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CHAPTER 16
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Cassandra was still on cloud nine, trembling in his arms. Sébastien pulled her into his chest and cradled her against him. They were still joined intimately, and at that moment she couldn’t ever imagine being separated from this man. She’d never felt like this with her husband, not even in the early days of their marriage when she’d had so many hopes and dreams of a happy future. Something extraordinary had just happened, and Cassandra hated to admit it.
When they reached his apartment, Sébastien carried her straight up to his bathroom and ran them a bath. Then they made love. Again, and again. And now she lay here, blissed out. Complete.
She heard a movement and looked up. He was holding out a big robe.
“Come on, chérie, or you’ll turn into a prune.”
&n
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She stopped backing away and put her coffee cup down carefully on the low table by the couch. Cassandra straightened and folded her arms. “Look, that’s exactly what it is. We both know that. I’d prefer if we could just be honest about it. What I’m saying to you is that I don’t need to be given any kind of platitudes. I’m not going to be weak, or desperate to have more than you are willing to give. If you said to me right now that this is over, thanks but goodbye, I’d have no problem walking out of here.’ Sébastien had gone very still, his eyes becoming dark as the night without stars. No doubt he wasn’t used to lovers calling the shots, Cassandra thought cynically. And why did her flip words cause an ache somewhere in the region of her chest? She pushed it aside. The truth was this: Sébastien wasn
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Three intoxicating, passion-filled weeks later, that wonderful day was eluding Cassandra as she looked down from her position in the press box to the VIP area in Croke Park. Déjà vu washed over her as she caught Sébastien’s eye and made a face before turning her attention back to the game between Ireland and England. Her heart was singing, her breath was coming fast, and her entire body was burning. Cassandra put her intermittent feelings of nausea down to that see-sawing feeling and tried to forget that she’d been compelled to buy an over-the-counter pregnancy test that morning on her way to work after Sébastien had said goodbye to her from her own modestly sized double bed. She wouldn’t think about her late period or the pregnancy test now. It couldn’t… And yet, a small voice deep inside kept yelling th
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Sébastien came in and towered over her, the door shut behind him.“What the hell was all that about?” Cassandra moved around to her armchair and sat down because she was afraid she might fall.“Well, that was me, finally airing my dirty laundry. In front of the entire nation, no less.” He had moved to the center of the small living room and glared down at her.“And in front of the entire Six Nations public too. I believe the news is hitting the airwaves as we speak. The hotel where the after-match party is being held has had to call for police assistance in dealing with the hordes of paparazzi already camped outside.” She winced. Sébastien grunted something unintelligible and
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It was vital to move away from him. But after a few steps, Cassandra stopped abruptly as her hand that had been sliding along the counter hit something that froze the blood in her veins. Instinctively, Cassandra covered it. She knew immediately what it was… She’d left it there in her shock and confusion just minutes before opening the door to let him in. Sébastien’s eyes darted to where her hand had made the betraying, concealing movement. Cassandra gulped as he looked back at her. She felt guilty since she looked guilty. “What’s that, Cassandra?” “Nothing important,” she said, almost hopefully. “If it’s nothing important, why are you trying to hide it?” “I’m not.” “Show me what it is.” “It’s nothing, Sébastien…” “Now, Cassandra!”
