Chapter 2

Cassidy slipped out of Cristian's grip with agonizing slowness. She left the bed and walked into the master bathroom, pulling the heavy door shut behind her until only a tiny crack remained.

She turned on the faucet. She cupped the freezing water in her hands and splashed it directly into her face. The shock of the cold did nothing to stop the racing of her heart.

Water dripped down her pale cheeks and off her chin. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red-rimmed and pathetic.

She grabbed a thick towel and pressed it to her face. Her mind dragged her back to that boardroom three years ago. When Cristian had proposed the marriage of convenience, her hands had shaken so badly she could barely hold the pen. It was not out of humiliation. It was the absolute, dizzying shock of winning the lottery. She was marrying the man she had loved from afar.

She lowered the towel and let out a bitter laugh. She was suitable because she was ordinary. She was easy to control.

A sharp, demanding ringtone pierced the air. It came from the bedroom. It was not a vibration. It was the specific ringtone Cristian set for high-priority contacts.

Cassidy dropped the towel on the marble counter. Her pulse hammered in her ears. She walked silently to the bathroom door and peered through the narrow gap.

On the bed, Cristian sat up. He ran a hand through his messy hair, looking deeply irritated.

He reached across the nightstand and grabbed his phone. He glanced at the screen, and his dark eyebrows slammed together in a harsh line.

He swiped to answer. "What," he barked. His voice was thick with sleep and zero patience.

Darren Madden's loud, slurred voice bled through the phone's speaker. Even from the bathroom, Cassidy could hear the thumping bass of a nightclub in the background.

"Cris! You gotta come down here," Darren yelled over the noise. "Hayden is at a club in SoHo. She is completely wasted and refusing to leave."

Cassidy slapped a hand over her own mouth. Her fingernails dug painfully into her cheeks. The nightmare was happening right now.

"Come on, man," Darren pleaded, sounding drunk himself. "Just come pick her up. For old times' sake."

The air in the bedroom seemed to freeze. Cassidy stopped breathing entirely. She stared at Cristian's broad back, waiting for the executioner's blade to fall.

Cristian let out a short, cold laugh. There was zero warmth in his tone. "Are you out of your mind?"

Darren stuttered on the other end. "She keeps crying and screaming your name."

Cristian cut him off instantly. "If she is drunk, call the police. Why the hell are you calling me?"

Darren tried to speak again, but Cristian did not let him.

"I am a married man," Cristian stated, his voice dropping to a dangerous, icy pitch. "Do not bother me with this garbage again."

Before Darren could form another word, Cristian hit the end button. He tossed the phone back onto the nightstand with a loud clatter.

Behind the door, Cassidy's knees gave out. She slumped against the doorframe, sliding down a few inches. A massive wave of relief crashed over her, bringing tears of pure shock to her eyes. He had rejected her.

Cristian turned his head toward the bathroom. He saw the sliver of light coming from the door. "Cassidy?"

Cassidy scrambled to her feet. She quickly adjusted her robe, pulling it tight around her waist. She pushed the door open and walked out, pretending she was just finishing up.

She walked to her side of the bed, forcing her voice to sound calm. "Is everything okay? Did the phone wake you?"

Cristian looked at her. He noticed the redness around her eyes. He reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her down.

She landed on his lap. His large hands rubbed up and down her back in a soothing motion. "It was just a spam call," he said, his voice low and steady. "Go back to sleep."

Cassidy rested her cheek against his bare chest. She listened to the strong, rhythmic beating of his heart. Her own heart was still a mess of tangled wires.

He was lying to her. He had rejected Hayden, but he was hiding the truth from her. He did not want her to know Hayden was calling for him. The relief she felt a moment ago vanished, replaced by a dark, creeping suspicion.