Page 77 of Session 33

“What do you have on?” he asked, his voice low, almost like a growl.

I glanced down at myself, confused. My legs were bare in some old cut-off shorts, and a tube top stopped mid-way over my slightly rounded belly. “Just shorts and a T-shirt.”

He shook his head slightly, stepping closer. “Yeah, with no bra, no panties,” he muttered, his eyes locking onto mine. “You’re killing me.”

I heard him step closer.

“You’re doing this on purpose,” he said, his voice dripping with accusation. When I should have been the one accusing him.

I swallowed hard, trying to push the heat between us away. “I’m not—” I started, but my words faltered when he reached out, his fingers brushing against the hem of my shirt, gliding over my flesh as he did, sending shivers down my spine.

“Yes, you are,” he said, his tone more sure now. “Let me eat your pussy... that’ll make up for it.”

I froze, every nerve in my body reacting to him, wanting him, but I couldn’t. I shook my head, pulling back slightly. “No, Cassius,” I whispered.

He stared at me for a long moment, his hand still resting on my shirt, then he sighed, stepping back like he was trying to rein himself in. “Okay,” he said, his voice calm, but the hunger was still in his eyes. “I need to shower anyway. Let me know if you change your mind.” He said it so casually, then he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my breath shaky, my entire body buzzing, thighs slick.

I watched him go. My mind raced, and I tried to focus on what I needed to do to start my day, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how close I came to telling him yes. The problem was... I wanted to. I really fucking wanted to.

I was trying to get my head straight when my phone rang. I picked it up absentmindedly, still caught in the moment, and answered without even checking the name.

"Angel," Solomon’s voice came through the phone, sharp, venomous, and way too loud, like he was trying to reach through the line to shake me. "You think you can just walk away from me? Like I’m some kind of fucking experiment you’re done with? ¿De verdad crees que te voy a dejar ir tan fácil? Who the fuck are you without me?" His words came rapidly, and were full of rage. He sounded like he was spiraling.

I froze. My stomach turned, bile creeping up my throat as his voice hissed on.

"You better come back," he growled, his tone low and dark, like he was daring me to defy him. "Eres nada. You’ll never be happy with him. Nunca. You belong to me, Angel. Don’t forget that—you know it."

I didn’t say a word. Not a single sound. I just hit the red button, ending the call as my chest tightened and my hands shook. I stood there staring at my phone. How the fuck had I ever loved him? The thought alone made me feel dirty, like I needed to scrub his energy off my skin.

Cassius walked back into the kitchen, looking fresh, relaxed. How long had I been standing there?

Cassius smiled at me, completely unaware.

I swallowed hard, trying to decide if I should tell him, but then I remembered how angry he got when it came to Solomon. I wasn’t trying to start any more drama. I didn’t need him in jail because he killed him, especially when I knew he’d probably move on soon. I forced a smile, turning back to the stove.

“Breakfast is ready, could you wake up Ekon?” I said, keeping my voice steady even though inside I was still shaking. I needed a minute.

“Okay,” he said easily, already heading out of the room.

The moment he was gone, I exhaled shakily, gripping the edge of the counter. My knees felt weak, my throat tight. I blinked back tears, refusing to let them fall. Not here. Not now.

I just needed a minute. A moment to pull myself together. I’d deal with all of it—Solomon, Cassius, my crumbling emotions—later. Right now, I just needed to survive the next few hours without breaking.

Chapter sixty eight

"I better not see a snake."

Camping was a stupid idea. That’s all I could think as we drove through the winding, narrow roads leading us deeper into North Florida’s woods. Naomi and Jonas had invited us out here—me, Cassius, Silas, and Charmaine—on a camping trip to some “glass cabin” Naomi had found. I wasn’t really with it. A glass cabin sounded too much like, “Let’s see how much danger we can put ourselves into.” But Naomi was insistent. She even got her mother to watch the kids. They loved going to her house—she spoiled them rotten.

“It’ll be a chance to get away. No stress, just friends and nature. You need this,” she had said.

And I thought, maybe I did. Things with Cassius were still weird. We were living together but not together, and Solomon was still a cloud hanging over my head. So, yeah, maybe a getaway wasn’t the worst idea. And as we pulled up to the cabin, I started to feel like it wasn’t.

The place was beautiful. Everyone was in awe.

"Whoa," Jonas muttered, stepping out of his truck.

The cabin had floor-to-ceiling windows that reflected the surrounding forest. You couldn’t see in—that was a plus. Wildflowers and moss covered the ground like a blanket. It was beautiful, sure, but it was still in the middle of nowhere.