Page 31 of Cries of Cassie

She's living with us and knows everything now. I may not know how I'm going to fix this shit, but she will need to get used to me again. I'm not one to skirt around what I want. If I want to touch her leg, I damn well will. I'll just have to learn to be sweeter because it seems she prefers Koa's brand of loving to mine.

Blinking at me, Cassie noticeably zones out and slumps back on Koa's chest. I feel like an idiot for worrying about her calm demeanor and should just be grateful she's not shouting at me. Then Parker leans forward and stares at her hard too.

Damn it, if he's concerned then I definitely should be. "Cassie?"

"Hm?" she hums, snuggling further into Koa. He meets my gaze over the top of her head with the same thoughts playing through his eyes. Why so cuddly and sleepy all of a sudden? Or is he wondering why I'm acting weird?

"I haven't been sleeping very well. The mattress is just a bit more solid than mine," Cassie finally mutters and closes her eyes.

"Well why the fuck haven't you said anything?!" Parker snarls, shocking the shit out of all of us. I'm not sure what exactly happens, but he grits his teeth and shoves to his feet. "Excuse me."

What the fuck? I expect reactions like that from Ripley, not our stoic, standoffish Parker. I'm halfway out of my seat to go kick his ass for shouting at her when Cassie stops me.

"Don't be mad at Spider. I'm the one intruding and making things hard for him." Cassie sighs and wiggles off Koa's lap.

His hands linger on her waist for far longer than necessary, yet I can't blame him. If she was comfortable with me like she is with him, I would take full advantage of her proximity too.

"I'm going to head back to the house," she tells us and waves goodbye.

I'm out of my seat and grabbing her hand faster than she can turn around. "You won't ever walk around in the dark alone," I growl low as I bend so we're eye to eye.

"I thought I was safe here," she fires back, all signs of sleepiness fading. Thank fuck, because I don't know how long I could manage being sweet and gentle. This I can do.

Not wanting an audience to my demise, I tug her through the crowd and out into the fresh night air. "I'm not willing to take any risks with you. Just fucking listen so we're both happy."

"You think this makes me happy?!" she snaps, free hand waving between us as she tries to yank her hand out of mine. Tries is the key word. Her attempt to dig her heels in doesn't help either. My head is on a swivel, making sure we're in the clear to get her home. Home. She's never leaving.

"Don't make me shout for Ripper," she threatens, which actually makes me stop in my tracks.

Turning slowly, I study her frazzled features. "He won't be able to hear you right now." I'm not totally sure that's true, though. He's been stalking her for years, so it's possible he has her mic'd or some shit.

"You didn't sell that very well. Seriously, Shade, let go of me." Huffing, she yanks as hard as she can, sending alarm through my body.

My free arm snaps out and curls around her lower back as I release her wrist. "Don't fucking do that, you'll hurt yourself. And don't call me that." A low grunt slips out of me when she slams her little hands on my chest. Fuck she feels so good against me.

"I'll scream for him," she says yet again, pissing me off. The flash of fear across her face and her thundering heartbeat against my chest stresses me the fuck out.

"What the fuck makes you think he'll come, let alone help you? It's me, Cassidy. You think I'll actually hurt you?"

Another slam of her hands on my pecs, and a disgruntled gasp for breath urges me to release her. Goddamn it. I don't want to, but she's going to hurt herself if she keeps fighting me. So I let go even though everything in me knows I should kiss her and force her body to calm down. I hate the way she stumbles away.

"Okay, fuck! Just breathe, woman."

Her tits rise and fall with her rapid breathing, but I fight like hell not to look. We've had years of sex and no talking. I need to figure out how the hell I'm going to talk to her.

Chin notching higher, Cassie fists her hands at her sides. "You have hurt me."

Slicing off my fucking leg with a bread knife would have been less brutal than those words. Unable to help myself, I take a step forward and about lose my fucking shit when she takes a step back off the curb.

"Shit. Alright, I won't touch you, but could you please get back on the sidewalk?" Thankfully she does as I ask. Honestly it's a fucking miracle I asked instead of just grabbing her again. I don't know who I should be for her to feel safe with me again, but the fact that she thinks I could actually hurt her tells me everything I need to know.

Crossing her arms defensively, she raises her shoulders to her ears. "I don't think you'd physically hurt me, Shade. So wipe the sad look off your face. I don't deserve to feel guilty for your hurt feelings."

Even my face is screwing this up for me. I'm not comfortable being a good guy. I'm a dominant asshole who doesn't know the first thing about tenderness. How fucked up is that? I don't know how to be sweet to the woman I love?

"Emotionally and mentally hurt me, yes. Constantly. For fucking years, so excuse me if I don't want to talk to you when I'm dead on my feet and desperately want to sleep."

Not knowing what to say because I'm shit at communication, I mumble the words I thought to myself earlier. "I'd rather you be sad than dead."