Cassandra’s POVWhen I arrived back at Dillon’s, I was surprised to see Stella’s car parked out front. I rushed into the house and found both Stella and Dillon in the kitchen.“What are you doing here?” I asked Stella. My mind immediately went to work. Was something wrong? Had another company released our designs? Had someone broken into our office again?But Stella smiled sheepishly and held up a massive suitcase.“I need help,” she said. Dillon was standing at the counter, pounding a chicken breast with a giant mallet.“Help with what?” I asked, eyeing the suitcase.“I can’t decide what dresses to bring…” she paused for effect … “on OUR. CRUISE!” she squealed.“What?” I asked. “Do you mean…you’re coming? On the cruise with us?” I whipped my head towards Dillon. “Did you know about this?” I asked.Dillon laughed as he pounded the chicken. “Yup,” he said. “But I was sworn to secrecy.”“Stella, this is amazing,” I replied. “We’re gonna have the BEST time ever!“I know, right?” she said,
Cassandra’s POV The next few days flew by as I packed for the cruise. I wasn’t nearly as picky as Stella when it came to packing, but I was careful to bring an assortment of clothes. There was a formal dining room on the cruise ship that required appropriate ‘formal’ wear, so I made sure I packed a few gowns. Then there was the pool, so I made sure I tossed in a couple bathing suits and cute little bathing suit cover ups. The cruise ship also had a theatre and a casino, both of which we planned to visit, so I packed some fun casual wear. I also tossed in some exercise wear for good measure, just in case, as well as plenty of sunscreen.The cruise was a short one, just two nights. But it was a one-way cruise to the Bahamas, and we were staying there for an extra couple days at a beachfront resort. All in, we’d be gone for less than a week, which wasn’t that long. I was really looking forward to just getting away though, even if it was for a short amount of time.I stayed at Dillon’s ri
Cassandra’s POVI felt like a kid in a candy store as we walked around the cruise ship. It was so big and so elegant, far better than anything I could have imagined. We found our rooms, and I was shocked to see that Dillon had arranged suites for us. I was expecting a small, cramped interior room, which honestly, I’d been a bit worried about since I had such a deep-rooted case of claustrophobia. But our suite didn’t feel small in the slightest. There was a bedroom with two queen beds and more than enough for both of us. I ran my hand over the decadent duvet cover and opened one of the mahogany dresser drawers.“Cass, come see the bathroom,” Stella called to me. I went and peeked in. It was white marble, with a glass shower and two sinks. I’d seen pictures of cruise ship rooms before and they looked nothing like this. This was….extravagant.We both walked out in the main room and gasped at the same time. The main room had a little sitting area with a small couch and a table, as well as
Cassandra’s POV “Who?” I asked. Stella dragged a chair over to the table I was sitting at. Her cheeks were flushed from excitement.“Wellll,” she said, dragging out the suspense. “We were just leaving the buffet, which, by the way, is absolutely fabulous,” she started. “Like seriously, sea food for days. I think Cam ate his weight in crab legs.”“Get to the point,” I interrupted her. She’d just come up here and interrupted my cat nap with, what was apparently, exciting news. I didn’t need a diatribe on how fabulous the buffet was. I wanted to know who she saw!!!“Okay, okay,” she chuckled. “Sometimes I forget that patience is not exactly your strong suit. So, we were leaving the buffet, and I run into…” Again, she paused.“Just TELL ME!” I urged.“Lucinda Starke!” she blurted out.“What?” I gasped. “As in THE Lucinda Starke?”“One and the same,” Stella nodded enthusiastically.I couldn’t believe it! Lucinda Starke was a famous Hollywood actress. She’d just starred in a box office hit
Cassandra’s POVI glanced at Stella. Her eyebrows were furrowed in a deep frown. I knew how she felt. I never, in a million years, thought we’d see Ellie on this cruise. And just when everything had been going so well!“Lucinda Starke has no reason to just be polite, as you pointed out, Ellie,” Stella snapped. “If she says she wants Hot House Flower to design a dress for her for a red carpet event, then I’m sure she’ll follow through.”Ellie rolled her eyes and scoffed. “She’s a public figure,” Ellie said. “Of course she’s polite. She has a hundred different designers at her fingertips. Famous ones. Why would she choose your company?”My blood boiled as I stood there, looking at Ellie. She was wearing a gorgeous bathing suit cover up and her hair fell over her shoulders in loose waves. I glanced around to see if she was with Jordyn, but I didn’t see him. How was this possible? What were the chances that she and Jordyn had chosen the same exact cruise as us? I was starting to feel like
Cassandra’s POVLucinda Starke stood before us, a bemused smile on her face. Her mere presence had rendered us all speechless, which was a rare event for Ellie. Usually, that woman never shut up.“I don’t mean to interrupt, and I apologize if I’m intruding, but I was standing over there and I thought I heard my name.” She turned to Stella. “Stella, so nice to see you again. I’m actually very happy I ran into you. After our recent conversation, I got to thinking. I have some ideas for a gown I’d like to run by you? I’d love your input. It’s for the red carpet premiere of my latest movie, so it has to be dazzling.”Lucinda flashed Stella a beautiful smile. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe I was standing in front of Lucinda Starke! And just like Stella had said, she was wearing MY design. Stella’s description of Lucinda in my dress hadn’t done her justice. She looked fabulous, perfect, gorgeous beyond words. Seeing such a famous person in something that I’d created, well, it warmed my he
