Barely Breathing (The Breathing #2)(54)

"I know." I smiled in sympathy absorbing the crushed look in her eyes. I wanted to tell her that it would be okay. That he wanted to be with her too, but I wasn't convinced that was the truth. So instead I offered, "You're stronger than this."

My words left her without her own. She appeared surprised, and a tear seeped down her cheek.

We were interrupted by a honk.

"Oh, that's Casey," I stated. Then I paused, "Do you want me to stay?"

"No," my mother smiled, smoothing her damp cheek with a shake of her head. "Go. Have fun. Besides, he should be here any minute."

Jonathan was on the walkway as I headed to Casey's car.

"Party?" he confirmed.

"I guess," I shrugged. "See you later. Oh, and be good to her," I said lowly as he passed me. I turned away before he could answer.

When I opened the door to Casey's Mini, electronic beats were released into the quiet neighborhood.

"Hi," she yelled, not making an effort to turn down the music that reverberated through my chest. I just nodded in return.

Casey wasn't a non-stop talker and messenger of all things gossip like Jill. She usually got the stories mixed up or completely wrong, so she'd listen and repeat what she didn't understand―which was most of it. She was genuinely a good person, but carrying on a conversation would take patience I didn't possess at the moment―so I just let the music do the talking.

We zipped through the winding dark roads of Weslyn, venturing into the neighborhood lined with iron gates. The houses hidden were set within the hills, displaying all their grandeur while overlooking the rest of us below. I knew this was going to be quite the party.

Casey turned the music down as we entered a long drive. The electronic gates slid open when we pulled in front of them. She eyed me in expectation.

"Are you mad?" she asked, biting her lip―preparing for my reaction.

"Uh, no," I replied, eyeing her suspiciously. "Why would I be mad?"

"You've never been here?" she questioned in surprise.

I watched the stone castle emerge before us as we crept up the wide circular drive filled with cars. It even had a tower in the center, with wings upon wings spread out on either side. The flawless structure was built with large round stones. It was impressive, but emitted a cold, façade.

"I would remember this place," I gawked. "Who lives here?"

Casey stopped the car for the valet and put it in park. "Drew."

Before I could react, she was out of the car and taking a number from the guy in the black

jacket.

Now I was mad.

"Why are we at Drew's? What made you think this was a good idea? And why would you invite me to come with you?" I barraged, shoving my car door open.

"Geez," Casey sulked. "He never has parties, and I really wanted to see the inside of his place. We'll leave in an hour, okay?" She looked like a pathetic puppy who got scolded for chewing on the furniture, her blue eyes big and her brows tilted down―I released an annoyed sigh.

"Fine, an hour," I grumbled. "But don't lose me, okay?"



       
         
       
        

"I promise," she chirped, all perked up again. I almost expected her to jump up in the air and clap.

I followed her through a large wooden door with a cast iron knocker as large as my head. We entered the open-ceiling foyer, where a large table displaying an enormous floralscape centered the space.

There wasn't much of a crowd yet. The people we passed could have come from anywhere, since most were unrecognizable to me. Casey paraded through, handing her jacket off to someone behind a closet door. I followed after her loose bobbing curls, but she made a turn down one of two halls and disappeared.

I turned the corner, and the space opened into what must have been the family room. There were dark brown leather couches pushed against one wall. And a sleek, handcrafted twenty foot bookcase climbed up another wall, displaying books and artifacts of various shapes and sizes. Large arching windows spread across two sides of the room, and on the far end, lights were suspended on poles, flashing on a dance floor. Tall, thin speakers framed a guy standing at a computer with large black headphones on his nodding head.

The room was scarcely populated―a few people sat on the couches and a few more stood around the perimeter talking. But Casey was nowhere to be found.

"Where's the bar?" I asked the first random person who passed me.

"Down those stairs," the girl pointed then continued after her friends.

There was an arch in the wall, barely noticeable as the hall rounded a corner. I entered to find wide curving stairs―leading down to the dungeon, I presumed. I followed the polished wooden steps around the bend, into the largest rec room I'd ever seen. There were several pool tables, two bars, couches, televisions, foosball tables and a basketball shooting game. Soft lighting filtered through sconces around the perimeter of the stone walls.