by Laura Morgan
The next morning, she woke with a stiff back and dry, sore eyes. At some point she must’ve stopped crying, but she knew she’d wept for hours before finally falling into an exhausted sleep. After a quick search of the apartment, Cassie realized Leo had gone out. There was no note and no text message telling her where he was or when he’d be back. He’d just gone.
“Here we go with the cold-shoulder routine,” she mumbled as she climbed into the shower. “Well, two can play at that game.”
Within the hour, she’d gone to her theater and buried her head in the proverbial sand. Siobhan plied her with coffee and seemed to know not to ask questions, while Roger watched with concern etched all over his face. By late afternoon, Cassie decided enough was enough, and swapped the coffee for something far stronger. “You two coming for a proper drink or what?” she demanded.
“Sure thing, boss,” Roger replied, and Siobhan grabbed her purse. Neither seemed interested in questioning her motives, and Cassie was glad they’d taken her not-so-subtle hints to keep the hell out of it.
“Where’re we headed?” Siobhan asked as she climbed into the back seat of a minicab with Cassie and Roger. Cassie answered her with nothing but a sly grin and a wink before quietly instructing the driver where to go.
They started with cocktails, quickly followed by wine, and then took a pit stop for junk food from an old-fashioned fish and chip shop. Roger tucked into a huge plate of battered cod and vinegar-soaked fries, but he drank nothing more than soda while Cassie and Siobhan ate their meals with another bottle of wine to share as an accompaniment. He played protector while the girls had more than his share of booze, and soon Cassie and Siobhan were swaying and hugging each other tightly while they stumbled along to the next bar.
“You’ve been the best friend I could’ve wanted here, Shiv. The best!” Cassie proclaimed. “You’re gonna be married soon, and leave me to go and have Spanish babies. But I don’t care, because if you’re happy—I’m happy.”
“No way, I’m not going anywhere.” Siobhan shook her head and the fast movement made her wobble. “José knows I’m not leaving my career behind, nope. Nor you. You’re my best friend too, I love you!” They squeezed one another tightly and shrieked, but didn’t care who was watching. Cassie adored having such a great friend by her side, and wouldn’t ever apologize for expressing how happy it made her having Siobhan in her life.
“Girls, how about we take a break and grab some coffee?” Roger tried, but his attempt to cut their conversation short only brought him into it.
“Roger!” Cassie screamed. She’d almost forgotten he was there, and grabbed him, flinging her arms around his shoulders. “You are my best boy friend. Not as in boyfriend, but—you know?” He nodded and tried to pry her arms from around his neck, but without success. “You’re so cute, you know? I wanted you and Shiv to get it on, but she’s got her Spanish heartthrob now, so we need to find you a lady friend. What do you like? Blonde? Brunette?”
“Boys?” Siobhan asked, and they both creased up laughing.
“None of the above,” he replied with a smile. “Redheads every time.” He then took one of each of their hands in his and led them toward an all-night coffee shop, but Cassie had other ideas. With a twist, she had her hand free, and she stormed straight inside an entryway she’d spotted a few doors down marked Club Alpha.
She paid the entrance fee and dived right in, and the others could do nothing but follow her inside. Cassie grinned at the sight that welcomed her. Male dancers were everywhere. Some were dressed up in costumes or ripped jeans, while others had on tiny thongs or what looked like socks covering their manhood. A select few were on a stage, and were completely naked. Their epic rods stood to attention while they gyrated and danced, and their adoring public screamed for more. Cassie blushed at the sight, but refused to walk away.
“Table for three, please,” she instructed the waitress, who spotted Siobhan and a very red-faced Roger trailing in behind her, and the young woman beckoned for them to follow her. They sat around a tall circular table, and Cassie immediately ordered cocktails. “Keep them coming,” she instructed, handing a wad of cash to the girl, who nodded. Within minutes, two of the strippers came over, each carrying a tray adorned with colorful drinks and bowls of seductive looking canapés. They soon began offering the women a taste, while Roger stared the men down, letting them know he wasn’t there for the show, or to be waited on.
