Entwined IN YOU (In You #2)

by Cassandra Night

  Entwined IN YOU

  Cassandra Night

  Contents

  Title page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Part III

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  PART IV

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Thank you note

  Acknowledgment

  About the Author

  Book#2, IN YOU series

  Entwined IN YOU (Book#2, IN YOU)

  Copyright © 2018 by Cassandra Night. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Disclaimer: This book contains mature content not suitable for those under the age of 18. It involves strong language and sexual situations.

  Editor: Jenn Wood @All About The Edits

  Formatter: Racheal Tonks @Affordable Formatting

  Cover Design: Danielle Dickson @Vixen Designs

  Proofreader: Nikki Brackett @Brackett Services

  Created with Vellum

  To my husband and my amazing boys, who inspire me to write and dream every day. I am grateful that you supported my dream and allowed me to grow. Thank you for doing everything for me while I am inside my head. I love you fiercely.

  And to my Grandma, a woman who introduced me to the magic of storytelling. Thank you for teaching me to dream and hope.

  Chapter 1

  A Waterfall of grief

  ~Cassandra~

  I stand on the soft, yet coarse moss with bare feet. My toes wiggle, trying to untangle from the green threads. A chilly gust of air tries to knock me down, urging me to walk somewhere. A shiver runs down my spine.

  The air is saturated with the promise of danger, and I’m afraid to make a sound. My head snaps towards the flock of birds flying above my head. The black cloud of crows arrests my heart, and I hold my chest, stalling my breath.

  Nature freezes too. Waiting.

  The whooshing sound propels me to find it. It’s a waterfall. In the pool, where the water gathers, is some sort of substance. The inky lines travel to the center like slithering snakes. The water breaks into many shades of blue and creates an abstract puzzle.

  The surface blurs the hidden image before I can grasp what it is. As I look around, I find the highest point and climb up to have a peek. Complete silence. Not even a breath. The shivers explode on my skin, but I continue to climb.

  I turn and then I see.

  Down below, the inky center is as if devoured by the snakes. Mesmerized, I study the picture from above, trying to understand what I am seeing.

  Only a moment later, I recognize what it is, and I gasp.

  It is an eye.

  The whooshing sounds from the waterfall are a trail of grief. Underneath the glass of water are concealed painful secrets, and the desolation is reflected in their depth.

  Echo of laughs and giggles reach me. I look around, but nothing is there.

  But then, some sort of image begins to form in the water. I look up, and in the skies, two children are playing with toy cars. They are stuck upside down. The younger boy raises a blue car as an older boy directs a truck to collide.

  The sound of a thousand screeching tires echoes, and then something big crashes into them.

  “Noooo!” I scream.

  My scream of terror shatters the vision. The big, sharp chunks fall down into the water. I spring from my position, trying to survive the blades. The debris is slicing me everywhere. Underwater, I see a little hand, torn, with the blue car trapped in it.

  “Please!!!” The older boy begs for my help. Before I can reach him, I start to sink as the water, like quicksand, sucks me in.

  “Noooooo!” I wake up screaming. My top is saturated with salty tears, and I panic. Rock-solid arms grab me and carry me away from the nightmare.

  Moments later, what feels like rain begins to pelt my skin. I shake, sobbing uncontrollably. Logan's voice brings me back, and I curl into his comforting embrace, relieved. He’s my safe harbor. His heartbeat is my anchor, and I count the thumps. Slowly, I rebuild my walls, keeping my sanity in check.

  “Look at me, Cassandra.” He raises my chin to meet his gaze. I am afraid for him to see me, so I fight. “Let me see you.”

  At his plea, I snap my eyes open, holding back the terror.

  His sharp green eyes are looking into my vulnerable ones, ensnaring me, and I watch them change. The warmth reflected in them immerses me in safety.

  “You are safe, you don’t need to hide anymore.” His throaty voice soothes me as he removes me from the shower. He gently dries and dresses me, before pulling me into his lap. Cocooned, safe and warm in his embrace, I press my face into him. Together, we watch the beautiful nature surrounding our home through the window.

  Chapter 2

  Tipping Point

  ~Cassandra~

  The disturbing dream still clings to me, as helpless tears stream down my cheeks. With the thoughts running like a fast track train, I look up at the tree standing near the clinic entrance.

  Someone comes up behind me, and I jump, startled.

  “Leif!” I hit him with my handbag so he won’t do it again. “You scared me! What are you doing here so early?” I wipe my cheeks with the back of my hand.

  “Thought I would find you before you go in there.” He looks at me, rubbing where I hit him, then waits for me to explain why I texted him yesterday.

  “Well, I don’t have enough time to speak to you right now.”

  “I can wait. I have my phone and this new game app I want to check out.” He shrugs nonchalantly and smiles, but he sees more than I want him to.

