She wasn’t new to hyperventilation. The first time it happened was the day she overheard her aunt talking about the death of her parents. When she learned the reason her mother had died was because of the shock of her father’s death and the discovery of his affair, Cassidy had fallen to the floor, fighting to get air into her lungs and sending the family into a panic. She’d had attacks other times over the years, whenever she experienced acute stress.
As always, the symptoms receded, and she finally breathed normally again. She dragged herself to her feet and fumbled her way into the car. Her gaze fixed on the steering wheel, unseeing, memories coming back to haunt her, memories of her mother, and how her father had not only betrayed her, but how his actions had torn apart the fabric of their family unit.
“Daddy,” she whispered, resting her forehead against the wheel. “Daddy.” Tears slid down her cheeks, and her slumped shoulders shook with the pain of the past and the guilt of the secret she’d kept as a little girl in an effort to protect her father and preserve her family.
She’d never been able to forgive herself, and this was her punishment for the bad thing she’d done. She’d always known she’d have to pay for her deception. It stayed in the back of her mind, and no matter how much she believed in everlasting love, she couldn’t be convinced that she’d be one of the lucky ones to experience it.
When the phone rang beside her, she didn’t move, listening to Antonio’s unique ring. Three times he called, and each time she heard the beep as he left a voice mail. She headed for home, and on the way there, the phone rang for a fourth time, with a different ringtone.
Glancing at the screen, she saw Janice’s number. Her first instinct was to ignore the call, but then she changed her mind.
“Hi, honey!” Janice said when she answered. “I know its short notice, but I figured since your husband’s in Miami, maybe you’d like to go out tonight. One of my old college friends is in town, and she wants to get crazy and wild in Hotlanta. You know how it is when people come here.”
“Antonio came back into town today.” Her voice sounded hoarse, which was no surprise since her mouth and throat felt dry.
“What’s wrong? Are you sick?”
“No.”
“What is it, then? You don’t sound like yourself.”
“Something happened tonight—between me and Antonio, and I could really use a friend right now.”
“Where are you?” Janice’s tone changed from warm to brisk. “Do you need me to come get you?”
“Maybe, I don’t know. Antonio and I had a big fight. I don’t know what to think.”
“Tell me exactly what happened.” Cassidy quickly explained. After which, Janice asked, “And where is he now?”
“He left with her.”
“Oh no, no, no.” She envisioned Janice rolling her neck and shaking her head from side to side.
“He said she’s a friend. Maybe—”
“Honey, have I taught you nothing over the past couple of years? That’s what they do. Deny, deny, deny. You can’t trust a word coming out of their mouths. Where are you?”
“I’m in the car, and I’m almost home.”
“My girlfriend and I were going to grab a bite to eat, so we’re dressed and ready to go. We’ll meet you there.”
****
“What are you going to do about Cassidy?” Ernesto asked. He’d removed the cap, and he and Antonio stood near the front door of the suite talking quietly. Valentina and his son were in the bedroom.
“I left her several messages, but she’s not responding, which isn’t a surprise.”
“Do you need me to do anything? I feel partially responsible. I could explain.”
Antonio declined the offer with a shake of his head. “This isn’t a new problem between us, and to be honest, she’ll probably accuse you of lying for me. When she’s had time to cool off, she’ll see how ridiculous she’s behaving.”
Ernesto smiled. “I hate I missed the excitement of seeing you get beat down by your half-pint wife.”
“It’s not funny. She got in some good blows to my face, and my ribs are sore.”
“I don’t know how you make it work. The two of you have such different temperaments, but sometimes I think you secretly like the drama.”
“No way. I prefer peace and quiet.”
“If you preferred peace and quiet, you wouldn’t have married Cassidy. No matter how irrational you say she is, you enjoy it, because you thrive on the chaos. It’s an adrenalin high like the one you get when you’re fixing problems for one of your clients.”
“Are you insane?”
