Chapter 80: The Tiger's Cage
Aveline’s POV
The weight room was completely quiet after school hours. The heavy metal weights and lifting bars sat still on the floor. I knew Cassian was the only one inside the room all alone. He was getting extra training after the rest of the hockey team left the building.
I walked deep into the room, my sneakers making a low sound on the floor. This was my only chance to get real answers from him. I needed to find out what his brother did in the past. I also needed to know his true relationship with Silas and Barrett.
I found Cassian standing by his tall gym locker in the back corner. Before he could turn his body around, I stepped forward very fast. I slammed my palm hard against the metal door of his locker. The loud bang made a big echo through the empty room.
“What is your relationship with Silas and Barrett?” I demanded loudly. I kept my voice rough and flat. “Tell me the truth right now.”
Cassian did not get angry at my loud tone. He did not jump or look scared at all. Instead, he let out a bitter, cold laugh that made my skin feel tight. He turned around slowly and stepped right into my personal space. He looked down at my face with his cold, unsettling eyes.
“You are very funny for asking me that question, Asher,” Cassian said. His voice dropped low, and it sounded very mean. “You idiot. Do not make me remind you about our little secret. Do not make me remind you of how you caused my brother's bad accident.”
I kept my face completely still like a stone wall, but my mind was spinning fast with confusion. Cassian shook his head back and forth, his eyes full of pure disgust.
“I am only friends with you because I left everything in the past,” Cassian explained to me. His chest was rising and falling fast with deep breathing. “I thought you changed after that terrible night, Asher. I thought you had learned the hard way and had become a better person.
But seeing you stand here in front of me acting all naive to the whole matter is really pissing me off right now. Stop playing this dumb game with me.”
Before I could say another word to defend myself, Cassian bypassed my body. He walked straight over to the main entrance door of the weight room. He grabbed the handle and locked the door from the inside with a loud click. He turned the tables on me instantly. Now, I was the one trapped inside the room with a dangerous guy.
He walked back over to my spot. He leaned his face close to mine, his eyes drilling into my soul. He revealed that he knew every single detail about the night his brother, Oliver Thorne, was permanently injured and lost his hockey career forever.
“I know you did not act all alone that night, Asher,” Cassian whispered sharply into the quiet room. “You are smart, but was a total coward. Tell me the truth right now.
Did someone force you to spike Oliver's drink before the big game? Why did you do it?”
The words hit me like a physical punch to the stomach. My breath caught in my throat, and I could not speak. Asher spiked Oliver's drink? He sabotaged Oliver Thorne's game? It did not make any sense to me.
Cassian looked right at "Asher's" face, his mouth twisting with pure hate. “I feel completely disgusted just looking at your face right now,” he said.
Cassian shoved his hard shoulder right against my own shoulder as he walked past me. He went back to stand near the locked door, keeping his cold eyes on my body. “You should fix what you started, Asher,”
Cassian warned me coldly. “You need to fix this entire situation before you end up dragging millions of people into this huge mess.”
He reached down, unlocked the door, swung it open, and marched out into the long hallway. He left me completely alone in the quiet room.
I stood by the lockers, my heart pounding fast and hard against my ribs. My mind was full of pure confusion and fear. Why would Asher do something so terrible?.
The Asher I knew was a good boy. He was a quiet kid who had never hurt a single fly in his whole life. Why would he want to hurt someone so badly? For what possible reason did he sabotage Oliver's game? What did his brother do to make Asher do that? And more than that, what was hidden on that app? Which password did Silas want from me now? I had the secret USB drive, but the secrets were growing bigger, more dangerous, and darker than I ever imagined.