Steel Rush (In the Shadows#5) (31 page)

“Do you think it can be repaired?” I ask Sebastian, hoping.

“It was a gift from Calder,” Talia tells him as she returns to her seat. “The second apparently, since he’d already given her a leather one with a silver raven.”

Sebastian inspects the pavé raven. “This is quite the upgrade from leather and silver.”

I smile, but shake my head. “I prefer the leather one. It’s something I can wear everyday. I had to leave it behind at Calder’s apartment, because it’s not the type of jewelry Celeste would wear. Calder gave me this one so I could wear something more in line with Celeste’s style.”

He tries to bend the mangled clasp back into place. “This is destroyed. What happened to it?”

I twist my lips in anger. “Jake didn’t think it was Celeste’s style at all.”

“What?” Sebastian jerks furious blue eyes to me. He destroyed it because it wasn’t something Celeste would wear?”

“Yes, he did.” I drop the strawberry back to my plate, my appetite suddenly gone. “If it can’t be repaired, can you recommend someone who can replace the clasp?”

“It truly is beautiful and one of a kind,” Talia says, watching her husband try once more to fix the clasp so it’ll stay closed.

I smile and sigh. “For a guy with commitment issues, Calder sure gives gorgeous gifts. He’ll freak out if he sees this. I would like to restore it back to its original condition so he won’t have to.”

Sebastian grunts and turns his attention to me. “My cousin has issues he’s dealing with, but commitment to you isn’t one of them.”

I snort my disagreement. “He flat out said he doesn’t plan to marry. I’d say that’s highly commitment allergic.”

Curling his fingers around the ribbon, Sebastian turns to face me. “Calder doesn’t buy gifts
once
, let alone twice. When you couldn’t wear his other necklace, he replaced it with this one so you could. He’s collared you, Cass. This choker is as committed as a wedding band. In his mind, you’re his.”

“That’s a stretch,” I say, trying to ignore the warm fuzzies and false hope his statement gives me. “Yes, Calder’s a bit territorial, but that’s not the same as…ugh, never mind.” Waving to Talia as she takes a sip of her juice, I say, “Tell your husband he doesn’t know what he’s talking about with this ‘collared’ stuff.”

Talia coughs and spews juice all over the granite island.

Sebastian slides my necklace in his pants pocket, then flattens his palm on the center of Talia’s back as she wheezes and hacks. “Do you need me to smack you back here? Just tell me where, Little Red.”

When Talia glances up at him with murderous eyes, her face turning bright red as she continues coughing, I laugh. “I think that look means you’d better let her catch her breath on her own.”

I wake in the darkness to the sensation of warm fingers tracing my cheek, while a clean, masculine smell tickles my senses.

“Calder…” I inhale deeply and try to touch his face, but I’m still too groggy to make my arm work properly.

He chuckles and takes my flailing hand. “Hey, sleepyhead,” he says quietly, kissing my knuckles. “I’m relieved you’re okay. What did you need to talk to me about? Your note said it was important.”

I glance at the clock. Nine. I can’t believe I’ve slept the whole day away. “Are you okay? How’s training going?” I search the shadowed planes of his face, giving myself time to form the right words.

“Training is fine.” His steady gaze holds mine as he presses his lips to my fingers.

“I wanted to wait until after your fight, but Talia said you need to know now.” I pause, psyching myself up to tell him. “You asked me who the two boys were from high school…”

Calder stills, then he quickly pulls me upright and sits on the bed facing me, his thigh pressed to mine. “Tell me.”

Exhaling slowly, I say, “It was Jake Hemming and Brent Taylor…who’s apparently going by Brent Tremmel.”

Calder’s expression instantly shifts from tender concern to cold steel. “Why didn’t you tell me before now?”

Tension makes my heart race and I curl my fingers around the covers. “Because you wouldn’t let me stay, and staying was the only way to clear myself of suspicion and help Celeste. When I agreed to help Celeste, I had no idea that she knew Jake personally. And I never saw the other guy’s face that night, but when I heard Beth talking to Brent on her speakerphone…I’ll never forget his voice. Despite my past colliding with my present…I knew I could handle it, because Beth never brought Brent around and Jake didn’t know that Celeste was actually me.”

“But Jake did learn who you were,” he says in a tight voice.

I reach for his hand, but he quickly stands and stares at the ceiling, his fingers digging into his scalp. “Calder, the
only
reason I’m telling you now is because of Brent’s role in the EUC. Talia thought you should know.”

He glances down at me, his tone hard, judging. “I told you the Hemmings were monsters.”

I shake my head, surprised
that’s
what he’s focusing on. “Ben’s not like that—”

“You
don’t
get to say that any more, Cass,” he grates.

