Redemption (28 page)

When Bryan walked through the door of Pages, he was hit with a mix of conflicting emotions and memories. Seeing the store for the first time with Miranda. Bringing her the picture that Jerry had put on his car, filled with excitement at the idea he’d had for catching him. Watching her with Derek as he turned to leave...alone.

And now...utter confusion regarding what had happened there that day.

The icy chill that permeated the building rivaled the air conditioning that was needed in summer; and it was all due to the two women who’d positioned themselves on opposite ends, occasionally glaring at one another, certainly not speaking. Miranda was pouting, alternately sighing and pushing her hair from one shoulder to the other. He was familiar with that scene. Cassidy’s eyes blazed with righteous anger as she somewhat violently stuffed books onto the shelves.

Bryan muttered a curse. What had Miranda done
now
?

“Cass,” he said walking up to her, “you ready to go?”

“Definitely.” She turned to Miranda. “Thanks for the orientation. I think I know all I need to.”

Miranda raised a brow again but said nothing. Instead she turned her attention to Bryan. “Hi, Bryan,” she crooned. “It’s good to see
you
again.”

“Maybe in another lifetime, Miranda,” he said and reached for Cassidy’s hand. “Say hi to Super Cop for me.”

Cassidy laughed softly as they left the store.

 

Mara watched from a darkened corner. It seemed that she was always in the darkness these days. She frowned. She was made for the light. The girl was getting better, and Bryan was falling deeper and deeper under her spell. Drastic measures were necessary. She’d have to reclaim him, appear, make him remember why they belonged together. Make him remember why he belonged to
her
.

Make him want her again.

He needed to want her, otherwise, there would be no possibility for Mara’s success. From somewhere behind her, she heard Rhys snicker. So, he was enjoying the prospect of her failure. But why? What did he have to gain from any of this? Perhaps he was intentionally trying to make her look bad in front of Lucifer. Mara snarled. Not happening. She flicked her hand backward, sending a jolt of energy in the general direction of all things Rhys. The muttered swearing that followed gave her great satisfaction and brought a wicked smile to her lips.

Until she realized that she’d fallen behind, and the mortals were getting away from her.

Mara quickened her pace and walked cautiously behind them, unwilling to alert Bryan to her presence until the perfect time. He and the girl could have one more afternoon together. As of tonight, Bryan would be hers again.

D
ress shops were not Bryan’s place of choice when it came to passing the afternoon. In fact, he hadn’t ever been in one as far as he could recall. But there was something about seeing Cassidy in a strapless blue satin ball gown that made him willing to spend an entire day there. Or longer. The color made her shine, illuminating her blonde hair and bright, blue eyes. Bryan felt something inside of him tighten at the sight of her. He needed her more than he’d ever needed anyone.

She twirled in front of him. “Well? What do you think?”

“I think,” he began, speaking slowly, “that Carrie is going to hate you in that dress.” He smirked.

Cassidy loved when he did that. “It’s wrong of me to be happy about that, isn’t it?”

Bryan stood and walked toward her. “Oh, I don’t think so.” He had to touch her, be near her. Lifting her arms and wrapping them around his neck, then, placing his hands on her hips, he lowered his face so it was inches from hers. “I know it’s her day, but there won’t be anyone there who will look more beautiful than you, Cass. No one.”

Cassidy tilted her head and scrunched her nose, indicating her disbelief. “I’m not so sure about that,” she said.

Years of living in her cousin’s shadow, of being the cute kid instead of the beauty queen, were making his claims hard to fully believe. And he was a charmer. And she was a fixer. And he was the one she now knew she’d always been trying find, in every relationship, every guy she dated. It had always been him.

She’d been trying to rescue him her whole life.

And being this close to him was making her insides do weird flip-floppy sorts of things. It was completely distracting.

His eyes sparkled as he looked down at her. “I am,” Bryan replied, bending his face to hers he kissed her, gently, teasingly.

“Yeah, well, you’re biased,” she said, smiling up at him. “Give me a minute to get changed, then we’ll head over to the church.”

A long sigh escaped Bryan’s body. There was something wonderful about being with Cassidy that he still couldn’t explain. Yet being in that building, that church...he’d rather fast forward to the rest of the day he had planned. He didn’t like the way going there made him feel. Judged. Guilty. Angry.

He felt those things every, single day on his own. He didn’t need God or His people contributing.

He isn’t judging you. He’s waiting for you,
Bastion whispered.

That voice was back again. Bryan swore under his breath. So it wasn’t just his hungover mind imagining things. After not hearing anything for the past few days, he hoped he’d imagined it all. He frowned, no such luck. What did it mean that he was still hearing some voice in his head? Whatever it might mean, he knew one thing. Cassidy could not find out. There was no way she’d want to stick around for some crazy guy who heard voices.

