One Wild Night

Later that night as Andy lay in bed after Mira and the housekeeper had gone to sleep, she sighed as she thought about all that had happened during the day.

After their encounter in his bedroom earlier that day, she had barely been able to spend a moment alone with him to talk.

He had left the house on a stroll with Maribel before she finished freshening up, and after they had returned some time later after she had breakfast, he had given her a sheet of paper and pen to write down what she wanted to say to Candace, and give it to him so he could send the text himself.

She had wanted to argue with him and fight over it, but she had been unable to do that. Not when Maribel had been looking up at her innocently while the housekeeper had been busy glaring at her.

She was very certain that Cassidy had done that deliberately. The calculating bastard had made sure he did that in the presence of his daughter and housekeeper because he knew she wouldn’t want to fight with him in front of them.

After she wrote down the text, Cassidy had disappeared, and the housekeeper had left to get some groceries. leaving her to spend the rest of the day getting to know the little girl. 

She couldn’t help wondering if Candace had received her text since she was yet to see Cassidy to ask him. 

Although Cassidy had assured her that Candace would get the text, she wasn’t sure she entirely trusted him.

She sighed as her thoughts drifted to Candace and she sat up in her bed.

How was Candace doing? How was her little Jam doing? Was Jero truly dead as Cassidy had said? Had the case been resolved now? Was Candace now dating Matt? Andy mused with a smile.

She knew for a fact that Candace liked Matt a lot, and she thought it would be a shame if Candace didn’t give the guy a chance simply because he was a celebrity.

She hoped they were dating. She liked Matt. The dude was attractive, had a good sense of humor, and was wealthy. And most importantly, he seemed to like Candace a lot. It would be Candace’a loss if she let go of someone like that.

She really hoped Candace was happy and having fun with Matt, and not having a hard time. That was what she wanted for Candace.

She paused when she heard footsteps down the hall and soon Cassidy’s bedroom door opened and he closed as he walked in.

So, he was back from wherever he had disappeared to all day, she thought with a scowl. Must be nice to be the man of the house, going and coming as he pleased she thought dryly.

The man was a mystery to her, and even though she didn’t care about him and neither was she curious to know him beyond all she already knew, she couldn’t help it.

In order to plan her escape, she needed to get to know her captor. She needed to befriend him. Seduce him if need be, to let down his guard so she could be able to run away.

Although she wasn’t in cuffs, tied to a chain, or locked up in a room, but her situation wasn’t far different from one whose hands were tied.

What was the point of being able to move around easily if she was stranded? They were on an island and even if she managed to sneak out of the house, there was no ship to take her out of the island.

She wasn’t certain yet what the relationship was between Cassidy and the other residents of the Island, else she would have gone out to inform them she had been kidnapped and asked for their help to escape, but she couldn’t risk it. At least not yet.

It would take some time, but she was going to have to befriend both Alex and most of the people on the Island.

That was the only way she would know how to leave. Perhaps a ship came by to drop grocery and supplies for them from time to time. Or maybe they had a special way of transportation out of the island.

Whatever it was, she was going to find out.

Her gaze shifted to the interconnected door when she heard movements inside Cassidy’s bedroom, and she paused to listen.

A moment later she heard his bedroom door open and close gently and she got out of bed.

Where was he going to at this time of the night when he had only just returned a moment ago? She mused as she got out of bed.

She was going to have to follow him discreetly and find out what he was up to.

Thankfully she was still dressed in the tshirt and jeans she had been wearing all day, so she tried to be as noiseless as possible as she unlocked her bedroom door and tiptoed to the living room.

Because most of the lights in the house had been switched off save for the light in the hallway, Andy was able to make her way into the living room, and once she got there, she headed for the door, naturally assuming that Cassidy had gone out.

Cassidy who was seated in the dark sipping from a glass of whiskey watched silently as she made her way towards the door, and before she could reach for the knob, he raised a brow.

“Trying to run away?” He asked, startling Andy who spun around in surprise.

Instead of looking like a thief who had been caught in the act or admitting she had only been trying to follow him, Andy raised her chin as she met his gaze.

“What if I am?” She challenged, but Cassidy said nothing as he merely remained where he sat watching her over the rim of his whiskey glass. 𝒐𝗏𝓵xt.𝗇𝓔t

When she didn’t get a response, she stepped towards to him, “Were you keeping watch over the door because you thought I was going to try to escape?” She asked suspiciously.

Cassidy sighed as he set his glass down and massaged his temple, “Sneaking around doesn’t suit you. Can you please sit down?” He asked calmly, and Andy being the reasonable person she was, and seeing no reason to argue over it sat down.

“Did you get my message to my sister? Did she send a response?” Andy asked as she tried to squint so she could get a better view of his face.

“She received the text, but she can’t text back,” Cassidy said, and Andy rose to lash out at him angrily, but he raised a finger to stop her.

“We don’t always have to fight or argue. If you want an explanation, you will get one. But don’t yell and just listen first,” he said and even though Andy was itching to speak she sat still and waited for him.

“The text was sent in a way that the number can never be traced back. I can’t be sure that her phone is safe. Someone could be monitoring her phone to see if she would hear from you or anything. I can’t be entirely sure that they bought the yacht’s explosion and believe I’m dead,” Cassidy said, and Andy raised a brow.

“If everything went as you planned and they’ve all been arrested, what are you scared of? They’re all locked up…”

“Their families were not arrested. The cartel lords might have been arrested but some of their sons could want to look deeper into my involvement and death. I’m trying to be sure it’s safe. I need it all to die down and for them to forget about me,” Cassidy explained, and Andy shook her head in confusion.

