Текст книги "Union of Sin"

Автор книги: Eden Summers

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He hadn’t been able to look at her for weeks. He couldn’t touch her without his eyes glazing as he lost himself to hindsight. In his mind, the blame over not researching the club rested solely on his shoulders, with him unwilling to let her take any responsibility. He considered it his own weakness for succumbing to the temptation of exposing her to something new. He thrived on broadening her sex life and wouldn’t forgive himself for rushing in unprepared.

“A month passed before he started sleeping on the couch, claiming he didn’t want to keep me awake with his restlessness. That night turned into every night until I started noticing the spare bed was being slept in. Six months later, he moved out.”

“I need to clear my head. Just a few days. Maybe a week.”

He’d been exceptionally agitated the day he’d walked from their home. As if the months of guilt had collided, and she’d had no desire to hurt him more by making him stay.

“I don’t know what to say,” Shay whispered.

Cassie met her gaze and winced at the sorrow shining back at her. “There’s nothing to say. I didn’t want to believe he was serious about the divorce, but after tonight, I think it’s clear he can’t get over the past. He’s never looked at me in anger before.”

She sipped her wine, uncomfortable in the silence with these women who were practically strangers. The chatter of people in the distance was all she could hear until footsteps echoed up the Vault staircase, the pounding getting louder.

“Quick,” Shay blurted. “Put the wig back on. The mask too.”

Cassie’s heart throttled to high speed. Although T.J. knew she was here, she didn’t want anyone else to find out.

As Shay straightened and Zoe turned to face the stairway, Cassie hitched the fake hair back into position and slid the mask into place. She was still straightening the stray strands of hair sticking out at odd angles when the footsteps stopped.

“Ladies.” Leo’s honeyed tone filled her belly with nerves. “There seems to be a misunderstanding that I need to get to the bottom of.” The pounding of his shoes against the floor sounded again, getting closer and closer. “T.J. is under the impression someone paid an escort to seduce him.”

What? Cassie’s gaze snapped to Shay, hoping to gain some understanding while she kept her back to her business partner.

“I thought you said he knew you were here,” Zoe muttered under her breath.

He did. T.J. had whispered her name as they’d kissed. Right before he’d demanded she leave.

“Shay.” The name was a deeply masculine growl. “Please tell me you don’t know anything about this. I assured T.J. my adorably sweet girlfriend wouldn’t be stupid enough to risk her job by getting involved.”

Shay released a nervous chuckle. “Honey, you say the nicest things, but your tone implies you don’t think I’m that sweet.”

“Yeah,” he grated. “I should work on that.”

Shay strode around the bar and sauntered toward Leo. Cassie swiveled in her stool, keeping her face shadowed by her hair as Shay stopped in front of her boyfriend and leaned to whisper something in his ear.

As the faint hint of her words drifted forward, Leo’s scrutinizing gaze snapped to Cassie. His frown deepened, the wrinkles increasing with each passing second until Shay stepped back.

“What’s going on here?” Leo approached, shoving his hands in his pockets in a vain attempt to appear nonchalant.

Zoe scooted to the side of her stool, turning her knees into Cassie. “If you want to leave right now, no questions asked, just tell me. I’ll escort you out. You don’t need to speak to him. We can go somewhere else and talk about this.”

We. Such a simple word, yet the friendship behind it brought an explosion of warmth through Cassie’s body. “Thank you, but I think he deserves to know why I caused the scene downstairs.”

Zoe inclined her head. “It’s up to you.”

Cassie removed her mask and checked her reflection in the mirror across the bar. There wouldn’t be any beauty awards heading her way in the near future, and even without the mask, she was still barely recognizable.

She pushed from the stool and straightened her shoulders as she faced Leo, a man she’d met numerous times but didn’t claim to know well enough to anticipate how he’d react. She gave him a sad smile and pulled off her wig, exposing the blonde hair beneath.

He squinted at her, his gaze raking her face, then lower, all the way to her high-heel-covered toes.

