Chapter 15: 13

Cassie groaned as Lucien’s booming voice shattered her sleep.

“Wake up, princess! You’re not staying in bed all day!”

She grumbled, burying her head under the pillow. “I need a new alarm clock. One that doesn’t yell.”

Ignoring her protests, Lucien burst into the room, his silver hair catching the morning light. “Come on, lazybones. You’re coming with me to the gym today. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”

Cassie peeked out from beneath the pillow, her green eyes glaring. “Do I have a choice?”

“Not really,” he smirked, leaning against the doorframe. “Breakfast is ready. Eat, then get dressed.”

---

Downstairs, Phoenix was already at the counter, sipping coffee while scanning his tablet, his sharp blue eyes focused. The table was set with eggs,

Cassie sat down, grabbing a piece of toast. “Morning. Where’s Aleks?”

Phoenix’s expression tightened, though he masked it with a sip of coffee. “Busy.”

Cassie’s eyebrows furrowed. “Busy avoiding me, you mean.”

Lucien snorted as he sat across from her, digging into his plate of eggs. “Can you blame him? You’ve got the man twisted in knots.”

Cassie ignored the jab, her appetite fading at the thought of Aleksander’s cold shoulder. She focused on the conversation instead. “Any news on Kai?”

Phoenix sighed, setting his tablet down. “Not yet. Nicco’s out looking for him. Kai has a habit of disappearing, but it’s never been this long. It’s worrying.”

Cassie frowned. “Why does he do it? The disappearing act?”

Lucien and Phoenix exchanged glances. It was Phoenix who answered. “Family drama. Kai’s father… he’s a piece of work. He’s part of the yakuza and has been dragging Kai into that world since he was a kid. It’s not something Kai talks about much.”

Cassie felt a pang of sympathy. “I hope he’s okay.”

Phoenix offered her a small smile. “We’ll find him. In the meantime, you’ve got other things to focus on. Like surviving Lucien’s training.”

---

The gym was a sprawling space filled with the sounds of clinking weights and grunts of exertion. Cassie felt a pang of intimidation as Lucien led her to a private area in the back.

“You’re here to learn how to defend yourself,” Lucien said, tossing her a pair of gloves. “If you’re gonna be in our world, you need to know how to fight.”

Cassie slipped on the gloves, feeling the weight of them. “And if I don’t want to be in your world?”

Lucien smirked. “Too late for that, sweetheart.”

They started with the basics. Lucien demonstrated stances, punches, and blocks, and Cassie mimicked his movements. She caught on quickly, her determination shining through.

“Good,” Lucien praised after she landed a clean jab on the practice pad he was holding. “You’ve got a mean punch for someone so small.”

“Thanks,” she said, wiping sweat from her brow. “Years of punching pillows in frustration.”

Lucien laughed, but the moment was interrupted by his phone buzzing. He glanced at the screen, his face tightening.

“It’s Phoenix,” he muttered, stepping away to take the call.

Cassie took a sip from her water bottle, trying to catch her breath. Lucien returned a minute later, his expression serious.

“They found Kai.”

Cassie’s heart leapt with relief. “Is he okay?”

Lucien didn’t answer directly. “We’re heading back. Let’s go.”

---

The drive home was tense. Cassie noticed Lucien’s grip on the steering wheel tightening as they neared the house.

“You’ll be fine here,” he said abruptly when they arrived, not realizing the implication of his words until he was halfway out of the car.

Cassie stared after him, a sinking feeling settling in her chest. She was alone.

Inside, the house was eerily quiet. She wandered to the kitchen, contemplating making tea when her phone buzzed.

“Gwen?” she answered, her voice laced with both relief and suspicion.

“Cassie! Oh my God, are you okay? I’ve been trying to reach you,” Gwen’s voice was frantic on the other end.

Cassie frowned. “I’m fine. Why haven’t you called back sooner? I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for days.”

There was a pause. “It’s… complicated. Look, where are you? We need to talk.”

Cassie’s unease deepened. Something about Gwen’s tone felt off. “I’m… safe. What’s going on?”

“I can’t explain over the phone,” Gwen said hurriedly. “But you need to be careful. You’re not safe, Cassie. They’re looking for you.”

“Who’s looking for me?” Cassie demanded, but the line went dead before she could get an answer.

She stared at the phone, her pulse racing. The house suddenly felt too big, too empty. For the first time in a long time, Cassie felt genuinely afraid.