“I don’t understand. Why did you choose to get involved in all of this if you were going to betray them anyway? If you’re going to always have to live this way you should have just remained there since you’re just like them…”

“I’m nothing like them. I’d rather live this way than be a part of them,” Cassidy spat out bitterly and Andy’s brows pulled together in confusion.

“Well, when can I speak with my sister then? I have to talk to her,” Andy said instead of asking why he had sounded so bitter.

“I will let you know when I believe it’s safe,” Cassidy said and Andy shook her head.

“So, how am I supposed to know she is fine? I need to know how they are doing!” Andy insisted and Cassidy picked up his glass and drank from it.

“You might end up jeopardizing their safety if you keep contacting her. Your sister and nephew are safe at the moment. They are currently in Ludus, living with Harry Jonas, the lawyer’s boyfriend…”

“Why would she be living with the Lawyer’s boyfriend? And how do you know that? Andy asked in confusion.

“I don’t know the exact details yet, but she looks like she is doing okay,” Cassidy said as he rose and Andy watched, wondering why he was leaving.

He walked down the hallway and went into his bedroom and just when she thought their conversation was over and he had left, he returned to the living room holding an envelope.

He turned on the light in the living room,”I was going to give this to you in the morning,” he said dropping the envelope on her lap as he returned to his seat.

Andy opened the envelope and took out the pictures inside. She blinked back tears when she saw several pictures of Candace at different times.

“I thought you would be worried and want to know how she was doing so I asked my men to keep an eye on her. I couldn’t get across to them or access their messages until we arrived. From what I gathered, she returned to Ludus with the lawyer lady after Jero’s death. She doesn’t move around much, so it took some time for them to find out where she was, but by following the movements of the lawyer lady and her boyfriend they were able to locate her,” Cassidy explained as Andy pored over the pictures.

There were a couple of photos of Candace. She was walking into I-Global company with Harry, and another of her and Jade walking into a boutique and coming out with Candace dressed in her new classy clothes.

“She looks so beautiful. The clothes look so good on her,” Andy murmured to herself as she brushed her tears from her cheeks.

And then there was another picture of Candace seated in Harry’s car and crying when she received Andy’s text.

“This was sent earlier today. I believe it was around the time she got your text,” Cassidy said when he noticed she was staring at that particular picture.

“I don’t think you have to worry much about her. My men observed that she was being followed. It seems they’re still trying to protect her,” Cassidy said, but Andy said nothing.

Andy smiled when she saw a picture of someone getting into the car and she didn’t need to take a closer look to know it was Matt. The fact that he was covering his face like a celebrity made her certain he was the one

Did this mean that things was going smoothly between them as she hoped? Andy mused with a smile.

She picked up the last picture, and her smile widened when she saw a picture of Candace walking down the red carpet in the company of Harry and the others.

“She looks like she was made for the red carpet,” Andy whispered softly, while Cassidy watched her with interest.

“That was captured earlier tonight, at the anniversary dinner party of I-Global,” Cassidy explained and Andy looked up at him.

“Who are these people?” Andy asked as she looked down at Tom, Lucy, and the others who she didn’t recognize.

The only people she recognized there was Jade, who she knew personally as their lawyer. Seeing how Harry was holding Jade and Candace, she suspected Harry was Jade’s boyfriend who she had heard about but had never seen. She also recognized Bryan who she knew was an actor and Matt’s best friend, and Sonia who she recognized as a result of their engagement scandal . She had met them before after all when her and Candace had given the couple a lap dance in the past.

Cassidy pointed out the others to her and explained who each of them was based on the information he had received.

“So, they’re all a family then,” Andy said upon hearing about Tom’s, Bryan’s, and Jade’s relationship as well as how Harry was Tom’s best friend and Jade’s boyfriend, and how Sonia and Lucy were best friends dating the two brothers.

“Yes. Thomas and Harry co-own I-Global,” Cassidy added, and Andy nodded.

“Why are there no photos of Jamal?” Andy asked, and he shook his head.

“They haven’t been able to get one. When they do, you will get it,” Cassidy promised her.

Andy sighed, “I guess they are surrounded by people who can take care of them,” Andy said, thinking she could at least worry less about Candace and Jamal now.

As long as they were fine and she was sure they knew she was okay too, then she could endure being away from them for a while.

“Yes. That is why I think you shouldn’t worry too much. Please be patient,” Cassidy said and Andy held his gaze for a moment.

“Why does everyone around here call you Alex?” She asked, changing the subject abruptly.

“Because that is my name. Cassidy is my birth name but I changed my name to Alex after I left home for college. I didn’t want to be associated with my father or his business,” Cassidy said simply and rose before she could ask him any other questions.

“Why?” Andy asked regardless.

“I don’t think we can get into that tonight. You should get some sleep,” Cassidy said as he turned off the light, letting her know he was done talking.

Andy looked down at the photos on her lap and gathered them together and put them in the envelope as she rose.

Neither of them said a word as they walked down the passageway to their bedrooms, and once she got to her bedroom door she paused to look at him as he continued down to his, “Cas?” She called, and he turned to look at her.

“Thanks for these,” she said, raising the envelope, and he gave her a nod.

As she turned to walk into her bedroom he stopped her, “Andy?”

She turned to look at him once again, “You don’t have to try to escape or do anything to endanger yourself. When I’m certain everything is settled, I will let you go if you still want to,” he promised before walking away.

Andy sighed as she walked into her bedroom and shut the door behind her. What did he mean if she still wanted to? Why wouldn’t she want to get away from this place?