Taken by the Heartless (HEARTLESS, Book 1) (NOW EDITING)

A DOSE OF MADNESS

"Cassie, serve the man sitting at the table by the window," Mrs. Agatha said, handing her a tray of noodles soup.

Cassandra took the tray and headed to the table the woman had assigned her. She served the man and was about to return to the kitchen when she caught a familiar figure in her peripheral vision. She turned and saw Javier coming into the restaurant. He smiled when he saw her, and she returned the smile. Her eyes darted around the place to see if Eros was there, but she was disappointed.

"Do you have some minutes?" Javier asked. She saw a bruise under his eyes and noticed his smile was not as bright as it used to be.

Her brows creased. "What's wrong? Are you alright?" she asked, concerned. Javier nodded and sighed.

"Let's sit and talk for a while." Cassandra nodded and pointed him to a seat.

A few minutes later, she was seated across from Javier, who kept staring at the table and the drink in front of him. She was confused and scared at the same time. What was wrong with Javier? Is Eros fine? Why is Javier looking so sullen? A thousand thoughts ran through her head, and questions burned her tongue.

"Javier, is everything alright? Is Eros alright?"

"No, he is not," Javier replied immediately. Cassandra's heart sank. "Eros is losing his mind, and everyone in the mansion is receiving the heat."

"He did this to you," Cassandra said softly. It wasn't a question, but she anticipated his answer.

Javier nodded before he continued speaking. "He has grown so attached to you that your absence baffled him. Eros is clingy like that, though, but it is too much now. He is taking out his frustration on everyone. For the past few days, he brings out his men as early as six thirty a.m. to train them again. Those men have all undergone training before they joined his syndicate, but he is ruthless in his training. A little mistake results in punishment of everyone. He is angry with all of us as if we caused you to leave the mansion."

Cassandra stared blankly at him. She knew that Eros was clingy. She discovered it after they became a couple. He always wanted to be with her and go where she goes, but she never realized that he was this attached to her. She didn't even believe that his feelings were this deep for her until now. But if he wanted her back, why not come for her? Why was he taking out his frustration on innocent men?

"Javier, I don't know what to say—"

"Don't say anything. Look, Cassie, I know it's not your fault, but Eros can't afford distractions now. His enemies are getting vile by the day, and he needs to stay sane to carry out operations."

"So, what are you saying? You want me to run back to him when he made it clear that he doesn't want to see me, and he probably won't trust me again."

"Cassie, do you know why he hit me? It's because of Sandy."

"Who is Sandy?" Cassandra demanded, a pang of jealousy rushing through her.

"The cat you bought him. He named her Sandy. Yesterday, after a very vigorous workout at the gym, he went to the mansion, and Sandy was nowhere to be found, and no one knew where the kitten had gone. All hell broke loose last night. Eros grabbed Bully—imagine how huge Bully is, but Eros flipped him over and descended on him. He punched Bully until his face was bloody because he had left the cat in Bully's care. He pounced on me when I ran in to pull him away from Bully. We fought it out because of the kitten. Later, we found Sandy sleeping peacefully under the dresser in his room. It baffles me because Eros was never fond of pets, talk much of growing aggressive because of them."

Cassandra sighed deeply. "I... don't know what to do, Javier. I understand you and everyone in the mansion, but— I need to think about this, my father doesn't even want Eros and me together. I will have to make up my mind."