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I squeeze my eyes shut, blocking out the images flicking, one after another, inside my head. It’s like a horrible movie. I’m mentally reliving every interaction with Jay, frame by frame, up until that awful moment when I realized it had all been a lie.
Never again.
I would never let him hurt me again.
The one flicker of light in this mess is that I don’t have time to wallow in my sadness. I have a brother to put in his place.
I can’t change my past, but I can sure as hell keep him from repeating it.
* * *
My brother isn’tin his office when I arrive. His receptionist isn’t at her desk either, so I sneak into his office and settle on the couch, preparing myself for this confrontation. I wish I could tell him why I’m so upset about Grace. I wish I could confide in him about what happened all those years ago with Jay. How he moved on with her, dated her. But it’s been too many years. And none of that matters now. The woman’s marital status alone should be reason enough for my brother to stay away.
I thumb through a magazine while I wait for him, choking back my hurt over the entire situation. But every time I think of the way Jay was holding Grace in the photo, my heart rate skyrockets.
The door swings open, and my brother barrels in, grimacing when he spots me.
I fake a smile. “Don’t blame Lucy. I snuck in here while she was in the bathroom.”
At exactly that moment, Lucy scurries in with a coffee and practically falls over when she spots me. “Oh, Mr. James, I’m so sorry.”
My brother sighs before shooing her toward the door. “Hold my calls, please.”
With a glare fixed firmly on me, Cash settles behind his desk. “Why are you here?”
“Is that any way to address your favorite sister?”
“Cat, I have a busy day. What’s up?”
Trying to keep my demeanor calm, I slip on a smile and stand from the couch. “Can’t a girl visit her baby brother?”
He doesn’t bite. “No. Out with it. You are here for a reason.”
I drop the cheerful act and let my animosity take over. If he’s going to be a dick, I’ll treat him like one. “Fine. I love how you are acting like I’m the one that did something wrong, whenyouare the one who was doingthis.”I don’t bother saying anything else, choosing instead to toss the photographs onto his desk.
He doesn’t bother looking down. Instead, he maintains a bored expression and keeps his attention firmly locked on me. “Nothing happened. Just had a little fun with the boys. Can a single man not go out and have a good time?”
“Nothing happened? Seriously? Then why are you making out with a married woman for all of the damn world to see?”
Cash’s face falls, and he drops his gaze to the evidence I tossed his way. Picture after picture of Cash kissing Grace in public. What a damn fool.
“Are these in any magazines?” he grits.
Balling my hands into fists at my sides to keep from screaming, I shake my head. “Not for your benefit, though. The one who quashed it was looking out for Grace. What were you thinking, Cash?”
“I wasn’t. That damn woman takes all reasonable thought from my mind. It’s like I see her, and my body controls my every move.”
“That’s not real life, Cash. You need to take responsibility for your actions.”
“I am. I left that night. And I was a dick about it. Ran into her again last night. Once again, we fought. We can’t seem to make it through a conversation without bringing out the worst in one another.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Or groping one another, apparently.”
He smirks. “Yeah, that too.”
“I don’t have to tell you that this needs to stop.”
He eyes me sheepishly, then mutters, “No, you don’t. I am very aware.”
