My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 258

Chapter 208

Chapter 258

“But he still won’t talk to me directly-”

“Because he probably sounds like hell and doesn’t want you to hear that. Because he’s injured and and wants you to see him in person instead of hearing his pain over the phone.” Connor pulled me “Grace, four hours. You can wait four hours.”

“I’ve been waiting nine days,”

“Then four more hours won’t kill you. But wearing a hole in your studio floor with pacing might.” He guided me toward the couch. “Come on. Sit. Paint something. Distract yourself until they get here.”

“I can’t paint. My hands are shaking too much.” I sat anyway, pulling my knees to my chest. “Connor Victoria said he’s stable. That’s-that’s medical language for ‘alive but we’re not making promises a much beyond that.””

“Or it’s medical language for ‘recovering normally from significant injuries and expected to make full recovery.” He sat beside me. “Grace, you’re choosing the worst interpretation of everything. Maybe tr choosing hopeful ones instead?”

“I’ve tried hopeful. Hopeful doesn’t work when people won’t answer their phones.”

We sat in tense silence. I checked my phone every thirty seconds. Willed more updates to come. Wille Daddy to call back. Willed Uncle Cas to text me directly.

Nothing.

“Tell me what you’re going to say to him,” Connor said finally. “When Uncle Cas gets home. What’s the first thing you’re going to say?”

“I’m going to yell at him for not checking in.” The answer came immediately. “I’m going to tell him that nine days of silence is unacceptable and he scared me and he’s never allowed to hunt extremists alone

again.”

“And then?”

“And then I’m going to hug him. Very carefully if he’s injured. But I’m going to hug him and not let go for approximately an hour.” I paused. “And then I’m going to show him the painting I made. The one about family being worth coming home to.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Connor, what if he’s-what if the injuries are really bad? What if he comes home and he’s-changed? Weakened? What if silver wounds did permanent damage?”

“Then we deal with it. Together. The whole family.” He took my hand. “Grace, Lord Castellan is eleven hundred years old. If anyone knows how to heal from silver wounds, it’s him. Trust that he knows what he’s doing.”

Another how passed. Then another. Each minute felt like torture. Tahmine trietonure.

My phone buzzed Daddy Two hours out Grace, prepare yourself. The injuries are significant He stable and heating but he looks-rough. Don’t panic when you see him.*

“Don’t panic, I read aloud “Connor, Daddy just told me not to panic. That’s-that’s the opposite of reassuring. That means Uncle Cas looks bad enough that Daddy thinks I’ll panic”

“It means he’s being honest about what to expect instead of letting you be blindsided.” Connor sque my hand. “Grace, would you rather walk in unprepared?

Td rather Uncle Cas not be injured at all!”

“That’s not one of the options.”

He was right. Uncle Cas was injured. Significantly, according to Daddy. And in two hours I’d see exac how bad it was.

I went to my studio. Pulled out the painting I’d been working on-the family piece I’d made while waiti Checked it obsessively for anything that needed fixing.

“It’s perfect,” Connor said from the doorway. “Grace, that painting is perfect. Uncle Cas is going to love

“What if he can’t see it? What if the injuries-

“He’s a vampire, not blind. He can see your painting.” Connor moved into the room. “Grace, you need to stop imagining worst cases. In two hours you’ll know the truth. Until then-breathe. Just breathe.”

I tried. Tried to breathe normally instead of the shallow, panicked breathing that kept threatening. Tried to stay calm instead of spiraling. Tried to trust that Uncle Cas was really coming home.

One hour left. I couldn’t sit still anymore. Went to the front windows. Watched the driveway obsessively.

“Grace, they’re not here yet-” Connor started.

“I know. But I need to-1 need to see the car the moment it arrives. Need to know he’s really here.”

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