Page 54 of Rockwell Academy: The Twist

As he heads off before I change my mind, I shrug into his cloak and pull on his mask, and prepare to deal with the problem that goes by the name of River Callahan.

25

CASSIE

I’m already exhausted and must resemble a hot mess, but as soon as I head into the house I can’t escape because Jack is waiting for me.

“Cassie.” He heads toward me with a worried frown.

“Where did you go?”

I’m conscious my hair is messed up with the dust and twigs from the riverbank, probably decorating the harlot style that I appear to favor since I met Frankie. I’m guessing my face is red and swollen from his brutal kisses and I must stink of his sexy fragrance.

It’s not exactly the look I was going for and I force a smile on my face.

“For a walk.”

“Are you okay?”

“Of course.”

I point toward the stairs. “Let me freshen up and I’ll meet you for a beer in the basement. Are the others still there?”

“Yes. They’re processing what happened tonight and are worried about you.I’mworried about you.”

My heart softens because I know he is. Jack is always there for me when I need him most and would deeply regret what happened back at the chamber.

“We’ll catch up when I shower. I won’t be long.”

I make to pass him, but he catches my hand and holds me back, a million emotions passing between us.

“I had no choice, Cassie.” His soft whisper betrays the hurt he is experiencing inside, and I smile softly.

“I know you didn’t and Jack–” I squeeze his hand. “I wanted you to choose Siri. It was the right thing to do.”

He frowns and I add, “We discussed this. We must let what happened between us lie. We are Cassie and Jack and will always be best friends. That relationship is sometimes confused for something more and perhaps one day it will be. But not at Rockwell. Not when we owe it to ourselves to see what the world has to offer. We’ve been sheltered against that for far too long already, and how will we discover if our feelings are genuine if we don’t experience them with anyone else?”

“Some would argue that you instantly know when you’ve met your match.”

His pained expression tugs on my heartstrings and he adds, “What happened to you back there cut me open and my heart is still bleeding. I could kill Frankie for what he put you through.”

“Not if I got there first.”

I grin, making light of our conversation because I’m fully aware of the lengths Jack would go to protect me. I am the same with him and I love that about us.

He whispers, “I still think about that night. I can’t stop.”

“Me too, Jack.” I heave a sigh. “I wanted it to be you. I always did and if there is unfinished business between us, we will come back to one another. But as I said before, you’re heading to the military and I am on a different career path. But we will alwayshave a home together and when the dust settles, it will reveal if our home will always be together.”

A sudden movement in the hallway distracts our attention and Jack drops my hand as Summer heads out of the kitchen.

“You’re back.” Her eyes widen as she approaches, and she appears angry.

“I could fucking kill my brother for what he did, but I’m not surprised. At least you got to see what he’s like before the semester really starts. You had a lucky escape.”

I shake my head. “Actually, nothing has changed.”

They stare at me in surprise as I shrug. “Frankie told me I am now free and if I want to carry on being his girl, it’s under my terms, not his.”

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