Welcome to the Heart Of A Maniac (The Saint-Mercier Family Saga)

Wren Sloane

The words on the pages blended underneath the dim light from the lamp above my head.

The pad of my fingertips dragged across my eyelid, rubbing slow circles like I could massage the exhaustion from my bones.

I’m not sure exactly how long I’ve been sitting here in the swivel chair, but from the dark shadows of the library and the silence that follows, I knew it had to have been for a while.

The library closed to the public maybe hours ago.

Just like any other day, I stayed behind to catch up on my read for the week: Shvonne Latrice’s The Marriage Favor.

Removing my phone from the end table, I pressed the power button to check the time.

This book has me so engulfed in it that I’d missed dinner with my boyfriend, Cassius.

I was supposed to met him hours ago. It’s going on eight and my phone has been in do not disturb.

It’s what I always placed my phone on whenever I wanted to get some reading in.

People didn’t respect my me time and always wanted to blow my phone up whenever I’m trying to get lost in the pages.

Normally, Cassius would call my phone, and when he couldn’t get through to me, he’d text and press notify anyway.

I hated when he found out that he was able to do that.

Most of the time, he don’t even be wanting anything.

Soon as I removed it, messages and notifications flooded my screen.

Aria: Where are you?

Aria: I know yo ass lost in a book somewhere. You need to pick up the phone!

Idris: Cassius has been shot!

Aria: It’s important! It’s Cassius!

My heart dropped to my ass when I saw those messages. Maybe that’s why he hadn’t called my phone when I didn’t make it to dinner.

Tossing my throw blanket back off me, I hopped to my feet, knocking over the Eternal water bottle I had sitting down there. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw that it was still sealed as it rolled across the tile floor, so I’d just grab it whenever I make it back to the library.

I ran out the door toward the main lobby, bumping directly into someone.

Their arm wrapped around my frame from the waist and my feet swept from underneath me.

My clear square frame glasses slid down to my eyes.

I positioned them correctly on my face. A few smudges were left on the lens.

My eyes peered into a pair of dark, hooded ones.

A face that one wouldn’t catch around the library.

He mugged me, and my fingertips traced the tattoos above both his eyebrows before he whacked my hand down and straightened my posture.

“Watch where the fuck you going,” left his lips, leaving me flabbergasted. No one in their right mind has ever spoken to me that way.

I’m not going to lie, the man is panty wetting fine. Nothing that I’d typically go for. Everything about him screams bad boy. I’m the type of woman that wouldn’t know what to do with a man like him. He’s nice to look at though.

Tattoos sprouted up his neck from underneath his white button down that he paired perfectly with the black tux he wore.

His taupe tattooed hand brushed across his black spiral waves, and he took a step back from me as if he was scared he’d catch the cooties or something.

Lifting my hand to my mouth, I blew my breath inside it to make sure my breath didn’t stink from the salt and vinegar chips I’d been enjoying prior.

Nope, my breath is fine. I’m not sure what his problem is, but I have other things to worry about.

The mug that once overtook his face quickly softened as his eyes roamed my frame.

“I’m coming!” a feminine voice shouted from the end of the hallway where the exit was.

My eyes shifted in that direction, and I saw a sepia complexion woman wearing a pearl and sequin wedding dress running in our direction with a diamond and white lily bouquet in her hand.

Her jet-black hair was in this updo—perfect. Not a hair out of place.

Ah, that explains the tux and why he’s in here this time of night.

The library was known for hosting extravagant weddings. I’d always dreamed of getting married here. Everything books is my favorite thing about life. It’s how I ended up working here in the first place. When I first walked into the library at five years old, I fell in love with the place.

“Come on, we’re late.” She gripped him by the hand and pulled him away from me. He took one final look at me over his shoulder before they disappeared underneath the huge staircase.

Reality seeped back into my mind once they were out of my view.

Cassius!

I ran toward the exit, passing the white sign stating Welcome to our wedding: Solei & Zayden.

Stepping out the door, I removed my keys from my pocket and hit the fob on my burgundy Chevy Silverado Classic and jumped into the driver’s seat.

I turned the key in the ignition before shutting the door and it clicked.

