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“Me not wanting to marry Aella doesn’t equate to me being heartless enough not to care if something bad happens to her.”

“I never said it did. But the fact that you didn’t hesitate to agree to marry her speaks volumes. It doesn’t hurt that she’s fine as hell.”

“I never said that I agreed to marry her.”

“We wouldn’t be having this conversation if you were against it,” Mars called him out.

Cassius sat back as Aella’s image materialized in his mind. Despite how she’d barked at everyone in the room, her presence radiated power. A touch of majesty about her captivated him from the moment he walked through the door.

From the glow of her sienna skin, she took pride in self-care, something Cassius loved about a woman. But her mouth? That was another story entirely.

“She’s straight,” Cassius shrugged. “Not fine enough for me to beg for her. That’s for damn sure. We gave her the offer; she didn’t want to take it. Whatever happens beyond this point ain’t got shit to do with me.”

“I wouldn’t be your brother if I didn’t point out the flaw in your logic, Cass. From where I’m standing, it sounds like Aella is thinking about the bigger picture, and you aren’t,” Mars pointed out. “Don’t get me wrong, I know things with your Pops, business-wise, have been on a decline, and this agreement is beneficial, but marriage ain’t a game, bro. Whether for love or otherwise. All the women, parties, and other wild shit you like to get into ain’t flying once you bring her into your world. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

He wasn’t.

Cassius didn’t even have to think about it. His freedom was one of the things he loved most about his life. The idea of giving it up for one woman gave him a headache.

“It doesn’t matter at this point. Aella isn’t with it. And unless she somehow finds her way to my door and says otherwise, which, from the little time I spent with her stubborn ass tonight, I know isn’t happening, there’s nothing for me to worry about,” he murmured, draining the rest of the contents of his glass before setting it on the coffee table.

“Whatever you say, bro. I have something to take care of, so I’ll talk to you later and see you when you touch back down.”

“A’ight, bruh,” Cassius nodded as Mars hung up, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Try as he might, he couldn’t shake the sting of Aella’s refusal.

He’d just pushed thoughts of her aside when his phone vibrated again, signaling an incoming call. Cassius didn’t hesitate to answer once he realized it was Lena calling from the burner phone she used whenever they communicated.

“What’s up, Lena?”

“Cassius, did I catch you at a bad time?”

“Not at all. I just got home. You have an update for me?”

“I wish I did,” she sighed. “But untangling the web of the transaction that flagged you is taking longer than I thought—even for our best computer geeks. I just wanted to touch base and let you know I’m still working on sorting it out. When I have an answer, you’ll be my first call.”

“I appreciate you, L.”

“Talk to you soon, Cass.”

A knock against Aella’s door made the hairs on her arms stand. It’d been a few days since the blow-up with her father, and the two hadn’t said much to each other since. Well, she hadn’t said much to him. He’d attempted to strike up a conversation several times.

“Who is it?” she called, licking her lips.

Instead of answering, the person on the other side pushed the door open and poked their head in. Aella’s heart swelled when she saw it was her mother, Victoria.

With a frown, the older woman stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

“I leave for one weekend to visit your grandmother, and this is the mess I return to? What is going on with you and your father?”

“Ugh,” Aella groaned, throwing her arms around her mother. “If you’ve talked to Daddy, you already know the problem.”

Brushing the hair out of her daughter’s face, Victoria kissed her forehead. “I have. He told me everything.”

Quirking a brow, Aella studied her mother. “Everything?”

“Everything.”

“Hmph,” she huffed, dropping onto the end-of-bed bench. “Funny how he can be completely transparent with you but not me.”