Page 27 of Coveting Catherine

“You can't stop her. Her friend is in trouble. They said horrible things to each other, and Kassie’s hurt and riddled with guilt. She won't stop until she makes up for her mistake,” Victoria argued.

“I may be unable to stop her, but I can stop you. I've called Ivan. He's on his way and gave me a message for you. He said to tell you to pray he calms down before he reaches the States.”

Victoria sat still as Chase handed her an ice pack and placed a fresh one on Kassie's head, who smartly didn't utter a word. “When you spoke with Ivan, did he laugh or stay silent?” Victoria asked.

“Funnily enough, he laughed when I told him. I assure you I didn't see the humor,” Chase griped.

Her eyes flared for a moment, and for once, Victoria didn't have a comeback.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Leo grabbed his phone as he heard the text ding. He slept in one of the bunks at the facility as he poured over all the intel Matthew collected concerning Ash. The million-dollar transfer from James Stanton confirmed Ash sold Kassie and Emma out. Leo held him responsible for risking the lives of Samantha and LJ. Matthew and Saint discovered the identities of the people following Catherine. The men held ties to Rahimi.

Matthew requested one more day to get everything nailed down, and the team prepared to confront Ash. Shadow and Taco kept watch and left an hourly report on Leo's phone. Over the last two days Ash rarely slept and paced more than usual. Saint and Taco stopped at Ash's home for a routine check-in and reported Ash as highly agitated and distracted. Leo hit the password and read through Shadow's updates when the phone chimed again. Another text appeared as he finished.

I need to speak with you. Urgent-Ash

Did he realize the team tracked him? It didn't matter. Leo anticipated confronting his former friend and traitor. He relished getting Catherine and Melody far away from his former teammate. Ash didn't deserve his family. He almost succeeded in ruining Kassie's life and condemning little innocent Emma to a life with James Stanton.

Not to mention how he aided in traumatizing LJ and Samantha. From the sounds of it, Samantha struggled with anxiety from the incident. Kassie sent Claire to talk to Samantha and Michael recommended a therapist for LJ. Then Samantha discovered Whiskey. Although his buddy remained tight-lipped over the situation between himself and his wife, Leo read between the lines.

Catherine disappeared when the team checked on Ash. She and Melody withdrew to another room. He followed her to and from work to ensure her safety and watched as Catherine carried Melody to bed. It angered him as he observed Ash stand by idly as she struggled with her bags and their daughter. Any self-respecting man would’ve met her at the car, brought his child in, and ensured she got in safely. Leo felt the green-eyed monster on his shoulder as he thought, they should be mine…

Catherine discreetly packed Melody's clothes in the backpack she took daily to school. She planned to hide it in the car and “forget” to bring it in. Catherine began carrying a large bag as a purse to keep from making Ash suspicious when she walked into the living room holding her regular items. She planted the cash and three sets of clothes in the bottom of her tote.

To her surprise, Ash left his customary spot in the living room. He usually stood watching out the window at the street. Over the last few days, Ash seemed to age before her eyes. His pacing increased. She caught him watching her and Melody when he didn't think she knew. She learned her lesson, and never let her guard down around him.

Catherine briefly wondered if he sat on the verge of a PTSD episode. She checked off his typical signs to determine if she needed to have a team member sit with him. No one deserved to deal with it on their own. Even after all he’d done, Catherine felt a shift in Ash, and although she immensely detested the man, she didn't wish PTSD on anyone.

Catherine walked to the kitchen to start pancakes for Melody when she noticed an unshaven Ash sitting at the kitchen table.

“Good morning. I'm making pancakes for breakfast. You didn't eat dinner last night. Do you feel up to trying some?” She attempted to make her voice sound normal, but when she got a glimpse of Ash, her inner gut warned her to run. He didn't make any threatening gestures or even come toward her. The man sitting at the table appeared haunted. Dark circles shadowed his red-rimmed eyes. His hair stood up on end, disheveled.