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN CHAPTER 21
Head leaned against the back of the couch, Cassandra was trying to push back the tears threatening to come out. Everything was such a mess… Her entire life was such a mess… Not to mention the life of the entire Applegate clan. The only being not touched by this entire disaster was her baby. He or she was being protected by her and Sébastien. Being here wasn’t the best option, but for now, it was the safest. A couple of days later, Cassandra finally had to acknowledge that she really hadn’t had a choice but follow Sébastien. Not that it made her feel any better. What could she have done? Her family was still shocked by the revelations she made on TV. The entire country was in shock. She closed her eyes, remembering every single thing that happened before her arrival here. &n
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Cassandra felt a rising sense of panic that Sébastien would just keep her here, like some kind of animal in a zoo. Why was he acting like this? Why was he treating her like he didn’t really want her here? Was his plan to take away her baby once she’d give birth? At this thought, Cassandra put her hand on her belly again, in an unconscious gesture of protection. “You’re not alone, Cassandra… Besides, here you have everything you want…” “Right… Everything…” ‘Except you…’ Cassandra wanted to yell in his face. Their eyes locked and her gaze pierced Sébastien’s stomach. She was so beautiful… Cassandra was dressed down in jeans and a loose shirt, and he could see the outline of her bra underneath, white and plain, and yet more seductive than the flimsiest lingerie he’d seen on her yet…
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He made it sound so easy. And, while Cassandra felt it was important to assert her independence, she knew Sébastien was right. For now. It wasn’t just about the two of them anymore. She’d worry about the shifting parameters of their affair later. The knowledge that he still desired her was intoxicating, she went to bed that night and slept properly for the first time all week. The next day she entered the house and found him already there. She knew Sébastien had a serious amount of work to do and a few important meetings to attend to, but he was there, waiting for her to get back home. Sébastien came towards her and gave her an inquisitive look. “So? I want to know everything the doctor told you.” “The pregnancy is proceeding very well, in spite of all the stress in the last few weeks. And
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Trembling with desire, Cassandra looked from the cord to Sébastien. He didn’t move back. His scent wrapped around her like a cloak of heavy desire. The sheer sexiness of him, and the room, overwhelmed her, and Cassandra lifted a hand to run her fingers through his hair, feeling the beautiful shape of his head. And then, unable to wait any longer, the promise of fulfillment so close, Cassandra pulled his head to hers and their mouths touched. A week of not touching blew up around them instantly. It could’ve been a lifetime, the way things escalated so rapidly. Without breaking contact, Sébastien lifted Cassandra from her seat and moved them over to the lush, velvety banquette behind them. He took his mouth from hers and she followed him momentarily, as if wary to break even that point of touch.
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Cassandra relaxed back into the luxurious cushions of the huge, comfortable couch. The tiny baby suckling at her breast was inducing a deliciously soporific effect in her blood. A familiar flood of happiness and pure joy made her smile as she looked up from her daughter and took in the warmly decorated open-plan sitting room, and the big windows that looked out into a large garden littered with toys. Situated right in the center of Montmartre, one could be forgiven for thinking the house was in the countryside, the hum of Parisian traffic barely discernible through the high trees guarding the property. This had been one of the first elegantly palatial townhouses she and Sébastien had looked at that day so long ago when she’d believed that all he wanted was to set her up in isolated seclusion. When s
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With the corner of her eye, Cassandra got a glimpse of Sébastien. He was looking in front of him, but she could sense a change in his demeanor. Maybe her words were breaching the pain she inflicted with her running away. Cassandra continued. “So much money had been spent, so much emotion invested. My parents were old. I knew they wanted to see me settled before it was too late. And I just… I couldn’t stop it. I knew I was making a mistake. I’d isolated myself spectacularly in a bubble of make-believe. And yet still I hoped for the best, put my trust in what I’d witnessed growing up, thought everything would work out for the best.” Cassandra felt Sébastien turn towards her, but couldn’t look at him. Her eyes stung with tears but her voice didn’t waver. “I was just a baby, Sébastien… I was only twenty-two. I hardly knew myself, never mind Brian. I subju
