Cassandra’s POVHe was holding my arm very firmly. His breath reeked of whiskey, hot on my cheek.“Let go of me,” I demanded.“Not until you pay me back for that drink,” he hissed. “And I only accept ONE form of payment.” He chuckled at his own joke. But I didn’t find any of this the least bit amusing.“I mean it,” I warned. “Let go of me immediately. Or I’ll call the bouncer and get you kicked out of here.”“Oh come on, honey. All I want is a little action.” He slurred his words. He was drunk. Much drunker than I’d initially realized. And before I knew it, he was grabbing the back of my head and trying to force his lips on mine.“You creep!” I cried out. “Stop it!” I pushed his face away from me. And I was just about to punch him, when I was pulled backward into someone’s arms. It all happened so fast, I was a bit confused at first. But the drunk man was aggressively pushed right off his bar stool.I turned around to see…“Dillon?”“Hey there, Cassandra. Thought you could use a littl
Cassandra’s POVThe next morning, I was halfway through a double shot of espresso. I’d been out too late last night and now I was tired. But I HAD to make some headway on this difficult dress of Ellie’s.So I did my best to stay focused. But suddenly, I heard a commotion outside my office.“Ma’am? You can’t go in there…”“I DEMAND to see the CEO,” a shrill woman’s voice reverberated down the hallway. There was clearly something happening at the front desk. So I left my office to go and see what the problem was.As soon as I stepped out of my office, though, I noticed that a lot of employees were standing out in the hall. They stared at me as I passed by. I didn’t understand why until I got to the front desk.Velma.She was cursing at the receptionist, her face contorted in anger. The receptionist was keeping her cool, though. She wasn’t letting Velma rattle her.I couldn’t say the same for other people in the office though. They cowered in the hall. Velma was an intimidating person wh
Cassandra’s POV“Well that hardly proves anything, Mother,” Jordyn said. His frown turned into a sly smile.I was surprised by this. I’d expected Jordyn to take his mother’s side. In fact, as I watched Jordyn study the picture of me and Dillon, I’d been fully prepared to ask the security guards to escort them BOTH out of the building.“What do you mean?” Velma balked. “She’s with another man. Clear as day. Right HERE!” She continued to brandish her phone but Jordyn only shook his head.He turned back around to face his mother.“That picture shows nothing. I don’t know why you think that’s proof, but it’s not. You’re making a scene, Mother. And you’re embarrassing both me and yourself.”“She cheated on you,” Velma stared but Jordyn cut her off.“Leave,” he said, his tone tired. “This isn’t the time nor the place. I came here today for work. And you’re spilling out my private life to all these strangers?”Again, I was surprised. In the past, Jordyn had almost always taken his mother’s si
Cassandra’s POVStella and I were both silent for a beat as we absorbed the information.“Really?” Stella asked. “They want to meet with us? Fox Finch Holding? Let me see the email.”I passed my phone over to her. I was just as shocked as she was. Fox Finch Holding was a massive company with connections and clients we could only dream about. That’s one of the reasons I’d been trying to get a meeting with them.“Well that changes this,” Stella mused. “Do you think they want a collaboration?”I nodded. I could see no other reason for the meeting.Our company paled in comparison with Fox Finch Holding when it came to size. But we were gaining ground. We were growing and we were creating buzz. We might not be as successful as Fox Finch Holding, but we brought a lot to the table.Jordyn saw our potential. So why wouldn’t Fox Finch Holding? “Maybe we should hold off on Jordyn’s offer then? Wait and see what Fox Finch Holding has in mind?” I suggested.Stella agreed. “If they offer us bette
Cassandra’s POV“Now that we’ve made our introductions, I’ll leave you three alone to discuss the details of the collaboration,” Damion said, pushing back his chair. He waltzed out of the room, leaving Stella, Dillon and I alone.“The CEO of Fox Finch Holding is your father?” I asked, turning to Dillon. He must have seen the shock on my face because he chuckled.“You got me!” He threw his hands up in the air. “The ruse is up! Yes, that’s my father. And yes, I’m next in line for CEO.”“I thought you were a lawyer,” I shook my head.He smiled, the corner of his brown eyes crinkling. “I am,” he confirmed. “But I also have an MBA. I didn’t tell you about any of this because I wasn’t sure if I was going to take over the company. It’s a lot of pressure. Sometimes I feel like, from the moment I was born, my father was talking about his ‘son’ taking over the family business. But I had to sort it out for myself. You know? Make sure it was something I wanted. And not just something I was doing