A tall, blond Adonis gave Cassie his undivided attention for the entire duration of their drinking session. He was stunning, but she wasn’t interested in anything he had to offer except the fun and flirtation. The man was oiled and waxed to perfection, and while she appreciated the view, it wasn’t why she was there. She was teaching her own Adonis a lesson. Eyes were on her, and not just from the still disgruntled Roger sitting opposite, but from others who had been tailing them all afternoon. Cassie had known for a while that she’d been watched at all times, and in her anger had decided to give Leo’s cronies something to report about.
When Mario, or so he said his name was, offered to feed her a cherry on a cocktail stick, she accepted. When he held a glass to her lips and tipped it for the perfect mouthful, she didn’t object. He told her not to lift a finger, and she didn’t. “A girl could get used to being waited on hand and foot,” she told him after Mario wiped her lip clear of any remnants from her Screaming Orgasm with a napkin.
“I aim to please, madam.” His baby blues bore into hers as he leaned in closer. “There are many ways I could wait on you. Many of which are not on the menu. All you need to do is ask.”
Cassie gave Mario a coy smile, trying to act as demure as possible while her insides screamed in embarrassment. She had no need to trade sexual exploits with her almost naked bartender, but took the gesture as a compliment.
“I’ll just take another one of these for now, but thank you,” she replied, pointing to the empty glass.
“I’d like to give you more than just another Screaming Orgasm, but I guess it’ll do,” Mario teased before he stepped away to fulfill her order.
Cassie took a deep breath and looked across at her friends. Siobhan seemed to be in the same mood as she was—enjoying the attention while not really being all that interested—but Roger looked about ready to explode. Cassie ignored him. Instead, she watched the show going on near the back of the room as a dancer dressed as a cowboy took to the stage. He quickly started teasing the crowd, and she had to laugh at how the women were screaming giddily for him to take it all off. She wondered if, in another life, she too might’ve become one of those carefree, fun girls. The ones who had nothing to worry about. If she’d never moved to America with Jonah, she might just have been like them. The call of the theater had proven too enticing for them both in the end, though, and she knew there would always be a huge part of her that regretted taking off to the States with her star-bound husband.
When she sensed company standing close behind her, Cassie spun around, ready to welcome back her sexy waiter. Instead of her half-naked new friend, she collided with a tight wall of cotton-covered muscle. She knew exactly who wore the shirt she was staring at, and had to fight the smile curling at her lips. He’d gotten her message loud and clear, it seemed.
Despite his nightmare-driven cries that still rang in her ears, everything inside Cassie treacherously reacted to Leo’s presence. Even though she tried to maintain her nonchalance at finding him standing there, she couldn’t resist teasing him.
“I hope you’re here to deliver my cocktail?” she asked, staring up into his icy gaze.
“I think you’ve had enough,” he said, and he put a stop to her mischievousness without even a flicker of guilt for his harsh demeanor.
“I don’t care what you think, Leo. I’ll stop when I say so.” She knew she sounded like a petulant teenager, but didn’t care. “Where’s Mario?” She tried to look around the mammoth man blocking her view of the strip club, but it was no use. He overwhelmed her senses, each and every one
of them, and they both knew she’d lose if she tried to fight him too hard on this.
“He’s been reassigned.” Leo didn’t grab her or try to make her leave, but he didn’t sit down to join them either. He continued to stare at her, as though disgusted that she’d even set foot in a male strip joint, let alone have enjoyed the attention of the men working there. “You don’t belong in a place like this,” he said, his voice low.
“I thought this is exactly where I belong? I’m nothing but another one of yours and Victor’s whores, after all,” she replied bitterly.
Cassie twisted her body sideways, grabbed her purse, and stormed out. She didn’t want to cause a scene, so was sure to keep her head high and her forced smile firmly plastered on her face as she waved goodbye to Mario and the others that’d served their table.