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“Hey, Cass, nice to have you back. We really missed you.” Cassandra smiled at the receptionist, but it felt forced as she walked into her old office. “Thanks,” she said and closed the door behind her. Everything had felt bland since she’d come home just a few days ago. Cassandra felt lethargic as if a vital source of energy had been taken from her body. She smiled bleakly to herself since she knew why was she like that. The reason for her strange mood was Sébastien. She sat down behind her desk heavily. Just then a knock came on her door, and before she could answer, it opened and James barged in totally uninvited. “Cass! It’s so great to have you back. Sorry about all that business before, but you know my hands were tied. I did my very best to keep you here, working for our statio
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He rested over her on his hands for a long moment and Cassandra bit her lip. She couldn’t take her eyes away from his… she knew there was a silent battle of wills going on. Finally, just when she thought Sébastien was going to make her beg, he slipped a hand under her buttocks, tilting her up towards him, and then with one deep, earth-shattering thrust, he entered her and she felt as if he’d touched her soul. She wrapped her legs around him as far as she could, drawing him in deeper and deeper, going with him when he pulled out and drawing him in tight again when he thrust back. Cassandra reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, her mouth blindly finding and pressing kisses to any bit of exposed flesh, and he took them higher and higher. &nbs
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She was feeling it and him too… The air around them was saturated with their desire. Cassandra didn’t know how she was still standing. She felt weak and trembly. And a little angry. “Would you stop being so damn enigmatic? What are you talking about, Sébastien? What things are you trying to elevate to another level? You’re really… Listen, we’re just… We were lovers. I’m here while things settle down at home. Nothing’s changed.” Sébastien crossed his arms at that, and his face got even harsher. “Why do you keep saying that? I’ve told you, we’re together now. I’m not going to be apart from you or this baby.” Bitterness and something else indefinable washed up through Cassandra. “And yet you’ve spent the day showing me places where you’ll happily shelve me and our child.” &nbs
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As soon as she knew she was alone, the tears came like a raging river, and through them, Cassandra ranted at herself. What was wrong with her? She wanted Sébastien and yet she didn’t want him. She wanted to be independent, and then when he brought her out to show her places where she could live independently, she didn’t want that, either. All she knew for sure, as she wiped away the tears and prepared some dinner, was that she wanted him with a bone-deep ache that ran through her body like a dull pain. It got worse every time Sébastien came near. Cassandra had been having erotic dreams nearly every night about what had happened in the restaurant, waking with sheets damp and twisted around her body. She needed his physical presence. It was as if that would make all her confusion go away if she could just b
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The following morning, Cassandra woke up and found herself naked but for her underwear in her bed, and she couldn’t believe it when the clock said 10:00 a.m. She’d slept for the entire previous evening and night. Had Sébastien undressed her? Who else could it have been? And she’d slept through it? She showered and dressed quickly, feeling completely disorientated. When she emerged into the living room after finding no note in the kitchen, she jumped with fright when Sébastien’s study door opened and he strode out, dressed head to toe in his successful, powerful billionaire gear. Her heart clenched. Seeing him like this, a world away from the muddy rugby coach of yesterday made Cassandra feel so sad. She folded her arms defensively, not sure why she was feeling like that. So sensitive about it. So irritate
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Finally, her suspicions were confirmed. “Now I can see things pretty clearly. You did want to be a rugby player too. Anyone watching you out there could see what a natural talent you have. Why didn’t you go for it, Sébastien?” He looked out to the men on the pitch and then spoke with a kind of resigned modesty. “My grandfather could see how good I was. He had played all his life, and he was a great player. But it never got him anywhere. Originally, he played it for acceptance into the community. I never told you, but he was half-Algerian, and he always felt like an outsider. That’s why he took it so badly when my mother disgraced the good name, he’d built up by having an affair with a married man.” Cassandra looked at his profile. It was proud and harsh. A warrior’s profile. “He’d always regretted his
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Cassandra was utterly consumed by him at that moment… Nothing else existed around them. A waiter tried to get their attention, but gave up and walked away leaving them immersed in their conversation. “I’m sorry, Sébastien. I don’t mean to pry. If it’s that hard to talk…” “No,” he said quickly, his hand tightening on hers. His eyes locked onto hers. The sympathy he saw in their depths reminded him of what he wanted, what he’d vowed to set out to achieve after that catastrophic night in the restaurant. If he wanted that, then he had to tell her everything. She had to know who he really was… where he was coming from. “It’s not that, Cass. I can take you somewhere tomorrow if you like. Perhaps it’ll be much easier to explain then.” She just nodded, every part of her warmi
