Part 28 (1/2)

Cilas' gaze comes to mine before he nods shortly and turns around. I know he won't go far; he wouldn't risk leaving Anna in her state. It doesn't matter if Hangar is dead or not. It's known that when the tyrant of any group is removed, there's always another one not far behind to take his place.

”Thank you for coming,” she tells me quietly as her head cranes up to meet my concerned stare. ”Do you have a minute?”

Checking the time, noting I don't have much of it to prepare for what's coming, I do as she asks and pull out a chair from the small table, positioning it in front of her.

”You look good,” I give her an honest compliment. ”Better than anyone could expect.”

”Viktor's unhappy I'm out of bed. My legs are fine, but he's insisting I shouldn't walk.”

”You shouldn't even be out of bed.”

She sighs and a small smile lights up her bruised face. ”There's only so long I could stand to lie there and try to forget what happened.”

”I'm sorry, Anna.”

Shaking her head, I visibly see she's willing the tears in her eyes not to fall. ”I don't want to discuss that.” Clearing her throat, she says, ”I asked Ci to find you because I wanted to thank you.”

”You don't owe me that.”

”I do. I owe you more than you think I do.”

”How's that?” I ask, leaning back and bracing myself for the unexpected. It's what being here has conditioned me to do.

”I knew about your sister,” she says, shocking me with her confession. ”I knew Viktor knew all about her, as well, and how he was playing you against Hoss. Viktor hates this place; I'll never understand why we're still here.”

”He loved his sister,” I remind her. Seeing as how Viktor's sister was also Hoss' dead wife, I could understand him being around the club, if only for the close proximity to family.

”He did, which is why I don't understand how he'd keep something so important from you about yours.”

”People have reasons to do what they do,” I counter. ”And even if you did know, it's not your place to apologize.”

Shaking her head, she winces in pain while she adjusts in her chair. ”I don't know how to say this...” She pauses, but quickly continues, ”Viktor isn't leaving Casey here with her mother when we go.”

”I knew this.” And I did all along. Viktor's reaction to Aimes' interest in Casey, especially after what happened to Anna, sealed it.

”He's taking her with us when we go. I wanted you to know.”

We're interrupted when I hear a female voice call her name from the back of the room.

Anna's focus moves toward the door and then she reaches over to me, still in pain, and places Casey's room key in my hand. ”Callie's here to help me today. Viktor said she's to be my driver.” She laughs, thumping the wheel of her chair with her good hand.

Smiling warmly at Anna, appreciating her ability to find humor in her sad predicament, I lean in and whisper quietly so Callie can't hear what I'm about to tell her. To any outsider, I'm showing her affection. To her listening, though, I'm giving specific instruction. ”Do as I'm about to tell you. Don't ask questions. Stay in your room this evening. The one near Casey's. It's important you do this for me, Anna.”

As I pull away, the look of sheer terror crosses Anna's features. Her mouth stays open and she doesn't confirm my instruction. Callie moves in closer and positions herself behind Anna, grabbing the handles of her chair.

”You ready?” Callie questions, not looking at me directly, but down to the crown of Anna's dark head.

”I want to go to my room,” Anna replies, which signals she got my point and is acting on it immediately.

Callie's eyebrows furrow in confusion and then her eyes finally come to mine. For the briefest moment, I'm taken back. Callie's look is soft, sincere, and thoughtful.

”Anna,” I call to her, looking down and reaching out for her uninjured hand. When she lifts it, I hold it in mine and squeeze gently, not caring if Callie's here to witness the exchange. ”Thank you.”

She doesn't respond further as Callie pushes her chair past me.

Chapter Thirty-Three.

I've learned it's easier to expect the unexpected.

Cilas stands near the door inside Casey's room, waiting for her to finish eating her dinner. She notices the added tension around his eyes, but he's looking at her with a calm consideration she doesn't recall him ever having before.

What puzzles her the most is that when he showed up just a few minutes ago, he didn't immediately turn to leave. He never stays for long, yet for some reason tonight he has.

The emotional confidence and strength she's gained since her talk with Max regarding her Aunt Emma, has encouraged Casey to be more vocal, even in Cilas' company. She realizes that with the power of the man he is, Cilas probably has learned to practice his patience while having her around.

”Do you want some?” she asks him, half-smiling and with a new sense of sarcasm she's learned from Anna when she'd spoken to Cilas all those times before.

Shaking his head, he remains unmoving. His hands stay clasped together in front of him as he stays in place.

”I draw,” she tells Cilas. ”Did you know that?”

Cilas nods this time. She knew the answer before asking, being that he and Anna are the ones who bring in her supplies.

”You want to see what I drew today?” she inquires, reaching over to the other side of her desk and s.h.i.+fting through the many pages to find the one she made specifically for him.

He doesn't walk toward her, but rather narrows his eyes at her question.

Casey sighs quietly to herself as she stands and lifts her hand holding the picture for him to take. Surprisingly to her, he does. His eyes narrow again as he glosses over the picture of his face she drew. The scar over his eyelid and cheek is faded and his eyes are drawn to be s.h.i.+ning. He doesn't study it long before handing it back over to her. When he does, Casey is forced to take a step back, but not from fear.

From shock.

Cilas is smiling.

It's not a full-on, happy grin, but it's something she's never seen from him regardless.

Pleased with his reaction, Casey goes back, puts the picture down, and sits at her desk to resume her meal.

Not one second after her brief internal celebration, she's jostled in her seat by the terrifying feel and sound of an explosion somewhere not far away.