Unchained Hearts (Baxter Family Saga) (8 page)

This woman conspired to rob him of his life, a life he might never fully remember. Michael got up and walked away from her pleas, never once looking back. Her tears and screams for mercy and forgiveness meant absolutely nothing to him. His mind was made up. She would never see their children again.

The man formerly known as Michael Kent sat in the bureau offices, waiting for his children. Brandon saw him first and slowly ran to his daddy. The boy was so scared, but when he was in his father’s arms, he held on tightly. Jasmine and Cameron ran to them and he knelt in Agent Regan’s office, holding them all.

“Where’s Mommy?” Brandon asked.

Cass cleared his throat, not sure how he was going to answer. “Mommy had to go away and she may not be coming back.”

“Did I do something wrong?” the little boy asked, close to tears. “I didn’t mean to be bad, Daddy.”

Cass sniffed back tears. Brandon had always been so sensitive to what was happening between his parents. Cass didn’t know where the little boy got the idea he was to blame for everything.

“No, baby, you had
nothing
to do with Mommy going away.” Brandon wasn’t convinced. “Mommy did something bad and when you do something bad like what Mommy did, you have to go away for a while.”

Brandon still had that look of uncertainty in his eyes and Cass wondered how this little boy had gotten so scared. What did Glynda do to you, he thought. Whatever it was, he would find a way to fix it, he vowed silently. No one would ever separate them again. It was time to take care of his kids and try to put Newton Baxter, Cass’ life back together again.

***

As his memories slowly returned, he gave Dr. Evigan permission to contact his older brother, Grayson. He was the only one he could talk to. Michael remembered Gray’s mass of black curls and bits and pieces of his brother’s life, but it was still so fuzzy. 

“Cass,” Grayson said in a tender voice.
 

He turned and saw his brother. The fact that he knew the name, Cass, to be his and the sight of his older brother, made him collapse to his knees sobbing. Grayson ran and hugged him.

“You’re real,” Michael said. “It was all real.” He held on to Gray and sobbed for what seemed like hours. “I kept seeing your hair and hearing voices...this is the first time it’s all felt real.” He looked up at his brother, his eyes filled with confusion. “Why did she do this, Gray? What did I do to deserve having my life taken away from me?”

Gray looked at his little brother. “Her mind was twisted into believing that with you gone, our father would turn to me to take over the company. She blamed you for our problems. She never liked your relationship with Virgilia and did her best to destroy both of you...Joan is a sick woman who just had too many demons eating at her. She’s rotten to the core, Cass, and it took us losing you to really get it.”

They sat there in Kim’s office in silence for a short time and then Grayson chuckled. “You know, when they came to pick her up, she denied everything,” he said. “Even when she was confronted with the mountain of facts and evidence, she still denied everything. Joan was living the lie and wouldn’t give it up. Our father blamed himself for just letting her run free and do what she wanted. He’s beside himself.”

“Does he know?”

Grayson nodded. “Everyone knows, except Virgilia.”

“I remember her more, now. My Lila. I just can’t face her right now. I want to so bad, but, my mind…” he said, pressing his forefinger against his temple. “My mind isn’t right yet.”

Grayson heard what his brother was saying and he wanted nothing more than to see him and Lila back together. The love they had was unlike anything he’d ever seen or thought possible until he found one like it. “A lot has changed for all of us, especially for Virgilia.” Cass looked at his brother and wondered what exactly he meant. “It took her a long time to handle your disappearance and the aftermath. It took so much out of her, Cass.”

“Is she okay?”

“She’s good now, but you two need to talk. We’ve managed to keep the story dark because your disappearance made national news.”

“But I never saw it. Nothing...at least I don’t remember seeing it.”

Cass shook his head, as if he was trying to shake the pieces back into place. “I still love her, Gray. I’m remembering loving her. I saw her picture in the paper and her face just got to me.”

Gray looked at his brother. Cass had always been like an arrow. He knew what he wanted and did what he needed to get it. The man before him was broken, vulnerable, like a lost child and it broke his heart. He would have to learn to live again. Cass was on his way back, but it was going to take time.

***

Over the course of thirteen months, Cass worked together with his brother and Dr. Evigan to get his life back. Finally, the time arrived.

“Are you sure you’re ready?” Grayson asked his brother. Cass had made remarkable progress, but there was still so much that was missing.

“I think it’s time,” Cass said, nodding. “I feel like it’s time.”

Grayson had arranged for their meeting at the small office he just opened. His secretary was playing with the kids in the other room.

Grayson went to meet his father at the elevator. Julian hugged his eldest son.

“So, how is he, Gray?”

“He’s still a little tender, but he says he’s ready.”

Julian let out a quick breath and nodded to his son. When he opened the door he saw his father’s eyes change.

“Cass,” he said.

“Dad.” The two men embraced for a long time. Grayson watched them and he couldn’t remember the last time he saw his father cry.

“I searched everywhere for you,” Julian said. “I just had no idea your mother was the one person I should have turned upside down.”