“It’s an observation.” Ernesto shrugged. “You don’t have to agree. Just remember, if you need me, I’m there for you.”
“I know.”
“Tony, I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I know you didn’t approve of any of this, and it put you in an awkward position because we couldn’t tell anyone.”
“You’re my brother, and Emilio’s my nephew, and as far as I’m concerned, there were no other options because this was about family. Get ready with a good explanation for when we incur the wrath of our parents, though. You know Mama, especially, is going to be upset we didn’t tell her she had a grandchild as soon as we found out.”
“When she holds him and starts spoiling him, she’ll forget all about the lapse in time.”
“True. I better get out of here.” At the door, he turned.
“I know, I know. Don’t spend the night.”
On the ride home, Antonio reflected on the events over the last couple of hours. His homecoming hadn’t gone as planned, but he couldn’t have left Valentina to handle the emergency alone. He’d promised his brother he’d take care of them until he could do it himself. If he’d had more time, he could have explained everything to Cassidy. More than ever, they needed to have a candid discussion about her trust issues.
He rubbed the back of his neck, perplexed by the confrontation at the hospital. One question came to him, like a dark whisper, unshakable, repeating over and over in his head.
How had Cassidy known where to find him?
Chapter Ten
When Antonio entered the house, he knew right away Cassidy wasn’t there even though her car sat in the garage. He’d left her four messages already, the fourth on the way home, and still no response. His first instinct was to call one of her brothers, but if she was with one of them, they wouldn’t let him near her. They’d protect the “princess,” as they called her.
He contacted Lorena, knowing she’d tell him if she heard from Cassidy, but she hadn’t and promised she’d call him if she did.
He stood in the bedroom and dialed her number again. Ringing in the room echoed the one in his ear. He hadn’t noticed when he walked in, but her phone was on the nightstand on her side of the bed. In anger, he pushed the end button, frustrated she’d purposely left it at home so he couldn’t reach her.
He stalked over to the phone and pulled up short when he saw a pair of scissors and his three favorite ties cut into thin strips on the floor.
“Did she have to pick my favorite ones?” he asked the empty room. Of course she did. In true Cassidy fashion, she’d gone straight for the jugular. Choosing to look at the bright side, he was happy she hadn’t used the scissors on him.
He dropped onto the bed, berating himself again for not telling her sooner about his brother’s situation. The truth was, it hadn’t been his story to tell. He and Ernesto had decided not to tell even their parents, for fear that they might slip and reveal the existence of Emilio and Valentina to the wrong person, who’d then go to the tabloids.
Originally, the deception had a short timeline—until Ernesto’s divorce became final. Ernesto’s affair with Valentina had ended almost two years ago, but from the moment he found out he had a son, he’d enlisted Antonio’s help.
Antonio had flown in Valentina and Emilio and rented them a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel the week before his brother expect
ed to sign the divorce papers. Unfortunately, their plan fell apart when Ernesto’s wife refused to sign them and instead asked for more compensation.
She and her attorney dragged out the proceedings for another two months, gaining not only an increase in alimony payments, but Ernesto’s surrender of the house in Atlanta, the vacation house in Florida, and several pieces of priceless art. During this period, Ernesto and Valentina couldn’t see each other and used Antonio’s phone to communicate because they couldn’t risk his wife finding out about the affair and his love child. In a couple of days, his divorce would be final, and he could share the news with his family without concern about repercussions.
An hour later, Antonio sat in the living room watching television when he decided he needed to get out of the house. He left Cassidy a note, telling her to call him when she arrived at home because they needed to talk, though he doubted she would. Then he left, not knowing where he was headed.
****
The beat of the music reverberated in Cassidy’s chest as she stood on the outskirts of the venue. She’d just turned down another invitation to dance, but Janice had no such reservations. She shook and shimmied on the dance floor with a man who looked young enough to be her son.
