“It’s my job to keep you advised on any changes with her. That’s why you added me as a guardian along with Aidan. I was curious after our last conversation and felt I needed to know what was going on…for your sake.”
“And?” I ask, not wanting to hear him confirm Aidan’s assessment that Cassie is getting better.
“Her coordinator believes she is showing marked improvement for the first time.” My stomach rolls and see by the look in his eyes that he understands the effect his words are having on me.
“Just how much improvement are we talking here?”
“It’s hard to say without seeing her in person, but they seem quite surprised by her rapid turnaround. I believe they called it, ‘communicating effectively,’ whatever the hell that means.” Looking as grave as I feel, he says, “Maybe you should visit her and see for yourself.”
“That’s never going to happen,” I reply, leaving no room for argument in my voice. I don’t want to see her again…ever.
“I understand,” he answers, and I know he does. “I instructed her coordinator to send me weekly progress reports for now. It may not turn out to be anything, but I believe we should closely monitor the situation until we know more.” If it were anyone but Cassie, it might almost seem sad to hear someone reduced to being called a ‘situation.’ In her case, however, it’s a kindness compared to the alternatives. “One thing, though, surprised me from her report this month. I had them email it to me following our conversation.” I wave my hand impatiently, wanting to be finished with this. “There has been one other visitor twice this month, besides Aidan.”
He has my full attention now as I look at him in shock. I never had restrictions placed on her visitors because there was no need. To my knowledge, she had no one in her life other than her father, Aidan, and myself. “What? Who?”
When he says the name, I can only gape at him. “Why in the hell would Monique Chandler be visiting Cassie?” I know Aidan has been casually dating…fucking her, but I can’t believe he would have her accompany him on his visit to the woman he’s in love with. “Aidan has lost his mind.” Actually, that much was apparent when he continued to see the bitch after their initial date. Once had been more than enough for me. Monique was the kind of woman who made a man want to put a hand over his cock and run in the other direction.
“That’s just it.” Max shakes his head in apparent confusion. “She wasn’t there on the same day either time that Aidan was. She appears to have visited her on her own.”
“That makes no sense whatsoever.” I’m truly puzzled by this information and more than a little troubled. If Aidan has gone as far as to tell Monique about Cassie, I wouldn’t be surprised that she would try to check her competition out. She’s a nosy bitch, and it’s something I wouldn’t put past her. Maybe she was double-checking Aidan’s story if he gave her one. But why the second visit?
“I can have them block her from seeing Cassie again if you would like. I have no idea what’s going on, but I don’t like it.”
I thumb my hand on the desk for a moment before saying, “no, let’s not take that step yet. I want to know if she continues to go. If the first time was out of sheer nosiness and she didn’t manage to satisfy her curiosity for some reason, she might have gone back. If it happens again, then something’s going on. Don’t mention it to Aidan yet. I don’t want him putting a stop to it or tipping Monique off that we know. Tell them that you want to be notified immediately if and when she visits again.”
“Consider it done,” he replies as he rises from his chair. “Lia looks good.” He gives a genuine smile for the first time since entering my office.
“She is amazing.” I decide not to tell him about the pregnancy scare until when and if it becomes an actual reality. Right now, it’s just a lot of speculation of what could happen. We are still weeks away from knowing whether our rounds of unprotected sex have consequences. He is almost at the door when I ask, “By the way, how did things work out with Rose this morning?” If not for watching him closely, I would have missed the tightening of his shoulders and the stiffening of his spine. It appears I’ve hit on a sore subject.
He spins back around, looking flushed. I study him in amazement. My normally cool chief counsel only seems to lose it when Rose is involved. Interesting. We all have an Achilles’ heel, and it would appear that she is his. “That woman is fucking insane! If not for Lia, I would have instructed the police to leave her there. I swear, she was completely unconcerned with her arrest. When I got there, she had two female deputies taking notes on how to make their own scented candles with common household items. I mean, in the last few weeks alone, she has taken a shovel to her ex-boyfriend’s car and then done a whole laundry list of evil shit to his apartment.”
I burst out laughing, unable to stop myself. The look of sheer incredulity on his face is priceless. “I believe she answers to Martha Harry,” I say, remembering her and Lia laughing over it on her recent visit to the apartment. It sounds accurate. I go on to explain the reasoning behind the name to Max who nods in complete agreement.
“That sounds about right. I’m telling you, Luc, she scares the ever-living hell out of me. The shit she does, and then afterwards, instead of regretting her actions, she’s on some kind of a high…a humping-my-leg one.”
By the look on his face, I don’t think he meant to verbalize that last part of his statement. He is shifting around uncomfortably now, looking like he’s ready to bolt. No doubt, Lia will have the full story soon. I’m not sure I even want to know. I decide to take pity on him and not question him about the humping part. “Er…so, I take it you got her off?” Oh, fucking hell, I inwardly groan at my poor choice of words. Max turns his face into the door and collapses against it. “I meant the charges, dammit!” I say laughingly. “I don’t want to know what you two did afterwards. I mean, crime doesn’t pay, right?” It’s evil, but I can’t resist adding, “But it sure as hell makes you horny.”
He wrenches the door open, not bothering to look back. “Fuck you, Quinn,” he throws over his shoulder. I lose it again when I hear Cindy scolding him for his language from the reception area. “Sorry, Cindy,” he grovels as he slinks off. God, that woman is amazing. She doesn’t take any shit off any of us, especially if it’s directed at me. I work hard to stay on her good side. I make a mental note to give her another pay raise; she deserves it for adding insult to Max’s injury.