Page 21 of Cass

“Nothing I want to talk about with you right now. I just want to crawl into bed.”

“Okay. I would offer to get Darian, but she’s got the exam tomorrow. She needs her sleep.”

“Absolutely. Don’t think about waking her. I’ll talk to her after her test. I’ll get up and leave before she wakes so she doesn’t know I slept here. I want her completely focused tomorrow.”

Scott knows me well enough to realize that it’s odd for me to not make eye contact. He walks over to me and lifts my chin. He looks at my eye. I see his nostrils start to flare, and his breathing picks up. “You’re going to need to give me one good reason that I shouldn’t go over there and beat the shit out of him.”

I look up at him. “I’ll give you four. Darian and your girls need you, Scott.” I release the tears I’ve been holding in my eyes, and whisper, “I need you too.”

He nods as he takes my bags. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” He brings my bags to the guestroom.

He returns, gets me a bag of ice, and takes my hand. He leads me over toward their sofas, and we sit. “I need you to tell me exactly what happened. Every single detail. Leave nothing out.”

I tell him everything. Every last detail. He has tears in his own eyes as he listens to it all.

He takes a breath when I finish. “I knew it was bad, but not this bad. You know, when I walked you down the aisle, I almost didn’t let you go. I’ve never liked the way he treated you. You deserve so much better.”

“Do I, Scott? Do I really deserve someone better? Someone good? Someone like you? I’m a selfish person. No one wants to be with a selfish person. No man has ever fought for me. No man has ever stood up for me. No man has ever taken care of me. Just the opposite. Theyallrun away from me. Every single one of them. No man has ever wanted the real me. No man has ever truly seen me. No man has ever truly loved me. I will never have someone like you because I just don’t deserve it. I’m unlovable. I will spend my life alone.”

Scott gets down on his knees and takes my hands in his. “Cassie, I need you to hear me right now. You’re one of the mostselflesspeople that I know. In the twelve years I’ve known you, you’ve been a sister to Darian. I’ve watched you take care of her, put her needs ahead of yours, and just love her. You treat my children as if they’re your own. No one sees through bullshit like children, yet our girls love you unconditionally, just as you love them. I love you for the way you are with all four of my girls. You’re family to us. Wealllove you. We will take care of you.”

That’s probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me in my entire life. But I won’t take advantage of them.

I collect myself and look back up at him. “Thank you for saying that, but I’m an adult, Scott. You guys aren’t taking care of me. I found my way into this mess. I’ll find my way out.”

He shakes his head. “No. You will move in here. Nonnegotiable.”

I try to interrupt, but he holds his hands up. “You will move in here for as long as you need. You’re a partner at your law firm now. You make good money. You’ll get yourself back on your feet in no time. You can find a new place when that time comes. But until then, you will live here, and we will take care of you. I won’t take no for an answer. I also imagine that tonight is not the last Roman has heard from you. We both know that you’ll get most of your money back. It may just take a little time. You’ll be with us until that time comes.”

I swallow with emotion. Unable to speak.

He stands up. “I’m heading up to bed. You should get some rest. We’ll talk more tomorrow. We’ll tell Darian everything after her exam.” I nod.

All of a sudden, I hear Darian’s sleepy voice from the top of the stairs. “Scott, are you down there?”

He holds his finger up for me to be quiet. “Yes. I was just grabbing some water. I’m coming back up, baby.”

“Okay. Hurry up. You know I can’t sleep without you. I need you.”

“I’m on my way.”

He nods goodnight to me as he disappears up the stairs. I hear him kiss her when he reaches the top. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I take a deep breath in realization. I will never have that.

* * *

TREVOR

PRESENT

I’m in tears listening to her story. She’s so broken. A lot of things make more sense to me now. The walls she’s built. Her attitude toward men. Her fierce protection of her independence. Her need for control.

Though I suspect there’s more to it, and I won’t ask tonight, I understand why she likes to video-tape herself having sex. It’s not a kink for her. It’s about control. Taking back the control she once lost.

“Trevor, are you there?”

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