She thought back to those few, terrifying minutes that were seared into her brain.Had any of the shooters resembled Rob?
She hadn’t had enough time to get a good, hard look at any of them, and even then, they’d all been wearing masks.“How could he have pulled all this off,” she murmured to herself, feeling queasy.Rob might hate her for what she’d done, but to plan and organize that shooting?
She scrubbed a hand over her face, guts congealed and her mind working overtime.Her first instinct was to call Tristan.
No.That was stupid and selfish, especially after yesterday.Leaning on him now would be cruel.There was nothing he could do to help her right now anyway, except to distract her, and there was only one way that would end.
Them naked and all over each other.
She dragged a hand through her hair, trying to figure out what the hell to do next.She’d done enough damage to the people she cared about here.Had dragged Tristan into her mess, had nearly gotten Bristol arrested because of it.She didn’t want Tristan, Bristol or her mom pulled any deeper into this and wind up being collateral damage.
This whole situation was also seriously affecting her job and reputation within CPS.They’d been good to her.Gone above and beyond to help and protect her, try to shield her from all of this.
Now her toxic personal past was directly impacting everyone around her.She felt like her life was crumbling under her feet.Everything she’d built here was slipping away.People were talking.The town was small, and in spite of what Ivy said, everyone at CPS must be getting tired of the bullshit and drama by now.
Even Tristan, no matter how much he seemed to care about her.He and his family had already been through way too much to get to today.She didn’t want to bring them any more danger.
“Think, Cass.Slow down andthink.”
But there was only one solution she could find.
It seemed so unfair that she had to leave the place she’d come to love so much.Where the hell was she supposed to go if she left?And the thought of leaving Bristol gutted her.Bristol...and Tristan.
A sharp pain speared deep under her ribs.She winced, wrapped her arms around herself.
She was so deep in her misery she jumped when her doorbell pealed.Inwardly she groaned, considered ignoring whoever it was.When it rang again, she got up, was just leaving her room when she heard the front door unlocking.
“Honey?It’s just me.”
Her mother.
Cassie summoned the last of her inner strength.She didn’t want her to worry more.“Hi, Mom.”
Her mom stopped on the rug in the entryway, her gaze sweeping over her.“What’s wrong?”A demand, not a question.
Okay, so she was apparently shit at hiding her feelings.Her smile fell.She felt so alone.So lost.“It...There’ve been some developments in the investigation.”
Her mom frowned.“What is it?They can’t charge you with possessing drugs.That’s insane, and you said they caught the guy planting them on camera—”
“It’s not that.Well, it’s related to that.”She sighed, gestured to the couch.
Her mom perched on one end of it, watching her.She was about to turn seventy but looked a decade younger with her always elegant appearance, her neatly styled silver hair a striking contrast to her deep brown eyes.Eyes that were locked on Cassie in concern.“Go on.”
“They think it’s someone I testified against in Vegas.”
Her mother’s eyebrows pulled together in a deep frown.“A police officer?”
Cassie nodded.Wondered how much to say.
Her mom’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.“There’s something more you’re not telling me.”
She drew a deep breath.Let it out slowly.“They’re thinking it could be my ex.”
“Rob?”
She nodded, feeling sick with shame.How could she ever have loved him?
“No.”Her mom’s eyes widened.“He’s in prison.”
