𝑀𝓎 𝑀𝒶𝓃#1~When Love Lasts
Chapter 32

Cedric had called his dad while we were on the way. I didn't feel comfortable pulling them into this dangerous situation. I understand Cedric's worry, but if anything happened to his parents because of me, neither one of us wouldn't be able to forgive ourselves.

Anna probably wouldn't be able to forgive us either.

“Dad, you awake?” Cedric talked into his phone, putting it on speaker, while he continued to text Lucas, who had just arrived at the crime scene. “I'm going to drop Avery off at your house. We have a problem.”

“Cedric-” I tried to stop him. We agreed we were going to keep his parents and Anna in the dark so that they wouldn't worry or be dragged into this.

“My dad needs to know.” He whispered to be, leaned over and grabbed my hand, placing it on his thigh. “Don't worry, he can't handle this.”

Don't worry, he says.

All I have been doing the past few hours is worrying. Someone died. Someone who looked like me lost her life to a sick man, with my pictures lying around her dead body. That is very much something I should and am worrying about.

“What's the problem?” His dad's tone switched to sleepy to business in a heartbeat.

“Avery's home has been broken into twice. It happened again last night. You remember I told you about the girl who was missing?” Cedric paused, waiting for his dad's conformation.

“Is she okay? Yeah, son, I remember. You found her?” His dad asked, worried.

“She is fine. She has been with me. I was with her when we discovered her house was broken into. We found the missing woman, dad, dead. We found her in another missing woman's home with pictures of Avery around her body.” Cedric growled, getting worked up again.

“What the hell.” His dad growled back. Now I know where Cedric gets his personality from. “Do you have any leads' son? You sound like you're driving. Where? Where is Avery?”

“No I don't. She is right here. I need to head to the crime scene, dad, but I don't feel comfortable leaving her alone-” Cedric explained the situation to his dad, but he didn't need to continue.

“Of course, son. Bring her here. Your mother is still sleeping, but I'm awake. Bring her.” His dad ordered before hanging up the phone.

“We agreed that we would keep them in the dark. We agreed that if they asked any questions, we would tell them we were dating.” I accused, upset that my drama is now pulling in people that I'm starting to care about.

“Babe, my dad is a retired cop. I told you he can handle this. He won't tell my mom or Anna. If my mom or Anna asks questions, our answer is still the same. We are dating, our answer won't be lies.” He grunted before making a left turn.

“We didn't agree with that either.” I whined before leaning my head back against the seat.

“We didn't agree?” He asked and looked over at me. “Are you sure?” He growled playfully before placing his hand on my thigh, causing my heart to threaten to beat out of my chest.

“Cedric-” I warned him.

“You are mine, Avery. The sooner you admit it, the sooner we can get to see where we go.” He said and gently squeezed my thigh, digging his fingers in closer to my inner thigh, causing me to push my legs together.

We didn't talk anymore on the way to his parents' house. He called Lucas and demanded to listen to everything that was going down at the crime scene.

I just stared out my window, lost in thought and trying to figure out who could be doing this and why. I have not done anything bad to anyone here. I just moved here a few weeks ago, I couldn't have upset someone this much.

Once we got to his parent's, his dad pulled me into his arms, asked if I was okay and led me towards the living room where he made up the couch for me.

It was sweet and thoughtful.

“I have to go, baby. I'll be back soon. Stay here for me. I need you safe.” Cedric whispered before following behind his dad.

“Be safe.” I whispered, loud enough making sure he could hear me, before he walked out the room.

“Always.” He told me with a small smile on his face.

He didn't leave right away. I heard their voices from the other room, his dad demanding a full run down of the case and my situation and how deeply Cedric was involved in it.

I pulled the warm blanket higher up my body and closed my eyes, fighting not to picture the dead woman. I must have eventually been able to fall asleep because now I'm being awoken to the smell of coffee and cinnamon.

I slowly stand up, stretch my body out before folding up the blanket and placing it over the couch cushion. I'm actually nervous to face his mother, his dad knows more than she does, and I believed Cedric when he told me that his dad wouldn't tell his mom or Anna.

