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He headed toward her. “Cassie,” he murmured when he got close.
She lifted her head, her face awash with tears. They played tricks with the blue of her eyes, deepening their hue.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her face crumpling.
“What are you apologizing for?”
“For leaving. I should have stayed, like you. She’s just a little girl, and she’s braver than me.”
He reached for her, tugged her up, and wrapped her in his arms. “Don’t you dare be fucking sorry for caring.”
She laid her head on his chest, and hot tears soaked through his T-shirt. After a few minutes, she let out a shuddery breath. “Did you find out anything more?”
“I spoke to the nurse. Apparently, she has a rare form of lymphoma.”
“It’s not fair. She’s so young,” Cassie sobbed. “And her poor mother.”
“Shh, I know.” He stroked his hand slowly up and down her back. “But the nurse said they’re going to be trying some new treatments, and they think they’ll have a good chance of success.” Zac didn’t mention he planned to call the charitable trust Fractured contributed a percentage of its profits to and organize to have Annika’s treatment paid for.
Cassie’s arms tightened around him, and she exhaled shakily against his chest “That’s good.”
He didn’t say anything else, just kept stroking her soothingly. After a few more minutes, her tears slowed. His arms were still around her, his chin resting on the top of her head. The apple scent of her shampoo teased him, and he closed his eyes and breathed in. Another few minutes and she shifted in his arms and tipped her head back.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
His heart stalled and unease trickled down his spine. He shouldn’t be doing this. It shouldn’t be him giving her comfort. He shouldn’t be pretending he was a man who could give her what she needed. Because sometimes it was all too easy to start believing the lie.
He let his arms drop and stepped back from her. She didn’t try to hold on to him. She let him go. He wasn’t sure if it was disappointment that flashed across her face or something else. Whatever it was, she just gave him a shaky smile and walked away from him down the hallway.
He released a ragged breath, then turned to follow her.
ChapterTwenty-Two
Cassie followed Zac into the hotel suite. Her skin was hot and sticky after the concert and after-party. She was dying for another long, indulgent shower, since it had been four days of sleeping and showering on the bus since their first hotel stay. Zac stopped suddenly, and she almost ran into his back. She stepped around him, confused. It took her a few seconds to realize what the problem was.
No couch.
In its place, there was only a series of uncomfortably modern-looking single and double chairs arranged artistically around the suite’s living room. None were big enough to stretch out on comfortably. Where was she going to sleep tonight?
Zac turned to look at her, his brows pulled together.
“I can sleep on the—” she started.
“You’re not sleeping on the floor.”
She scanned the room again and pointed at the biggest of the chairs. “I can curl up on that one.”
He scrubbed his hand over his mouth. “It was bad enough when I was making you sleep on the couch. I’m not making you sleep on a hard-as-fuck seat that’s barely large enough for two people to sit on.”
Cassie looked around the room, as if a big, comfortable couch would miraculously appear. “Could we ask for a different room?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and arched his brows. “And tell them to make sure the next one has somewhere comfy you can sleep that isn’t next to me?”
She bit her lip and looked away.
“We can share the damn bed, Cassie. We’re both adults.”
Her gaze shot back to meet his, but he looked coolly unconcerned. Of course, whywouldhe be concerned? It wasn’t like he wouldn’t be able to control himself just because she was in the bed with him.