“Fake nails.” She placed the wig on the bar and wiggled her fingers. “Fake tan.” She indicated her body with a wave of her hand. “Contact lenses.” She pointed to her eyes. “All of it’s fake.”

“Oh, shit.” His voice was barely audible. “Cassie? Is that really you?”

She gave a regretful nod. “Hi, Leo.”

“Jesus Christ.” He massaged his forehead and began to pace. “I need to tell him.”

“No.” Cassie scooted forward, her heels tapping frantically along the floor. “Wait.” She grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. “What did you mean when you said T.J. thinks someone paid an escort?”

“I mean exactly that, Cass. He’s down there, almost coming to blows with Brute because he thinks the woman he was making out with was a hooker.”

Cassie shook her head. “He said my name. He knew it was me.”

Leo peered down at her, seeming to read her thoughts when she couldn’t even understand them herself. “You can interpret it however you like, but he’s down there thinking he cheated on his wife. He has no clue you’re here.”

“He doesn’t?” She felt like a parrot, repeating the words in her head over and over again. But if he didn’t know she was here, why had he said her name? “He must have been thinking about me.” A smile tilted her lips. A weak, almost useless smile that filled her aching heart with hope.

Then whiplash had her straightening. He may have been thinking about her. However, to his knowledge, he’d been kissing someone else. He’d cheated on her…with her.

“Cassie, I’m sorry, I know you’re hurting.” Leo stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “But you have to leave. I can’t be a part of this, not only because he’s my business partner. He’s my friend above all else.”

“And he’s my husband.” She swallowed over the dryness in her throat and dropped her hold on his arm. “I’ll do anything to get him back.”

“We’ll figure out another plan together,” Shay offered.

“Shay,” Leo warned. “I don’t want to hear this.”

“Then run along, sweetheart.”

His ocean-blue irises darkened with contempt. “You don’t understand. T.J. is going out of his mind. He’s beside himself. I’ve never seen him so distraught.”

“That can only work in Cassie’s favor.” The sound of Zoe’s footsteps approached. “If there’s still emotional attachment, surely there has to be a way to stop the divorce.”

“You both need to stay out of it,” Leo grated. “We won’t stand for drama in the club. No matter who’s involved. Tonight has been bad enough. The only saving grace for you, Cass, is that he has no clue it was you.”

Drama hadn’t been her intent. She hadn’t even planned to seduce him. That was a bonus. One that would’ve kicked her in the balls if she had any. “I’m sorry for the stress I caused. I just can’t let him go. I know he still loves me.”

Leo inclined his head. “I know that too.”

Wait. What? “You do?”

“Yes.” His tone was comforting even though a scowl creased his forehead. “You don’t understand what’s going on downstairs. I’ve just spent the last ten minutes holed up in the bathroom with him. He’s spilling secrets and losing his shit. It’s obvious he loves you.”

This was the first true glimmer of hope. Doubt had started to whittle away the certainty of T.J.’s affection. Now her confidence was renewed. “He told you about the other club.” It wasn’t a question. She could see understanding in his eyes.

He nodded and gave her a somber smile. “He mentioned it. Among other things. And to be honest, I understand his reasons for the divorce. Maybe it’s for the best.”

The meager glimpse of hope shattered, leaving her chest hollow. It wasn’t Leo’s words. It was the pity in his expression. The complete lack of belief for any happiness in her future.

“How?” Shay accused. “One bad decision shouldn’t end a marriage. How could he leave her after what had happened? If anything, he should be ashamed for not sticking by her. He’d walked out when she needed him the most.”

Leo inclined his head. “He has a lot of regret. But this isn’t about one mistake. There are ongoing issues that led to his decision.”

“Ongoing issues?” Cassie reached out a hand, needing grounding, needing something. Anything. Then she let her arm fall back to her side. “Tell me. If there’s more, I deserve to know.”

“I’m not willing to get involved. Not any more than I already have.” He held up his hands in surrender. “I won’t.”

