Page 20 of Worthy: Cassius and Faith-2

CHAPTER ELEVEN

after midnight

Faith

I didn’t have a choice but to fall asleep; the billionaire and his magic penis had literally knocked me senseless. When I awoke a little while later, Cassius still had his arms around me. I glanced at the clock; it was almost midnight.

Cassius sighed deeply and tightened his grip. In sleep, he showed no sign of letting go.

My heart lifted, but then it crashed and burned. It was almost midnight; the day had come to a close.

And there would be no tomorrow for us.

I burrowed against my billionaire, loving the feel of his skin against mine. If I could just stay in this moment forever, all would be well. Because for the first time in my life, I felt at peace. I wanted for nothing. Wrapped in Cassius’s robust and protective embrace, nothing could hurt me.

It wasn’t true, of course. It was just another fairy tale. And once the clock struck midnight, the glow would fade. My princess-like feeling of being special, shiny—of beingsomeone—would evaporate, just another dream that I would only remember remnants from.

Even though Cassius still embraced me, there was nothing to hold on to.

Cassius Blackwood had just rocked my world. He’d blown it up. I’d found a release with him, a refuge, that I hadn’t known was possible. Here in the Master Chamber, at the stroke of midnight, we’d had our own oasis. Nothing else had mattered. We were together as one.

And for some reason, this meant everything to me.

I’d accepted the job at the club for the money. Even after Cassius had humiliated me by firing me, I’d stayed because of the promise of more. I had Lucas to take care of, after all. To date, saving my baby brother had been the driving force behind every action I’d taken.

But now, in the darkness of the suite, entwined with Cassius’s heavenly body, a new thought took shape. The future stretched out before me. A future without Cassius. A future in which I was in some other billionaire’s bed. A future where any club member could take me and do what they wanted. Now that I’d had sex and been initiated into the possibility of absolute pleasure, I should be less afraid. I should be bold and more confident that I could enjoy myself and lose myself in mindless, physical pleasure.

Instead, I wanted to scream.

I couldn’t imagine having another man’s hands on me. I couldn’t bear to think about doing anything I’d done with Cassius with anyone else. It was so personal—so intimate.

The idea not only terrified me, but I found it completely abhorrent. How could I ever be with another man after what I’d shared with Cassius Blackwood? I’d never let anyone get close to me before. I’d never let someone touch me the way that he’d touched me. I’d never been so vulnerable or so brave. I’d given myself to him. It was irrefutable, irrevocable.

At least, it was in my heart.

I felt the rise and fall of his chest, and tears pricked my eyes. I didn’t want to leave him. But in essence, I was already gone. The ink had dried on our contract long ago. I didn’t have a choice.

The minutes ticked on, and my thoughts spiraled. My heart felt heavy. I’d experienced the highest highs of my life in the past twenty-four hours, and now I felt the lowest lows. I couldn’t bear for Cassius to wake up, to have him leave me. I wouldn’t survive seeing him at the club tomorrow night, his arms wrapped around another girl.

No.Something deep inside me arose, a horror I couldn’t face. At that moment, I knew I couldn’t bear it.

I slid out from beneath him and slipped back into my white gown. The whispery, white fabric seemed to mock me now. I would never be pure again. I didn’t regret it—I would always choose Cassius Blackwood as my first. I didn’t have to be experienced to recognize that our connection was special. I knew no one else could ever make me feel that way again.

That was why I was leaving.

I tiptoed from the room. Cassius’s snores indicated that he hadn’t heard me. I slipped down the hallway and back to my wing. All was quiet, dark. Everyone must’ve paired off, or perhaps there was still a party in the club. Either way, I was grateful that I ran into no one and that Tate was nowhere to be found. I quickly changed clothes and threw some of my things into a bag.

I hesitated. I couldn’t afford to walk away from so much money. I was being selfish, and I knew it. That wasn’t like me. I would do anything—literally anything—to save Lucas. But I felt like if I stayed at the club, now that I was Cassius’s castoff, I would lose my mind.

I can figure something out. Lucas is safe in the treatment program for now. I can get a job, something that pays enough…

But tears pricked my eyes. I knew my situation was hopeless. Working at Dunkin’ would neverpay enough to cover my brother’s medical expenses. What was I going to do?

Leave the club and jeopardize my brother’s health?

Stay, and die inside?

I heard voices in the hall. One male, one female. They were laughing and talking too loud, sounding like they were drunk. I hoped it wasn’t Tate bringing someone back to our room. Soon enough, the voices passed, but they stopped nearby. “Ever get banged over a banister?” the patron asked.

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