CASSIE
I reached home.
“She’s here,” I heard Rosa say on the phone before she hung up and walked to me, worry plastered on her face. “It was Jake asking—what happened?”
The mention of his name, coupled with the realization that he hadn’t followed me home, hurt even more. “Trouble at school, Rosa,” I said weakly, hoping she wouldn’t ask further.
“Trouble at school? Bloodshot eyes, red nose, look at yourself, I don’t buy that. Jake called so I knew it was about Jake this time,” she said, her concern deepening.
Even to her, my feelings for Jake were not a secret. Like a mother, she had that instinct I couldn’t understand. I couldn’t lie to her. “She’s with someone else, Rosa.” Even though I tried to hold it, I still couldn't. Sniffling, I cried again, tears flowing, my throat aching. My knees couldn’t hold me anymore. I felt weak.
“Oh, little Cassie,” Rosa murmured, wrapping her arms around me in a comforting hug. “Don’t you think it’s time to let it go? You deserve so much better, mi querida. It hurts now, but with time, you’ll heal. Maybe Jake is not really for you.”
“Am I difficult to love, Rosa? Am I ugly?”
She shook her head vigorously. “No, you’re beautiful, mija. You’re kind. You just have so much love in your heart that sometimes you can’t see the ugly side of love.”
“Love has no ugly side. Beautiful things follow when you give love, yet why can’t I get the same kind of love I give?”
“Mija Cassie, Jake loves you,” she whispered, gently rocking me in her embrace.
“I want...him to...to love me more than a sister,” I sniffled, my snot flowing with my tears. “Is that hard?” I asked, my voice hoarse.
“Jake loves you,”
JAKE
I saw the pain in her eyes, but I didn’t bother chasing after her. Didn’t lift a damn finger. It had to be this way, and I sure as hell wasn’t gonna change it. It was for her own good, whether she figured it out or not. She needed to get over that little crush of hers. Sooner or later, she was gonna see I wasn’t the right man for her. She had to steer clear of me.
She would realize I wasn’t the fairy tale ending she was dreaming about. Life’s harsh, and sometimes you gotta be too. She had to toughen up. But dammit! The pain in her eyes haunted me. Rosa said she made it home and I could only imagine how much she had cried. Fuck! I was mad. Mad at myself. Mad for screwing things up, for hurting her. It’s like I couldn’t get anything right with her. And I knew I couldn't be right for her.
I wanted to shake off the frustration, but it clung to me like a damn shadow. Stupid, Jake. Stupid move. My tongue unconsciously licked the rim of my lips where her taste remained sweet. We kissed. I had a very small taste of her lips that made me want to have more.
Stupid!
I almost lost it. I was this close to taking her right there and then, but Caitlyn arrived and I came to my senses.
No...not Cassie.
You want her though.
You turned so possessive you wanted to break that boy’s face.
Yes! I want her, but that can’t be. She will be disgusted. I can’t risk losing her. She’s too naive for my world. Too weak.
“Do you still want me tonight, Jake?” Caitlyn asked, crossing her legs. I’d forgotten I made an appointment with her for tonight, too focused on Cassie’s date with that boy.
“You were jealous.” a voice taunted me. “You got scared.”
“Yeah,” I grunted, running a hand through my hair. “Let’s get this over with.”
Caitlyn didn’t seem bothered by my mood. She leaned back, a smirk playing on her lips. “I can make you feel good. Let’s forget about what happened tonight, shall we?”
I looked at the woman in front of me. She was nothing like Cassie, and she would never be, but she could help me find my release with all these frustrations building inside me. As agreed, I could do everything with her, but with limits on her side.
Caitlyn eyed me with a hungry look, aware of the mess I was dealing with. “Let’s get rid of that pent-up frustration, Jake,” she purred, walking to me and pressing her body against mine.
In the back of my mind, Cassie’s tear-stricken face reflected, and all I could think was,“What the hell am I doing?”
Fuck! I need something more physical.
“Not tonight, Caitlyn. See yourself out,” I said, my tone cold and dismissive.
“What the hell, Jake?!” she burst out. “I drove all the way here. You can’t just change your mind like that.”
