Chapter 13 #2
His tone of outrage spiked Cass’s adrenaline and knotted her gut.
She rushed to the door, but Swanson was already there, yanking it open and disappearing down the hall.
She and Grayson rushed behind him and hit the living room to find her parents on their feet, looking angry and confused, and Sofia facing down a furious Russ.
Cass’s protective instincts shot to high alert.
“I’m not saying no, Russ.” There was the faintest tremor in Sofia’s voice, but she was resolute as Russ paced the limited space between the couches. “I just want to postpone the wedding.”
He spun around and snapped, “I don’t understand where this is coming from.”
Sofia’s chin lifted, and her eyes flashed, subtle tells that her composure was starting to crack. “Don’t you? I’ve been trying to tell you for weeks that I wanted to slow things down.”
“Maybe you should’ve tried harder.”
His remark skated the edge of snide, causing Sofia to flinch and Cass’s hackles to stand on end.
Russ flushed and squeezed the back of his neck. “That was…” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
Cass didn’t believe his apparent remorse, but Sofia softened. “Maybe you’re right, but now I’m telling you that it’s too much.”
Rhea decided to wade in. “What’s too much?”
Sofia’s composure frayed. “All of this. The wedding, Yaya’s death.” The last came out on a hitched breath that made Cass’s chest ache.
“You’re just overwhelmed.” Rhea’s tone was conciliatory, but it was the wrong thing to say.
Color rushed to Sofia’s face as her spine snapped straight.
“You’re right—I am, because no one is listening to what I want.
” Her voice rose as she gesticulated wildly, light glinting off Yaya’s emerald ring, now snug on her right hand.
“I wasn’t sure about such a rushed engagement, much less a short one, but you both”—she motioned between Russ and Rhea—“insisted it was necessary, something about impressing the importance of family ties to the board, which I still don’t get.
” Her hands went to her head as if it would pop right off if she didn’t hold it in place.
“I swear, if it wasn’t for Yaya taking my side, you would have had me married off weeks ago. ”
A hint of guilt flashed over her mother’s face as she opened her mouth to respond, but Russ got there first. “Which would’ve worked for me, since I love you, but then again, I thought we wanted the same things.”
Sofia dropped her hands and turned to Russ, her expression an uncomfortable mix of remorse and determination. “I thought we did, too, but more and more, it’s become clear you’re more focused on partnering at Pythia, not with me.”
“That’s not true.”
“Isn’t it? How many late nights have you spent at the office because you’re chasing potential clients?
How many times have you ghosted me at the appointments with the caterer?
The bakery? The florist?” He winced, but Sofia didn’t relent.
“Yaya stepped in because you wouldn’t, and truthfully, I get that you love your job, but it would be nice if you could direct some of that dedication to us. ”
“I’m not just working this hard for me—I’m doing it for both of us.” His response was both defensive and pleading.
Sofia gave him a small sad smile. “I know you believe that, but, Russ, I’m not sure my future is Pythia.” Her shoulders rose as she took a deep breath and quietly added, “Or you.”
Russ looked as if Sofia had gut punched him.
Where the hell is this coming from? As much as she wanted to cheer whatever it was that flipped the switch for Sofia, Cass was shocked.
Her parents, on the other hand, were quickly leaving shock behind and storming full force into piling on the familial expectations. Rhea caught Sofia’s wrist. “Sofia, you don’t mean that.”
At the same time, Elias said, “Pythia is your legacy.”
Their shared panic made Cass wonder what she was missing. Before she could dig for details, Sofia gently pulled herself free of Rhea’s grip then took both of her mother’s hands in hers. “And if it’s not a legacy I want…?”
With a sharp inhalation, Rhea pulled free from her youngest daughter’s hold and stepped back into a stiff Elias.
Sofia slowly dropped her hands, which fisted by her sides.
Anger, hurt, betrayal, and guilt gathered in the long moment of silence, leaving invisible wounds on both sides.
The thin hold Cass had on her emotions began to slip.
Swanson ventured into the chasm of uncomfortable tension. “Maybe this discussion is better had when emotions aren’t so high. This has been a very difficult day.”