They pulled away and Cass wiped back tears, looking at his father. He looked a little older than he thought he remembered. His hair was streaked with more gray and his eyes looked wearier. Cass looked at his brother and then his father. “Why?” Cass asked. “Why did she do this to me? To us?”

Julian stepped back and looked at his boys. “She did it to get back at me.” Cass looked at his brother, who didn’t seem at all surprised by the statement. “I made a mistake a long time ago,” Julian said, looking at his sons. “One mistake became another and another until it was too late.”

“What mistake?” Cass asked.

“I made a deal with the devil and my children paid the price,” Julian started. “Joan went after you to get to me and she succeeded with you where she had failed with Gray.”

Cass stepped back and just absorbed it all. The lying, the manipulation, the drugs,
when would she have thought it was enough?
He thought.
How long would I have lived this lie?

Julian placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. “There’s a lot about your mother you don’t know and no matter what I tell you, it won’t be enough to figure out why she did all of this.”

Cass looked at his father’s face and nodded. “Dad, there’s something else you should know.”

“Okay,” Julian said.

Grayson called in his secretary, Melissa, who brought in the children. Julian beamed as he looked at the children and Cass. Jasmine and Cameron had no problem running up to hug their grandpa. Brandon hid behind Melissa and looked at his father. Cass gave Brandon a nod and the little boy slowly made his way to Julian.

“Hi, I’m Brandon,” he said as he stuck out his little hand to shake it.

Julian couldn’t hide his delight as he took his hand and pulled the little boy into a hug. After a minute, he started to chuckle and Grandpa Julian was an instant hit.

Later that week, Cass reunited with his little sister, Quinn. She was just a teenager when everything was changed. Now, she was a gorgeous young lady who’d just come back from England and looked every bit the actress. Dr. Evigan had asked him if he wanted to see Joan again. He wasn’t sure if it would do any good. From what Gray had said, she lacked remorse and was far more obsessed and vitriolic than when she was carted away in handcuffs over a year ago. He finally told Kim no, and he understood.

What he did know was that he was finally in a position to see Virgilia, but it had to be right. He couldn’t screw this up.

***

Grayson walked into Mama Avery’s diner. It had been a few months since he’d seen Virgilia, and he thought he would take her out to lunch. The diner had become a favorite hotspot because of its design and decor. Virgilia had grown into a local business mogul herself, branching out with her own architectural firm and even finding some time to start this new business. Virgilia told Gray a bit about her mother, and how she thought this was the best way to pay homage to her and do something she loved. She found a manager, cooks, and taught them how to prepare some of her own creations, and over time it became a favorite dining spot for friends, families, even businesses. Once or twice a week, Virgilia would come to the diner and see how things were going, like today. How she found the time he wasn’t sure, but she was absolutely remarkable.

Virgilia saw Grayson and gave him a big hug and kiss. They had become even better friends since Cass had disappeared, and he loved her like a sister.

“So, you ready to go? There’s some place special I want to take you.”

She quickly nodded and waved to the manager. “So, what’s the occasion?”
 

“I have some news I want to share”

“Is Carla finally tired of you?”

“God, I hope not. She’s still tolerating me. There’s just some other news I wanted to share, but we have to take a drive somewhere.”

They turned onto Ludlum and parked at the little ice cream shop. Virgilia smiled and remembered how Cass “broke the news” about leaking her drawing to his father. It seemed like a lifetime ago and the thought of Cass…it had taken her a long time to realize he was gone even though a part of her knew differently. How else could she explain it? If he was alive, he would’ve found a way to contact her, but it had been nearly six years. Her eyes misted. There wasn’t a day went by that she didn’t miss him. They got out of the car and walked to the front door, under the canopy. Just then a man stepped out of the shop and Virgilia felt that familiar flash in the pit of her stomach. Grayson stopped and held Virgilia’s hand.

He turned to her. “We found Cass.”

His words were like a gut punch. She held his hand tightly. “It’s a long story,” he said, “but that day at the Port, he wasn’t in the car. Our mother perpetrated this sick plan to keep him away from us, from you.”

“What? My God, why? Why would Joan do this to us? Is Cass okay?”

“See for yourself.”

Cass emerged from the shadow of the canopy and his heart quicken as he walked to them. It had been nearly six years since he’d seen his beautiful Lila and he wanted nothing more than to touch her again. 

When he walked up to them, he could see the tears streaming down her face. Soon he was shedding his own tears and there was a lump in his throat. “My beautiful Lila.” Grayson quietly left them alone.

Virgilia slowly walked up to him, touched his face and kissed his lips. It was a tender kiss at first, which became more passionate and was broken up by honking horns of approving spectators. They laughed joyously and went back under the canopy.

“Cass, is it really you?” she asked, not fully trusting her senses. “I’ve dreamed about you every night. I thought you were dead. I thought you must have been so scared—”

“Shh, my love. I’m here.”

“Where’ve you been? Gray only told me something about Joan.”

He breathed and told her the whole story, a mixture of what he could remember and what he was told. To say Virgilia was appalled was an understatement. She knew Joan didn’t like her, but to hurt her own son? What a monster.

