Chapter 26 – Cain
Rhiannon’s eyes are blazing with fury as she paces back and forth like a small storm contained within my apartment’s walls.
“Is it because of Rebel?” she demands, her voice sharp. “You really thought it was a date? Because I made that part up. It was a business meeting! He wanted me to model for his new clothing line! He rescheduled because he thinks I’ll be perfect for their mid-size line!”
I don’t respond.
“Is it because you don’t want me meeting with your clients?
Are you afraid I’ll tell them something about you like…
oh, I don’t know, you’re not the ruthless ass hole that you pretend to be in court and have a heart?
Oh wait.” She laughs and stops walking, tilting her face up to the ceiling and blowing out a breath.
“I’m not so sure anymore considering you just stole from me! ”
“I didn’t steal. You got paid. Double.”
She glares. “You stole my time, Cain. And my trust!”
Ouch.
Before I can respond, she closes the gap between us and jabs a finger into my chest.
“We had a one-night stand. Don’t you sleep with every model, social media star, and random celebrity who crosses your path? You’re an entertainment lawyer, I bet women are just throwing themselves at you.”
“It was a three-night stand,” I mutter, deflecting her comment because the old Cain had slept with many of the women that he represented because it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered back then but working and finding moments of pleasure throughout my packed week.
But the new Cain doesn’t do that. Hasn’t done that in months. Because everything does matter now that Rhiannon’s in the picture.
Her arms fly into the air, her annoyance with me practically radiating off her. “Oh, well, that changes everything!”
“It does.” I step towards her until she’s moving backwards, her back bumping into my marble, kitchen island.
I need to regain control before this spirals into another argument.
I know she’s upset. She has every right to be with me.
I ruined her plans. I lied to her about who I was when I made the appointment.
And then I stood her up. But I need to be sure she’s clear on why I did all of that and how I feel about her now.
“It changes everything because I told you how I feel about you. I’m not sleeping with anyone else and pretending like these last few months have been nothing but one-night-stands is a lie and you know it. We’re not strangers anymore, Rhiannon.”
Her gaze narrows.
“I’ve met your family and your friends. I’ve spent time with you outside of a bedroom naked. It’s more. Admit it.”
She glares at me. “What compelled you to book a therapy session with me on a Sunday night, have me drag myself all the way into the city by the train during a snowstorm, and then stand me up?”
“Rebel isn’t the best guy. I’m his lawyer, client confidentiality and all that, but I know things. Things about how he treats the women he goes out with. And I’m just looking out for you.”
Her brows knit together as disbelief spreads across her face.
“So let me get this straight. You booked a hotel room, pretended to be a potential couple for me, paid the full fee to receive therapy services plus extra, and ambushed me because you’re.
..protecting me?” She folds her arms, her tone biting.
“You’re now out at least a thousand dollars; plus, the cost of a hotel room you didn’t need since you live in the freaking building!
You could’ve just sent me to the penthouse to talk like a normal person!
Hell, I still would’ve taken the money!”
“I’m—”
She holds up a hand, stopping me. I want to tell her that I’m sorry and that a thousand dollars is nothing to me, but something tells me that’s not the right response.
“Let me finish. I’m twenty-eight years old.
I don’t need you, or anyone else, to swoop in and save me from life.
I’ve been handling my business on my own for almost eight years without my parent’s around.
You could’ve just told me whatever concerns you had, and I would’ve said, ‘Thanks for the heads-up, Cain. But you know what? I think I’d still like to meet with him and hear about his designs given this could change my life. ’” Her voice rises in frustration.
She’s glaring at me now, hands on her hips, as she delivers the final blow.
“It’s not like I thought Rebel and I were going to be come best friends.
I just wanted one fun night where I got to learn about a literal celebrities new clothing brand and try to convince him why I’m model material when I know that I’m clearly not!
What’s so hard to understand about that?
This was supposed to be fodder for the interesting stories that I tell Keira and Kai someday when I want them to think that I’m still cool. ”
“Who are Keira and Kai?”
