Bedburg Hills

102

ESME POV

We heard the front door open and shut but when I went out there no one was in the house. I guess Kira and Jace left.

"Everything okay?" Justin asked lowly. I nodded my head and walked back over to him, climbing in bed beside him.

"You should talk to her," I rubbed his chest, "she's just as sad as you are. She loved Grace too, we all did. It isn't her fault."

"I know it wasn't her fault," he sighed, "but she couldn't get out. She's the strongest person out of all of us right now and she couldn't get out.... and that means.... that means I had no chance of saving her myself..." I looked at him for a few seconds and I wrapped my arms around him tightly. "I should have been able to save her," he started to cry softly into my shoulder. I didn't even know what to do other than just hold him, love him. "I should have been able to. She was counting on me. She was -"

"Look at me," I set my hand under his chin and lifted his head up, "baby this is not because of you. We did what we could. We fell short and it caused horrible repercussions but we did what we could."

"Yeah well I should have tried harder," he shook his head, "I should have done more."

"What could you do?" I asked him, "you were chained up, you were having the shit beat out of you all the frigin time. You couldn't do anything else baby." I set his head back on my chest as I rubbed my fingers through his hair. I pressed my lips to his head, "I love you so much. I do, Justin. I love you. She loved you and she doesn't blame you."

"How do you know?" he breathed into my shirt.

"Because I know," I nodded my head against him, "and you know that when I know, I know."

His grip tightened around me, "I love you." I continued to rub his back but when the front door opened I stopped and stood up. Justin did the same, walking through his bedroom door before me. I watched as he headed downstairs and suddenly his body flew backwards into the wall and hit the ground. I ran out only to see Cassie standing there. I quickly grabbed her and pinned her to the ground.

"Freeze!" I yelled. I watched her body tense up and I was able to put my hand down. I rushed to Justin and knelt beside him.

"I'm okay," he groaned as he rolled over and slowly sat up, "I'm alright." I looked back at Cassie as she laid on the ground. "What the hell do we do?" he asked. I pulled my phone from in my pocket and called Kira.

"Hello?" she answered.

"I have Cassie here," I belted out, "she's downstairs."

"What?" she asked, "Cassie? Alone?"

"Yes," I nodded my head, "she just barged in here and I was able to stop her before she did too much. She got ahold of Justin but it's okay. He's okay."

"Oh my god that poor kid," she shook her head, "me and Jace are out right now but we'll come back as soon as we're done. Umm don't let her go, I guess chain her up downstairs. I'll deal with it when we get back." We finished up the conversation and when I hung up me and Justin headed towards her. We took her downstairs and I chained her hands to the pole. I spelled the chains, making sure to take away any power she has while she's in them. The two of us headed upstairs and I just stood around for a couple seconds.

"I want to kill her," Justin growled, "she was a reason. She-"

"Justin," I grabbed his hand, "baby we gotta wait for Kira. She'll handle this. Remember when we figured out she was being used against her will? We can't fully blame her." He looked at me for a few seconds and stormed by me, walking out the back door and slamming it behind him. "Seriously?" I whispered while sighing, "this is not going to make things better. Justin!" I ran out after him, picking up his scent and following it deeper into the woods. "Justin!" I yelled, "babe come on!"