Page 58 of Session 33

Silas didn’t even flinch.

“Oh my God,” she gasped, scrambling off him, grabbing for a throw blanket on the couch.

I lunged at Silas. We tussled, and he ended up on the floor with one punch.

I turned to glare at her again.

“Cassius, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean for this to happen. He was the one who—”

I didn’t want to hear it. “Get the fuck out of my shit,” I said, each word laced with disgust. “You know what happened between my parents. I can’t forgive you for this. Don’t come back, or I might end up doing some stupid shit.”

The color drained from her face. For a second, I thought she might cry, but then she scrambled to pull her clothes on, her fingers shaking as she struggled with the zipper on her skirt. Her heels clattered against the floor as she grabbed her purse and bolted out the door, leaving behind a few stray items—and everything I’d ever bought her.

As soon as her car screeched out of my driveway, Silas’s goofy ass opened his eyes, groaning as he sat up, rubbing his jaw but smiling. “Damn, man, you didn’t have to hit me so fucking hard.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I had to make it look good,” I said, still chuckling. “Her ass didn’t even try to help you.”

Silas grinned, shaking his head. “If I was giving something other than some lazy dick, she might have. The pussy is trash, my friend. How’d you do it?”

“I don’t know how I did it either. Cover that shit up,” I said, nodding toward him. The condom was still hanging off his dick.

Silas blinked, looking down at himself. “Oh, right,” he muttered, grabbing his pants from the floor to cover himself.

“Thanks for that, though. I’ve been trying to get rid of her for months, but she’s been hanging on like a leech because she likes money.” That shit that had happened with Solomon at the party had given me the idea to set her up. I saw how she’d been eyeing Silas and Jonas. But Jonas obviously couldn’t help.

“Glad I could help. But man, you’ve got some serious issues.”

I nodded, my mind already drifting to Angel. It was always on Angel or my son. Silas was right—I had some serious issues. But at least one of them was out of my life, and hopefully for good.

Chapter forty eight

Sitting in my car outside my therapist’s office, I let out a slow breath. His words were still ringing in my ears, bouncing around my head like a bad echo. I hadn’t expected this shit to be easy, but damn, I hadn’t thought he would drag me through hell, either. A few sessions in and he wasn’t holding back.

“You sabotage yourself, Cassius,” the doctor had said, his voice calm and professional. “You pushed Angel away because deep down, you’re convinced you’re going to end up like your father. You said you look like him, have temper and jealousy issues. I think you’re afraid you’ll do something you can’t take back, like him.”

Hearing him say that shit had skewered me because as soon as he did, it was like he was putting words to my feelings. I wouldn’t hurt Angel, but back then I would have killed a motherfucker who got in our way. Even though in the back of my mind I knew she was a good girl and wouldn’t fuck me over, I couldn’t help thinking she just might.

I stared at my phone, Angel’s name glowing on the screen. My thumb hovered over the call button, hesitation freezing me up. But I had questions. With a quick swipe, I called her.

“Hello?”

Her voice was soft.

“It’s me,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

There was a pause, and I could almost see her frowning, trying to figure out why I was calling. She was almost over me now. But not completely. I could see her love for me in her eyes. Which was the only reason I was trying to fix myself. I had a chance to get my family back.

“Cassius? What’s going on? Everything okay?”

“Yeah... No. I mean, I need to ask you something,” I stumbled over the words, but fuck it, this was harder than I thought it would be.

“Okay...” She sounded cautious, and I couldn’t blame her.

“Were you ever scared of me?” I held my breath, feeling the tension in my chest ratchet up, it felt like I was waiting for a bomb to go off.

The silence on the other end felt like a lifetime. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. Finally, she spoke, her voice softer than before, like she was afraid of what her answer might do to me. “Yes, Cassius. I was scared sometimes.”

I closed my eyes, the confirmation gave me the worst feeling in my chest ever. I knew it was coming, but hearing it—feeling it—was different. I leaned back against the headrest, trying to breathe through the guilt that was threatening to choke me. “Why?” I asked, my voice tight. “When? What did I do?”