Chapter 285 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“Because I missed you. Do you want to know how I found you?” Cassidy asked, wriggling his brows.

“A private investigator?” She attempted.

“Not my style.”

“You are not here because of the cartel?” Brandy asked in confusion since she thought that it was the private investigator who had told them where she worked.

“Now you’re curious. I love that,” Cassidy drawled.

“What game are you playing, Cas?” Brandy asked, making his lips curve.

“I’ve missed hearing you call me that, especially when you’re writhing under me in passion. Wanting me and not wanting me at the same time. My heart just fluttered in my chest at the memory,” Cassidy said as he raised his hand to pat the left side of his chest.

“I didn’t know you had a heart,” Brandy said, ignoring the rest things he had said.

“You’re right, though. I’m just here to get you. Although the men don’t know that yet,” Cassidy said, making Brandy narrow her eyes.

“Then why was my partner killed?” Brandy asked, and he shrugged.

“Unfortunately she was only needed to convince you to come here. The moment you arrived here her usefulness expired.”

“That was a human being!” Brandy hissed at him.

“Sorry. I will try to be more considerate towards others in the future. So tell me what I need to know.”

“If you want Jero…”

“I don’t want Jero. The cartel wants Jero, I want you,” Cassidy said, his blue eyes watching her closely.

Brandy sighed, “A few minutes ago you said…”

“A few minutes ago I said WE want Jero not that I wanted him. And the men were in the room at the time so I had to say what they wanted to hear,” Cassidy pointed out.

“So if you don’t want Jero, why do you want to know where my sister is?” Brandy asked even more confused now.

“I can’t tell you that… At least not yet,” Cassidy added with a smile when gunshots sounded outside the door.

Believing that it was the people that had come to rescue her, Brandy decided to ask a question that was bugging her before she would leave Cassidy, “So how did you find me if it wasn’t a private investigator?” Brandy asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

“Bill. I found out that you were searching for Bill. So I guess you must have been in touch with the lawyer girl who must have told you that Bill disappeared after contacting her. Do you see how much I know? But that’s not how I got to know about your whereabouts,” Cassidy asked with a grin that revealed his perfect dentition.

“Did you kill Bill?” Brandy asked with a concerned frown. She had only tried to find Bill because she didn’t want Candy to take the risk of getting caught.

“What do you think I am? A bloodthirsty monster? I didn’t kill him. I only sent him to a safe location, but I have my eyes on his business.”

“So how did you know?” Brandy asked again, and the adjoining door opened and Jero walked in.

“I told him where to find you.”

“Jero!” Brandy gasped in horror.

“Have no fear, my love. He won’t hurt you. I’m your knight in shining armor after all,” Cassidy assured her.

“You’re late,” Cassidy scolded Jero.

“I’m sorry,” Jero apologized with a slight bow, making Brandy look from one man to the other. Although she had always known that Jero did Cassidy’s bidding, she didn’t understand what was happening.

“What is going on? Where are you taking me?” Brandy asked in confusion.

“If I tell you that, it wouldn’t be fun, would it?” Cassidy asked with a smirk as he lit the cigar he had been holding the whole time, and took a puff.

“Where is Candace and my son? Don’t tell me she traveled abroad. I know she didn’t,” Jero said looking at her with worried eyes. An expression she didn’t expect to see in him.

Away from the port, in Matt’s car, Jade’s brows were pulled together, and her eyes were narrowed thoughtfully as she listened to the conversation going on between Brandy, Jero, and Cassidy.

“I think Andy has personal business with the man in the yacht. Do you know who he is?” Matt asked turning to look at Jade.

“I think he is in love with her. Probably an ex. At least we know that he isn’t going to hurt her or let Jero hurt her. What I don’t understand is how or why Jero is in there,” Jade said thoughtfully and pursed her lips.

“If the man is truly keeping your witness safe even after knowing that he wants to snitch, and he is also with Jero without the knowledge of the cartel, that means he is likely the enemy of your enemies,” Harry supplied sleepily from the backseat.

“Hm. An ally. Let’s find out who the lover boy is,” Jade said as she dialed Candace’s line.

“Hey! Can you talk?” Jade asked the moment the call connected.

“Yes. Give me a moment,” Candace said as she excused herself from the noisy kitchen and went to find a quiet spot.

“What’s happening?” Candace asked curiously.

“Everything is okay. Do you know anyone called Cas? Probably your sister’s ex?” Jade asked curiously and Candace’s brows pulled together.

“The name is Cassidy. Andy never dated him. He is a second-line lord. He took over the family business from his late father who was one of the five founding lords of the cartel,” Candace explained.

“Alright. Thanks,” Jade said and hung up before Candace could ask any question.

“So what are we going to do? Call the cops?” Matt asked curiously.

“Not yet. Let’s listen to them and confirm that he’s an ally,” Jade said and turned to look at Harry who was now fast asleep.. What a babysitter, she thought with a shake of her head.

“She is calling again. Are you sure you don’t want me to take the call?” Celsie called out to Lucas from the bedroom when her phone started ringing again with a call from Rachel as they got ready to leave the house.

“Ignore her,” Lucas called back dismissively, and their mother’s brow pulled together in concern as she looked at Lucas who was busy packing the bags.

“She has called me several times, she has called your father, and now she’s calling Celsie who she despises. She might be trying to reach you for something urgent,” their mother said, but Lucas shook his head.

“I don’t want to know. I don’t care. I’m not interested. Let’s leave. We are keeping the driver waiting,” Lucas said as he walked through the door with his duffel bag, leaving the others to follow whenever they are ready.

“Do you think he is alright? I mean I know that it’s a good thing that he finally ended things with her, but this is Rachel we are talking about. Someone he loved for ten whole years. No breaks or hiccups in the relationship. I don’t think he can just turn off his feelings within twenty-four hours like that,” their mother complained.

“Yeah, I think you have a point. I will talk to him and find out if something else happened,” her husband offered as he went out to meet Adolf and Lucas who were busy transferring the bags to the stretch SUV that Benne had sent to pick them up.

“Are you sure this dress is okay? I think it’s too showy” Celsie asked as she looked at her reflection in the mirror after dressing up. She had decided to wear her hair down because Benne loved it that way, and Sonia suggested she lose her glasses for the night and use contacts instead. Sonia had helped her curl her hair, and she had nude make-up on her face.

“That’s the point, darling. Less is more. The less you have covered up, the more he wants…”

“Oh, shut up! Less is more means the less you reveal, the more they want to see,” Celsie said, eyeing Sonia who was grinning sheepishly.

“An idiom is allowed to have more than one interpretation. I prefer my interpretation,” Sonia said with a wink.

“Yeah, right. I just hope I’m not making a mistake by listening to you,” Celsie said, taking in a deep breath as she adjusted the mini gown once again.

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