Searing pain seeped into Cassie’s heart. The harder she pushed for answers, the less clarity came. There couldn’t be more reasons to the divorce. She refused to believe that. They’d been happy. Hadn’t they? Or had she taken steps along the contented path on her own?

“Well, maybe there are things I’m no longer willing to do for you either,” Shay cooed.

Leo turned to his girlfriend, hitting her with a confident stare that spoke of his disbelief. “You need to stay out of it.”

Shay crossed her arms over her chest. “While I’m staying out of it, there’s something you’ll be staying out of too.” A feral smirk tilted her lips. “My pussy.”

“Thanks for the clarification, sweetheart.” He rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t have figured out what you meant otherwise.” He turned back to Cassie and shrugged. “Look, this is your life and your marriage. I’m not going to dictate what you should do. But I need to respect T.J.’s decision.” He grabbed her hand, kissed her knuckles and released his hold just as quickly. “I hope you can work it out.”

He walked away, his heavy steps echoing through the club before he disappeared behind the door leading downstairs.

“So where do we go from here?” Shay stepped into Cassie’s vision, shattering her concentration.

“We don’t go anywhere.” These women were lovely. Without encouragement, they’d befriended her and helped to pick her up after the humiliation downstairs. “Thank you both for being so kind to me. I appreciate it.”

It was time to leave. Her mind was filled with fog, her heart torn in two from the emotional blows too numerous to recall. She needed to get home and lick her wounds. To see if she could pick herself back up and return to the battlefield when she now had no clue who or what her enemy was.

“Don’t listen to him.” Shay waved a hand toward the doorway Leo had fled behind. “Whatever happens, he’ll get over it.”

“Shay, maybe you should stay out of it.” Zoe came to stand beside Cassie. “I can help where possible.”

“No.” Cassie strode for the bar and snatched the wig off the counter. She tugged it back on and stared at her reflection in the mirror, instantly wanting to scratch the itch from her scalp. “Both of you should stay out of it. The last thing I want to do is undermine T.J.”

She turned and gave them a fake smile. “I’ll be fine.”

Zoe approached and helped position the wig back in place. “Do you have a plan?”

Cassie shook her head. She didn’t have anything. Apparently, she didn’t even have the real reason why T.J. wanted a divorce. “I have determination. And for now, that’s all I need.”

Chapter Ten

Three days later, Cassie was still numb as she drove home from the supermarket. She’d spent every waking moment trying to figure out what could’ve caused the need for a divorce if it hadn’t been the assault in the sex club. There was no answer. Not even a clue. And even worse, she didn’t have a plan to win T.J. back either.

At least she was eating again. Her lack of appetite had fallen prey to the need to binge, and she currently had a car full of junk food.

Soon she’d need to accept that her husband wasn’t coming back. No matter how much he still loved her. His stubborn streak was going to win, and she was going to end up alone.

She turned onto her street and eased off the accelerator at the sight of an unfamiliar car parked in her driveway. She wasn’t prone to fits of apprehension over foreign vehicles, but after T.J. had surprised her with the divorce, she was skeptical of any strangers that came to visit.

Her fingers skimmed the garage clicker and she pressed the button to open the door. As she passed the vehicle to her left, she glimpsed long dark hair. A woman. Great. Maybe today’s surprise would be sponsored by a pregnant mistress or jealous girlfriend.

Pulling the car to a stop, she grabbed her handbag and yanked it to her side in a vain attempt for comfort. She fled the vehicle, her chin held high, her limbs heavy from exhaustion. As she pasted a smile on her lips, she came face-to-face with a gorgeous brunette at the trunk of her car.

The woman’s features were shaded by the Sinner baseball cap she wore, her loose T-shirt and short shorts exposing an enviable figure.

“Shay?” Cassie squinted into the sun.

“I look different with my clothes on, don’t I?” Shay smiled, resurrecting the comforting friendship from Thursday. “So do you.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m not really here. I’m at the gym.” Her smile widened. “I wanted to see how you were feeling after the other night.”

Cassie winced through the painful reminder and chose to deflect. “Do you want to come inside for a coffee?”

“Love to.”

