and she nodded.
Andrew smiled at her then kissed her.
“That’s not the best part,”
“There’s more? What could possibly be better than knowing that you’re having another baby?”
“Having two?”
“Two? Twins?”
Cassidy nodded and Andrew hollered with joy as he kissed Cassidy once again.
“Eww!” They broke away at the sound of their children.
“What are you two so happy about?” Rachel asked.
“She’s pregnant,” Andrew said, taking Cassidy’s hand.
“Wait, really?” Rachel asked.
Their parents turned to them. “That’s wonderful news!”
“I’m gonna have a baby sister or brother?” Benjamin asked, climbing up on his dad’s lap.
“No, buddy, you’re going to have two brothers or sisters.”
Cassidy smiled and laughed when she heard her parents and Andrew’s parents gasp and begin congratulating them. It was perfect. She wouldn’t have changed a thing. She had the perfect family. She couldn’t have wished for more.
Special Note from Becky
Word-of-mouth is crucial for any author to succeed. If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving a review at Amazon, even if it is only a line or two; it would make all the difference and would be very much appreciated.
Thank You!
~Becky Andrews
Also By Becky Andrews
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Samantha Baker has a crush on one of the most popular boys in school, Phillip Corinodi. Unfortunately, he also happens to be going out with Tracy, the girl every guy wants to be with. Pretty, popular, and bitchy, she is everything Samantha is not.
When the two spend an hour together in detention, Phillip strikes up a conversation with Samantha. They were friends once before, many years ago, before Phillip got popular and ditched her. Why is he suddenly talking to her again now, after so many years?
As her relationship with Phillip starts to take an exciting new turn, she witnesses a school shooting and her life is threatened. Can she trust Phillip enough to tell him the truth before she becomes the next target?
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