Page 72 of Vendetta

“Six adoptions so far, but there could always be more before the end of the event. Did you know that the majority of the people here didn’t even know that we had an animal shelter in town? The main goal today was to bring awareness. And coupled with your very convincing speech, I would say it has been an overall success. Olivia and TJ even adopted a kitten of their own, and I think Kaptan’s beginning to fall in love with that big ole rottweiler over there. Maverick, I believe.”

I turned to see Kaptan indeed leaning over Maverick’s pen, the dog braced up against the side to offer him kisses, nearly reaching Kaptan’s face with his massive size. That would be one intimidating pairing until people found out that Maverick was nothing but a big baby at heart.

“Let’s just say the house might be a bit of a madhouse for the next few days. But it’s a good thing we’ve got plenty of room.”

CHAPTER 37

LANDRY

The leaves on the trees around campus were growing back beautifully, enveloping the campus in rich greens as mid-afternoon sunlight shone through the branches.

My last class of the day had ended early, so I had decided to treat myself to an iced coffee on my way back to the dorms. As I stepped around the corner of the stairwell into our hall, I stopped dead in my tracks as I found Cashton sitting against the wall by our door.

“Cashton?” I asked, my heartrate picking up speed at the sight of him. I was beginning to think it was something that would never stop happening around him.

His head snapped up, eyes a deep green in the low lighting as he took me in.

“Hey princess. I was wondering when you would get home from class,” a cheeky smirk showed off a dimple, though his eyes didn’t match the sentiment. He looked… Tired.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

His smile fell slightly, as if he was just now remembering why he was here in the first place.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

My breathing stalled. Was he here to talk about us? We had yet to discuss everything that had transpired between us, and I wasn’t sure that I even knew what to think when it came to him. Seeming to read my mind, he quickly put a halt to my train of thought.

“Not… Not that. It’s not what you think.”

“Okay…”

I moved to unlock the door as he stood and followed me inside. I was far too aware of his presence at my back, the smell of cedarwood and mint driving my senses wild like it always did. Keeping my hands off of him while I was anywhere around this man was harder than I cared to admit.

Placing my backpack by the door, I made my way to one side of the marble island as he moved to stand across from me. My nerves were on high alert as I wracked my brain to think of what this could be about.

He cleared his throat, looking around hesitantly before starting.

“Do you remember the night you went to the Stoneview bonfire?”

Well, that was certainly not what I had expected.

“Yes?” I responded, my brain racing a million different directions.

“Do you remember what that one girl said as you were leaving?”

There had been so much going on that night, between what had happened with Cashton, and then the fact that I had physically assaulted someone. By the time it was done, my mind had been nothing but a jumbled blur. Seeming to realize this, Cashton continued.

“We didn’t have a choice. That’s what she said. And then on New Years’ Eve, your dad said that it should have been you—Not her.”

My mind came to a halt.

“How do you know what my dad said to me that night?” I asked, fearing that I already knew the answer. He only looked at me apologetically, his tone gentle.

“I had Kaptan pull the security footage from outside of your house. I needed to know what happened.”

Ice shot through my veins. Had he… I steeled myself before asking my next question, praying that he wouldn’t have gone that far.

“Did you… Did you kill my dad?”

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