Page 120 of Trapped With You

“And you went back to your room thinking I was going to be there.” My fingers turned to fists on my thighs. “Essentially, like me, she was just another pawn in a game none of us understand.”

“Exactly.”

A thought flitted into my mind and I paled. Cade said the men who attacked him were wearing Guy Fawkes masks. Just like the one who attacked mein Balthazar Building.

“Cade, what are the odds that the four masked men from that night are linked to the one from tonight?”

Surprised, he jerked back, blinking. “You think the one who pushed you down the stairs is one of the guys from that night.”

It wasn’t a question, rather a statement. We both didn’t believe in coincidences.

“Yes, I forgot to tell you earlier, but he also wore a Guy Fawkes mask. I’m not certain if it’s an actual Initiator. Maybe someone who snuck into the school and posed as one.”

Cade ran his tongue over his teeth. “And you said he had the same tattoo and watch as Kian Wilson?”

“Unless the piece of shit was magically resurrected from the dead…” I trailed off and Cade’s gaze rose to mine. “It’s not far-fetched to assume that tonight’s encounter and what happened over the summer are connected, right?”

If Kian Wilson had people who gave two fucks about him, it wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities that they’d want to avengehim a handful of days after his death. What better opportunity than the night of Josh’s party to get their revenge, when our guards were down and Cade and me least expected it?

“No.” Realization dawned upon Cade. “It’s not. It would actually make a lot of sense.”

“I thought we were discreet the night we, you know, butchered Kian like a pig for slaughter.”

“We were,” Cade said. “It was supposed to be a clean job. Kian had no family, no friends, and no lovers. Obviously, something was amiss. I’ll speak with Josh and Uncle Vance tomorrow. See if we can dig up some more information on him.”

That sounded like a good plan. “Okay, well, we should probably…”

Head outwas what I wanted to stay but stopped short. Right now, I wanted nothing more than to stay here, close to him. And based on the way he peered up at me, with softness and a hint expectant, I knew he wanted the same thing too.

“Ella.” He dragged his knuckles down my cheek in reverence. “I’m so sorry for everything that happened to you. I assumed you were angry and resentful because you thought I cheated on you. I had no idea it was because you were also pregnant and miscarried the same night. Fuck, I wish…I wish things were different. I would have wanted nothing more than to be by your side.”

I grabbed his hand and squeezed affectionately. “Let’s not dwell over the past anymore or comparing our sufferings. To be honest, I don’t really like to talk or think about this summer. After losing the baby and you, I turned into a shell of a person. There were many times where I drank and took drugs to numb myself. Until I snapped out of it and realized that wallowing in my misery wasn’t helping. I never told my parents what happened either. They just assumed I was devastated over our breakup. I figured it was better that they didn’t know the wholetruth.

“It took time, but I managed to pick up my broken pieces and glue myself back together. And you know what? I like the version I am today. Tougher, unyielding, and matured from the hardships. Please know that I’m not mad—especially after understanding what really happened—and I don’t have any ill will towards you. No more glancing backwards anymore. I just want to move forward, Cade.”

With you.

I didn’t say it out loud, but he heard the request between the lines.

With my words, I finally set us free from the shackles of our wretched past.

“No more glancing backwards.” He kissed my bandaged hand. “You would have made a wonderful mom, Ella.”

“You would have made a wonderful dad, too. The way you are with Livvy, I never had a doubt.”

Cade’s relationship with Olivia—his cousin slash adoptive sister now—was so wholesome. She still saw him as her primary caretaker, asking him to take her out for ice cream, play with her Barbies, read her stories, and braid her hair every night before bed. The latter was crucial. If anyone besides Cade braided Olivia’s hair, her shoulders sagged with sadness and she adopted the sweetest puppy expression.

“Thank you,” Cade mumbled. “For everything.”

I gulped when he traced his thumb to the divot at the base of my throat, silently reminding me where his necklace belonged. “The competition is probably over.”

“Fuck the competition,” he replied huskily, watching with stark hunger as I bit my bottom lip. “I only came for you.”

I mock-gasped. “You don’t say.”

His lips twitched in the barest smirk, soused in a cocktail of arrogance and cockiness. “Since we’re being honest, I should tellyou that Shaun switched my team number with Jamie Callahan so we could get paired together.”

“Oh, Shaun,” I deadpanned. “Our lord and saviour. What would we do without him?”