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The Cades hurt him. Instead of loving him, they chose business, and it left a massive void within him. He didn’t know how I’d react to my ex’s family secrets. And the unknown sometimes is worse.
“You’re their family, and your wounds are deep.”
“I’m more like their dirty secret,” he retorts, lifting my chin to kiss my parted lips.
“You know, it makes sense to me, why Helen’s so committed to separate us. Why they don’t want us working together. It cuts too close to home.”
He let go of me, picking up the tie from his suitcase he brought for a sleepover.
“They think of you as their son. They don’t want to lose another son to me.”
“Even so, it’s not up to them to make these decisions.” He shoves his hand in the pocket, looking at the bed we slept in. I remember his fear that he’s taking over Logan’s place instead of making his own. My chest squeezes at the thought he might feel rejected even here in my bed, in my life.
“Mark, look at me.”
He turns to me.
“I love you, not because you are like him but because of who you are. How you make me feel. Alive. Content. Happy. Safe. Your past doesn’t scare me. It makes me love you even more. I admire your strength, persistence, and control.” I take the tie from his other hand and wind it around his neck. “You challenge me, when I need to be challenged. Because you know the pain of surrendering.”
“You’re stronger than you know.” He brushes my curly hair over my shoulder, watching me with so much love shining in his golden irises, it melts my heart. “You mean so much to me, Cassandra. I could give up my life just to have you in my arms.” Some phantom feeling crawls up my spine as his words awaken fear inside of me. “I’m not going anywhere,” he whispers reassuringly as if he is familiar with my nightmares.
We all leave the house in separate cars, since I have to take my kids to school first and Mark has an urgent conference call early in the morning. While my driver is navigating through the busy street, I read a book with Liane while Leon is playing Candy Saga on my phone.
“Sweetie, stop playing. I’ll need a battery to be able to make a call.”
He crunches his cute nose. His raven hair’s falling into his face and his lips press in a tight line, but he keeps playing.
Story of my life.
“Come on, Leon, you heard Mommy, stop playing.”
I hide my grin as my little-me is trying to help me parent her twin brother.
“Stop being bossy, you’re not my mom,” he argues with her.
“Leon, give me my phone, please.” I use a stern tone, knowing he’s pushing my buttons on purpose, probably because I threw my relationship with Mark at them and haven’t talked about it. I knew this was going to bite me in the ass.
“Here, you can have it.” He shoves the phone in my lap and crosses his hands over his chest, pouting.
I take a calming breath before speaking to him. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?”
He doesn’t turn to look at me, instead simmers like coal in silence. So, I wait, knowing my son will speak only when he’s ready.
“Do you love me, Mom?”
I nod at him, waiting for a punch line.
“So, tell him to leave and never come back.”
My lips press together as I stare at my son, thinking. Leon is a spitting copy of his father, not only because of his looks.
“Do you love me, Leon?”
He nods, and I kiss his forehead, holding his chin in my hand.
“That means you want me to be happy, don’t you?”
He opens his mouth, but his sister beats him to it.