She snaps her fingers. “Focus!”
“So, you didn’t want to sleep with him?”
Her mouth drops open in shock and if I could just stop putting my foot in my mouth when I’m around her, that’d be great.
“I can’t believe you just asked me that.” Then she spins on her heel and stalks towards my front door.
“Rhiannon, wait.”
She turns, hazel eyes a harsh shade of green now. Like gemstones meant to cut right through my defenses.
“Sex with Rebel was never on my mind, but maybe it should have been. I’m horny and work seven thousand jobs and never have time for it, let alone to get myself off.
The last time that I made time for sex was with you.
The only person that I’ve had sex with this year has been you!
You’re the only person who I ever think about having sex with for some crazy reason! ”
She stalks back to the counter and grabs her empty glass. She fills it, takes another long sip, then wipes the back of her mouth with her hand before tilting her face to the ceiling and laughing sadly.
“You know what Eden said to me before I left the house?”
“What?”
“She said she was proud of me for taking time for myself tonight. For meeting up with Rebel just because his business opportunity sounded fun and getting a free meal out of it. Proud of me for letting loose.”
Ah, shit.
She shakes her head and lets out a bitter laugh. “I’d do anything for her. And I’ve done everything for her. I haven’t done something for myself in a long time just because. Hell, my twenty-eighth birthday was the first time I’d drank in this city in eight years and look where that got me.”
“Where did it get you?” I ask, stepping closer again.
She’s silent while I watch her, noticing the tired lines on her beautiful face as she slumps against my kitchen island, looking defeated. I hate that I’m the cause of that heaviness in her shoulders tonight. I hate that I keep dragging her down.
“A guy who I know it would never work with, and a mind that doesn’t seem to get the picture.”
I run my tongue over my bottom lip, realizing that she’s feeling this too. That she wants this too, but something is holding her back.
“I’m sorry. For ruining your night,” I admit, my voice low.
Jealousy, possessiveness, feeling out of control; all are reasons for why I did it. The risk of putting my heart on the line for the one woman who doesn’t want me back feels like stepping in front of a speeding train.
How would we even manage things? We don’t live in the same city. We don’t work in the same place. The fleeting moments where our paths naturally cross are when she’s working at my hotel and that’s it.
Our worlds are designed to keep us apart.
She sighs and huffs out a breath. “Well, you booked the session, and I’ve already rescheduled the meeting with Rebel, so you might as well get something out of it. If I have one more drink, I’ll be tipsy, and I’d rather stay sober for the train ride back to Brookhaven.”
My brows furrow. “You mean... you want to go through with the therapy session?”
“You asked for it, so let’s do it.”
Oh.
“Okay...” I pour another glass of whiskey before walking over to the couch. She follows, sinking into the plush cushions beside me. Her anger seems to have dissipated a bit, but the tension still hangs between us heavily.
I clear my throat. “So... uh... how does a typical session go?”
She tucks her legs under herself, leaning back comfortably against the couch.
“Well,” she begins, her tone professional yet soft, “I usually start by getting to know the individual or the couple who’ve booked the session.
I ask about how they met, their sexual history and get details about who they were before they met each other.
Sometimes, I have them fill out a questionnaire ahead of time.
It gives me insight into their desires and needs when it comes to sex and connection. ”
I raise a brow, trying to appear casual as I sip my drink but the way the word sex rolls off her lips so easily is doing something to me.
Every time I think I’ve seen it all with Rhiannon, she surprises me.
This version of her, the one who’s professional, clinical and cares about couples emotional and sexual intimacy is new and sexy as hell.
“But” she continues, meeting my gaze, “this isn’t all about physical desires. Non-sexual needs are equally important. That’s things like emotional support, connection, and communication. That’s often where people struggle the most, even when the physical side is fine.”
I nod. “Makes sense,” I reply, my voice tight because I can already tell all this talk about sex with her is going to be a problem for me. Time to steer the conversation elsewhere. “What’s a non-sexual need that someone might have?”