~ Chapter 12 ~
Cassie
I’m in the middle of cooking dinner when my phone vibrates on the counter.
Nico:Are you free for dinner tonight?
Is he not back in New York yet?
Me:Not for you. I’m making dinner for myself now.
Nico:What are you making?
Me:Pesto gnocchi with tomatoes, spinach, and blackened chicken.
Nico:That sounds good.
I roll my eyes.
Me:It is. That’s why I’m making it.
Nico:You know what also sounds good? Me fucking that sassy attitude right out of you and then eating dinner with you. Naked.
Me:I happen to like my attitude, and I know you do too. Fucking me won’t make it go away.
Nico:If it’s hard enough, you’ll be nice to me for a few minutes.
Me:That’s presumptuous.
Nico:I’m speaking from experience, la mia rossa piccante.
He’s said that to me before, so now that I have the written words and spelling, I look it up.
My spicy redhead.
It shouldn’t make me happy that he’s calling me that, but it does. The fact that there’s a ‘my’ in front of it…
No, I can’t let myself go there.
Me:And from your experience with me, I’m spicy?
Nico:You’re the perfect balance. Spicy attitude with a sweet pussy and sweet moans to go with it when I’m deep inside you.
I pop a piece of chicken in my mouth to see if it’s spicy enough and start to choke when I read his message. Coughing, I gulp down some water and read it again. And again.
Nico:Got nothing to say to that, Cassandra?
Me:I told you I was cooking. I’m not waiting with bated breath for your next message to come through.
Nico:See? Spicy.
Me:**rolling my eyes**
Nico:How about I make your eyes roll back instead?
Fuck, he’s too good at this. He has a dirty retort for everything.
Me:I told you it wasn’t happening again.
Nico:You did. But we both know it was a lie. If I told you I was outside your house and needed your lips wrapped around my cock more than I needed my next breath, what would you say?
Me:I’d say to keep holding your breath and I’ll mourn you at your funeral with my sexiest lingerie under a black trench coat in your honor.
Nico:That’s evil.
Me:Only a little.
Nico:You could at least let me see you in that lingerie before you kill me. I’ll take another dance, too. Then I’d die a happy man.
My heart pangs with guilt.
I don’t want the reminder that he told me I only dance for him now, because that won’t be true after tomorrow.
Me:You’re assuming I’d take pity on you.
Nico:You’re not heartless, piccante.
Me:No, I’m not. But I’m also not falling for your games.
Nico:No games. I’m not playing any games when it comes to you. I never have been. I’m telling you I want you and I need you. It’s that simple.
The breath leaves me in a rush and I lean against the counter. He can’t just say shit like that.
I put my phone down and drain the gnocchi before it gets too mushy. I add the cherry tomatoes I already roasted in the oven, pesto, heavy cream, and spinach to the cooked blackened chicken bites in the pan, and heat it up before dumping the gnocchi in and combining.
Cooking has been a comfort for me this past year. When I’m feeling out of control, lonely, or stuck, I go to the kitchen and my focus is all on the task at hand.
But right now, with Nico texting me, he’s disrupting my focus. He has me picturing him sitting at the table, pouring us wine while I cook and try not to burn whatever it is I’m making because he just fucked my brains into a scramble.
Nico:I see I’ve said something you didn’t expect. Let it sink in, Cassandra, and then text me when I can come inside. I have wine.
What?
I turn off the stove and go to the front window and look outside.
Me:You’re not outside.
Nico:Not yet. I’ll be there in two minutes.
Me:Why are you texting and driving?
Nico:Concerned for my safety?
Me:No. Who said I’d let you in?
Nico:You will.
Me:No, I won’t.
Nico:I want to talk. That’s all.
Me:I don’t want to talk to you.
Nico:You already are.
Ugh!!
I toss my phone back on the counter and scoop out a portion of dinner onto two plates.
I run upstairs and knock on Sean’s door. He doesn’t answer, so I open the door a crack and see him sitting at the desk in the corner with his headphones on, playing video games. It reminds me of when he was younger and it was like pulling teeth to get him to stop playing and go outside for literally anything. I think he found solace in his games.
I would normally give him his privacy and he’ll just come downstairs when he’s hungry, but he needs to eat to gain his strength back.
“Sean.” I tap his shoulder and he jumps. “Sorry!” I laugh. “I came to say dinner is ready.”
“Oh, I’m starving.”
“Good. Come on.”
“Thanks for cooking, Cass,” Sean says, taking a seat at the table. “You didn’t have to do that for me.”
“I’m cooking for myself anyway.” I shrug. “And you need your strength to heal.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Mmhmm,” I hum, pushing the food around my plate, avoiding eye contact. He’s only going to be fine if we can come up with another fifteen grand by the end of the week.
I was lucky to catch him today before he gambled away any money he might have left.
“Where did you put the $85,000 you got from that car?” he asks casually, as if I don’t see where he’s going with this.
“In the bank.”
“You put all that in the bank? Cassie, come on, I–”
“No,” I cut him off firmly. “I don’t want to hear what I know you were about to say. It’s not your money to gamble with. Do you even know how lucky we were that I happen to be gifted a car like that to sell?”
“Since you brought it up… How did you get that car? Hmm? Who gifted it to you?” he asks cruelly, his temper flaring at me calling him out.
“What are you implying, Sean?”
“You found someone at that club pretty quickly who’s willing to drop that kind of money on a car for you.”
“Again,” I seethe, “what are you implying?” I want to see if he has the balls to say it to my face.
“That you whored yourself out to the richest man in there.”
“Shut your fucking mouth!” I spit. “I didn’t and I wouldn’t. How dare you.” I shake my head, blinking back angry tears. “How fucking dare you. I only started dancing so you wouldn’t be killed, you idiot!” I yell, not being able to hold back anymore.
I was hungry a few minutes ago, but now my stomach is in knots, and it drops when I see a message from Nico light up my screen.
Nico:I’m here.
I roll my eyes.
The audacity of this man.
Me:Good for you.
Nico:And for you, too, if you come to the door. Then on my face.
Me:I won’t be coming on your face. Plus, my brother’s here. It’s really not a good time.
Nico:Good. I want to meet him.
There’s a knock at the door and I freeze, my eyes wide as they dart between the door and Sean.