The Forgotten Night (14 page)

“I need you, Andy,” she rasped.

“Oh yeah?” he said huskily.

“Yes,” she moaned as he thrust into her. His hands were on her hips, moving her downward to meet his thrust.

Cassidy moaned and cried out, “Harder baby, more.”

He thrust into her a couple more times as their lips and bodies connected passionately. They both groaned into each other as they climaxed together. After a few moments, Cassidy rested her head on his shoulder, panting.

Andrew slid her down his body and planted her on her feet. “Fuck,” he breathed.

“I believe that’s just what we did.” She smiled as he laughed.

“Should we finish what we started?” he asked, grabbing the soap from the ledge it sat on.

Cassidy nodded.

It didn’t take long before they turned the faucet off. Cassidy grabbed the towel she hung up and wrapped it around her body as Andrew did the same. They stepped out of the shower and without a word to the other began to dry off. Andrew handed her the clothes that were hanging on the other side of the bathroom while Cassidy handed Andrew the clothes he had set down. Cassidy stood in front of the mirror, brushing her hair after she had changed and Andrew came up behind her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. “I love you,” he murmured.

“I love you too, and if you don’t stop that we’re going to be out of the clothes we just put on.” She smiled.

“I wouldn’t mind,” he said.

“I think Rachel would, she’s probably downstairs.”

Andrew groaned and let go of her. They walked out of the bathroom and into his room.

“Come on, no more stalling,” Cassidy said and held out her hand. Andrew took it and walked with Cassidy downstairs into the kitchen.

“Finally,” Rachel let out an exasperated sigh. “I thought you would never come down. You were in that shower forever. You know what? Don’t tell me. I don’t need to know that,” she said, passing them their cereal bowels and the milk.

It was a couple of hours later when they heard someone at the front door. They couldn’t make out voices, but seconds later Roger appeared at the doorway. “Master Andrew, Mr. Sinclair is waiting in the study. He would like to talk with you and Miss Cassidy.”

“Thanks, Rog, we’ll be right there,” Andrew said. Daniel Sinclair was the family lawyer and had been making sure that Robert was prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

“Can I come?” Rachel asked and Cassidy nodded. They stood up and walked into the study.

“Daniel, it’s good to hear back from you,” Andrew said, shaking the man’s hand. “I thought you would just call.”

“I decided to come in person. Mr. Ames said that Cassidy would be over here,” he said, looking over at Cassidy, who had taken a seat next to Andrew with Rachel on her other side.

“So what’s happened?” Cassidy asked.

“Well, it took a few weeks, but I finally got this Robert Stokes to accept a plea bargain.”

“What’s he going to get?” Andrew asked.

“With the threat of the Ames family and the Winbright family fighting against him, he finally accepted my terms. Five years, no chance of probation and after that two years of psychiatric evaluation and therapy. There is a restraining order against him that should be effective for seven years.”

Andrew looked over at Cassidy and took her hand in his. “Are you okay with that, baby?”

Cassidy nodded and smiled up at Andrew.

“Thank you, Mr. Sinclair,” Cassidy said.

“Please call me Daniel, only your father calls me Mr. Sinclair,” he said with a quick grin down at Cassidy.

“Well, thank you, Daniel. There’s nothing I have to do, right?” she asked.

“No, I can pretty much handle it from here since we’re not taking this to court,” Daniel said.

They stood up and walked him to the door. “Thanks, Daniel,” Andrew said, shaking the man’s hand.

“I’m glad that’s over,” Cassidy said, hugging Andrew after they shut the front door.

“Me too,” Andrew said, kissing the top of her head.

Chapter Nine

“I
’m glad we decided to do this,” Rachel said as she cuddled into the covers on Cassidy’s bed.

“Even though we live together in the city?” Cassidy asked as she too burrowed into the covers.

“Well, you are always off in the library, and you’re too busy for me. The only time I ever see you is in the mornings just as you’re about to leave.”