That means that Cedric and I are dating will be the topic of the table, and I'm going to have to discuss this with his mom without him here. I really want his mom to like me, she already does I think, but I don't want her to think we are rushing things and I don't want her to think that I only used Anna to get to Cedric.

The need for coffee beckons me towards the kitchen, and I happily follow it. I'm still so sleepy, I didn't sleep much just a few hours, and I'm sure I look a mess.

Walking into the kitchen, I see Mr. Glenn reading a newspaper at the kitchen table while Helen is spreading icing over cinnamon rolls.

“Goodmorning dear. Slept okay?” Mrs. Helen asked before placing a plate in front of an empty seat. “Sit. You must be tired. Glenn told me what happened.”

What?

I looked at Mr. Glenn who didn't even bother to put his newspaper down and back towards Helen's worried eyes.

I wish Cedric were here.

“Um-” I whispered, not knowing exactly what story Mr. Glenn and Cedric came up with to explain to Helen the reason I needed to come over so early.

“It's awful. I understand why my son didn't want to leave you alone. It's a shame women can't feel safe at home alone anymore.” He fussed and continued to spread icing a little too heavy on the rolls now. “ I mean, what is this world coming to.”

“Thank you for the rolls.” I told her, not wanting to comment further on that until I know what she knows.

“And my son and Lucas should have believed you when your house was broken into. Thank goodness nothing happened to you. You could have ended up missing-” Helen starts the rant and now is tossing icing heavily on the rolls. “I promise you they were raised right, sometimes the cop part of their brains out speak the human decency part.”

“Helen dear-" Mr. Glenn tried to calm his outraged wife down and failed.

“I'm just saying, Glenn. Sometimes cops think they always know everything. You did. You were a cocky thing when you started at the department.” Helen accused and didn't bother looking back, just continued making breakfast.

“I was not.” Mr. Glenn defended himself, shocked that she would even say such a thing and finally laid the paper down that he was once hiding behind.

“Oh you was. You would come home every night bragging about handing out tickets. That's exactly where my son gets that happy ticket hand Avery, his dad.” Helen talked loudly, still overwhelmed with what was happening. “He even gave me tickets, while we were dating.”

I choked around the bite of cinnamon roll I had shoved into my mouth and looked at an embarrassed looking Mr. Glenn sitting across the table from me.

Exactly like his son.

“I only gave you a few, Helen. I stopped and gave you plenty of warnings afterward" Mr. Glenn tried once again to defend himself, but she was not having it.

“Yeah only because you wanted to make love and I refused when my boyfriend was tossing traffic tickets at me.” Mrs. Helen shouted. “I almost lost my licenses because of him.”

“Helen she didn't need to hear that.” Mr. Glenn's shocked face swung between me and Mrs. Helen.

“She does. If she is going to be dating our son, she should know exactly what she will be getting.” Mrs. Helen dropped the bomb that she did, in fact, know part of the reason I was here.

Shit.

I really wish Cedric was he

“Are you okay with that?” I asked softly, worried that she will think it's inappropriate to date my best friends brother.

“Oh dear, of course I am. All a mother could ever want is for her kids to be happy in life and if you make my boy happy, then I'm happy.” Mrs. Helen finally stopped abusing the poor cinnamon rolls, fussing at Mr. Glenn, and turned towards me and smiled.

“You know I didn't become Anna's friend for Cedric-” I said, needing her to understand and believe me. I didn't want this to change the way she saw me as a woman.

“Oh honey, I know and Anna will know that too. Anyone with eyes can see that my son irritated you when you first moved here.” Mrs. Helen laughed before adding. “He gets that all from his dad, I assure you.”

“Now see here, woman.” Mr. Glenn complained loudly, and I couldn't help the smile that was forming, and I couldn't stop the silent laugh that flew out of my mouth.

Goodness.

Even though my morning has been completely messed up, Cedric's parents are here sitting with me early in the morning trying to make me laugh to replace the worrying.