“I may never get my full memory back,” he said with a tone of regret. “I still don’t remember some things. But you, I’ve always remembered you. I couldn’t see your face, but I could feel your touch and I just knew you.”

They were both crying at this point.

“These are tears of joy, I hope.”

She nodded. “And love and relief and even vindication.”

He looked at her, confused. “Vindication? For what?”

“I had so many people tell me you were tired of being with me. That you decided to just end it all, rather than tell me.”

The hairs on the back of Cass’ neck rose and anger swell. “Who said that, Virgilia? Did my mother say that?”

Virgilia shook her head. “Not in so many words. It was mostly the police. Your father had to threaten more than a few officials to get some kind of investigation going. There wasn’t much evidence, barely a trace of you.”

Cass rested his chin in his hand. That woman…he thought. Then he looked at her, his Lila and softened. “I love you. I think I’ve loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you...I still do. We have a lifetime of nights for you to spend in my arms. You’re my home.”

“I never for one second believed you left me. I just wanted you back. When I didn’t hear anything from you, I thought you were gone. I thought—”

He shook his head. “I’m here and I love you.”

Cass drew her close and kissed her hard. It had been too long since he’d held her body close to his and he craved her now more than ever.

“I need you, Lila.”

He grabbed her hand and walked to his car. Since returning, he hadn’t moved back into his old home, but he did rent a room at the local hotel just so he could figure things out. His father understood and made sure he and the kids wanted for nothing. Cass drove them there and tossed the keys to the valet. Virgilia was being dragged, but she didn’t mind it at all. They got in the elevator and Cass pressed the PH button. It took all his self-control to not rip their clothes off in the elevator, which was going too slowly for his liking. Getting off the elevator, he opened the door to his suite and slammed it shut behind them by pushing Virgilia against it. He could feel the bulge in his pants grow painfully against his jeans as he kissed Lila’s lips and neck hungrily. Virgilia’s body melted, his weight crushing her against the wall. He made quick work of his clothes and hers, tossing them out and around. Her skin was still so soft, so delicious. He savored every inch. Her breasts were plumper than he remembered. He missed her delicious nipples and showed her just how much.

Virgilia could feel nothing but joy at having his skin against hers. She missed his touch, his kisses and reveled in the pleasure of their reunion. He’d always known how to suck her breasts in a way that made her body tingle and become ripe for bursting. She moaned and knotted her fingers in his hair as her body pushed up against his.

Cass knew this was just as much her pleasure as his, but his primal hunger for her was all he felt and it gave him no room for the more tender nuances of love-making that he used to shower her with. He knew she suffered the same need and that realization made him even more powerful and determined to make up for lost time. Cass kissed his way down to her stomach and then lower to her mound which was wet with arousal. Cass spread her legs and dove right in, kissing and licking her. He held her hips, determined to make a meal of her. Cass saw her eyes fly open as he relentlessly used his tongue to pleasure her. 

Virgilia screamed out his name and each time it emboldened him even more. He was beyond rock hard at this point and wasn’t about to wait any longer. He entered her so powerfully, he practically lifted her off the bed. As he rammed in, she clung to him for dear life.

“Your mine, Lila,” he panted. “I won’t let anyone take you away from me again.”

“Never,” was all she could muster before succumbing to the earthquake which racked her body. 

Cass’s pace quickened as he grunted and bellowed his orgasm. Still intimately connected, he held her tightly until their tremors subsided. 

When they were able to speak again, they declared their love for each other and knew that no matter what happened, their love was still alive.

Virgilia was half asleep as Cass continued to play with her body. He kissed her stomach and marveled. “I never thought you could be more beautiful than you are. And your body, it’s so soft and even more inviting than I remember. I look forward to showing you how much I missed you.”

“A lot has happened since you were gone.”

The statement stung. He knew there was a chance there had been others. After all, she was an amazing woman which any man would want.

“Like Kyle,” Virgilia said simply.

Cass stopped his kisses. “Who’s Kyle?” He moved next to her. 

“A month after you...after I thought you’d died, I found out I was pregnant.” Cass sat there speechless.

“But,” he mumbled, “I thought…”

Virgilia chuckled, “I had that same question. Then I remembered the antibiotics I’d taken for the infection I had.”

Cass shook his head, “I don’t remember” he whispered and fell heavily on his pillow. They told him he wouldn’t remember and he accepted it. But to not remember that the woman he loved was sick or how she felt that was a pain he never expected. 

Putting her arms around him, Virgilia held him tightly. “I named her Cassandra Kyle Avery.”

Cass’ tears flowed as he got up and looked in Virgilia’s eyes that were brimming with tears. “We have a little girl. A beautiful little girl.” There was a slight wedge of bitterness in his throat as he spoke. The woman he loved went through bearing his child alone. He wasn’t there to hold her or their little girl in his arms.

He turned and angrily beat his hand against the wall. Virgilia got off the bed and walked up behind him, enveloping him with her whole body. He apologized and caressed her arms. 

“What that woman took away from me, from us, we can’t get it back. I’ll never get back her first steps, her first word, or watching the most beautiful woman in the world breastfeed her.”