No one can take this away from me.
Least of all Dylan.
CHAPTER 38
Beck
Cassie’s pacing the kitchen when I walk in, and the smell of burnt coffee hits me before the sight of her does. She only makes coffee that strong when she’s worried or ready for a fight.
“Where the hell have you been?” she snaps without looking at me. “I’ve been blowing up your phone.”
I lean against the counter, arms crossed, calm on the outside even though my pulse is a damn freight train. “Had things to handle.”
She slams the mug down so hard that coffee sloshes over the rim. “Things like Lo? Don’t bother denying it… Iknowyou’ve been with her. Despite everything we talked about.”
My jaw tightens because yeah, she’s not wrong. And I’m done lying about it. Done pretending what’s between me and Lo is something I can ignore.
“I have,” I say.
Cassie freezes. Turns. Her eyes are sharp, green as glass. “Beck?—”
“Don’t,” I cut in, stepping forward. “Don’t say what you’re about to say. Because I’m not asking for your permission, Cass. I’m telling you how it’s gonna be.”
Her mouth opens, shuts. She wasn’t ready for that. Good.
“I care about her,” I go on, each word heavy as lead. “More than I’ve cared about anything or anyone in a long damn time. And before you say she’s fragile, or broken, or whatever else you’ve been telling yourself… stop. She’s strong. Stronger than either of us gave her credit for. And yeah, she’s been through hell, but I’m not leaving her to climb out of it alone.”
Cassie swallows hard, arms folding. She needs the barrier. “Beck… this is crazy. Do you know what you’re getting yourself into?”
I laugh. It’s sharp, humorless. “I know exactly what I’m doing, Cass. I know the town thinks of her one way, but I know her. I know how she hates silence because it reminds her of hiding. I know how she pretends she’s fine even when she’s coming apart inside. I know how she curls her fists when she’s trying not to cry, because tears are weakness to her. And I know that every second I’m not near her feels wrong in my bones.”
Cassie just stares. I can see the fight bleeding out of her.
“This isn’t just about you wanting her,” she says finally. “This is about her being safe.”
“Damn right it is.” My voice is steel. “And she’s safest with me. With my pack.”
Cassie exhales, long and shaky, rubbing her temples, fighting a headache. “And what about her family?”
I take another step toward her, close enough that she has to tip her head back to look at me. “Let them talk. I don’t give a damn what anyone in this town thinks. Lo’smine. And if that makes me the villain in some gossip story, so be it.”
For a long time, the only sound is the ticking clock and the faint hum of the fridge. Then Cassie sinks into a chair, staring at the wood grain of the floor, waiting for answers.
“You love her,” she says quietly.
It’s not a question.
I don’t hesitate. “Yeah. I do.”
Her throat works, and when she finally looks up, there’s something softer in her eyes. Resignation, maybe. Or understanding she didn’t want to reach, but couldn’t stop herself from getting to.
“You’ll take care of her?” she asks.
“Better than anyone else ever could.”
“And she’ll take care of you?”
“Oh, hell yeah. She takes the best care of me, Cass.”
