It’s how I feel about her.
I hate parting ways with her every morning, and I spend the entire workday looking forward to seeing her in the evening. Her presence is comforting, and I enjoy sharing a living space more than I thought I would. She floats around our apartment, tinkering with things and entertaining herself. She particularly enjoys looking through my personal items.
I particularly enjoy watching her do so.
“I’m so sorry, Cassie,” Gray says, releasing her. “It was all Silas’s idea, and I shouldn’t have gone along with it. We were terrified when David told us you’d snuck into Greed. I thought I was going to lose you, and I just… I couldn’t stomach the thought.”
Silas rises, giving Cassia his full attention. She’s angriest with him, and her fury pulses through our bond as he faces her.
Aziel stares blankly at the wall on the opposite side of the room. Charlie has moved to stand behind him, her stomachpressing against his shoulder as she runs her fingers repeatedly through his hair.
If Cassia notices it, she doesn’t react. I’ve heard that Aziel has trouble talking about Luca’s death. There’s an unspoken rule at work never to bring it up. I was warned of it shortly after returning from Greed.
Silas sucks in a deep breath. “Sometimes I look at you and see my wild, five-year-old girl. But it’s not who you are, not anymore. I never should have forced that bracelet on you and your siblings, and I especially should have removed it sooner. I made the decision out of fear, and I’m sorry. I—”
“Why didn’t you?” Cassia interrupts. “Why didn’t you remove it sooner?”
Silas takes a minute to answer. “I don’t know anything when it comes to you. I can’t see your fate, and I hate that. Your safety means everything to me, but you weren’t talking to us. The bracelet became my only connection to you, and I didn’t want to lose that. It was selfish.”
Gray slinks backward, shifting his attention to Aziel. He and Charlie switch places.
“I’m sorry, Cassia,” Charlie says, approaching. “I love your independence. I love that you have it, that you use it, and even that you abuse it. You and your sister are everything I ever dreamed women could be.”
Cassia looks at me, her gaze flickering in my direction. Warmth flares between our bond, nearly identical to what she felt when Gray hugged her, but now the emotion is directed at me. My knees grow weak. Cassia feels love for me, too.
I blink in disbelief. I’ve been oblivious.
I offer a soft smile, hoping to look encouraging. She asked me to join her for support, but she made it clear she doesn’t want me to get involved. It’s hard. I want to knock heads together, apologies be damned.
Cassia straightens her spine, turning back to her mother. “If you can forgive me for fucking and marking your best friend, I can forgive you for the bracelet.”
Charlie halts. She sucks her lips into her mouth and shuts her eyes, visibly trying hard to digest the words that were just spoken to her. Cassia’s straightforward, that’s for sure. A long second passes before Charlie blows out a breath and reopens her eyes.
“I’ll take it,” she says.
Cassia then turns toward Gray. “I want you to secure Lust’s endorsement for my future coronation. Do that and I’ll forgive you.”
I place a hand over my mouth, hiding my budding laughter. Cassia has put a price on her forgiveness. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Her eyes flicker toward me again, a smile toying at the corners of her lips.
Nobody else in the room appears shocked.
“I’m pretty hands-off with the day-to-day dealings of Lust,” Gray admits. “David’s the one who will—”
“Get me the endorsement, Gray.”
The incubus snaps his mouth shut, then nods. “Fine.”
Cassia turns toward Silas. “Tell me how and when the woman who fucked Wren dies.”
“No.”
Cassia raises a brow. “Then I don’t forgive you.”
Silas throws his head back, glaring at the ceiling. Then he levels his gaze with Cassia. He looks far from pleased. “Name something else.”
“No.”
“I can’t just…”
