We Didn't Even Know

H - Caden - H

CHAPTER TWO

• • ☆ • •

THE NEWS ANNOUNCER spoke about the sudden death of a wealthy business man in the city park just last night.

My fists clenched, my gut sank in disappointment, I sighed at the thought of another death in the city that I wasn't there to stop.

"...the signature we all have dreaded for the past several years, once again, shows itself on the nearby tree. The Villain strikes the city once more. Chief police Harold has once again turned down the offer of federal help, claiming he has the situation under control," she sighed deeply, shaking her head in disappointment, "I don't see us getting any closer to the end of this tunnel in this case."

Neither do I.

The sound of a door opening and shutting knocks me out of my daze. Thalia crosses the floor to the kitchen, settling down on a stool by the kitchen island and dropping her head in her arms. Her long, blonde hair contrasting against her silk black robe, she lifts her head up and sets her chin in the palm of her hand, "Good morning, Cade."

I smile at her bright gray eyes, all her make up is off now but she still looks beautiful.

Not like I would tell her that though.

"Morning, Thalia," I say, handing her a glass of water, a coffee and some aspirin, "have fun last night?"

She looks away and downs the pills and water, answering with a breathless, "Yeah."

I shake off the frown that appears on her face soon after and slide a breakfast sandwich over to her as she sips her coffee, "Why don't you finish up your breakfast and shower, then we can just have a nice day outside?"

She sets the cup down and smiles at me, "Okay."

We eat our breakfast, chatting about the news, talking about how horrible The Villain has been. An hour later we're dressed warmly, another coffee in her hands since she wasn't feeling so great yet. Two more of our friends joined us at the park, Grayson and Madison, sitting on a park bench chatting with each other.

The second we get there Grayson stand up and turns his head to the side, mock confusion written across his features, "Who gave you that one?"

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. Suddenly he reaches out to grab her neck and for a second I think he's going to kiss her but he just brushes the hair away from her neck. A fresh hickey in plain sight for my blood to boil over.

Just great.

She pushes his hand away, brushing her wavy hair back around her neck with a shrug, "Some guy last night," she says nonchalantly, "nothing big."

That's what every guy was to her, nothing big, and I prayed that the day I grew the balls to tell her how I really felt, I would be the first guy to be big to her. But until that day I would always be the Cade or Caden waiting for her to come back home from the clubs she stayed at till the early a.m.

We began our walk through the park, yellow caution tape surrounding a tree. A sign put up outside the tape comes into view, I peer down to read it:

DEAR CITIZENS,
Here, yet again, The Villain has struck a prospering man. Beware of your surroundings and watch your friends and family closely. Keep your children inside or within your sight after 7:30 is greatly suggested. Please take caution.
LORREL CITY GOVERNMENT

Thalia furrows her brows and turns her head in confusion, "Don't you think they're going a bit too far?" She looks at the sign some more, "7:30? That's awfully early, and would he really go after children?"

Three pairs of eyes turn to her and I see Maddie scrutinizing her, "Come again?"

Thalia shakes her head, "Sorry, I'm just being dumb," she says, rubbing the bridge of her nose, "let's just go."

The four of us turn around, leaving the sign and the haunting T V carving in the tree behind us.

And I don't even pretend I don't notice Gray throw and arm over her shoulder and whisper in her ear as they lag along behind us.

• • • • •

Thalia had been called into work soon later, Gray left minutes after her, saying his mom needed help installing their new washer and dryer. It was just Maddie and I so we went back to my place.

I reached up between the small space between the bottom of the cabinet and the refrigerator to grab a laptop, handing it to Maddie to log onto. My phone vibrated in my pocket, a text from Thalia:

Thalia: Won't be home till later, double shift at work till 12

Cade: Okay, I'll be here

I stuffed it back in my pocket before going back to getting a box of files from under my bed. When I walk back to the dining table Maddie is already video chatting with Harold, the dumb police chief.

"What is it tonight?" I question him, sitting down next to Maddie.

He looks at me and grins, "We have a couple drug dealers on the west side, kind of a side dish to Charles Emmons's gang. Watch yourself out there, and remember-"

I nod my head, "Press tiny god damned button on the dog tag. Yeah, we know," I say, sharing a knowing look with Maddie next to me as she fiddles with her own special necklace.

Harold nods, "Then get to it."

Just before he can log off and leave us to get the dickwads I raise my voice, "Yes, Caden?"

"Anything on The Villain?"

"Not yet."

I huffed out a breath of disappointment as the screen went black.