Cassie (The Mitchell/Healy Family #7)(3)
When Brant came into my life things got a bit crazy. The more drawn to him I became, the further from my values I ended up. My parents were the first to see it, forbidding me from being around someone with such low standards.
Brant wasn’t like any of them. His heart was hidden under a slew of tattoos and criminal acts. Even though they couldn’t see past what was on the outside, I fell in love with the whole package. His bad boy image made me want to fight for his attention, and once I had it, I refused to back down.
I didn’t know the first thing about being bad, but I did a fine job fitting in with his crowd, dressing and doing the things they’d do for fun. I’d dabbled in drugs, only recreational, and later been caught by my parents. My father, having gone through his own stint of living on the bad side, years ago, was the first to freak out and promise to do everything in his power to keep me from going down a path I’d regret.
Mostly it meant keeping me away from Brant.
The more he tried to severe ties between myself and my boyfriend, the harder I had to fight to find ways to keep him in my life. I became deceitful, desperate, and a cold-hearted bitch. I’d chose to follow my heart, instead of the values and opinions of my family members. I’d sacrificed stability to throw caution to the wind and be with the crazy man I couldn’t get enough of.
He was my greatest addiction, and I gladly welcomed the high he brought me when we were together.
Even though my choice was made, I still had hope in the back of my mind that I’d be able to change everyone’s opinions and have a happy life. I’d hoped when we stopped in Kentucky to see my cousins, Brant would like it so much he’d want to stay there, instead of carrying on with his plan to tear me away from all of them. After all, without the constant badgering from my parents, I assumed he’d see the good in the rest of them, settling for new scenery over the unknown.
I’d always been close with my cousins. We spent our summers in Kentucky, and every other holiday. My father was raised on that ranch, and learned everything from living there. Growing up, I could envision settling down in one of the small homes on the property and starting a family, like many of my relatives had done. Brant could work the cattle with the men, while I took care of our two point five children and dog.
The truth, it was always a dream. Even if I wasn’t with Brant, no man would give up his aspirations of a better life to work with animal shit and family drama in the name of love. Nowadays couples struggled to remain together. When you add that with the parents I had, there was no hope for resolution. It was Hell or high water. I felt like I was living both at the same time.
This plan wasn’t only the two of us running away to live in sin. It was our opportunity to start a life, free of ridicule and hate. It was our chance to be two new strangers in a large town. We were going to be free; free from scrutiny and free from judgment.
I knew I couldn’t have both scenarios. It was my family, or my boyfriend, and as bad as it sounds, I’d had a lot of time to make my decision. They’d kept me from him too many times to keep track of. They’d threatened my happiness, and I was tired of fighting. The bickering and whispers had to stop. I wanted a new life – a new start where I could be a responsible adult.
One call changed it all for me. The moment Brant got word, I knew our future was set. For months we’d been planning our getaway, but Brant stayed focused, seeking out opportunities elsewhere. The call was one he’d been waiting days for; a call offering him a job he said he couldn’t refuse – one that could give us more money than we’d ever need to get started on our life together. It would last for a month or two, and then we’d be set.
Sure, it was good he’d made arrangements, and certainly Las Vegas was going to be an exciting place to start over, but I’d be doing it without the support I’d had my whole life. I’d essentially be alone in a huge city known for crime and sins. It wasn’t exactly a small town safe haven, like I’d been brought up in.
Brant thought it was a good idea to break contact with everyone, on account of my parents having gone to extremes to keep us apart. My dad had called in favors with friends and even told the cops where they could find Brant when he knew he’d violated probation. He wouldn’t stop. He knew if he kept interfering Brant would go to jail, and I’d be forced to stay away from him. They claimed he was bad news, but in the time we’d spent together he’d only ever made me happy. He’d been gentle, supportive, and above all, my only best friend. If they could only see past the tattoos and criminal record they’d see what I was able to – a kind soul who only wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. Sure, he was rough around the edges, but everyone deserved a chance at happiness, especially a hopeless romantic like me.
He was loyal to his friends, even though most were a bunch of high school dropout hoodlums. They all congregated in a double wide on the outskirts of town. Most couldn’t hold a job, and some were so hopped up on drugs they weren’t even able to carry on conversations. I never asked how they paid their bills, or managed to afford the drugs and cars they drove. I knew better than to open that can of worms.
Brant seemed better than them. He did what he was able to impress me, using his charm to take me places and win me over. He never had to work hard. Even when I was angry, he found some way to distract me until I forgot what we were fighting about. He’d been good at something else too. His ability to think ahead made me feel like our plan to be together could work.