Back to Basics

Chapter 11: I Turn to You

"Landon, you have no reason to be-"

"Bullshit! I love you Cassie! It's always been you!"

Cassie felt her heart beating wildly but she gulped it down. He was not in his right state of mind and she has seen his aggressive side before. Feeling her emotions getting the best of her, she quickly sends a text to Nat before sticking her phone back in her pocket. She jumps again as he hammers on the door. 

"OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR CASSIE!"

"Landon, please... Just go!"

"I'm not leaving without seeing you... Oh wait! I forgot about the spare key you keep hidden." 

At these words, Cassie quickly bolts away from the door as he unlocks the door. She makes it to her music studio locking herself in her booth. She was the only one with the key to this door. She lowers herself against the opposite wall keeping an eye on the door. Her heart about to pound out of her chest. Her hands shaking as she holds the phone like a life line. It doesn't last long before a knock resonates through the door. She stays quiet hoping he will go away. 

"Come out, come out Cassie. Let's have a... chat."

She covers her mouth with her hand as she dials Nat's cell. Her brain barely operating terrified he will get in the room. Nat answers quickly. 

"Cass, can you hear me?!" Nat says the moment she answers. Cass breathes heavily into the phone while staring at the door. Nat stays quiet listening intently. 

"Help me" Cass words are barely a whisper but Nat hears them perfectly. Cass hears her saying something the background before directing her attention back to Cass. 

"I'm almost there Cass... Stay on the phone."

A knock sounds on the door followed by one thud. Cass presumes it was his head. His voice now sounding more muffled. 

"Do you know that put me on suspension at Marx Records Cassie!" He says accusingly before pounding again and jiggling the door handle. 

Cass couldn't move if she tried. Nat on the other hand is sitting forward in her seat of Jax's car. Jackson speeding down the road following the directions Natalia is providing. His eyes brows furrow as she leads down a familiar road. He has no time to register it as she points to Ms. Lyndel's home. Natalia was quick to hop out of the car before he even put it in park. She races to the front door finding it already ajar. She slows down pulling out her brother's pistol out of her purse. 

Jackson gets out of the car looking around to find a black Lamborghini parked half on the curb and on the front yard. Turning back around, he finds Natalia slowly going through the front door of Cassie's home. He gets to her to find her handling an old fashion pistol. His eyes going slightly wide but he follows quietly completely confused. 

Natalia hears the sounds of knocking coming from downstairs and slowly goes that way. The gun still safely in her hands as she grips it tightly to her chest. She can feel Jax following her but doesn't make a sound. 

"YOU CAN'T STAY IN THERE FOREVER CASSIE!"

She turns a corner to find an unknown man pounding on Cassie's studio door. He is resting his forehead against the door and looks to be slouching. Walking closer with the pistol outstretched, she is prepared for anything... well almost anything. 

"Landon! What the hell are you doing here!"

Nat doesn't remove her attention from the intruder even with Jax yelling from behind her. The man, Landon, lifts his head turning around struggling to stand. She can now smell the liquor rolling off of him like a cologne. He doesn't even register the gun in her hand as he looks to Jax.