Chapter Twenty-Two
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Cassie rubbed her tired, aching eyes and blew out a hard breath as she stood in her closet trying to figure out what to wear.Yoga pants or sweats and her softest, coziest hoodie were calling to her from their shelf, but she could be summoned to a meeting with the cops or CPS at any time and would need to look presentable.
There was also the issue of her and Tristan, and she saw no way around it.She had to talk to Ryder and request that she and Tristan not be put on the same job anymore.It sucked, but she didn’t know how the hell else to navigate this mess she’d put herself in.
Yesterday had been a close call.Now he knew exactly how much she wanted him.She’d tried to warn him off.Tried like hell not to fall any deeper, but it was impossible.He wasn’t the kind of man to give up something he wanted.
That thrilled and terrified her at the same time.
Her phone rang, pulling her out of her thoughts.When she saw who the caller was, for a moment she thought about not answering.Then picked up.She and her mother hadn’t always been close, but their relationship was in a much better place now.“Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, sweetie.Just phoning to see how you are.Feeling any better today?”
“I’m all right.”Oh, and by the way, someone tried to frame me for fucking a client on the job yesterday.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come over to the house for breakfast?We’d love to see you.”
“I really can’t, just too much going on right now.But I promise I’ll come over when things settle down.”Which hopefully would be any day now.Because she couldn’t keep living with this amount of stress.
“I understand.”Her mom’s tone made it clear she actually didn’t.“I wish I could help you.”
“Me too.But you helped by calling.”
“Aw, sweetie...I love you.You’re such a strong woman, and you’ve got us and Bristol, and a lot of other people who care about you.You’ll get through this and come out even stronger for it on the other side.”
Yep, if it didn’t kill her first.But honestly?She was sick to death of having to be so strong all the damned time.“Thanks, Mom.Love you too.”She ended the call, thinking about Tristan.Wrestling with her feelings.
They weren’t going away.Wouldn’t, no matter how hard she suppressed them.
Logically she knew she had to put last night behind her and move on without hurting him more.But her heart kept insisting it was already too late to turn back.That she couldn’t fight the inevitable, and would it really be so bad if she let him in?
“Yes, it would, and your whole track record proves it,” she muttered to herself, annoyed, sexually frustrated, half in love with him—if not deeper—and tired to her soul of the danger and stress going on in her life.
All morning she’d been fielding calls from the Seattle police and CPS about the incident with Schumacher at the hotel.CPS had hired Marley’s husband Warwick to investigate the hotel incident and get answers faster than the police.A full view of the security footage would prove it wasn’t her.
