Chapter 245

Julian

I had just washed off the blood from Duncan from my body when the phone rang. Not my normal phone but the last one Ian had ever given me. We always changed phones regularly for more private conversations. And honestly I had completely forgotten about the last one he had given me and left it in my nightstand.

How it was still charged I didn't know but I was glad of it because after a day getting information from Megan's real lover I wanted to know if Ian knew everything they had been up to.

Years and years of swindling and bribery. I was just the latest of their victims. The shining jewel in their crown so to speak. They had done so many bad things. Including murder. Or so Duncan had told me, after I had snapped every finger anyway.

I didn't enjoy violence for violence sake but I was good at it and this was important. I needed all the information I could get if I was going to bring Megan down and get my family back and if that meant getting bloody and doing terrible things then I would do it.

Wrapping a towel around my waist I grabbed at the phone just as it was about to click on to answer phone.

"I'm glad you called,Ian." I said as I turned to stare at myself in the full length mirror. "He's been talking. A lot and I think I have the last few things I needed to bring their whole ruse down."

Silence met my ears.

"Hello? Are you there,Ian?"

More silence and then a soft out breath and my stomach flipped over.

"Cassie?" I knew it was her, she didn't need to speak. I could tell just by that little exhale and the way my body reacted to it.

I had thought I'd wanted to speak to Ian but this was so much better.

"Cassie is that you." Going to the closed bedroom door I locked it. I knew that the room wasn't sound proof but it didn't make any difference. My staff wouldn't come up this part of the house now unless I called them.

I didn't plan on calling them.

"Hi." Her voice was a little timid. Almost like she wasn't sure whether she should be doing this or not.

"Hey my love. Is everything ok?" It was the most mundane thing to ask but I didn't want to scare her off.

"Yes." Her voice faltered. "I'm sorry this was a mistake."

My stomach bottomed out. She was having second thoughts and if I let that happen she would end the call. After last nights phone call had ended so abruptly I had wondered when I would hear from her next.

Or even if I would hear from her again.

"I shouldn't have called."

"Of course you should have. I was just expecting Ian when this phone rang." An uneasy feeling settled over me. "Is everything ok? Why do you have Ian's phone. Has he been hurt?" I didn't even take a breath. "Are you and the boys safe."

Her laugh was a little nervous. "The boys are fine and with a friend."

"A friend?" I parroted back.

"Yes we have friends. They have lots of friends actually and Ian is fine. He booked us into a hotel for -"

Rage engulfed me. "He got you a hotel?" My eyebrows slammed down. Why the hell was my second and closest friend getting a hotel for him and my wife?

Was something going on there? Were the rumours more true than I thought.

"He said I needed a break." She said and it made me wonder how she was really doing. I was just about to ask when she spoke again. "He gave me this phone just in case I wanted to speak to you."

Sitting on the edge of the bed I found myself smiling. Nothing to worry about then, not between Ian and Cassie. He had given her the phone and I would never forget that act of kindness.

"And you wanted to speak to me?" Pushing myself back I settled back into the over plumped pillows and smiled to myself.

The fact that she had called meant it wasn't completely over between us.

"I just- um the boys are enjoying school."

"That's good. And you said they had friends?" I asked trying to keep my voice neutral.

Instantly she began talking. Sounding every bit the proud mum and I loved that for her. She could talk freely when it was about our sons.

I listened as she went on and on and not once did I stop smiling even though listening to her made me sad. They had begun a new life and were living it to the full. Something I should have been a part of but wasn't because of my own mistakes.

Finally she took a breath and my grin grew.

"And what about you? Do you have friends?" I probed.

"Yes, a few. The girls I work with, some of the other parents and-" she fell silent and my eyes snapped open.

"And who Cassie?" My voice shook with the effort it was taking me to stay calm.

She didn't answer me.

"Is there someone special in your life that you don't want to tell me about?" I sent up a silent prayer to the goddess that there wouldn't be because I didn't know how I would deal with that.

"No." She whispered. "No one special. I'm not over you."

"And I'll never be over you Cassie." I murmured. "It's always you that's in my mind when I-"

"Julian."

"I think about you every second of the day Cassie. Please stop this foolish rejection and come home. Be mine again."

She didn't say a word and I sighed.

"Could I see you? Not in person I know that's not safe. But the phones have cameras. All you have to do is turn it on and I could see your beautiful face."