Cassie ignored the bags of groceries on her backseat and ushered Shay into the house. The woman was gorgeous, her face brighter in the daylight. The gleam of mischief in her eyes sparked an unnerving sense of foreboding.

“So what’s the plan of attack?” Shay rubbed her hands together and rested back into the dining room chair.

“No plan.” Not yet anyway, and she was running out of time. “I thought you weren’t meant to get involved.”

“Yeah.” Shay nodded thoughtfully. “Unfortunately, I have a problem with authority. Usually, when I’m told not to do something, it makes it impossible for me to stay away. And besides, making Leo angry is a major turn-on.”

“Is he the one who told you where I live?” Having Leo on her side would be a step in the right direction. Whatever T.J. was going through, he needed his friends, and if those friends were supporting her endeavors to win him back, it would make her life easier.

“I can’t divulge how I came about that information. Let’s just say I’d be in a lot of trouble if your husband or my boyfriend found out.”

Cassie nodded, trying to hide her disappointment.

“So where are you going from here? I thought I might see you back at the club on Saturday night.”

“No.” Cassie shook her head. “I’m not really a glutton for punishment.” She’d tried and failed in her first attempt to get close to her husband. She wouldn’t do the same thing twice. “On Friday, I tried to find a legal representative to help fight the divorce. Everyone I called was enthusiastic about taking my money to gain more assets in the settlement, but that’s not what I’m after. I want my husband. I want my marriage. No solicitor could understand that.”

Cassie stared blankly into her coffee, seeing nothing but T.J. in her vision. “The only way I can stop the proceedings is to convince him to change his mind, and I’m no longer confident I can do that.”

“Hey.” Shay’s voice was strong. Firm. Even a little angry. “You can’t give up.”

Cassie lifted her gaze and was hit with the determination in Shay’s fierce brown eyes. “I don’t want to give up. But at some point, I’m going to have to. I know he’s making a mistake, and one day he’ll realize it too. I’m just not sure how long I’m willing to fight while I wait for him to figure it out. I’ve lost a year of my life anticipating the return of our perfect marriage.” She swallowed over the tightness in her throat. “When am I allowed to give up?”

“Not yet, that’s for sure. You need to try harder.”

Cassie sighed. “I don’t know if I can. It hurts too much.” The worst of it came at night, when she was alone in her bed, nothing but blankets to comfort her.

“It’ll hurt more once there’s no hope. The divorce isn’t final yet.”

“No, but he kissed someone else. At least that’s what he thinks. He’s already moving on.”

Shay leaned forward, demanding Cassie’s full attention. “He’s struggling. He won’t talk to anyone. Whatever that kiss meant to him wasn’t good, I assure you. I think he hates himself for it.”

Cassie winced. She didn’t want to take pleasure in his suffering, but a tiny part of her did. Something inside her burned to life with the knowledge he was as miserable as she was. “What can I do?”

A sly grin tilted Shay’s lips. “You hinted the other night that you owned part of the business. That you were a partner. Is that true?”

Cassie shrugged slowly. “I’m a silent partner. T.J. and I share a third of the business. I kept my own full-time job because we weren’t sure the club and restaurant were going to be successful.”

“Are you legally required to remain a silent partner?”

“Not that I know of.” Cassie drew out her words, uncertain where the conversation was heading. “It was never really discussed. Not between T.J. and I, anyway. I’m not sure what was said to Leo and Brute.” A shiver ran down her spine as Shay’s lips quirked into a conniving smile. “Why? What are you thinking?”

“T.J. is trying to shut himself off to any thoughts or memories of you. He hates being reminded of his marriage. I’m sure he’s striving to get you out of his mind so he can move on.”

“Awesome,” Cassie drawled. The realization stung. She’d never be able to get him out of her mind. In time, she may be able to dull the hurt with a fling or two, but he would always be in her heart. He’d always be a major part of her life.

“Let me finish.” Shay held up a hand. “Being part owner means you can claim your rightful place as a manager of the club. Tell him you no longer want to remain a silent partner. Demand a position within the business.”