Cassandra’s POV“Wait,” I said, stopping Lucinda before she could go. I wasn’t sure if she believed Ellie’s accusations that I was a criminal or not, but she was clearly unimpressed with all the drama. And I didn’t blame her! She was famous, always in the public eye. And Ellie with her loud mouth had caused a scene. People were milling about all around us. They were whispering behind their hands and watching the scene unfold with wide eyes.I glanced around at the group that had gathered. They were all smartly dressed, CEOs and other business elites I assumed. I mean, this cruise was full of important people. So not only was Ellie making a scene, she was doing it in front of a lot of people that we might need to work with in the future.And to make things even worse, just then, a camera flashed. Shit. Someone was taking a picture. I could almost see the headlines now: Famous actress consorts with accused criminal on a cruise ship. Drama unfolds…Of course Lucinda was trying to get away
Cassandra’s POV“I think,” I leaned in to whisper to Dillon. “I think people are looking at you.”Dillon turned to the crowd and shrugged back at me.“Yeah, probably,” he said.I looked back to the crowd. There was no ‘probably’ about it. People were definitely looking at Dillon. A few men dressed in collared shirts and polo pants were talking quietly to themselves, their eyes fixed on Dillon while another group off the left were whispering amongst themselves, occasionally glancing up to look at Dillon.“Why?” I asked. Stella, Ellie, Cameron, and Lucinda all noticed it too.“I guess I forgot to tell you,” Dillon said off-handily. “Remember when I said I had to go out for a bit, the day before we left for the cruise?”I remembered. I’d been just about to go and read by the pool when Dillon had appeared, dressed in a suit. He said he had to go but he’d be back in time to make dinner. When I’d asked where he was going, he was pretty vague and evasive. I hadn’t thought too much of it at th
Cassandra’s POVThere was no one else in the room so I rushed over to Stella. She had a gag in her mouth but her eyes flew open when she saw me. Relief flooded over me. She looked tired and her hair was a mess, but other than that, she looked okay.I removed the gag from her mouth.“Cassandra!” she said, shocked. “What are you doing here? No. You shouldn’t be here. Please, go before you get hurt.” Her face was frantic.“Your kidnapper called me and told me to come. Of course I came.”“Are you here all by yourself?” she asked, aghast.I thought about Cameron. Was there any chance he’d been able to follow us? I highly doubted it.“I had to come alone,” I told her. “And I’m not leaving you,” I said firmly to Stella. Then I bent down and untied her legs and her arms behind her back. She rubbed her wrists. She had nasty rope burns from being tied up and I could tell it hurt.“Are you okay?” I asked, helping her stand.“Yeah. I think so. Just thirsty. And hungry. Where are we?”“I have no id
Cassandra’s POVI drove to the assigned place, my hands gripped firmly on the steering wheel. I told myself over and over to just stay calm, that I could do this. Part of me couldn’t believe that this was really happening. I was on my way to meet kidnappers. It felt so surreal.I was aware that Cameron was tailing me, but he was doing a good job of keeping his distance. I only saw him once or twice in the rear view mirror.The address brought me to a docking area right by the water. It was isolated. I saw the two men in black waiting by a shipping container. It looked like a scene out of a movie.Oh god, was that where Stella was? Inside a shipping container? Was she hurt? Was she okay?I pulled up close, my heart pounding in my chest.“Get out,” one of the men ordered.I did as he said, assuming he was going to bring me inside the container. But just then, a car pulled out from behind the container.The windows were tinted so I couldn’t see who was driving.“Get in,” one of the men sa
Dillon’s POV “How about the Lighthouse Bar and Grill? I think that’s a pretty romantic spot. It overlooks the water?”I nodded. I’d called up my friend, Sam, the doctor who had seen Cassandra, to ask for restaurant recommendations. He was a real foodie so he knew all the best places in town. Plus, he also knew Cassandra so I figured he might have some insight into a great place to take her.“I’ve never been there but it has good reviews,” I told him.“Or, if you want to go super classy and high-end, there’s always ‘Le Fromage’. How does Cassandra feel about French food?”I smiled to myself, remembering a night together recently when I made her French onion soup. She’d told me she loved it. Apparently, the cuisine was one of the reasons she liked going to Paris.“She’d really like that,” I told him. “Sold!”I thanked him and then hung up, turning my attention to tracking down the number for Le Fromage so I could make a reservation.But then I paused. Was the restaurant good enough? I n
