A Gray Area Ch. 13

"Actually, no. I came out here to stop her from going with you."

Ray's black eyes turned to Deity and she shifted her weight uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze. "Are you still coming?" he asked. "I'm not gonna fight with your sister and-" he looked at Shane "-this fucking cop. Not right now. I have better things to do. So either get in the fucking car or don't call me and waste my time again." Caden looked at her sister, purposely pressuring her decision. Deity glanced at Shane, who was glowering at Ray. Ray returned the hard look, unafraid, despite his and Shane's weight and height difference.

"I'll go with you," she declared walking over to the jeep. Ray gave Caden and triumphant smile. He turned and walked back to his jeep, hopping in.

"Don't worry, detective. I'll tell you how the pussy is." He yelled out the window. Shane made an attempt to lunge for Deity's side door but Jon was there in an instant holding him back.

Deity was in the car when she looked at her sister.

"Don't look at me like that," she said quietly to C.K.'s disapproving stare. "Don't come crying to me when he breaks your ribs and collarbone again." Her older sister retorted. Deity's lips curled into a frown.

"Then you don't fucking cry to me when his friends try to rape you again and he spills all your dirty little secrets." Ray didn't wait for Caden's reply. He was off and out the gate in an instant.

"What?" she heard Jon say from behind him.

"What did she say?" Jon's warm palms gripped her forearm but instead of giving off warmth, they burned. She jerked away from him. "Caden, what the hell was she talking about? Who tried to rape you? Was it that night with Cal, Todd and Michael?" Caden diverted her eyes but Jon followed them promptly.

"Tell me, Caden," his voice was a stern warning that said something was going to happen. If she told the truth, action would be taken. Over her shoulder she saw Shane and Eliza watching the scene unfold before them. Caden felt her cheeks burn hot.

She loved Eliza and Shane, Shane especially, but this wasn't something she was ready for him to know. She was even ready for Jon to know. He gripped her shoulders and shook her once. "Caden—" "It's nothing" she clarified, breaking the contact buy stepping away. She continued to back up. C.K. put her hands in her pocket and shrugged, still backing up. "It's nothing. I'm, uh-I'm gonna head home." Her voice was quiet but by the look on Jon's voice she was sure he heard. "Kitten, don't do this. Tell me," he demanded, not following but yelling the farther away she got. "It's nothing," she whispered again, turning and walking straight through the gate towards her car.

Her embarrassment weighed down heavily on her shoulders, making the ride home difficult and painful. Every so often her eyes would fill up with tears. Home was only a couple minutes away and yet she couldn't make it without shedding a few tears. She pulled over on a side road and suck down in her seat, sobbing. Violently she banged he head on the steering wheel, carefully avoiding the horn.

'I can't believe you forgot that Jon doesn't know. How could you not tell him? You didn't tell him because nothing happen...they didn't rape you, only tried.' She continued the argument in her head, going back and forth. 'It doesn't matter that they didn't get the chance to, it's the idea that they tried. What is he going to think of me now? Who cares what he thinks? '

"...I do."

The inside of C.K.'s condo was cold. She had forgotten to turn the air off and left it full blast from that morning. She flipped off her shoes and grabbed the phone before flopping down on the couch. She pressed speed dial and listened to the awkward melody the phone made while dialing.

Without having to pull it, her blanket fell almost perfectly across her body and Caden took a familiar shape, curled up in a ball. The person on the other line picked up. "Hello?" The friendly Irish lilt made C.K. forgot why she felt so bad.

"Hey Mol," she greeted.

"Oh Caden! I was worried. Where are you?" Caden had hoped to have a semi-interesting conversation with her agent before having to break her heart.

"I'm at home, Mol. I can't make it tonight... I'm really sick and I'm sorry. You know I wouldn't miss this for the world but you're always good at covering for me. Next time you nee—"

"Don't worry, Cady-girl." Molly assured her voice sincere. Caden felt a wave of peace pass-over her body. Molly was always so good at making her feel better.

"Are you sure?" C.K. only planned to ask once. She didn't want to push her luck.

"Of course, I'm sure. Your mom just got out of the hospital; you are going through a lot right now. I'll cover for you and I'll call you in the morning to give you juicy gossip and numbers." Molly gave an evil laugh which helped Caden slide on out too. "Alright, darling. Go to bed."

'Thank you, Molly." On the other side of the line Molly scoffed. "Oh, hush. Go to bed." And she disconnected. Caden nestled into the sheets, not bothering to adjust the thermostat. Her blanket was large enough and she didn't have to worry about any pets in the condo that would fall asleep forever.

Caden felt as if she could do that. Her muscles had became lethargic during her phone conversation and she didn't feel like moving, didn't feel like doing anything. Especially not thinking but an unbidden thought came to her mind. A thought that, no matter how uninvited, was still very much welcome. She thought of Jon and his hazel eyes and smile. She thought about him today. She thought about when he reached under chin and looked into her eyes in Deity's room and outside. His soul-searching eyes that she hated and loved at the same time. Right now she loved them. Loved the warmth the memory of them carried. Caden curled up deeper into her couch and fell into the memory of his eyes.

She was asleep in a matter of minutes.