When the cool air hit her, she wobbled and slowed her march to a meander. Cassie knew the others weren’t far behind, and was glad when she felt Siobhan’s arm wrap around her waist in support rather than Leo’s.
“Come on. Let’s go home,” she whispered, and Cassie nodded. She came to a stop and turned to face the guys just in time to catch the standoff happening between Leo and Roger. She’d missed the start of their talk, but it was clear Roger was stepping up in her defense. Cassie was grateful, but it hurt to think she needed her bodyguard to get between her and Leo. Not once had she ever thought they’d need it.
“I think it’s pretty clear she doesn’t wanna be around you tonight, Leo. Give her some space. I won’t ask you again.” Roger stepped directly into Leo’s path, blocking him from the girls. She had to give Roger some credit, he had balls. Leo looked ready to explode. He clearly wasn’t used to people telling him what to do, and struggled to keep his cool.
“Don’t you dare tell me what I can or cannot do,” Leo spat, and Cassie could see his snarl over her bodyguard’s shoulder. He stepped closer and got in his face, but Roger still didn’t back down. “Don’t get in my way, Rog. You’ll regret it, trust me.” Leo added with a growl.
“You can threaten me all you like, but I don’t respond to intimidation, nor do I play by prison rules.” Roger stepped closer still, their noses almost touching, and Cassie could feel herself starting to panic. The last thing she wanted was to have caused a fight between two of her most favorite people, and her stomach lurched as she watched them.
In a flash, Leo had him by the throat and threw Roger to the ground. No matter his training or strength, Roger seemed no match for the powerful man, and went limp to show Leo he wasn’t interested in a fight. But he still didn’t seem ready to admit defeat. “Go home, Mr. Solomon. Your home.” Leo let go, but didn’t take his eyes off him as he stood and righted himself.
Cassie tried to ignore the sea of onlookers, and fought back her tears. She and Leo locked eyes for just a second, and she could see he was in pain, but she didn’t feel ready to comfort him. Her head started to spin thanks to their drinking session, and she felt exhausted. Most importantly, she was hurting too.
Part of her wanted nothing more than for Leo to take her home and make it up to her, but she knew she had to push him. Her icy man would never learn if she kept letting him get away with keeping his emotions at bay. Only by taking the hardest road now could they possibly hope to move on.
She turned and walked away, and was glad when Roger caught her up and steered the girls toward an awaiting cab. Cassie trembled, fumbling with her purse in a bid to distract herself. She didn’t look back as they sped away, and knew she had to stay strong.
They dropped Siobhan off before heading to her apartment, even though she insisted she was sober enough to come back to Cassie’s and keep her company. Siobhan was swaying more than her boss, and even Cassie could tell she’d be good for nothing more than falling into bed when she finally crashed.
Roger said nothing as they rode the rest of the way, and he didn’t even give Cassie the option of refusing his company when they reached her building. He followed her inside and promptly started the big-brother-style caretaker routine. After helping her out of her heels and jacket, he ran her a hot bath. Their comfortable silence carried on while he worked, and Cassie was grateful for it. She didn’t feel much like talking about what’d happened between Roger and Leo on that sidewalk, and she wasn’t ready to even consider whether or not they could move on from Leo’s behavior.
When she emerged, she discovered that Roger had left a perfectly brewed cup of tea and a small stack of biscuits on her nightstand. Sometimes, those little things he did reminded her so much of Grayson. He’d been the one to keep her safe and bring her food when she was in Mexico, all the while watching over her with a silent affection and brotherly-type love. She still missed him, even after all this time. Not the situation in which they’d met, or how it’d all ended, but she missed her friend and protector. Grayson, her Gentle Giant. She often wondered where on earth he might be now and hoped he’d escaped the cartel too. She prayed he was happy, wherever he was.