Cassandra’s POVTwenty minutes later and we were driving through downtown in Dillon’s car. It was a Ferrari with luxurious tan leather seats. Dillon professed his love for sports car as we ripped down the street.“Some people say they’re overpriced, but I don’t know. If you love something it has value, right? So I see their value. I have an entire collection.”“Of sports cars?” I laughed.“Yup. You should come see it sometime.”I nodded. I’d been anxious at first when he hit the gas, but he was an expert driver. Dillon told me he liked to drive himself instead of using a chauffeur, and truth be told, I could see why.He wove in and out of traffic expertly. It was exhilarating. Plus, it was nice to be in the front seat for change instead of in the back. I was so used to being driven around. I forgot not all cars come with a piece of glass that separates the passenger from the driver. We were listening to one of his Spotify playlists, and I was surprised to admit I liked pretty much ev
Cassandra’s POVCameron approached our table. I could see the surprise on his face. Clearly, he hadn’t expected to see me and Dillon here, alone together, having an intimate dinner.“Well, what do we have here?” Cameron asked, eying the open bottle of champagne on the table. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was a date.”He raised his eyebrows at us, a smirk on his face.“Hardly,” Dillon said quickly. “This is a business dinner.”“Hm,” Cameron teased. “A business dinner with champagne?”“Cassandra and I were just discussing the details of a business collaboration,” Dillon smiled.I realized in that moment that we hadn’t discussed business at all. On the contrary, our conversation had actually taken a really intimate turn.“Must be quite the discussion,” Cameron said, gesturing to the multiple plates of food on the table. He reached over and snatched a piece of bread right off my plate.“You know, Cameron, I’m a little upset with you,” I replied haughtily. I wanted to steer the c
Cassandra’s POV“I have to go to the hospital,” I told Dillon. “It’s Jordyn’s grandfather. Something’s wrong.”I stood up and pushed back my chair, grabbing frantically for my purse.Despite whatever was going on between me and Dillon, I adored Stanley. My heart raced.“I’ll drive you,” Dillon said without missing a beat.We hurried outside and rushed to the hospital.“I’ll wait here,” Dillon said, squeezing my hand. “Good luck.”I nodded thankfully and then ran into the hospital. I found Jordyn and Velma standing outside a surgery room. Jordyn looked disheveled and Velma was pacing.“Jorydn,” I said, hurrying towards him.Velma saw me, stopped, and shot me a disdainful look.“What are YOU doing here?” she scoffed snidely. “This is a FAMILY matter.”“Mother,” Jordyn snapped at Velma. “This is a hospital. I won’t tolerate your snide remarks. Not here.”Velma shut her mouth, but she glared at me. I ignored her hostility, choosing instead to focus on the real issue – Stanley.“How is he?
Cassandra’s POVOn the weekend, I went to visit Stella and her mom, Julia. I stopped by the flower shop on the way to pick up some orchids, since I knew they were Julia’s favorite flower. I also put together a little gift basket with some bath bombs and scented lotions, as well as a lavender candle.“You shouldn’t have,” Julia said when I gave her the gift. “Really, Cassandra, that’s so thoughtful.”“Don’t mention it,” I waved my hand dismissively. Stella mouthed ‘thank you’ as she served us tea. I was happy to see that Julia looked well. A little pale and fragile, but she was clearly on the mend. I’d always been really fond of Julia. Stella’s parents divorced when she was very young and her dad took off, never to be heard from again. So Julia had been a single mother most of Stella’s life.We chatted well into the afternoon and ordered Chinese take-out for dinner. Shortly after dinner, Julia began to doze off, so Stella covered her in a blanket and Stella and I went upstairs to her be
Cassandra’s POVJordyn’s voice had daggers in it. I took a moment to collect myself. Why was he being like this? He had no right to interrogate as to my whereabouts!Cameron and Dillon were talking. I really wanted to join them. It was time to cut this phone call short.“I’m with my family and friends,” I told him. “We’re just having a nice family evening.”“Is that so,” he replied sardonically.“Not that it’s any of your concern,” I added. “You’re about to marry Ellie. So why should you care about what I do?”Jordyn fell silent. I could hear him breathing but he didn’t say anything. This was ridiculous. Why was I still on the phone with him defending my actions? I could spend my time with whomever I wanted. I didn’t have to justify it to him. Maybe he should spend more time asking Ellie who SHE was with, I thought to myself snidely.I heard him inhale, then…click. He abruptly disconnected the call.I stared at my phone for a moment. He just…he hung up on me? Well fine then. Whatever.
