Page 75 of The Other Half

“Are you really that torn up about this?” he asked, finally noticing my lack of enthusiasm in this turn of events.

“I’m fine,” I grumbled.

“Dude. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I figured you just met her, got a quick lay to get back on the horse. No harm; no foul.”

I didn’t answer. Why couldn’t I have just done that? Why did I have to go and fall for the girl, like a lovesick schmuck? Wondering why I somehow lacked that gene most men had that allowed them to sleep with random girls without a modicum of attachment, I took another sip of my drink. A big one.

At least she was gone. Having to see her around town would have been cruel and unnecessary punishment. She was probably laughing about me with her friends at some swanky club in Paris right now.

“Oh, shit,” Jo said, as she looked at the door.

Aaron and I, along with the other dozen people scattered throughout the bar, followed her gaze to the door.

Shit is right.

Cassie stood in the doorway. Her eyes met mine and that surge of power her gaze induced in me pulsed through my veins once again. I cursed it while I struggled to keep my mouth closed.

“What are you doing here?” Jo asked, her protective nature over me surging while she stepped around the bar to my side. Even though I’d spent our childhood beating up bullies who picked on her and tossing out guys at the bar who got too handsy with her, this time I was grateful it was her protecting me.

“I came back to apologize to you guys. To Jake.” Her eyes remained locked with mine and I struggled to force my own away. So many emotions collided inside me underneath her sorrow-filled gaze.

“Get the hell out of here, Cassandra. You’ve done enough damage already,” Jo argued.

“Please. I just want to apologize and explain myself.”

“We don’t want to hear it.”

Grateful Jo seemed to be pulling the words out of my mouth, I sat in my stool unable to speak or move away.

“Please, just let me explain.”

“Let me guess,” Jo said, pressing her finger to her chin. “You got bored with your glitzy life, took a bet or signed up for some stupid reality show, then came up here to live amongst the little people. To make fun of us and call back to your friends with stories of how pathetic we all are without our jets and limos and five-thousand-dollar shoes.”

“That’s not what happened, Jo. I swear.”

“Seriously, Cassie. We don’t want to hear it. You lied. You hurt Jake. And I told you what would happen if you did.”

Now Jo’s protective ways made me feel like a small child rather than a grown man.

“Just go, Cassie,” I finally managed to say. “I don’t want to hear it.”

“Jake, please.” She stepped toward me and touched my shoulder. It wasn’t that I didn’t want her to touch me that had me shooting up off my stool and out of her grasp, it was that I did. Even with all her lies, the electricity in her touch still affected me like it did before. It still ripped through me and had me desperate to pull her into my arms. But not this time. This time I wouldn’t forgive the woman, eat up her lies, then let her humiliate me over and over again.

No fucking way.

“Go, Cassie,” I commanded.

“I’m not leaving until you let me explain myself!”

“Fine. Then I’ll leave.” Pushing past her, I stormed out into the streets and made a beeline for my truck. Maybe it was childish to run, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t be with her and not succumb to my desire to taste those lips again.

Slamming myself inside my truck, I pressed my head into the steering wheel. Why couldn’t she just stay gone? Let me get on with my life? My life alone.

The dome light flicked on and I heard my passenger door open. Looking over, I saw Cassie fumbling to get inside.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I growled when she planted herself beside me.

“Please, Jake. You have to let me explain,” I begged while I closed the truck door, sealing us both inside.