After Cassie had dressed and climbed under her sheets, she called to the man she knew would be waiting outside her door.
“You can come in.” She smiled when Roger slipped inside her doorway a second later. “Thanks for taking care of me,” she added, indicating to her tea and biscuits.
“I thought you might need sobering up, although you’re doing far better than I would’ve thought,” he teased gently, but they both knew having fought with Leo was definitely a sobering experience.
“I can handle my booze, Rog. It’s not my first night on the town, but I must admit it was my first male strip-joint,” she replied with a cheeky grin.
“Mine too.” He chuckled to himself as he tucked her in and made to leave, but then turned back. “Whatever he did. I get it that you’re hurt, but don’t punish him too long. That man’s lost without you.” It was a relief to hear that he wasn’t holding a grudge.
“He called me a whore,” she replied on a sigh. “He said I was nothing but another whore. How can I forgive that?” Tears pricked at her eyes as she peered up at him. Cassie then told him exactly what’d happened that morning as Leo had slept beside her, and Roger took a deep breath.
“I hate to be the voice of reason, but I think he deserves the chance to explain. Sounds to me like he’s dealing with some serious shit, and not very well. A beaten and broken animal will always lash out at the first sign of a nurturing, kind hand. They don’t know any better. Give him the opportunity to learn his lesson and you’ll both be better off, I promise.”
He left before she could respond, and Cassie sat and drank her tea in stunned silence. Eventually, she turned out the light and fell into an exhausted sleep.
Chapter Eight
Leo woke up at his desk, feeling stiff and sore after the few hours he’d spent hunched over the hard wooden table. He’d returned to the casino after the altercation with Roger because there was no way he could go to “his home,” as Roger had called it. That apartment was nothing but a shell, an empty set of rooms he was just about to give up so he could move in permanently with Cassie. He felt lonely nestled amongst his busy casino with all his employees, and knew he’d be a wreck if he went back to the almost empty place he’d barely set foot in since that night with Cassie after the play. That place wasn’t his home, she was. Nothing else mattered, and he missed her so badly that the last day felt like a year. He’d thought after she’d calmed down they would’ve been able to sort things out like normal, but he’d been wrong.
Yes, he’d had guys following her. He couldn’t help himself, but when they’d called to say she and her friends had hit a strip club, he knew she was on to him. Leo had kept his cool when he’d seen the photos of Roger and Cassie holding hands over the dinner table after he’d pushed her away before. Her tears and hopeless expression had consumed him, but rather than be jealous, he was left terrified. Leo swore he’d never be the reason she cried again, yet he’d already broken that self-imposed rule far too frequently.
Roger wasn’t a thr
eat; he’d known that since before he’d even met the guy. Leo had learned right from the start that Roger and Cassie’s friendship was deep, while not sexual in any way, but last night he’d hated that Roger was the one having fun with his girl and not him. After being informed of their escapades, Leo had seen red. He’d gone straight down there and warned the stripper who’d been flirting with Cassie to back off, or else he’d put an end to his livelihood with a brick to that chiseled face of his. Part of him felt like going back there and doing as he’d warned. Just knowing Mario, or whatever his real name was, had been pawing over Cassie was enough to make his blood still boil. He forced his anger away. They were at a turning point, and there was no going back this time. Mario wasn’t to blame, and neither was Roger.
Leo pushed back his chair and headed to his bathroom to get cleaned up. There was nothing else for it; he had to tell Cassie the truth about his dreams. He’d hit a wall, and knew it was make or break time with the woman he loved.
On his way out of the building thirty minutes later, he bumped into Suzie, the receptionist the casino manager had warned him about when he’d first taken over. So far she’d seemed harmless, a little bit over the top with the makeup and blonde dye-job, but not a tease like Stuart had said. Now though, Leo barely recognized her. Suzie had dyed her hair dark brown and was wearing half as much makeup as usual. She looked natural, and prettier than Leo had even seen her.