“G-G-G-Gage?”

“That’s right, Cass, wake up. Keep talking to me.” Her eyelids fluttered shut and I shook her body. “No, Cassidy! You can’t sleep right now. Stay awake, talk to me. Why were you outside?” I grabbed her fingers and blew more hot air on them before shoving them into the collecting water, turning the shower up even hotter, and grabbing her chin again.

“T-T-Ty.”

“Where was Ty, Cass?”

“K-k-kicked-d m-m-me out-t.”

My body stilled. “Dressed like this?”

She nodded even though I still gripped her chin.

“Why didn’t you call me, Cassidy?!” I shouted at her, and tried to calm myself when she recoiled from the sound.

“H-h-he locked-d m-me out. N-no ce-ce-ce—”

“Locked you out without your phone?”

She nodded again and I squeezed her body tighter to mine. “Jesus, Cassidy. I’ll kill him. I’ll f**king kill him.” I looked down to see her jaw slack and her eyes closed again. “No! Wake up, baby. You gotta stay awake. Come on, Cass.” I shook her again. “I need you to stay awake!”

“S-so c-cold.”

“I know, Cass. I know. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

“G-Gage?”

“Yeah, darlin’?”

“I’m t-tired.”

“I know.” I sighed in relief when I looked down to see only red on her beautiful face instead of blue. “You can’t go to sleep yet though.”

Cupping water in the hand that wasn’t holding her upper body, I let the water fall down her hair a few times before running my hands over it to make sure it was completely thawed out and warm. I kept her talking until her teeth stopped chattering and her body stopped shaking. It wasn’t until I had us out of the shower and was wrapping numerous towels around her that I realized I’d been in a shower with a naked Cassidy. But I could barely even think about that now, let alone then. I was terrified for her, and now I was shaking with built-up rage at my cousin. Her eyes closed again when I took her into my room to grab a shirt and sweats to dress her in.

“Cassidy, I need you to sit up and stay awake. I’m going to start a fire. I know you’re tired, but if you can stay up for another half hour, I’ll let you go to sleep then, okay?”

She nodded and sat up, wrapping her arms around herself in my baggy clothes.

“I’ll be right back, stay awake.”

I grabbed my phone and changed into clean boxers, jeans, and a hoodie before running into the living room and starting a fire.

“Adam. Hey, man, I’m sorry if I woke you, but can you do me a huge favor?”

“Uh, yeah.” He whispered to someone that it was me and asked, “What’s up?”

“Are you with Dana?”

“We were just watching a movie, what’s wrong?”

“I need someone to come watch Cassidy while I go beat the shit out of Tyler. But if you’re with Dana, I’ll call someone else.”

“No!” He sounded alarmed. “No, no, it’s fine. What happened to her?”

“I haven’t gotten the whole story, but he kicked her out of their place, locked her out in nothing but a tiny shirt and pants, without her phone or anything. I guess she walked all the way over here; she was blue and frozen when I opened my door.” The firewood had caught and I waited for it to stay burning before turning off the gas.

“Are you serious?” He spoke away from the phone and whispered for Dana to come with him. “We’re on our way. Do you need us to get her anything?”

“No. I just need someone to watch her, make sure she stays awake for a while. I had her in a hot shower for a while and she’s in some dry clothes now. I just got the fire started and I’m gonna make her some coffee.”

I heard him relaying the story to Dana. “Damn. Gage, that’s a good three-or-four-mile walk from their place. My car is saying it’s sixteen degrees and it is sleeting really bad.”

“I know,” I growled, and started the coffee. “She had to have left at the very least an hour and a half ago, and Tyler hasn’t called me once to tell me she’s gone. I swear to God, if he’s just sitting in that apartment when I get there . . .”

“Gage, maybe I should go with you to make sure you don’t kill him. Dana can stay with her.”

I wanted to say I’d deal with it alone, but I knew he was right. “Yeah, okay. How long until you’re here?”

“Less than five minutes.”

“ ’Kay, the door is unlocked. I’m gonna go check on her.”

“All right, see ya.”

“Darlin’, you still awake?” I asked as I walked into the room.

Cassidy had a few tears on her cheeks when she looked up at me, and my heart about broke.

“Come on, the fire is going and the coffee is probably ready by now.” I didn’t wait for her to try to get up; I wrapped the comforter around her, scooped her back into my arms, and carried her to the couch I’d pulled up in front of the fire, then sat her down. “You okay?”

She nodded and stared into the flames.

“I’m gonna get you coffee. Once you drink it you can lie down, all right?” When she simply nodded again, I walked into the kitchen and poured her a mug before putting some milk and sugar in there. “Here you go, Cass. Drink all of this.” The door opened and she jumped. When Dana and Adam walked in she looked back at me and grabbed the mug.