Until We Meet Again(78)

maybe I’m going to cry. I’ve been holding back tears for

most of the day.

Saturday is over now, and Lawrence is probably dead. And

I did nothing, nothing, to save him.

“Cass?”

Mom kneels beside me. Her hand rests on my shoulder, and

the look in her eyes is one of overwhelming love and concern.

The tears come.

Huge, shaking sobs. The stress and fear and sorrow of the

past few days are unleashed all at once. My mom holds me

and I cry my heart out.

“Tell me what’s going on, Cassandra,” she says, stroking my

hair as I bawl into her shoulder. “I’m so worried. Did someone hurt you? Did this boy hurt you, Cassandra? If he did, so help me, I will rip his—”

“No, Mom. It’s nothing like that.”

“Then what? I’ve never seen you like this, Cass. Even in the

middle of the divorce. I’m scared, honey. You need to talk to

me.”

But what can I tell her? The truth? Brandon’s reaction

proved there’s no point in even going there.

Or is there? Maybe I could give her a version of the truth.

At this point, what do I have to lose?

I draw in a trembling breath. “Lawrence. That’s his name.

And I’m in love with him. But he’s in trouble. Not with the

law or anything. It’s something with his uncle’s business, I

think. He’s in danger.”

Mom frowns. “Why would he be in danger if it’s the uncle’s

business?”



Until We Meet Again

“They’re just bad guys, okay? Trust me. He’s in serious danger. He may…get hurt.”

Mom pulls me close again in a hug. “I’m sure he’s okay,

sweetheart. You’re scared for him because you care about him,

but—”

“No,” I say, pulling back. “He’s going to get hurt. I know

that.”

“How can you—”

“I just do. You have to believe me on this. I know it doesn’t

make sense. It sounds crazy. But I know. For a fact. And that’s why I wanted to stay home. I have to help him.”

Fresh tears cut down my face. Fresh pain claws at my heart.

Mom brushes the hair from my eyes. She’s silent, analyzing me with her gaze. After a long pause, she looks at Frank playing with Eddie at the bow. Everyone’s pretending not to

watch the crazy teenage girl losing it in the corner. Mom’s

brow lowers.

“Greg,” she says, turning to the captain. “Take us home.

The fastest route possible.”

My eyes widen. Mom strokes my hair and smiles. “The day’s

not over. I’m sure this Lawrence kid is going to be okay, but

if it’s that important to you to help him, well, that’s a worthy thing. And I’m proud of you.”

I fling my arms around her. “I love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, kiddo.”

The wind whips my hair behind me as the captain turns

the boat. Gripping the stern rail, I stare out at the land in

the distance. The first star has pierced through the gradually

darkening sky. I close my eyes tightly.

I’m coming, Lawrence. Please don’t let it be too late.





Chapter 33





Lawrence


ay has always been mysterious and hard to read, but

F

this is different. I put my hands over her fists, which

still grip the lapels of my jacket with desperate force.



“What do you mean, Ned’s coming for me? What are you

talking about?”

“He’s the one behind all this,” she says, her eyes wild.

“Behind all what?”

“Everything! Oh Lon. I didn’t want it to come to this.”

“Tell me.”

“There isn’t time. He’s coming.”

“Fay, please.”

Her eyes dart around. “We have to go somewhere private. It

isn’t safe to discuss it here.”

She weaves us through the crowd. It’s as if I’m in the middle

of a strange dream. We settle in a more secluded garden area,

paved with brick and decorated with wild rose. Fay sits on the

stone bench but then stands.

“It’s hard to know where to start.”

“Try.”

She exhales shakily. “You know my family is part of the underground crime world. Well, so does your uncle. That’s the reason I’m here. I guess he’s been in some bad business deals. Really

bad. He came to my family for help. He made an unorthodox

deal with them. A deal involving you and me.”

“What kind of deal?”

Her eyes lower.

“Speak plainly with me, Fay. If you had any idea what I’ve

been through in the past twenty-four hours, you wouldn’t

mince words.”

“Your uncle promised you to the Cartelli family. He told

them you’d work as lawyer for my father to help make sure his