“Fine, you were right, it was a good idea. Now shut up so I can get some sleep. I’m tired from all the night’s activities and staying up talking to you.”

“You’re just annoyed because you couldn’t spend your last night at home in Drew’s bed.”

“Rach! I can’t believe you would—”

“I know you were thinking it. It’s okay, you two love each other and it’s only been your third week together. And now you’ll be separated by a very long drive and not just around the corner from each other. You’re wondering when you’ll see him again, when you’ll sleep with him again—”

“All right, enough, let’s just go to bed,” she yawned. “I’ll see Andy in the morning before we leave.”

Rachel smiled. “Good night, sis.”

Cassidy sniggered. “Night, sis.”

It wasn’t long before Cassidy heard Rachel’s soft snores next to her. They had decided to have a girl’s night at Cassidy’s. They had gone over earlier to pack her things and chose to stay the night.

Cassidy couldn’t sleep, because she was already so used to being with Andrew. She wasn’t sure what she would do when they left the following day. She would be alone in Manhattan with Rachel while Andrew would be in his Yale graduate apartment. It had been three wonderful weeks and still they couldn’t get enough of each other.

As Cassidy lay in her bed thinking about Andrew, she heard soft taps on her window every so often. Slowly she climbed out of bed and walked over to the window. She pulled back the curtains and saw Andrew standing in the yard below.

She held up her hands for him to wait. She slipped on her shoes and quietly made her way out of her room and down the stairs. She disarmed the alarm and walked outside.

“Andy!” she whispered, walking around the corner. Her arm was yanked and she fell into Andrew’s arms.

He found her lips and kissed her ardently. “I can’t believe my sister roped you into a ‘girl’s’ night,” he breathed as he held her in a tight embrace. “Does she realize that we part tomorrow?”

“I tried to tell her, but she told me to get over it.” Cassidy smiled. “I’m going to miss you.”

“Me too, baby. I’m going to call and every chance I get I’ll come visit,” he said, looking down at her.

“You’re a second-year law student, Andy. You’ll be busy. I don’t want you to fall behind because of me.”

“Cassie, I would fall behind if I didn’t get to see you. You’re my rock, I need you. You’ll keep me going. I love you, Cassie.”

“I love you too, Andy,” she said and kissed him softly.

“Come back over and stay with me tonight,” he urged.

“I can’t, Andy, it would look a little weird if only Rachel came downstairs tomorrow morning,” she said.

“You still haven’t told your dad?” Andrew asked.

Cassidy looked down at her feet. “He’s really protective. He likes you, don’t get me wrong, but we just got through the whole Robert thing. He’s pretty much against me dating anyone for the next century.”

Andrew lifted her face up. “It’s okay, baby. I understand. We can keep it a secret for now, but you have to know we’re going to tell him someday,” he said, kissing her. “Before I forget and get lost in kissing you, I got you something,” he said, reaching into his pocket.

“What is it?” Cassidy asked.

Andrew opened his palm and pulled out a necklace. “I thought it was time I bought you a new necklace, something that means more than just something I gave you our first Christmas.”

“I like that necklace, it meant something to me,” Cassidy said.

“It meant something to me too, but I figured this time when you wear this one you will know how much I love you.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “Though a bit obvious, don’t you think?” she asked as she looked down at the white gold necklace with a simple letter ‘A’ dangling from the chain with a simple sapphire embedded in it.

“‘A’ is for Ames.”

“Or Andy.” Cassidy smiled.

“And the sapphire is your birthstone, however it also symbolizes trust and loyalty.”

“I love it, Andy.” She kissed him softly before turning around and lifting her hair. He brought the necklace around and fastened the clip. Cassidy turned back to him and grabbed his shirtfront, bringing him closer and placed her lips on his, tasting him and kissing him hungrily.

* * *

Rachel stirred in her sleep and felt Cassidy slip out of the bed and walk out of the room. She got up and walked over to the window and looked out to see her brother standing in the yard waiting for Cassidy.