  “All right, but don’t blame me if it gets too boring.” I open the door and head inside.

  “What happened, Cassandra?” Laisa asks me as soon as I sit down.

  I look at her calm façade and decide it’s time for someone to know the truth. “These past two days have been very stressful. I had a few episodes I want to talk about. Laisa, I feel terrified of what they might mean.”

  “Start from the beginning,” she encourages.

  “Yesterday, I walked into the busy street. I saw my dead children playing on the road. Fortunately, I was only hit on the leg. Our kids were there with Logan, but he left them with a stranger to get to me.”

  The anguish pours from my chest as I tell her everything. “Am I too dangerous to be left alone with my kids? Every time I think I figure this out, the turns and twists tear my sanity apart.”

  She stays silent, waiting for me to continue. I swallow my dread and ask her what I need to know the most.

  “What are your observations about my condition? Do you think that I’m safe to be around?” How crazy have I become? Chasing ghosts of my past, tearing my home apart. I make the household nervous and misbalanced. “I’ve been in a depressive mood, anxious and hypersensitive about my children’s safety. Laisa, this isn’t normal, is it?”

  “We’ve ma
de great progress, Cassandra, don’t you doubt yourself.”

  “I feel like I’m missing something. I am lost, more than I was before. Perhaps I need to take the rest of the journey on my own.”

  “Space is not a bad thing, but your tendency to lock everyone out might cause you setbacks. You must have support.”

  As I leave the clinic, I realize Laisa never explained to me what she thought about my mental state, and it bothers me. I was too engrossed in telling her about yesterday.

  Later, Leif and I go for a walk, and he gets us coffees and blueberry muffins. Counting on his brotherly concern to help me set the plan in motion, I finally find the courage to ask for help.

  “Leif?

  “Hmm?”

  “Something happened yesterday, I …” I swallow few times, breathing through the dread in my chest. “I saw my dead children. I didn’t even realize that they might not be real, and I jumped into the street to get to them.” I look at him as my hands shake in distress, wanting him to understand the gravity of this situation. “Fortunately, Logan was with the twins. He had to leave them with a stranger, trying to get to me.”

  Pressure gathers under my eyes, and I want to let out all my fears in a torrent of screams. The nightmare of the previous night makes me more anxious about the signs I don’t understand.

  “What do you want me to do?” Leif carefully asks, not giving away much.

  “I need you to help me convince him to move to America and take the kids with him.” The shock on his face makes me nervous. “You told me when we met that you believe I’m not the best person for him. I am emotionally unavailable and unstable. And you are right, Leif. If they move to the States, I will have complete focus on my issues and healing. Help me. Please.”

  Leif rubs his face, thinking about my request, and then he locks his dark gaze on me.

  “You’re asking me to get in between you two again? Don’t you remember what happened last time? He will never have it, Kitten. I almost lost him because I dared to question your living arrangements. He cares about you.”

  “You want to tell me you don’t see my point? I don’t believe you, Leif. You saw me, you know how bad it can get.” I tremble, afraid of what else I’m capable of. “I failed my boys … I can’t fail these two as well. Please, help me. I must do the heavy lifting, get my life together. Logan should do what’s best for Liane and Leon.”

  “What will happen to you after we leave? Will you be able to live with yourself, Cassandra? You love them so damn much, it will kill you to give them away.”

  I have to find myself in that storm and build back the person who will be capable living a wholesome life.

  “I can’t drag them into this mess. Love is not only holding onto people with your hands, like shackles, but knowing that you love them enough to set them free. It hurts to sacrifice this time with them, but it must be done.” The fear of abandoning my kids makes me want to die. “I don’t want to break them with overwhelming experiences and unresolved issues bleeding into our lives, leaving destruction behind.”

  Leif embraces me and allows me to cry into his chest. “What do you want me to do? Logan won’t listen to me, you should lay the groundwork first.” A strange feeling of friendship and gratitude envelops me, giving me hope.

  Inhaling Leif’s scent, I struggle to speak and tell him I’ve done it already. It is now the matter of appealing to Logan’s paternal senses.

  “My brother won’t go down without a fight, you know that, right?”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  Since our night together, I feel Logan on my skin and taste him in my mouth. He’s wedged his essence into me and broken into my soul. Then he melted me into something vibrant, and I long to keep this energy. When I’m with him, I am stronger, alive … simply more. But his strong instinct to protect might ruin our family.

  I need to establish strength and skills to be able to face the world head-on. When Leif’s hand lands on my leg, I jump, and he grins. I punch his arm, and he rubs the spot.

  “Be careful, Cassandra. I won’t hesitate to get you back.” He warns me, grinning.

