Page 47 of Cass

I don’t know how many times we had sex. His stamina and bounce back are ridiculous. I don’t remember men in their twenties being like that when I was in my twenties.

I feel the poke again. I reach over for Trevor, but the bed feels empty. “Trevor?”

“No, it’s me.” My eyes pop open. That’s Jackson’s voice.

I pull the covers up on my body, and turnaround wide-eyed. “Is there any chance this is just a nightmare, and I’m about to wake up?”

“Oh, it’s a nightmare alright. Unfortunately, we’re both awake right now.”

He looks around, as do I. Oh my god. I can’t imagine what he’s thinking. The bed is broken and in pieces. There are sex toys on the floor. I don’t even see the comforter. I’m naked, tangled in the sheets. Everything about this room screams sex marathon. Dirty sex marathon.

He stands up and runs his fingers through his hair. “Cassandra, what are you doing? You’re twice his age.”

I blow out a breath. “I’m really sorry, Jackson. I guess Darian couldn’t hold it in. We told her we’d tell you today. I promise we were going to tell you about our relationship today.”

“Darian knows?”

Oh god. “She just found out. She figured it out on her own last night. She gave us until today to tell you. She didn’t want to keep a secret from you, but knew it should come from us. It killed her. She was freaking out about it. Don’t be angry with her. Please. You know she can’t keep secrets. It’s not in her grain.”

“That explains why she’s acting like a crazy woman. I’m not mad at her. I know she doesn’t keep things from me. She definitely can’t keep secrets. She would never have made it through the day. I’m surprised she made it through the night.” I breathe out a sigh of relief.

I hear the front door open and then close. Footsteps are headed toward the bedroom. I hear Trevor’s voice. “Wake up, Sexy. Time for another roun… Oh, hey, Dad. I see you’ve met my girlfriend. Dad, this is Cassandra. Cassandra, this is my father, Jackson Knight.”

I’m not sure how Trevor can find humor in this moment, but somehow, he managed to make a joke. And worse, he has a huge smile on his face.

Jackson looks at him like he’s crazy. “What do you meangirlfriend?”

Trevor smiles. “I mean, we’re together. I mean, we’re dating. I mean, I’m in love with her.”

Jackson looks like his head is going to blow. “Inlovewith her? Are you crazy? She’s old enough to be your mother? She’s only a year younger than your actual mother. You can’t be in love with her.”

“Yet, I am.”

Jackson looks at me. “How long has this been going on? How long have you been sleeping with my son?”

I fumble. “Umm, a while.”

“Answer me, damn it.”

Trevor speaks first. “Two years, Dad. We’ve been together for two years.”

Jackson turns back to me. “Nearly the whole time I’ve known you?” I bite my lip as I slowly nod my head.

He paces back and forth across the room, running his fingers through his hair. “My wife loves you like a sister. My stepdaughters love you like an aunt. I’ve welcomed you into my family with open arms. I include you in every single thing we do. You have the nerve to seduce my twenty-six-year-old son. You make him fall in love with you. How dare you. How selfish can you be? What the hell is the matter with you?”

Trevor’s normal jovial demeanor changes as he moves to put his body between Jackson and me. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him raise his voice before, certainly not to Jackson.

“Dad, stop. Do notevertalk to her like that again. Don’t give me countless speeches about respecting women, and then come intomyhouse and talk tomywoman that way. Either treat her with respect or leave. In fact, she’s not dressed. You need to get out of my room until she is. How would you feel if that was me in the room with Darian undressed? Actually, that did happen, and you kicked me out. So now this is me, kicking you out. If you can talk to her with respect, you can wait for us in the living room. If you can’t, get the fuck out of my house.”

I’m honestly shocked Trevor spoke that way to Jackson. No one has ever stood up for me like that.

Jackson can’t seem to get words out. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, but eventually he just turns and leaves. A few moments later, we hear the front door slam shut.

I have tears rolling down my cheeks. Trevor sits next to me on the bed.

He wipes my tears with his thumbs. He tilts my chin up. “Don’t cry. We knew we’d face a little resistance. I’m going to let him calm down, and then I will go over there and talk to him, man to man. We’ll get past this. I promise.”

I shake my head. “Trevor, he’s right. I seduced you. I made you fall in love with me. I’m selfish. I’ve always been a selfish person.”

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