Cassandra’s POVRealizing it was Jordyn, I stepped even further away from Dillon. I wondered what Jordyn could possibly want. It was a little late, after all. But then I realized it was probably a call about work.“I’m so sorry about the elevator, Cassandra,” Jordyn said quickly into the phone. “The elevator manager knew something was wrong with the elevator. He was supposed to post notices on each floor but I guess he skipped our floor. There was a malfunction with the electric pad. It had been misfiring. That’s why the elevator stopped.”I glanced over at Dillon. He was still sitting on the swing but his eyes were locked on me. It was almost like he could sense it was Jordyn. I knew that was impossible. Dillon was a good guy but he wasn’t a superhero with supernatural powers or anything. I was being silly.Besides, even if Dillon did know it was Jordyn on the phone, so what? I was in a business deal with Jordyn. I’d have to talk to him from time to time. Dillon and I were just frien
Cassandra’s POVI was deeply moved by Dillon’s words of support. I wasn’t used to feeling so supported and cared for. My marriage to Jordyn had done a real number on me, and when I found out he had cheated on me, it broke my heart. For weeks after our marriage ended, I felt inadequate. I asked myself the same questions over and over again. Why hadn’t he loved me? Why wasn’t I good enough? Why didn’t he want to be with me? I felt like such a colossal failure.But when the dust settled and it was all over, I looked back on the marriage. I’d spent pretty much our entire marriage feeling neglected. How often had I lied awake at night, waiting for Jordyn to come home, eager to see him? But then, when he had, he’d completely ignored me, choosing to take a shower and watch Netflix instead of cuddling with me. He hardly ever invited me out to his business events. Whenever I asked to go, I felt like I was annoying him. It was an awful feeling, trying to vie for someone’s attention. He was supp
Cassandra’s POV“I’m sorry,” Dillon said, misunderstanding my silence for a refusal to tell him. “I was pressing and I shouldn’t have. It’s your past. It’s none of my business.”Just then, I saw a shooting star. It seemed like some sort of sign. Dillon was a good person, and even though the incident from my past was difficult to talk about, if there was anyone I could share it with, it was Dillon. I always sort of feared people would look at me differently if they knew what had happened to me. But I knew Dillon wouldn’t. He wouldn’t judge me.He wasn’t like that. Which is why I knew I could trust him. I shook my head and told him it was fine. “I just don’t talk about it very often,” I sighed. “But it’s okay. I’d like you to know.”He took my hand and squeezed it. Then he sat and waited patiently while I collected my thoughts. I didn’t even know where to start. It had been such a traumatic ordeal.“I was kidnapped,” I said, my voice low.“What?” His eyes grew wide as saucers. “Are yo
Cassandra’s POVDillon drove me to my house.“I’m home,” I called as I came through the front door. “And I have a guest so set another seat at the table.”The maid came and took our coats.“Are you sure your parents won’t mind?” Dillon asked as I led him through the foyer.“Dillon,” I said, fixing him with a stern look. “Come on. You know you’re always welcome in our house.”“We’re out on the terrace,” my mother said in her sing-song voice.We went through the terrace doors and sure enough, both my parents were there. The table was set, with candles and fresh cut flowers. I could tell my mother had gone through some effort for this dinner.“It looks lovely,” I said, kissing her on the cheek. “I love eating outside.” Then I turned to my dad and kissed him on the cheek too.“We’ve been having such nice weather,” my father said. “So we figured, why not take advantage of it.”“Plus it’s not very often we get to eat together as a family anymore.”“Mr. and Mrs. Stoneworth,” Dillon said. “So
Cassandra’s POVI appreciated his kind words. I could tell that he really cared about me. We locked eyes for a moment. Then I realized something.He’d said he’d been looking for me and had called Stella to ask where I was.“Why were you looking for me?” I asked.“Oh my god! Right! I almost completely forgot,” he said sheepishly. “I wanted to invite you to…this thing.”He looked down at his hands. He was acting a bit shy.“What thing?” I prodded.“It’s a cruise party,” he said, fidgeting with his hands. “It’s next month.”“Oh, like a date?” I asked, confused. Dillon was always so confident but he was acting strange. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was afraid to ask me.“No, it’s not a date,” he said in a rush. Cameron’s coming, too. It’s out of town. So I thought we could all go. It’s a great ship. They have live entertainment so we could catch a musical. Have a nice dinner? I think they’re having a dance, too. Oh, and there’s a casino? I suck at black jack but we could hit up some
Cassandra’s POVDillon tightened his grip on my shoulder. The atmosphere between the two men was tense. I felt it.“Come on,” Dillon said to me. “Let’s get you out here. I’m sure you want to rest after all that.”Jordyn’s eyes narrowed at Dillon’s words. He seemed angry that Dillon had helped me. But whatever, I couldn’t dwell on that. I was so over Jordyn and his drama and his complicated feelings.If Jordyn was jealous, that was his issue. Didn’t he have enough on his plate with Ellie and his engagement? He needed to start focusing on his own life. “Are you sure you’re okay, Cassandra?” Jordyn asked, stepping towards us. “Maybe you should come back to my office to get checked out before you go.”Back to Jordyn’s office was the last place I wanted to go.“She’s fine,” Dillon said dryly. “I’ll make sure she gets home safely.”“I’d feel better if you just sat down for a bit,” Jordyn said, completely ignoring Dillon. “I know how much you hate confined places and…”“Thank you for your
Cassandra’s POV“Cassandra!” Dillon exclaimed. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” His eyes anxiously scanned my body.“No, I’m fine,” I said, looking up at him. I was relieved that the doors were finally open. But he was above me. Which meant the elevator was dangerously between two floors. My heart sank. The doors were open but I still had to get out. “Just stay there,” Dillon instructed. “The maintenance crew is here with me. They’re going to help you out.”I was happy to see Dillon, but I suddenly wondered what he was doing there. This was Jordyn’s company’s office building. It seemed awfully coincidental that Dillon just happened to be there at the same time I got trapped in an elevator. “What are you doing here?” I asked. Dillon flashed me a smile.“Don’t worry about that right now. I’ll explain later,” he told me in a voice that left no room for arguing. “Let’s get you out of there first, okay?”I nodded.“Do you think there’s enough room to pull her out?” Dillon asked whoever was