Cassidy left the office and immediately went to Brandon’s apartment. She had no intention of going there when she got out of that chair, but that’s where her feet led her. This time when she knocked, it wasn’t bone shattering like it had been the night before. Waiting let her mind wander, but she didn’t want to go back over the conversation she’d just had with Aaron and Cadence. It was too upsetting.
She’d gone into that meeting fully intending to tell them where Christian was, of even contacting him while they were sitting there. But that hadn’t happened. Why, she wasn’t sure. Part of it truly was the promise she’d made to him. However, as much as she didn’t like to admit it, she hadn’t wanted to tell Cadence simply because she’d asked. Her sister had positioned her in the middle of a standoff—keep your promise or help the team. In the end, she’d decided to be stubborn and stick to her guns.
It was probably a dumb move, especially after Elliott’s, “I’m disappointed in you,” speech from earlier. But that was just the way it was, and now she’d have to deal with it. Only, she didn’t want to deal with it. She wanted to confess. The problem was, the person she wanted to confess to wasn’t opening his door.
Cassidy knocked again, louder this time. It was the middle of the day, so she figured there wouldn’t be people sleeping or anything. Still, that did not summon her ex-boyfriend from inside. Even another round of louder knocking did nothing. Frustrated, she slumped with her head against the door, fighting the urge to reach out to him with her telepathy and figure out whether he was ignoring her or wasn’t home. She could’ve used her IAC, but she didn’t want to ask him if he had a moment to chat for some stupid reason she couldn’t explain. She’d just thought he’d be here, and she could spill her guts while they were fresh for being spilled. The longer she stood there, the stupider she felt. With a sigh, she turned to go.
Brandon was standing a few feet behind her, down the hall, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Confused, she looked around and noticed Dax’s door closing, as if he’d been in there the whole time. “Are you looking for me?”
“I was,” she said, fidgeting with her fingers folded in front of her.
“Are you still?”
He was staring at her so intently, Cassidy almost couldn’t meet his gaze. The meaning in the question went far beyond finding her knocking on his door. Her answer was just as clear to her as where she was heading when she left the office. “I am.”
Brandon’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down hard, and he continued to stare at her for what seemed like an eternity before he finally said, “Okay,” and took a few steps toward her, hesitantly, like he didn’t know what he was supposed to do.
“Could we go into your apartment for a few minutes and talk? I take it your dad’s not home since he didn’t answer.”
“Sure.” Brandon picked up speed, making it to the door and opening it as he continued, “He’s not here. I think they’re getting ready for a meeting or something.”
Cassidy nodded, following him into the familiar apartment that seemed foreign somehow all of a sudden. She remembered Aaron saying they would be having a meeting after she left. Not wanting to sit in the same spot she always did when things between them had been just fine, despite the fact that she’d sat there the night before and spent hours sleeping on his lap on the sofa, she sat down on the edge of Elliott’s recliner, across from Brandon, and tried to decide exactly what it was she was there to confess.
He was already sitting when he realized he was being impolite. “Can I get you a Dr. Pepper or something? Are you hungry?”
“I’m fine, thanks.” Cassidy found a meager smile. She cleared her throat and searched for where to begin but came up empty. “I’m not even sure what it is I want to say.”
“That’s okay. Take your time. I’ve got nothing going on.” He smiled at her and leaned back, as if he were chilling out. She could tell how wound up he was despite his words. His knee was shaking, and he kept repositioning his arms on the armrest and the back of the couch.
Cassidy took a deep breath, sighed, opened her mouth, and then closed it. She cleared her throat again. “Can I have some water?”
“Sure.” Brandon was up and back from the kitchen with a cold bottle of water in less than a second. He offered it to her, and she took it, twisting off the lid and thanking him before she took a drink, letting the water wash the stickiness off of her tongue.
He sat back down, still nervous but trying to appear as if he wasn’t. Cass put the lid back on and set the bottle by her shoe. “So... there’s something I need to tell you. I made a promise I wouldn’t tell anyone, and I’m not sure why I feel like I need to tell you this now when it doesn’t matter anyway, but I do.”
“What do you mean it doesn’t matter now anyway?” Brandon’s voice was soft and slow. She imagined he was conjuring up all sorts of scenarios that were far worse than what she actually needed to tell him.
Running a hand through her hair, she decided to just spit it out. “Christian came to me the day after that meeting I had with Hannah and the others about Daunator, when Aaron and Cadence were still gone.” He nodded, and she was sure he knew what she was talking about. “He said he had a plan, and he wanted my help.”
Brandon’s head shifted slightly sideways. “Why would he want your help? You’d just ripped his face off.”