Cassie shook her head. “I can’t. He’s left me a substantial amount of assets in the divorce in return for my share. Soon, I’ll have no right to be there at all.”

“Soon. But not yet. The divorce isn’t final. You still have a few weeks, right?”

“Yeah…” She refused to count down the days.

“You know, the economy isn’t great at the moment. Unemployment is at an all-time high.” Shay gave a theatrical gasp and covered a hand over her mouth. “Oh my gosh, Cass, what would you do if you lost your job? There’d be no choice. You’d have to work with your husband, at least until you found another form of income.”

“You want me to quit my job?” No way. No way in hell. She was consumed with the need to fix her marriage, but she wasn’t this conniving.

Shay shrugged. “How badly do you want your husband back?”

Her phone trilled from the kitchen counter, announcing an incoming message…or maybe acknowledging a winning idea. She stood and dragged her feet toward the device to cradle it in her palm. “They’ll refuse. Not only T.J., Brute and Leo too. None of them will want me there. They’ll fight to make sure I can’t step foot inside their club.”

“Your club,” Shay clarified. “And leave Leo to me. I have ways of encouraging his compliance.”

Cassie released a halfhearted laugh. “That still leaves two.”

“Lucky for us, Brute’s heartlessness runs both ways. If he thinks it’s in T.J.’s best interest to stay married, he’ll support you.” Shay rolled her eyes. “Not that he’ll go out of his way to show it. I just need to convince him that T.J. doesn’t want a divorce. What he really needs is a kick in the ass.”

Shay made it sound easy, and maybe, for a woman like her, it would be. Cassie wasn’t as prone to making decisions that would hurt or annoy others. It was one thing to push T.J. out of his comfort zone in an effort to win him back. It was entirely another to turn his best friends against him and work her way into their business.

“I don’t know…” She unlocked her phone, needing time to think, and held her breath at the sight of T.J.’s name on her screen.

“Can I come over today?”

“What is it?”

Cassie didn’t realize she was smiling until she met Shay’s gaze. “It’s T.J. He wants to come over.”

“Why?” Shay frowned.

“I don’t know. I guess to talk. Maybe he’s changed his mind.” That was her first thought, and the one she’d cling to. Her heart was already aflutter, her belly filling with longing.

“Ask him.” Shay stood and walked forward. “Don’t make assumptions. Especially when the other possibilities could hurt. You need to stay in the game. Remain strong.”

Cassie didn’t want to think about the potential reasons for the message. She would remain positive. She had to. “So what do I send back?”

“Give it here.” Shay grabbed the phone from Cassie’s hand and began typing. “There.”

“Wait. Don’t send anything.” She snatched the device back and read the message Shay had already sent. “Why? I’m kinda busy today and I thought you’d already gotten everything off your chest.”

Jesus Christ. “He’ll know that didn’t come from me. I’ve never spoken to him like that before.” She wasn’t a ballbuster like Shay.

“He needs to know you’re not waiting around, spending every minute trying to work out ways to get him back. He’s—”

“But I am.” The last thing she wanted was for her husband to think she was moving on, giving him more of an excuse to do the same.

“What he doesn’t know can only help our cause. Play hardball. If he thinks you’re busy, he’ll wonder who with. At least until we find out what he wants.”

The phone vibrated in her hands seconds before the trill of the incoming message.

“It doesn’t need to be today. I only want to pick up my stuff and get it out of your way.”

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Shay asked.

Bad. Horrifying. Devastating. Cassie swallowed, determined not to let the tingle in her nose turn into tears. “He’s ready to move all his belongings out.”

His shirts were what got her through the lonely nights. His scent still lingered in the threads. The soft cotton against her skin helped to create the fantasy he was still there. Still in their marriage bed. What would she do without the constant reminders?

“You’re right,” Cassie murmured. “I need to play dirty. At least until this is over.”

“So you’re going to come to work at Shot of Sin.”

Cassie raised her chin and met the mischief in Shay’s eyes. “Yep. I’m going to quit my job.”