“Catherine, I need you to get Melody. Get in your car and go to Kassie's. Stay in traffic, and don't call anyone. I texted Leo. He’ll be here shortly. I'm sure they'll send someone from the team to retrieve you,” Ash quietly told her while he played with an empty shot glass in his hand. “I can't explain everything. I never meant for it to go this way.” Ash seemed tortured.

The ominous warning didn’t come as a complete shock as she felt the tension building over the last few days. She prayed it wouldn't interfere with her own plans. “Goodbye, Ash.” Catherine walked out of the room and hurriedly finished dressing her daughter. She didn’t bother to ask questions, after this afternoon, Melody and she would be free. Her stomach rolled at the thought. Her freedom came at a heavy cost. She would lose her friends, her mom, and…Leo. Tears threatened as she thought of never seeing him again. She already went through the stages of grief when they found out the team’s helicopter crashed in the Caspian.

She got in the car and backed out of the driveway. Catherine dismissed the idea of going to Kassie’s. Her anger toward her friend had dissipated, and she missed her terribly. Making up with Kassie seemed fruitless when in a few hours, she and Melody would board a flight and disappear. Fear formed in her stomach at the thought of what lay ahead for her and her daughter. Catherine let out a breath and sped up. She needed enough time to say goodbye to her mom, and head straight to the airport.

She turned the car toward Serenity. A lump formed in her throat the closer she got. Catherine steeled herself to keep from crying in front of her mom. Carol Reese never understood what happened between her and Ash. For years, Catherine let her mom believe she kept her distance because they stayed in touch with Leo, but she kept her distance out of fear of giving Ash more ammunition to use against her. Carol Reese jumped at the new beginning with her daughter after Ash supposedly died. Since Ash’s return, Carol started to suspect her daughter wasn’t telling the truth. If she suspected something now, she wouldn’t hesitate to call Kassie or Leo. She avoided his calls and texts knowing she’d chicken out…

Catherine pulled the car into Jake’s driveway and glanced at Samantha’s old house briefly. Guilt assailed her. Since the day of discovering their dead husbands were, in fact, alive, she forgot to check on her friend. Honestly, her head stayed embroiled in surviving Ash, and lashing out at Kassie and Leo. When she let the turmoil go, she worried about Kassie’s visit to the hospital.

She refused to let her mind dwell on Leo. She surrounded her heart in metal and threw away the key. She wiped him from her mind as quickly as he had done when he returned home. Derrick “Leo” Armstong was someone she used to know. Her plan didn't leave room for feelings or doubts. She needed to protect Melody first. A letter addressed to Leo lay in the front seat, her final confession, and warning him of Ash's threats to do him harm. She refrained from mentioning the words she longed to say to him.

She took a deep breath and smiled to hide the fear and dread she felt forming in the pit of her stomach. “Let's go say hello to Gram Carol. Maybe she has chocolate chip pancakes.”

“Yay. Can I see if LJ’s home? Maybe he wants to eat chocolate chip pancakes?” Melody innocently asked.

“No, Sweetie. Aunt Samantha and LJ aren't home. Maybe some other time.” Catherine helped her unbuckle, and Melody took off for the front door. Smiling, Catherine bent into the backseat to grab a coloring book and crayons to keep Melody occupied. Closing the car door, she turned and slammed right into Leo's chest.

“Catherine.”

She forgot to breathe. Her body struggled to keep from wrapping herself in Leo's arms and telling him everything.

He held out a cup of coffee to her. “Carol told me you called and were headed this way when I stopped to drop Jake's meds off for Chase,” Leo explained. “I stopped at Bryanna's and grabbed you a coffee. Don't try Jake's. It tastes like mud. Trust me.” A moment of panic flicked in his eyes, and he pushed the drink into her hand.

Trust him. If only Catherine practiced the concept from the beginning. She grasped the drink tightly. “I thought Ash said something about you coming to the house?” Catherine tasted the temperature of the coffee and noticed he added an ice cube. She always placed one in her coffee to drink it right away. She doubted Ash knew if she drank the stuff.

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