PECULIAR (✓)

29. Revenge

It seemed time had been dragging out the days that followed Victor's arrest. Cassius has been doing better, but it's easy to see it's more for my benefit. He was so fixated on taking down Victor and the gang that he wasn't able to grieve probably for his brother, who was murdered. The burden was hitting him all at once, making him spin out of control, burying himself in his work at the security firm.

His nightmares have gotten a bit better but now his thoughts are haunting him in day as well as the night. Ronnie and Liz have both told me how worried they are for him. I can see it as well, but I still spend time with Cass as much as I can.

Maybe I can get him to see a therapist. Dr Jones has helped me a lot, even though I haven't been able to see her as much recently due to the inability to get an appointment. A lot of people need help and unless I get referred as an inpatient, something I really don't want to happen.

I look up to see it's lunchtime, and surprisingly I look forward to eating lunch because I get to see him. As I head to his workplace, I pick up Cassius' favourite cakes from Rosa's Cafe to surprise him. Ronnie stops me before I'm able to head in through telling me it had been a tougher day than usual and Cassius' mood is not the best at the moment. I thank him for the heads up but still go to his office.

As I peek into his office, I can see him with a massive frown on his face hunched over a mountain of work in his chair. He seems so stressed. His tie loosened and shirt tight, he has been spending a lot of time at the gym recently, making him bigger than usual.

He doesn't notice my presence, too immersed in his work so I knock on the door to get his attention. He looks up, his eyes tired and beard growing in, making him look very serious. I lift up a bag holding our meal, causing his frown to deepen. "Sorry Alettra, I've got a lot of work to do. I'm gonna have to skip lunch again." This is the fifth time he's skipped lunch with me, but again, I try not to show how crestfallen I am. "Oh okay, would it be okay if I eat in here?", but his eyes are trained on his paperwork while he nods. After about ten minutes of trying to eat and failing, I look back at him, who's still working hard. Unable to take the sight of him overworking himself I get up and walk over to him, slightly afraid.

What if he thinks I'm being bothersome.

I tap his shoulder gently, making him flinch and look at me blankly. I slightly shift his chair allowing myself to slip in and on his lap and lay my head on his chest. "You didn't finish your meal, Alettra." His cold statement worries me, I should be the least of his problems. "I just wanted a hug from you." He lets out a breath of what I think is frustration, but he wraps his arms around me.

"Alettra, I have a lot of work to do and your kinda distracting me."

I reply teasingly, "I know I'm gorgeous, but you need to get a hold of yourself. Not in the workplace Sweetheart," I finish with a kiss on his jaw.

His lips quirk up slightly but quickly drops back down, and carries on with his paperwork. "Cass, Liz told me it's the anniversary of your parent's death next week. Are you planning on doing anything for them?"

Cassius shakes his head, blue orbs hardening. I know this is a tough topic, but it's as if he doesn't want to move on. "Your Aunt Jenny was telling me that she was planning on holding a celebration for them, we could go to your parent's grave an-"

"No." The fierceness in his deep voice stills me, as I unwrap my arms from his neck. "Are you sure Cass?", this time he definitely lets out a breath of frustration. "I said no, so can you please stop asking." I nod, eyes tearing up a little. I really need to learn how to read him better, I shouldn't have brought it up.

I look at the clock on the wall, seeing it's coming to the end of my lunch break, I get up from his lap and tell him I have to go.

Emotionless, he bids me goodbye, not even bothering to look at me. I press a kiss to his cheek and leave, my steps feeling heavy and thoughts attacking me at every step back to work.

After another few hours, I leave the museum, my mood still down. As I walk back to the apartment, I think the lack of sleep is starting to get to me. Honestly, I feel watched and I don't know what to do. I keep looking around back. I can't see anyone, but I can hear someone. I try to call Cassius, as I try to walk causally back to my apartment, but it goes to voicemail.

I call Ronnie and he picks up cheerily, "Hey pretty girl, what's up?" I try to explain the situation calmly, but the shakiness in my voice gives me away. "Okay Alettra, just keep walking as long as there are people around you should be okay." Before I could answer back I felt someone tap me on my shoulder making me spin around.

Nicole.

Eyes puffy and bloodshot red, her body shaking erratically, as she glares at me. I've never seen her like this. As I look at her eyes and her twitching I realise... She's high. High and angry.

She subtly pulls out a gun from her jacket pocket and tells me to hang up the phone and keep walking to my apartment. I look at the phone and hang up, fearful of what she could do out in the open with all these people.

As I walk back to the apartment with Nicole by my side who still has the gun pressing into my side, I look up and pray for everything to be okay.