Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
I duck in before them and warn her they’re here, and they gently rap on the door as they enter. The cops glance at me before turning their attention to Cass. The one on the left starts. “Hi Cassandra. I’m Officer Samuels, and this is Officer McNaught. We’ve come to talk to you about the ordeal you’ve been through today. Would now be a good time to ask you a few questions?”
“I guess,” Cass shrugs.
Officer McNaught takes a slight step forward. “Now, I know this can be uncomfortable and awful to talk about,” she says, her eyes flicking toward me. “Would you prefer we do this in private?”
Cassie’s hand flies out and takes hold of mine, squeezing it until her knuckles turn white. “No. Jaxon stays,” she demands, her eyes widening in panic at the thought of being separated.
“You’re sure?” Samuels asks.
“I better be,” she says, pulling our joined hands into her lap. “After all, I’m going to marry him one day.”
My head whips in her direction, catching her stare, and I raise a questioning brow, watching as she gives me the smallest nod in return.
“Alright, Cassandra,” Samuels says as she pulls out a recording device and places it on the end of the bed, while NcNaught pulls out a notepad and pen. “Why don’t you start from the beginning.”
Cass does just that, and my anger flares the further she gets through the story. She gets to the part about the knife and how he cut her, and I physically have to hold myself in my chair to keep from going after the bastard once again.
She comes to the end and tells them how I cut her loose with the same knife, and I pipe in to let them know I still have it on me. Samuels pulls out an evidence bag, and without hesitation, I pull it out and drop it into the bag.
Cass finishes her story, and after asking a few questions, the cops turn to me, asking how I was able to get from the door to the basement. I tell them what they need to know while reminding them how he held a knife, lining it up as the perfect self-defense claim. I only fail to mention that I didn’t know he had a knife until after the fact.
The cops move on and start taking pictures of her injuries as the doctor comes in, and they quickly finish up, allowing the doctor to take over. The cops leave but return a few minutes later to let Cassie know the bastard is in custody.
Cass sighs into the pillow and closes her eyes, trying not to look as the doctor stitches her wound. “It’s over, babe. You’ll never have to see him again.”
She keeps her eyes closed, her hand still clutching mine, and I feel as her whole body relaxes.
Once she’s finished being checked over, the doctor tells her she’s allowed to shower but that she’ll be here overnight for observation as well. With that, the doctor excuses herself and shuffles out the door.
I help Cass shower, and by the time she’s dressed and stepping out of the bathroom, her brothers are in her room waiting, her phone clutched between Sean’s fingers. They fill us in on everything that went down in that house after we left, leaving out particularly gruesome details that would make Cassie’s skin crawl. Though I have no doubt they’ll share those details with me the moment they can.
After the hospital staff brings Cass a sketchy dinner, the boys order UberEats, and as soon as we’ve annihilated our meals, I check in with Bobby to find out the score of tonight’s game. I’m not surprised to find they won. I must say, I’m proud of my boys for pulling it together without me and still managing the win. They’re just that good.
After refusing to leave her side, a nurse wheels in a bed and allows me to stay the night with her. The extra bed isn’t necessary though, seeing as Cassie pulls me in beside her.
Before I know it, the morning sun is streaming through Cassie’s hospital room, and the doctor is clearing her with instructions to keep the wound clean. When she’s discharged, I hold her hand and lead her out to my truck to drive her home.
Once we’ve arrived, I help Cass down from the passenger seat, but she insists on walking herself to the front door, even though her hisses of pain silently kill me. Hell, just getting her to take pain meds is a mission on its own. She’s so fucking stubborn, just like her brothers.
Cassie’s fingers curl around the door handle, and a smile begins pulling at the corner of my lips. She pushes the door wide to reveal her living room filled to the brim with her friends and family. Hell, even the whole hockey team is here, Coach Harris included.