My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 257

Chapter 257

My Cheating Mate

Grace pov

Two days.

Two days since my dad’s text saying it was over. Two days of waiting for Uncle Cas to come home

Two days of minimal updates, vague reassurances, and increasing anxiety that something was bei kept from me.

My phone buzzed, I grabbed it immediately.

Daddy: *Four hours out. Bringing Castellan home. Medical team is with us. Grace, he’s alive. Hold or

that.*

I tried to call back immediately. It rang once. Twice. Then voicemail.

“Daddy, please. Please pick up. I need to know-I need to hear that Uncle Cas is actually okay. Four h out means you’re close but you won’t answer and I’m-I’m scared. Please call me back.”

I hung up. Stared at the phone. Willed it to ring.

Nothing.

“Grace?” Connor appeared in the studio doorway. “Was that your father?”

“They’re four hours out. Bringing Uncle Cas home.” I showed him the text. “But Daddy won’t answer his phone. Connor, he always answers. Unless-unless something’s wrong. Unless Uncle Cas is worse tha they’ve been telling us and they don’t want me to know until-”

“Don’t spiral.” Connor crossed the room, taking my hands. “Grace, your father said Lord Castellan is aliv Medical team is with them. That means they’re managing his injuries, not-not dealing with worst case

scenarios.”

“Then why won’t he answer?” My voice rose. “Connor, if Uncle Cas was fine, Daddy would pick up. Would let me talk to him. Would give me real updates instead of vague texts about ‘holding onto alive’ like that’s -like that’s the only good news there is.”

“Maybe the injuries are bad enough that talking is difficult. Maybe Lord Castellan is sleeping. Maybe–”

“Maybe he’s dying and they don’t want to tell me over the phone.” The fear I’d been containing for nine days erupted. “Connor, hold onto alive’ sounds like-like that’s all there is. Like alive is the only positive. thing they can say because everything else is terrible.”

“You don’t know that–

“I don’t know anything! That’s the problem!” I was pacing now, unable to stand still. Nine days. Nine days since Uncle Cas left to hunt Marcus and Elena. Seven days of silence. Two days of minimal updates.

Chapter 257

And now they’re four hours out and Daddy won’t answer his phone and I’m supposed to-to what? wait calmly? Pretend I’m not terrified?”

Connor moved in front of me, stopping my pacing. “Grace, breathe. You’re working yourself up into panic attack.”

“I’m entitled to a panic attack! My uncle is injured and won’t talk to me and everyone is being vague cryptic and I-” I stopped. “Connor, what if he doesn’t wake up? What if the silver wounds were too much? What if I never get to-to talk to him again? To show him my paintings? To thank him for-fo fifteen years of being Uncle Cas?”

“Then we’ll handle it. Together. But Grace-” He held my face gently. “But I don’t think that’s what’s happening. I think Lord Castellan is injured and healing and your father is being protective about how much information to give you before you can see for yourself.”

“That’s not better! That just means the injuries are bad enough that Daddy thinks seeing thern will be traumatic!” My hands were shaking. “Connor, Uncle Cas fights terrorists and vampires and he’s eleve hundred years old and if he’s injured badly enough that my father is worried about me seeing it-

My phone buzzed again. I grabbed it desperately.

Victoria: *Grace, Lord Castellan asked me to text you. He’s awake and stable. Injured but recovering. says-and I quote-“Tell Grace to stop catastrophizing. I’ve survived worse than Marcus Dane’s silver traps. I’ll be home in four hours and she can lecture me about checking in more frequently then.”*

Relief and frustration hit simultaneously. “He’s awake. He’s-he’s actually awake and talking.” I showed Connor the text. “And he’s already being Uncle Cas about my catastrophizing.” 1

“That sounds like him.” Connor smiled. “Grace, if he’s well enough to send sarcastic messages through Victoria, he’s well enough to survive the trip home.”

P

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