“So much for girl’s night,” she said, smiling.

She didn’t mind. Andrew and Cassidy were completely head over heels in love with each other and Rachel could see that. She loved them both and wanted the best for them. Rachel sighed and climbed back into bed, wrapping the blankets around her protectively.

As she began to drift off to sleep, Cassidy’s phone went off, and Rachel bolted out of bed. She grabbed the cell phone off the table and looked down at the number.
Private
.

Rachel silenced the phone call and rolled over. The phone beeped a couple seconds later, alerting her of a new voicemail. Rachel looked over at the clock by the lamp. Who would be calling at two o’clock?

Cassidy’s bedroom door opened slowly and Rachel looked at the silhouette who entered the room, too large to be Cassidy, but too small to be Andrew or Cassidy’s father. Rachel had a sinking feeling suddenly as the silhouette began to advance toward her.

With the curtains pulled back, she could make out the person’s features as he neared her. She gasped as she realized it was Robert who had entered the room. What was he doing here? She thought he was in jail?

As Robert walked next to the bed, Rachel kicked back the covers, hitting Robert in the process. He grunted and fell to the floor as Rachel clambered out of bed. Robert stood up and lunged at Rachel, but she dodged him and punched him in the face. He staggered backward and Rachel didn’t stop, she couldn’t, the fucker had to die. He tried to hurt her friend once, he would have done it again had she not been there instead.

* * *

“Do you hear that?” Cassidy asked, breaking away from Andrew.

“Hear what?” Andrew asked, kissing down her neck.

“Andy, stop, listen,” she said, pushing Andrew away slightly.

Andrew looked up and strained his ears to hear. “It’s just your house phone,” he said.

“Wait, listen, it’s going to voicemail,” she said.

“It’s two in the morning, who would be calling your house?”

“Someone for my dad, maybe?” she said, but suddenly heard the answering machine beep.

“Cassidy Ames this is Detective Coulter. Robert Stokes has escaped from prison not more than an hour ago. We have reason to believe he is coming after you and might possibly be there already.”

Cassidy froze and looked up at Andrew. He had the same scared look in his eyes. He turned around and shielded Cassidy as he looked around, afraid Robert would jump out any second. In the distance, they heard sirens faintly coming toward the house.

Andrew turned back around and cupped her face. “He is not going to hurt you. I won’t let it happen.”

“I know.” She nodded slightly just as they heard a crash from inside the house. “Rachel, she’s in there!” Cassidy said frantically and with no further thought ran inside the house and up the stairs.

“Cassie!” Andrew yelled after her.

Cassidy threw her bedroom door open just as her father and mother came out of their own. She flipped the light on and saw Rachel jumping up and down, kicking and yelling at Robert.

“Come on, fucker! Try and hit me!” Rachel yelled and threw a punch at his already bloody face. Robert fell to the floor and Rachel kicked him a few times.

“Rach!” Cassidy yelled and Rachel looked up, breathing heavily.

Cassidy’s parents had run downstairs to open the door for the police to enter. Andrew and Cassidy parted and let Detective Coulter and Detective Rice pass. They looked at Rachel then to Robert who was still lying on the ground, moaning. They nodded at Rachel then pulled Robert up from the floor and began reading him his rights.

“Are you okay, Rach?” Andrew asked, taking his sister in his arms.

“Get off me,” she said, pushing him away. “He didn’t touch me, I got the upper hand. I whooped his sorry ass.”

Cassidy smiled slightly and Andrew wrapped his arms around her shoulder. “You okay, baby?”

“I thought it was over. I mean I thought I wouldn’t have to see him again, deal with this shit again.”

“It’s okay Cassie, no one was hurt. Rach is fine. You’re fine. You have me, I will never let anything happen to you.”

“I know, Andy, and I feel safe knowing that you will protect me and that if I’m in any trouble you will always save me. I’m not scared, just angry that he came here, angry that he thinks he can hurt me again.”