Cassandra’s POV “What’s the address?” Cam asked as I stared at my phone in utter disbelief. I still couldn’t believe this was happening. Who would kidnap Stella? And why?“You can’t come,” I said, looking up at him, my eyes wide with shock.“What do you mean I can’t come?” he asked.“The person on the phone said I have to go alone.”The instructions had been very clear.Ping.A text came through the assigned meeting place. I scanned it.“I can’t let you go alone,” Cameron told me. “It’s not safe. You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”I shook my head. “Then what will you have me do? Stella’s life is on the line, Cam. You saw the texts. I have to follow their directions perfectly or they’ll kill Stella.”Cameron sighed deeply and began to pace. It was coming on rush hour and the street was becoming jam-packed with cars as people left their jobs for the day. I had to go now, otherwise I risked being stuck in traffic.“I’m sorry,” Cameron finally said. “But I’m coming with you.”“No,
Cassandra’s POV Kidnapped? Stella was kidnapped? Who would do this? Who would kidnap Stella?The world around me lilted and I felt dizzy. I couldn’t breathe. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be.It felt surreal.“Holy shit,” Cameron said, his eyes scanning the text. Then sighed, taking a step back from the text on my phone. He wrung his hands through his hair before he looked up at me. “Let me see that again,” he said. I thrusted the phone at him so he could get a closer look. “I’m calling the police,” he told me after he’d read the text. He whipped out his phone.“No,” I pushed his arm, sending his phone flying through the air. It landed with a crash on the cement. It didn’t break though, thanks to his protective case.He went over and picked it up.“What the hell, Cass?” Cameron asked.“Sorry,” I said. “But look. It says, ‘instructions to follow.” Sure enough, my phone pinged with another text message.“If you want to save your friend,” the text said. “You must come alone. If yo
Cassandra’s POV Dillon followed me around like a hawk for the next few days. He drove me into work every day and even personally escorted me to the elevator. He texted me every hour on the hour and at the end of the day, he was always waiting out front, leaning on his car. I didn’t mind though. I was actually pretty rattled by everything. Knowing that Ellie wasn’t in jail any more didn’t sit well with me.I laid awake at night, convinced that I heard someone outside the spare bedroom window at Dillon’s house. Of course, it was always just the wind, but still…I was constantly glancing over my shoulder, convinced that, at any moment, Ellie would appear and attack me. I was becoming paranoid and I hated it.Every night Jordyn phoned us but he couldn’t find hide nor hair of Ellie. It was like she’d just vanished into thin air. Jordyn had gone to her house and let himself in with his key. She wasn’t there though. Her toiletries were gone and her dresser drawers had been wide open. One o
Cassandra’s POV“I’m surprised,” Dillon said. “I thought for sure Jordyn had bailed Ellie out. But I guess I was wrong. He seems really…” Dillon’s voice trailed off as he searched for the right word.“Worried?” I offered.“Yeah. I mean, he actually told me to look after you. That says a lot. I guess he’s finally realizing how awful Ellie is.”“Awful and dangerous,” I said.“So I guess we wait?” Dillon replied.“I guess we do,” I agreed. We turned our show back on but neither of us had the capacity to watch it. We were both tense and anxious. Hopefully, Jordyn could track down Ellie. In the meantime, there really wasn’t anything we could do.Roughly fifteen minutes later, my phone rang.“It’s Jordyn,” I said, answering it.“Her phone’s been disconnected,” Jordyn said as soon as I answered.“What?” I asked, stunned.“I tried everything. Her phone, her social media accounts, everything. But she’s blocked me on all her social media. I have no way to contact her.”“Why would she do that?”
Cassandra’s POV What?!Ellie wasn’t in jail anymore? My stomach dropped. Knowing that Ellie was safely behind bars had been one of the only things bringing me comfort over the past week. Ellie was unhinged and there was no way of knowing what she’d do next. Surely, she was furious with me and looking to retaliate. But since she’d been in jail, I hadn’t been overly concerned. She was free now though?“Are you sure?” I asked.“Yes,” Dillon nodded. “Martin made a call to the jail to get some more details on her arrest and to see if she had any prior arrests. But the jail informed him that Ellie was released earlier this afternoon on bail.”“I didn’t even know she had her bail hearing,” I said quietly. “Who bailed her out?”Dillon shrugged. “Martin doesn’t know. It’s confidential information. But he’s trying to find out. Cassandra, I really think you should stay here tonight.”I agreed. With Ellie on the loose, I didn’t feel safe going back to my house alone. She already tried to kill me
Cassandra’s POV I stopped by the liquor store and picked a bottle of Pinot Noir, Dillon’s favorite red wine. Then I drove straight to his house. I knocked, but I heard him call out through the house:“It’s open!”So I let myself in. The moment I stepped inside his house, I felt comfortable and warm. There was something about Dillon’s house that made me feel at ease. Or maybe it was Dillon himself. I wasn’t sure. But in any case, I was glad to be there, even if it was so I could ask him for help.I went to the kitchen, wine in hand, and was met with the tantalizing scent of lasagna.“That smells amazing,” I told him, setting the wine down on the counter.“I’m glad you called,” he said, uncorking the wine. “I have enough lasagna to feed a small army. So, what’s up?”He poured the wine and passed me a glass.“It’s about Jordyn’s grandfather,” I stared, but I watched as Dillon’s face fell. “No, it’s not like that,” I explained in a rush. “He’s a very good friend of mine. This honestly has