It was just the two of them because Janice’s friend had received a call from an old flame and decided to go out with him instead. When Janice showed up at the house, she insisted Cassidy get dressed so she could take her out.
At first it was only supposed to be dinner, but after dinner, Janice drove to the hottest new club in Atlanta.
“I really don’t want to be here,” Cassidy had said, sitting in the car in the parking lot. “I’d rather go home.”
“Ladies are free until twelve. I promise not to stay long. We can get in, have a little fun, and be out. Besides, what do you think Antonio is doing right now?”
So here she was, standing against the wall, wishing she’d never left the house in the first place. It was well after midnight, and Janice didn’t show any signs of slowing down. Cassidy looked around at the crowd, remembering how she’d ignored Antonio’s efforts to reach her. She regretted leaving her phone at home. Had he tried to call her again?
She should have given him more of a chance to explain. Maybe he’d told the truth about why he was at a hospital, instead of on the date she’d spent time planning, with a beautiful Latina holding a baby who looked just like him. She almost laughed at the preposterous thought. Sad, really. She was like every other woman who chose to live in denial and ignore glaring facts.
One thing she knew for certain, though. Her obstinance had brought her to a place where she didn’t want to be. Pushing away from the wall, she walked onto the dance floor to Janice, who showed her flexibility by dropping low in front of the young man.
She tapped her on the shoulder. “Let’s get out of here,” she said when her friend turned around.
“What? The night’s still young.” Janice continued to move her body like a snake while she talked.
“Can we please go? I’ll give you cash when I get home so you can come back and get in. I’m not in the mood.”
“I swear, you’re half my age, but you act like—” Something or someone had drawn her attention.
“The minute I spotted you I came down,” a masculine voice said in her ear. “Glad you decided to come.”
Cassidy’s stomach bottomed out. She turned and quickly stepped back when she saw how close Brick stood. A diamond stud in his ear twinkled, matching the twinkle in his eyes as he smiled down at her.
“Hey there.” His appreciative gaze scanned her attire. “Did you bring your hubby with you?” The tone of his voice suggested he hoped she hadn’t.
“No, and actually, we’re about to leave, so . . .”
“Hello, I’m Janice Goss.” Janice stuck out her hand, standing so close her breast brushed Cassidy’s shoulder blade. While they shook hands, she continued talking, having clearly abandoned her dance partner. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Sharif.”
“Mr. Sharif? That’s way too formal. Call me Isaiah.”
She giggled. “Isaiah, then. I’ve been watching you play since your rookie year. The Patriots are lucky to have you. You two know each other?”
“Yes. This young woman stole my heart back in college.”
“Really?” Janice asked with interest.
“He’s exaggerating.”
“I’d love for Cassidy to join me and my friends upstairs in the Purple Rain Lounge. As her friend, you can come, too, of course, but Cassidy said you’re about to leave, so . . .”
She knew he was trying to use Janice to convince her to stick around, and it had worked. Her friend turned on her. “Cassidy, come on.”
“But we were leaving.”
Janice flashed a smile at Isaiah. “Excuse us for a moment.” She directed Cassidy over to the side. “Listen, I hate to mention it, but I came all the way out to your house to get you to cheer you up. Is it really too much to ask for you to go up to the VIP lounge? It’s obvious he won’t let me in if you’re not there. It’s Isaiah Sharif and his friends, for goodness’ sake!”
“Aren’t you a little old to be doing the groupie thing?”
“Old?” She looked offended, and Cassidy regretted the remark. “Honey, forty is the new thirty. You didn’t know?”
Cassidy refrained from pointing out she was almost fifty. “Janice, I really don’t want to do this. If you won’t take me home, then at least let me use your phone so I can call a cab.”
Her friend’s jaw hardened. “I see it now,” she said, placing a hand on her hip.
For a minute Cassidy thought she saw a malevolent look in her eyes, but that couldn’t be right. Janice was her friend—almost like a big sister or mother figure. “See what?”