When Rhea and Elias remained mute, Sofia turned away to pick up Yaya’s letter from the couch, but not before Cass caught the raw pain that twisted her sister’s face.
An emotional echo ripped through Cass, tearing away the last of her patience.
It was clear nothing had changed with her parents—their demands were just aimed at a different daughter.
But as far as Cass was concerned, enough was enough.
If they wouldn’t protect Sofia, she would.
She started for Sofia but only made it a few steps before Russ stepped in her way.
She pulled up short and met his glare even as she felt the air move behind her. “Get out of my way.”
He did the opposite, closing in until only inches separated them. “This is your fault,” he all but snarled.
“Back off.” That came from behind her, where Grayson had her back, and there was no mistaking the threat in his voice.
Russ ignored him and continued to stare her down. “I don’t know what you said or did, but this is on you.”
Icy disdain rushed through her and dripped from her mouth, each syllable cutting. “No, this is all you.” Cass then shouldered past him and made her way to Sofia. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.” She wrapped her arm around her sister’s waist.
Sofia swallowed, her attention centered on Cass as she refused to acknowledge the others and gave a tiny nod.
Cass walked with her body between Sofia and Russ, trusting Grayson to keep everyone off her.
She guided Sofia out of the space where she was trapped between their parents, Russ, and the couch.
They cleared the couches, moving within arm’s reach of Russ, and there was a flurry of movement as he went to cut them off. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Grayson was faster, sliding between Russ and Cass. “Don’t.” The one word was a clear warning.
Russ tried to get past him and failed. “Sofia!”
Sofia’s steps faltered, but Cass nudged her toward the door. In just a few more feet, they’d be in the clear.
“Your parents were right, Cassandra!” Russ yelled after them. “You’re toxic.”
Cass heard Sofia gasp. She came to an abrupt halt and slowly turned.
Fury seared through her, turning the edges of her vision red.
Not good. Maybe later, she’d admit to the hurt fueling it, but in this moment, she was just done with everything.
Her parents. This asshole. She crossed the scant space, her heels hitting the tile in an ominous stalk.
She got to Grayson and touched his back in a silent signal to give her room.
It took a moment or two for him to step back, allowing her access to Russ.
“I’m the toxic one?” She held his gaze, refusing to hide the fury and disgust curling her gut as she faced him down. “Really? Because from where I’m standing, it’s not me trying to gaslight the heir to Pythia. That’s all you.”
“I’m not gaslighting anyone, but you’re a jealous bitch,” he shot back as his mask slipped, exposing a peek into the rage-filled man who was quickly losing control. “It’s clear you don’t like me, but now, it’s even clearer that you’re intent on ruining my relationship with Sofia.”
“You’re right about one thing,” she shot back. “I don’t like you, but Sofia does, and since I love her and want her happy, I kept my opinion to myself.”
His lip curled in a sneer. “Yeah, well, I don’t like you, either, but I’m not about to let you take Sofia away from me.”
“Sofia or Pythia?” If she hadn’t been so close and watching so carefully, she might have missed his flicker of guilt, but she didn’t.
Gods, poor Sofia. “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” she said quietly.
Unable to stomach dealing with him anymore, she turned away and started back to Sofia, who was looking at Russ, betrayed understanding darkening her teary eyes.
“You can’t help yourself, can you?” Russ called after Cass. “You can’t stand your family or what they’ve built, so you’re all about destroying them—first Athena and now Sofia. Where does it stop, Cassandra? When everyone’s dead?”
Sofia’s faint but horrified “Russ, stop!” was chased by Rhea’s sharp rebuke of “Enough, both of you!”
Cass turned to see her parents closing in, her mother’s glare aimed solely at her. Because of course Mother would blame me for Russ being a dick.
Rhea brushed past Cass and wrapped her arm around Sofia’s shoulders in a picture of maternal concern, drawing her away from the door. “Sofia, sweetheart, why don’t you stay here tonight?”
Sofia was shaking her head and pulling away from Rhea, her gaze going to Cass. “No, I need some space.” Her gaze flickered to Russ and back to Rhea, who finally let her go. “From everyone.”
Rhea and Russ exchanged glances, and Cass didn’t miss the way Russ’s jaw tightened.