  “Bring it on, buddy! I still have your whips to break in.” I hear him chuckle as he jumps out of the car, and I smile. Leif’s intention to pull me back from my dark thoughts worked.

  We both walk in the house to find all the gang gathered in the kitchen. I pick up Liane as her little hands already stretch towards me. Pressing my little girl to me, I breathe her in as my heart fills with happiness. I stroke her hair, then kiss both eyelids while she grabs my hair with her tiny fist and tugs with unexpected strength.

  Little Leon grows very unhappy, so I pick him up, the frown deepening. Leon begins to look for milk, his tongue playing peekaboo.

  “He was restless, looking for your breast. Liane was more patient. We fed them, but they’ve been looking for you all this time.” Logan embraces my shoulders, kissing my temple as I walk to the corner sofa to get comfortable. I raise my top for Leon to find the treasure.

  Logan stands up, angling his body to cover me up, to not let anyone see me. My sisters don’t give a damn. “Don’t let that booby out of your mouth, boy.” Leon smiles, his eyes sparkling, as he resumes eating. I look down at him, taking in every part of him, creating a picture in my mind.

  “Are you finished, Leon?” Logan asks, a short while later. “Sister needs your momma too. Want to come to your daddy?” Leon starts to babble and kicks his legs, making his dad laugh.

  “Never gets old. How have you been?” Aisha studies my face, her tone inquiring, so I tell her to wait until we get a moment of privacy. But Raine is not relenting.

  “Have you had any other episodes like yesterday?” Her voice is so quiet, I almost don’t notice her speaking.

  “No, but I had nightmares. I went to therapy today.” I stop, not knowing how to tell her what I intend to do.

  “What are you going to do, Sandra?” She looks at me, purposely calling me by my old name.

  “I admit my mental health is too unpredictable. Maybe it’s time to make a decision that will change the situation for the better.” I lock my gaze with hers, trying to let her know I have a plan. Although she wants to say something more, we’re interrupted by Rider.

  Our time is coming to an end. The life ahead of us will be very different from this one. Logan’s possessive behavior worries me about our impending conversation.

  The truth is, I have strong feelings for him. The connection still blazes under my skin, urging my heart to join his. I can’t fail them by giving into this urge that makes me weak.

  We go for a walk to enjoy the beautiful evening. Our twins love our adventures. Calmly, they sit in their pushchair as we take them to the lake to enjoy the sunset.

  Such ambiance surrounds this place, making us both take a moment to appreciate the little secret tucked behind our garden. Logan's arms tug me against his chest, and he sets us on the ground with me between his legs. Our twins babble to each other as we sit.

  “What are you hiding from me, Angel?”

  Hopeless, I gaze into his vibrant eyes, pressing my forehead to his, already regretting what I’m about to do.

  Logan takes my lips in a sensual kiss. He feeds me his breath and then steals it back, stripping me of my defenses. Breathless, we look into each other’s eyes, with looming goodbyes hanging over our heads.

  I know I will have to break us, and it will change us forever.

  Chapter 3

  Caught in the spider net

  ~Cassandra~

  The twins and I are in the garden, playing. I buckle them in their swings and watch the emotions running across their faces change from joy to surprise, and then from fear to elation. I chuckle, thinking how magical this experience is for them as I answer my cell phone.

  “Hey, we’re at the door. You want to let us in?”

  We? Logan is at work at this time, so if Leif wants to talk, now is the best time for that. No one will interrupt us.

  “I left
it unlocked. Go ahead, we’re in the garden. I can’t come right now. Kids are fussing to get out of the swings.”

  Without a word, he hangs up on me. Unbelievable, this man has a degree in rude manners.

  Since the twins are getting bored, it’s time for Plan B. I have plenty of toys on the blanket further away from the swings, so I hope that will keep them busy for a while. Wow, they are getting heavy. As I struggle with the two wiggling worms in my arms, Leif rounds the corner.

  “Damn it, Night. Let me help. Those two are not easy to carry anymore. They are squirming, like they are trying to escape you.” He laughs at his niece and nephew, picking up Leon, who is the most determined to escape.

  “He looks just like Logan.” A warm timbre stops me in my tracks, sucking the oxygen from my lungs.

  I spin around to find an older version of Leif standing just a few feet away. The tearful expression on the man’s face is one of joy and pride. I press Liane to my chest as jealousy and fear of losing them awakens protective instincts. This is Senior Cade standing next to me, I realize. The powerful man’s threatening my balance. I look at Leif, who rolls his eyes, smirking at me.

  “Dad, meet Leon and Liane, and this is their fierce mother, Cassandra.”

  A pleasant smile appears on his face, and Mr. Cade raises his gaze to meet mine. I can feel his deliberate appraisal as the silence stretches between us. I wonder what Leif and Logan told him about me as I reach out my hand to shake his.