“No. No. Not right now. Please don’t do this,” I said and turned the key again, this time, gently pressing the gas and got the same result.

“Not tonight, baby. Please just start for me.” Shutting my eyes, I took a deep breath and turned the key over again.

The engine roared and my eyes popped open. “Thank you.”

Putting the truck in reverse, I pulled out my parking space and zoomed out of the parking lot. “Siri, call Aria,” I said as I turned onto the nearest street after I realized that I didn’t even know what hospital he was at.

“Wren, thank God. Where have you been?”

“I was at the library. I’m sorry. My phone was in DND. What hospital is he at?” That’s not the only question I wanted to ask her right now, but I needed to know what direction I needed to go in before I made it to the interstate.

“Jackson.”

“That’s not far. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

The engine from the truck roared as I sped down the street, zooming through lights. “What happened?” I asked her, trying my best to settle my chaotic mind.

“I’m not sure. Idris called me when he couldn’t reach you. Do you need for me to meet you up there?”

“Please?”

“I’m on my way. Should be there in the next fifteen minutes. I’m leaving out the door now.”

A tightness in my chest cut off my circulation. “Okay,” I barely managed to get out. The phone beeped when she disconnected.

I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle the trauma alone. My hands trembled as I turned the corner and cut a car off. The horn blared in the distance. “Sorry,” I tossed over my shoulder as if they’d be able to hear me.

Pulling into the parking lot of the hospital, I searched for somewhere to park and found a space where a woman was backing out. I whipped into the space and hopped out the truck.

My heart banged against my ribcage as I dashed across the parking lot and street to the entrance of the emergency room. I stepped through the metal detector and it beeped. “Ma’am, do you have any keys or anything on you?” the security guard questioned me.

“Shoot, I forgot.” Stepping back through, I tossed my phone and keys into the container and doubled back through the detector. This time, it didn’t make a sound. He handed me my keys and phone, and I trudge over to the desk to see what they knew about Cassius.

“Hey, I think you all have a patient here by the name of Cassius Jackson. I was told that he was shot and brought here.”

“And who are you to the patient?”

“I’m his girlfriend.”

The woman’s eyes expanded as she stared back at me. Clearing her throat, she replied, “Well, he’s in surgery right now. You can wait with the others until he comes out, and someone will be out to speak with y’all.”

“Others?” I asked her and turned to see where his family was located in the waiting room. The only person I saw was Idris, his cousin, sitting near the back of the room, so for her to say others threw me for a loop.

Turning back to her, I wasn’t even able to say anything before she replied, “The other women that’s claiming to be his girlfriend.”

“Excuse me?” My brows furrowed. I know I couldn’t have heard her correctly. Cassius and I have been together for the last year. I spent every holiday with him and his family. We didn’t live together, but we spent almost every waking moment together outside of working. So how can there be others?

“Four other women came in before you claiming to be his girlfriend. They’re all over there waiting.

” She pointed toward the front of the room, and I saw different variety of women sitting there, conversing with each other.

The only thing we had in common with each other is our petiteness.

Cassius certainly has a type. “I’m sorry. ”

A lump formed in my throat. I wasn’t even about to entertain the circus. Seems like to me he has more than enough people in here to comfort him. He don’t need me.

Tears filled the brims of my eyes. Not even wanting to give them the satisfaction of seeing me drop a tear, I headed for the exit. Soon as the doors opened, Aria was walking through them.

She halted her stride, took one look at me and said, “Oh God. Please don’t tell me that he’s dead.” Her arms spread and I flew into them.

“It’s worse.” I cried into her shoulder, tears dampening her shirt.

“How can it be worse?” Her hand soothingly massaged my back.

Sniffling, I lifted from her and stared her into the eyes. “He’s been cheating. It’s other women in there, waiting to see him.”

“Oh, he’s about to die,” she said, shoving me to the side.

I caught her by the wrist and said, “It’s not worth it,” stopping her in her tracks.

“You’re crazy if you think that I’m about to let him get away with this.” Aria grimaced as she stared at me.

“God swings harder than us. Let’s just go.” I pulled her toward the exit, and she snatched away from me. I don’t know what made me think that she was gon’ listen to me and leave peacefully.