In moments she returned, dressed again in her jeans, sweater, and boots. Bryan realized, as he held her coat for her, that it wouldn’t matter to him what she wore, where they were, or who was there. In his eyes, no one could compare to Cassidy, not now, not ever. He pulled the front of her coat closed and kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes. He didn’t just need her. He didn’t just want her. He loved her.

And it terrified him. Acknowledging that depth of feeling made him vulnerable. The last time he’d dared hope at love, his heart had been torn to shreds, and he’d been cast aside. Sure, Cassidy cared for him, was attracted to him, but could she ever love him? He wasn’t sure. And he was afraid to find out.

Bryan began to wonder if he should’ve told her how he felt. Opening himself up to her, allowing for the possibility of more heartache, maybe he’d been a fool.

“What’s going on inside your head?” she asked, eyes focused intently on him.

His well-rehearsed smile spread across his face. “Inside my head? Cass, that’s a scary place. You really don’t want to know.” He winked.

She narrowed her eyes again and pressed her lips together. “Hmmm.”

Cassidy picked up her gown and walked toward the counter. Bryan had many secrets and even more layers to peel away. She knew she’d have to be patient with him; she’d have to prove that she wasn’t like the rest of the women who’d left him feeling so empty.

She’d have to show him that she truly wasn’t Miranda.

 

Bastion watched Cassidy and Bryan interact. He marveled at this mortal feeling of love. It was the most powerful force on earth, yet they so often wasted it. Squandered it. Hurt one another with it, or for it. He shook his head. None of that made any sense.

The love the Maker had for His children motivated Him to send the Son to take their place. They had access to this love. Why wouldn’t they want it? He couldn’t understand.

He tilted his head to the side as he contemplated the situation before him. Bryan, a barely-there-shell-of-a-man had managed to win the heart of a woman of Cassidy’s caliber. He tried to see him with the eyes of a human woman. What
did
Cassidy see when she looked at Bryan?

Handsome, clearly.

Charming, always.

Talented, without a doubt.

Broken, obviously.

Dangerous, yet irresistible.

Worth redeeming, definitely.

She’s more than you deserve, and you know it,
he thought.

“You’re right,” Luscid said, appearing beside Bastion. “But He has designed love to work that way. It’s not about deserving one another, or earning the right to be with one another. It’s about the unconditional. She sees beyond the mess, Bastion. I could point out that it’s the same struggle you have with another.”

“There’s no struggle there, Brother. I’ll take her out if I have to.” Bastion frowned at the thinly veiled reference to Mara.

“I know you will,” Luscid continued, “but it won’t be easy for you.” He placed a hand on Bastion’s shoulder. “I can understand that. After all these years with Cassidy, I’ve learned many things. You’re not alone in this, remember that.”

“She’s here, Lu. She’s coming for him, and she needs to be stopped.”

“We’ll stop her. Together. We’ll stop both her and Rhys.” Luscid’s eyes shone for a moment, and then he calmed himself. “Cassidy and Bryan will come out of this unharmed.”

Bastion’s eyes returned to where the two mortals stood, Cassidy’s head thrown back, laughing at something Bryan had just told her, one hand on his arm. It wasn’t going to be easy, but they had to do everything within their power to win.

 

The church secretary seemed like every smiling Christian critic Bryan had ever met. He easily charmed her with nothing more than a smile, and in no time he and Cassidy were wandering through the empty sanctuary. He watched her as she walked the aisle, the sunlight streaming through the stained glass, casting shadows and colors across the room and her face. Her expression was one of complete peace, total serenity; Bryan had never known that feeling. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, smiling as though hearing a voice that spoke only to her ears, or perhaps only to her heart.

He picked up his camera and began taking pictures.

“What are you doing?” Cassidy asked. She froze mid-step, suddenly feeling a bit self conscious. She’d never liked having her picture taken.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Bryan replied, continuing to snap photos.

Cassidy shook her head. “I thought you were here to get an idea of what you wanted to do to get the best pictures.” She placed one hand on her hip.

“They’re not getting much better than these, Cass.” He grinned at seeing her blush.

Bryan lowered the camera and as their eyes met, her entire body tingled. Yeah, she was in trouble. Big trouble. He was leaving at the end of the week, and she was staying in New Jersey. In a few days, Bryan would be thousands of miles away.

Question: What had she been thinking?

Answer: Clearly, thinking had nothing to do with any of this.

She wasn’t impulsive. She thought things through, weighed both sides of every issue or situation. There was just
something
about Bryan Roemer that defied all of her typical logic.

That’s because love and logic do not coexist,
Luscid’s voice whispered to her.

I won’t say love, Lu. I’m not sure there’s been enough time to say that,
she thought in response
.