I shot her a glare, the anger in me bubbling to the surface. “I can do whatever the hell I want. This isn’t a charity, Caitlyn. You’re not entitled to anything.”
Her eyes flashed with anger, “You’re a real piece of work, you know that?”
“Yeah, and you’re not my therapist,” I snapped back, my patience wearing thin. “Get out. Fifty percent will be sent to your account.”
“You better make it seventy-five,” she retorted, crossing her arms defiantly.
I scoffed. “You’re pushing your luck, Caitlyn. Be happy you’re getting anything at all.”
“You’re such an asshole, Jake.”
I leaned against the wall, unbothered by her words. “Yeah, well, that’s not breaking news, sweetheart. Now, leave.”
Caitlyn grabbed her bag, muttering curses under her breath as she stormed towards the door. “You’re gonna regret this, Jake.”
“I highly doubt that,” I replied, watching her leave without a hint of remorse.
Taking out my phone, I dialed a number. I needed a fight.
On the first ring, he answered. “Vito. You available? Yeah, my place.”
CASSIESasha made a snorting sound, her eyes adorned with pretty long lashes, rolled to the roof. “If I knew, you would only sulk at home, Cass. Tonight’s a good night to have fun. The examination has ended, and we’re free for the whole week.“But I’m tired. I need sleep,” I said, glancing at my phone where there were no messages or calls from Jake. The hurt simmered beneath the surface, threatening to spill over.“No ‘buts,’ Cassie. You need to get out of your head. Let loose. Have a little fun. You need a distraction, something to take your mind off the mess with Jake. Maybe a night out with Carl or Caleb would help.” She grinned and I nodded, offering her a small smile.“You won’t believe it, but I’m telling you I’m okay, really. Two days? I got over it, Sash. Believe me. Why don’t you go with Carl and Caleb instead? It will be fun.” I raised a brow before giving her a challenging look. She blushed. “You think I didn’t notice, huh?”“What? Notice what?” her eyes looked innocently d
“This baby girl is lost,” said the man behind me, making the hair on my neck stand. I shuddered, taking a step as if that could save me from these men’s leering eyes.“Kruger!” Jake’s voice bellowed.I gasped as I looked at the man, Kruger, taking a hesitant step back, recognizing the danger in Jake’s voice. That makes us two. I thought. I turned to face Jake, and the fury in his eyes was unmistakable. Jaw clenched, muscles taut, Jake advanced towards me, pushing through the crowd like a predator closing in on its prey.“Touch her and you won’t see the sun for days.” Jake snarled, his voice low and threatening.Kruger stammered, “I-I didn’t know, Crusher. She just came—”“I don’t give a damn! You stay away from her,” Jake roared, his anger pulsating through the air.I stood frozen, caught between Jake’s fury and the uneasy glances of onlookers. The crowd hushed and Jake gave me a look that made me wish I hadn’t come here.His anger wasn’t just directed at Kruger; it was aimed at me. B
Yawning, I slowly opened my eyes. I loved this morning. I loved the night too. Jake stayed and slept with me on the same bed. He cuddled me all night, and although he was out like dead and snoring because of the fights he had, I was beyond ecstatic.I reached out my hand, holding my breath, expecting to feel his warm body next to mine, but to my dismay, he was gone. All that lingered was his intoxicating scent, a reminder that he wasn’t a dream.Sighing, I dragged myself out of bed and beelined it to the bathroom. I needed a shower. Last night was a beautiful kind of torture. I caught myself just staring at him while he slept. Just his presence was enough to send me into a frenzy. At one point, the wicked side of me wanted to devour him while sleeping. But, I mean, molesting a sleeping Jake? Come on. I burst out laughing at the mental image.The shower hit my body, giving me that jolt of cold freshness. Being so close to Jake and not doing anything was taking some serious self-control