“Yes, I do…” I say, pushing back the covers to stand in front of him. Tugging on his hoodie’s string, I look up at him and flatten my hand on the soft fabric across his chest. “For the very reason I knew firsthand how shitty his brother
and
father could be.”

His hard chest rises and falls under my hand, his breathing elevating as he looks down at me. “Well, I don’t have to stand here and listen to it.”

I’m surprised by the pain and anger in his eyes. When he turns to walk away, I grab his hand. “Don’t leave.”

He pivots back to me. “I need to stay focused, Cass. This…” He exhales deeply. “Isn’t helping.”

I release his hand, guilt squeezing my chest. “I’m sorry. I thought…I was just trying to—”

Calder clasps the back of my neck and presses a soft kiss to my forehead. “It’s not you, angel,” he whispers against my skin. “But I need to go.”

And before I can say a word, he leaves me standing there in the dark.

I
park at the curb outside my apartment and turn my phone on after packing my camera away for the day. I’m excited about the pictures I was able to capture for my New York city book idea; my mind is already hopping with other locations to explore tomorrow. My phone instantly buzzes with several texts from Talia.

Talia: Did you see that the Carvers are holding a private funeral for Celeste late today? It was in the morning’s paper.

Talia: Where are you? I’ve tried to call. I just get voicemail.

Talia: Where have you been? I’ve been calling all day. Sebastian pinged your phone. I’m officially freaking out. I should never have let you go home yesterday!

So much for going off the grid for a bit. I sigh and hit the button to call her.

Talia picks up on the first ring. “I don’t know whether to hug you or wring your neck.”

“I’m fine, Talia,” I say, shaking my head. “At some point you need to stop worrying about me and get your chapters done. Don’t you have a deadline coming up?”

“Which I could concentrate on if you’d answer my text or better yet come back here and stay.”

“I wasn’t ignoring you. I had my phone turned off so I could get work done. I’ve been driving all over the city taking black and white pics. I’m really digging finding the best of New York’s real life.”

“I know Phillip is being held on charges, but please keep your phone on. I promise not to bother you too much.”

“I love you too. And thanks for letting me know about the funeral. I’m sure the Carvers need closure.”

“Probably. I was trying to get in touch with you for another reason too. Can you send me some of your pictures? I want to pitch your book to my editor.”

My heart races. Talia’s publisher is the biggest and oldest in the country. “Really? You don’t have to do that, but thank you!”

“I’m just the messenger, Cass. Your work has to sell the idea.”

I grin like a loon, appreciating her so much for giving me something to work
toward
. So far I’ve been using my creative outlet to force me out of the apartment. That way I wouldn’t think about the fact I haven’t heard from Calder since I saw him thirty-six hours ago. “Love you anyway. I’ll get some prints to you with a mock up of how I see the page layouts.”

“Sounds good. I’ll be waiting.”

Hanging up, I get out of my car and start toward my apartment entrance when my steps slow. Ben is leaning against the post right outside the building, his arms crossed.

When I arrived at my apartment yesterday, my doorman told me a guy named Ben stopped by and left his number for me. I was glad I’d missed that conversation, but it looks like I can’t avoid it any longer.

Stepping onto the sidewalk, I haul my camera bag onto my shoulder. “Hey, Ben.”

He meets me halfway across the sidewalk, his wool jacket open, hands in his jean pockets. “Hey.”

He doesn’t look angry or even mad, so I put my hand out and smile. “I’m Cass.”

Ben lets out a half-laugh and takes my hand. “Nice to know your real name.” Releasing my hand, he looks at me with a self-deprecating smirk. “Though I’m pretty sure I knew all along you weren’t Celeste. I
knew
something was different. But I didn’t care. That girl I couldn’t take my eyes off of four years ago at that masked party was back…and I was going to do everything in my power to keep her.”

“Ben…” I say, unsure how to reply to that statement. His world has just been torn apart with his father’s arrest. So far the papers haven’t disclosed Celeste’s pregnancy or talked about the evidence that links her death to Phillip, but still, Ben must be spinning.

“I know you were just playing a part, Cass, but I wanted you to know that I didn’t believe
any
of what my father and Gregory accused you of.”

As I nod my appreciation, realization dawns. “Did you send a lawyer to help me?”

“I did, but it appears your lawyer ate mine for lunch.” Nodding, he gestures toward the sidewalk. “Can we take a walk?”

“Sure,” I say, falling in line beside him.

Ben looks straight ahead, and says, “I’m sincerely sorry for what my father tried to do to you, Cass. I’m not sure how many of the despicable things he’s being accused of are true, and honestly, I don’t want to know the details. But if even part of it is, I hope he pays for it. I think Jake is in shock. He’s kind of disappeared, but my mom is fully supporting my dad. She doesn’t believe any of it.”