Page 124 of Due Diligence

I stepped out of the elevator and headed towards my office, my mother sitting quietly in my ear all the while. Once I was inside of the office with the door closed behind me, I took a seat at my chair.

“I have to go now,” I told her. “I’m not sure why you called, or if you even care anymore, but I’ll be fine. Please tell dad I’ll send more checks as soon as I find a new job.”

I ended the call without waiting for her to respond. When she dialed me back shortly thereafter, I let it go to voicemail.

Chapter 34: Marcus

I ended the call with Dr. Jensen and walked to my bedroom, where Sammy was fast asleep. Frank followed me, trailing my heels as usual with his toenails clacking on the hardwood floor. I rolled onto my bed and stared up at the high ceilings. The nausea persisted. I wondered if it would ever go away.

My phone lit up with a text message from Cass:Two minutes away. My heart surged at the sight. She had rushed out of the Libra offices this morning just a few minutes after I told her the truth about the data sale. She didn’t even say goodbye. She just called an Uber on her phone as she burst out of Alex’s office, and ignored the desperate call I made to her just a few minutes later.

My assumption was that she was furious with me—maybe unforgivably so. If I had just told her what I knew on Friday when I was at her apartment, it never would have come to this. Alex would have never taken that picture of us, and her job would have been safe.

She probably hated me. She probably rued the day she ever gave my sorry ass a shot. I wouldn’t have blamed her. I would never forgive myself for letting this happen to her.

I rolled off my bed to the sound of the buzzer at my apartment door. As soon as I opened it, Cass threw herself into my arms. I actually staggered back from the force of her colliding with me and embracing me so tightly.

Fuck, I needed her.

“Did I do something right?” I asked as I ran my hand over her long blond hair. I inhaled the smell of her shampoo, savoring it like it was the last time I would ever have a chance. “Because it feels like I’ve done everything wrong lately.”

She separated from me so she could bend down and greet Frank, who was standing on his hind legs and clawing at her thighs. “Hello, my baby,” she cooed at him. “I missed you.”

I shut the door behind her and leaned against it, exhaling as I watched her scratch Frank’s belly. The mere sight of her was enough to turn one of the worst days of my life into a brighter one. Fucking hell. If I lost her over this, I was going to kill Alex before the Federal Trade Commission could even figure out they needed to prosecute him.

“Look, I know you’re furious and you probably hate me and never want to see me again. I get all of that, but I just want to say—”

“I’m not mad,” she cut in. She stood up to face me, furrowing her brow as she fixed her gaze on me.

I paused until her words finally started to make sense. It took several seconds. “You’re not?”

Cass shook her head. “I could be, you’re right. This is one of the rare times when being angry is more rational than being calm. But I also know I like you, and you seem to like me.”

The weight slid off me like snow on a spring roof. “Like? That’s an understatement.”

I loved her.

“Why would I distance myself from you when I know you’re going to need me for the next few months?” Cass walked over and took my hand. Her grip was delicate, but so certain. “I have enough drama in my life. No, I think I’ll just hang on to you.”

I loved her so much.

“I don’t know what to say,” I admitted. “I thought you were going to murder me.”

Cass smiled at me, and it was one of those smiles that was so magnificent, I forgot we were clutching each other for balance on a boat about to capsize. “Still not a serial killer, handsome.”

“But I fucked up your life, Cass. I got you…did you get fired?”

“I did.”

“Shit,” I muttered, bringing my hands up to the top of my head. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. You know me, and you know I would never cut someone out of my life just for making a mistake.” She shook her head as she said that. “That’s not who I am.”

“I’m so grateful for that.”

I loved her more than anything.

“Just…” she trailed off as she raised her hands and rested them on my cheeks. “Just look at me and tell me you like me exactly as I am.”

---