His voice dropped in a sexy octave. “Beautiful. Now spread your legs,”I gasped silently, my chest heaving from his command. After placing me on my bed, he took just a step back and just watched me...naked and panting.“Do you like what you see, Jake?” I asked in a seductive voice, if I were shy, I wasn’t showing it. He’s mine at the moment.“Been dreaming of this many many nights. And I was right,” I shuddered when he sucked his fingers that were just inside me a minute ago. “You taste sweet.” And then, he smelled them, making me all hot and red with embarrassment.I couldn’t believe Jake was doing this, but I didn’t wanna dare question. I liked this very much.“Smelled just how I imagined you to smell.” He sucked them one more time. “You have a beautiful pussy, little mouse.” He said, watching the very center of me which I knew was leaking, while I tried to stop myself from closing my legs together, covered away from his dark eyes. He leaned on his hands, each on my side.I couldn’t
“What?” My mouth dropped open at the sight, my eyes widening in shock.“Close your mouth; it’s tempting,” he said with a smirk, his eyes gleaming with amusement.I snapped my jaw shut, realizing that my expression had given away more than I intended. Moans, groans, and grunts filled the air. My whole brain froze at the sight of people in very intimate scenes, pleasuring each other, lost in their own world.“What is this place?” I asked incredulously, finally finding my voice again.“Are we forgetting something,” he said with a firm tone, making me swallow the fluid in my mouth. I know. I know. We walked through the room, and the intensity of the scenes unfolded like a surreal tapestry around us. Every step felt like a deliberate choice. As we made our way through the crowd, I couldn’t help but feel aroused. I shouldn’t, right? This was all too overwhelming for me, but at the same time, there was something oddly alluring about this place.He stopped at a wide sofa, sat down, and pat t
“Are we going to make love, now, Jake?” I asked, my toes curling with anticipation. Everything was already too much and was making me sensitive. I heard him chuckle darkly.“No, Cassie,” he replied, the tension in the air thickening. “Not when you haven’t decided.”Disappointment flooded through me. “Why,” I almost whined. I wanted him, right here, right now. “I can take this. This doesn’t change my feelings for you.”“It’s not about whether you can take it or not. It’s about making choices when you’re clear-headed, not in the heat of the moment.”I crossed my arms, my sexual frustration bubbling. “So, what? We wait for the perfect moment? The perfect setting?”He stepped closer, his eyes penetrating mine. I gasped at the touch of his fingers as he brushed them on my cheeks. “We wait until you’re sure. Until there’s no doubt in your mind. This isn’t just about tonight; it’s about what comes after this. Besides, I haven’t shown you everything, Cassie.” He turned around and switched som
I had been trying to get in touch with Sasha, Carl, and Caleb, for hours now. None of them were responding to my calls or messages. I walked into the coffee shop where we usually meet on Mondays. I saw Caleb sitting at our usual table, lost in thought.Taking a seat across from him, I waved my hand across his face, “Caleb? Hey, are you okay?” he snapped out of his thoughts and looked at me.“Oh, hey,” he greeted me with a half-smile. “Sorry. What’s up?”“I’ve been trying to reach Sasha and Carl, but they won’t pick up. Have you seen or heard from them?”Caleb’s expression turned serious as he leaned back in his chair. “I haven’t seen them since last night. I tried calling them too, but they didn’t answer.”Did I sense jealousy in his tone?My heart went out to him. Did Sasha and Carl finally hit it off? How far did I miss? It was unlike Sasha not to share with me.“It’s almost their last subject,” I said, looking outside.“Yeah,” Caleb replied with a shrug. “I guess they’ll come when
“Caleb Page?” I exclaimed, shocked.“Technically, his father, but Caleb will eventually inherit the place.”“But how did you know? I mean, how did you know about this? I thought everyone’s information in that place is confidential, which includes the owners.”“I found out when Conrad approached me for the job. Someone tried to sell out videos of what was going on inside Amythest.”I felt a knot forming in my stomach. The thought of private, personal moments of people being shared and exploited without consent made me cringe. That place was supposed to be private, but if someone had managed to publicize those scenes, the place failed to establish trust.“When I had your friend’s phone, Caleb, that night, I found his identity. He was the culprit.”My mind couldn’t process this information. “Why would Caleb do that? Isn’t it risking the whole company and their name?”Jake’s expression dulled. “Well, he’s risking everything. That’s his plan. He doesn’t want to take over the business. That