“The spoiled little girl, the selfish behavior you said you sometimes exhibit. I never noticed it before, but yes, I see what you mean.”
The words cut especially deep because they came from someone she cared about and respected.
“Fine, I’ll take you home, if that’s what you want. How silly of me to expect you to show a little compassion and think about someone else. Tonight is all about you, isn’t it? You can’t even spare thirty minutes for a friend.”
Although she found the words upsetting, Cassidy couldn’t deny Janice had dropped everything to come get her. She’d been a good friend to her.
She swallowed back the hurt and looked over her shoulder. Isaiah still stood nearby. He glanced up from signing his autograph on a napkin for several hovering females to smile at her, and she returned an uneasy one. She knew Isaiah had an interest in her, and she didn’t want to encourage him. But if they didn’t stay very long . . .
“Thirty minutes,” she said to Janice.
“Yes!” Janice put her arm around Cassidy. “Come on, honey. Let’s go before you change your mind.”
****
Antonio walked into Toxic, the newest club to break onto the Atlanta night scene. All around him, gyrating bodies pumped furiously. Over at one of the four bars, he spotted the owner, his friend Jackson Cole, checking out the crowd, his head bouncing up and down in time to the music.
Because of his appearance, Jackson intimidated people who didn’t know him well. A big black man with a bald head, he stood head and shoulders above everyone else and carried a permanent scowl on his face. He was the kind of man who caused old ladies to grab their purses when they saw him coming and grown men to cross to the other side of the street to avoid him.
Antonio greeted his friend with the “man hug”—a combination of a handshake with one hand and a thump on the back with the other.
“I haven’t seen you in a while,” Jackson said. “Where have you been?”
“Busy with work,” Antonio answered.
Wall-to-wall patrons wound their way through the dim interior. Green, yellow, and red lights flashed overhead, adding to the festive atmosphere. High above the dance floor, four cages suspended from the ceilin
g held women dressed like go-go dancers, whirling and popping to the music.
Antonio took the open bottle of beer Jackson offered and thanked him.
“You and the wife hanging out tonight, huh?” Jackson asked.
He took two long drags on the bottle before answering. “No, it’s just me tonight. I stopped in for a bit to see Isaiah Sharif and his crew, and then I’m going home.” Even if he weren’t upset about the situation with Cassidy, he wouldn’t have stayed. Clubs didn’t have the same appeal they used to. He scrolled through his calls and texts for the umpteenth time. Still nothing from Cassidy.
Jackson sent him a strange look. “What do you mean? Cassidy’s been here.”
Antonio paused with the bottle halfway to his mouth. “Cassidy? My wife?” He must be mistaken.
Jackson’s brow knotted into a frown. “Yeah, I saw her earlier, and now she’s up in the Purple Rain Lounge with Isaiah Sharif and the other players.” Antonio turned in the direction Jackson indicated. “She—”
He didn’t hear the rest because he dropped his beer on the bar with a crack and started moving through the throng to the stairs.
At the roped entrance, he made a sweep of the lounge. The large room gave the illusion of intimacy because it was covered in a purple haze from the overhead lighting. It could be closed off by long drapes tied apart that allowed patrons to stand at the railing and look down at the partiers below.
Dancing groupies filled the lounge, several of whom he recognized from other events. Seating that looked like one giant sectional sofa ran along one wall, and above it, the word “Toxic” was spelled out in all caps. Purple raindrops projected in the letters in a continuous stream. Tables overflowed with refreshments, and guests hovered beside them, tossing back drinks and noshing on gourmet food.
At first he thought Jackson was mistaken that Cassidy was there, because at first glance, he didn’t see her among those standing around or dancing. But as his gaze made a second sweep, he caught sight of Janice in the middle of the floor with one of the players, twirling and swinging her hips to a remixed version of an old hit, “Lights, Camera, Action” by Mr. Cheeks. He hadn’t noticed her initially because her back had been to him.
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