“How about I stay here and give you the condo for tonight?” he asked.
How about putting Sofia on a plane with a one-way ticket? Not that she’d get away with it, but the thought was tempting.
Sofia gave a jerky nod and wrapped her arms around her middle. “Thank you.”
And the fact that she felt the need to thank the jerk for being able to stay in her own place just pissed Cass off even more.
For a moment, Cass’s vision wavered, and she swore cracks were snaking along the far wall of the living room, but she blinked, and the wall returned to normal. Her gut churned.
But her mother wasn’t giving up. She tried for a cajoling tone. “I know things have been stressful for you both, but perhaps tomorrow, everything will look different. Then you two can sit down and talk, figure things out.”
Or maybe, if luck is on my side, I can talk Sofia into changing the locks so my sister can get more than a night away from Russ.
“Maybe,” Sofia said softly as she moved closer to Cass.
That small concession had her parents exchanging a relieved look. The late-afternoon sun stretched through the wall of glass behind them, throwing a glint of silver over them. A whisper of knowing flashed through Cass, a warning of betrayal.
She guided Sofia behind her as she confronted her parents. “What are you two up to?”
Rhea and Elias both stared at her, her father with a frown, her mother with an arched brow, but true to form, neither one answered. Disgusted, Cass shook her head.
“You know what? Forget I asked. I don’t want to know.” Which was a lie, but getting Sofia out of there was more important than figuring out her parents’ scheme.
“What does that mean?” Elias demanded as Cass started to turn away.
She met her father’s disapproving gaze. “It means whatever you all are up to, keep Sofia out of it.” She turned to her mother. “She deserves to choose her own life, not be guilted into whatever role you choose for her.”
Frustration tightened Rhea’s face. “Why do you persist in thinking the worst of us?”
Before she could think twice, Cass revealed the heartbreaking truth, “Because that’s the lesson you taught me.”
Her father flinched, and her mother’s back shot straight.
“Always so willing to blame others, aren’t you, Cassandra? Even when it’s your choices that ruin everything,” Rhea said, doubling down on the snide. Her mother’s temper had sunk its claws deep.
Memories of endless arguments after Thena’s death rolled back in, threatening to drown Cass in old habits.
Instead of letting them suck her down, she anchored herself in the life she’d created over the years, the hard-earned knowledge of her past mistakes, and the acceptance of her chosen family and stood strong.
“You do realize I’m no longer a guilt-ridden teenager, right? I know exactly whose choices led to what, and why. Today, my choice is to keep my baby sister safe.”
“Like you did for Thena?” Rhea’s bitter question ripped through the room like a bomb. As she blew across the unspoken, shaky line that barely held the mother and daughter together, her face paled, and her eyes widened. “Cassandra, I… I didn’t…”
Bleeding internally from a thousand emotional cuts and feeling as if a puff of air would send her flying into a million pieces, Cass struggled not to follow the hazy path spiraling out before her. The siren song of magic was difficult to resist, but staring into her mother’s face, she managed.
“What more do you need to lose before you actually listen to something other than your pride and greed?” Cass’s voice echoed ominously in the tense quiet. She caught Russ’s dark look and returned it with one of her own. “Or maybe it’s not just your pride and greed.”
Rhea swayed, and Elias moved in, holding her close. His face was drawn, and for the first time, Cass thought the two looked their age, but it was a distant observation that didn’t pierce the thickening layer of ice wrapping around her.
She motioned to her parents and Russ. “I don’t know what’s up between you three, but I don’t need to be an Oracle to know you’re about to repeat history. The thing is, I’m not about to let Sofia pay the price.”
“This is bullshit,” Russ snarled and went to push past Grayson.
With unexpected speed, Grayson caught Russ’s arm and spun him around. Russ’s reaction was immediate—he roared and threw a punch as Cass nudged Sofia farther out of harm’s way. Grayson easily dodged the punch and, in a move too fast to follow, had Russ’s arm pinned between his shoulder blades.
“Not smart, man.”
Undaunted, a red-faced, hobbled Russ snarled back, “Let me go.”
“Cassie.”
Cass tore her attention from the men and turned in time to see Sofia’s eyes roll back in her ashen face as she started to collapse.