Page 81 of Session 33
Naomi getting up from the table drew my attention. She went to the fridge, grabbed a water, then paused. “Who in the fuck cut into the pie last night?” she asked, frowning.
Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “Silas did it and gave me a piece! And we... we kissed in the bathroom, a lot, and there was touching.”
Everyone stopped moving. The room went silent, and I immediately regretted opening my mouth. My face burned hot with embarrassment as I stared down at my plate, wishing I could just disappear for thirty minutes.
Naomi burst out laughing. “We know. Silas had you trembling.”
Charmaine elbowed Cassius. “You said she wouldn’t make it past breakfast!”
Cassius just shook his head, a smirk curving his lips, but his eyes didn’t match it. They were dark, almost unreadable. “I know Angel,” he said. “She doesn’t deal with guilt well. She’s a good girl.”
Everybody kept laughing, making jokes. Silas just shrugged it off.
I forced myself to laugh along, but I was screaming inside my head. After breakfast, everyone went upstairs to change for the hike. I stayed behind, gathering the dishes and trying to calm the fuck down. Cassius stayed behind too, leaning against the counter, watching me.
“You alright?” he asked.
I looked up, trying to keep my voice steady. “Yeah, just... embarrassed. I’m sorry.”
He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “Why are you sorry? We’re not together anymore, Angel. You don’t owe me anything.”
I swallowed, trying to find the right words. “I know, but I... I’m sorry, Cassius.”
He cocked his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Stop apologizing,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “Unless you still care what I think.”
I felt a rush of heat, but I tried to keep my face neutral. “It’s not like that.”
Cassius’s eyes narrowed, and before I could react, he was in front of me, grabbing my waist and pushing me back against the wall.He trapped me with his weight, his face so close I could feel his breath on my skin.
“You still love me, Angel?” His eyes pinned me in place, and I hated how much I still loved the way he looked at me like this—like he knew he was in control.
“Cassius, don’t,” I whispered.
“Answer me,” he insisted, his hand sliding up my side, dragging his fingers down the curve of my waist. “You love me, don’t you?”
I closed my eyes, trying to find my voice, trying to pull myself together. But all I could do was shake my head, and even that felt like a betrayal of the truth sitting heavy in my chest.
“Angel.” My name was a warning before his other hand gripped my jaw, holding it tight, his fingers digging in just enough to keep my eyes on him. Then he was tasting my mouth. The kiss was raw, messy, all tongue and teeth, violence that tasted like desperation. Like hunger. kissed him back—harder.
His hand traveled down, gripping my thigh, and I gasped as he lifted it to wrap around his waist, pulling me tighter against him.
When he finally pulled back, we were both breathing hard, his forehead resting against mine. “Did he kiss you better than me?” he asked, his voice thick with all things possessive. “Does he make you feel better than I do?”
I couldn’t answer, couldn’t speak. I just shook my head.
“Exactly, and nobody will,” he said. His fingers still lingered on my skin, ghosting along my waist, like he was weighing the decision to leave, like he didn’t want to break contact but knew he had to. “And nobody ever will.”
My fingers curled into the hem of my shirt, twisting the fabric as though I could wring the tension out of my body. All this was too much for my poor little heart.
Chapter seventy
Hiking after breakfast had me lethargic as hell, the sun was trying to scorch my pale ass, and the humidity was relentless. Adjusting my backpack, I fell into step behind Angel. She wore tight-ass leggings that clung to her curves, and I knew she felt me staring. After what happened in the kitchen earlier, though, I could tell she wasn’t ready to deal with me. I liked that she was flustered.
Naomi led the way, walking fast as hell, pointing out random trees and spouting facts she probably Googled the night before, like any of us cared. Silas and Charmaine trailed in the back, laughing and flirting. It was strange seeing Silas this into someone. Charmaine seemed good for him, but I doubted it would last—she was too clingy, and Silas thrived on challenges. She wouldn’t be around long. I almost felt bad for her. Almost.
The hike wasn’t anything crazy—just a dirt trail winding through pines and oaks, but my Jordans were getting fucked up in the mud. That was on me. Eventually, we reached a clearing, and Naomi declared it would be our spot for roasting marshmallows later. The area was nice—a fire pit surrounded by logs, a small lake nearby, and a few other campsites around. Just as we settled down to rest, two women came walking along the trail. One was Black, the other white, both in crop tops and shorts. They looked like something out of an Instagram ad, all smilesand soft giggles. Not my type, though. I didn’t do the whole girl-next-door thing.
Naomi, ever the social butterfly, waved them over. “Hey! We’re having a campfire here later. Y’all should join us. They introduced themselves,”