Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
T he images of last night’s interaction with Cooper won’t leave my mind.
I’ve never seen the guy so riled up or completely out of control.
I’m still shaken up by how he acted. I didn’t get a chance to tell Lexie, but I’m almost certain that if I did, she’d be knocking on his door in a flash, tearing him apart with nothing but her words.
Axel’s been blowing up my phone all day, checking in to make sure I’m okay. That means Ryder must have filled him in on what happened. I’m about to reject Axel’s seventh call when Jada strolls into the office, Lexie right behind her.
“Hey, bitch,” Lexie smirks, dropping herself into the chair across from my desk like she owns the place. “Heard Cooper’s been bothering you.”
My eyes go wide with shock as a million questions flood my mind. First off: “Where did you hear that?”
“He fucking texted me, the idiot,” she replies with a laugh, rolling her eyes. “Said I needed to talk some sense into you before you got yourself killed.”
I seethe. “That gaslighting fucking prick.”
“Yep.” She pops the ‘p’ for emphasis and swings her legs over the chair, nearly lying back. I know she’ll always have my back—this is no different—but I can see she’s starting to realize just how bad Cooper’s antics have gotten.
She turns to me, serious now. “So, when are you dumping his ass?”
I let out a small laugh, grateful for the moment of levity. “Well, if he doesn’t beat me to it first, I guess I’ll go over tonight.”
Lexie grins. “Want me to come with you?”
I shake my head. I know she means well, but this is something I need to handle alone. Lexie tilts her head, studying me through narrowed eyes before finally relenting.
“Although... I’ll probably need your car to grab the rest of my stuff.” It’s more of a statement than a question, but I know she’ll say yes. We’ve known each other too long for pointless politeness.
The sudden vibration of my phone buzzing loudly on the desk catches her attention. I already know who’s calling, but it’s piqued Lexie’s curiosity.
She raises a brow at me, clearly surprised I’m not reaching for it. With a teasing finger pointed, she asks, “You gonna get that?”
“Nope,” I say, defiant.
Lexie kicks her feet off the chair, spins around, and stands abruptly. The quick movement makes me a little dizzy just watching. She plants her hands firmly on her hips, then shoots me a knowing look.
“I’ve gotta jet, but remember...” She raises a brow, points her index fingers at me like guns, then turns and strides toward the door without missing a beat.
“Stay badass,” we call out in unison. I chuckle as she disappears around the corner, swallowed by the shadows.
It’s the small moments like this—our shared humor, the way we finish each other’s sentences—that remind me how deep our bond runs.
It’s a connection I’ve never had with anyone else, and now, after everything, I cling to it tighter than ever.
I wave her off, then my eyes fall to my phone.
Ten missed calls. Ten .
My chest tightens. I rub my eyes, trying to shake off the weight pressing down on me. Slowly, I hit dial on Axel’s number. The line barely rings before his voice explodes into my ear, rough and commanding, shattering any calm I was trying to hold on to.
“About fucking time,” he growls, no softness in his tone.
“I’ve been busy,” I answer, voice clipped.
“Too busy to call me after last night?” His words are sharp, almost accusing. I can hear the hurt and frustration beneath the surface—the silent demand that I should have told him about Cooper. But Ryder showed up first. Part of me wants to believe Axel actually cares, like he wants to protect me.
But I don’t trust that feeling. Not yet.
“I’m fine,” I reply with conviction, trying to keep my voice steady, but it’s a lie. My throat feels tight and raw.
“Then why the hell didn’t you answer the first time?” His voice lowers, thick with protectiveness—and something more, something dangerous.
“I don’t answer to you, Axel.” The words slip out before I can stop them, sharper than I intended. Immediately, regret crashes in. I know he’s only pushing because he cares, because he’s worried. I close my eyes and take a slow, shuddering breath. “I’m sorry. I just… I needed space.”
There’s a heavy silence on the other end, and I can hear him breathing—slow, measured. Maybe he’s steadying himself too.
Finally, his voice comes, low and raw with something like understanding. “I get it. I just wanted to know you were okay. That’s all.”
My fingers tighten around the phone. Despite everything, despite the distance I try to put between us, his words hit me like a lifeline. And for the first time in a long time, I wonder if maybe, just maybe, I’m not as alone as I feel.
Fuck you for caring, Axel.
The fact that he’s basically admitted it—barely holding back that raw, unspoken feeling—has my stomach flipping, my pulse hammering in my ears.
My chest tightens, a mix of frustration and something dangerously close to hope swirling inside me.
But I have to rein it in. I can’t let myself get distracted by Axel’s complicated pull until I’ve handled the mess with Cooper.
“Thanks.” I hope he can hear the smile in my voice—soft, almost teasing—offered up like a fragile peace offering. “I’ll see you Monday to go over the trial?”
“See you Monday,” he confirms, voice steady. Then the line cuts out. The silence that follows feels too sudden, like a door slammed shut without a goodbye.
A pang of disappointment stabs at me, sharp and unwelcome. But I shove it down deep. This is Axel—always so abrupt, so controlled. There’s no room for soft moments with him, not yet.
I shift my attention to anything but the two men who have my heart and head in a constant storm. I groan, staring at the case files spread out in front of me. I swipe a hand over my face, careful not to smudge my mascara, but it feels pointless.
The day slips away in a blur.
My mind won’t stop racing, replaying every word from that call. At the same time, I’m juggling the logistics of my new living arrangements—the boxes to pack, the plans to make. Before I even realize it, hours have passed, and the files remain mostly untouched.
Finally, I shut down my laptop, grab my coat, and head out to pick up Lexie’s car. I’m moving on autopilot as I drive toward my apartment, lost in thought.
Sliding the key into the lock, I pause for a moment, bracing myself. The door creaks open, and the familiar space greets me.
But something feels off .
My eyes immediately scan the room, like I’m playing some twisted version of spot the difference. Only this game is child’s play compared to what I’m searching for.
Shoes—two sets—sprawled carelessly across the floor.
I spot the black stiletto, just lying there.
I pick it up, fingers curling tightly around it until my knuckles blanch white. This isn’t just a shoe. It’s a message. And suddenly, the chaos in my life feels far too close to home.
Loud banging echoes from the other end of the apartment, raw moans filling the cramped space I once called home—the place I paid for with my own sweat and blood.
Heat surges through my veins, a burning fire that claws its way up my neck and lodges deep in my chest. My eyes catch the bra draped over the edge of the couch, then drift down to the t-shirt carelessly tossed on the floor.
I move silently, each step measured and deliberate, weaving through the chaotic trail of discarded clothes strewn across the hallway. I already know what waits on the other side of that door, but dread weighs so heavy in my lungs it’s hard to breathe.
Still, my hand doesn’t leave the doorknob.
I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to know. But I have to. I need to witness his betrayal with my own eyes.
I push the door open just enough to peer inside—and there, tangled in the sheets, is Cooper.
I’m frozen in place. That burning heat inside me is replaced by a cold, repulsive chill that seeps into every nerve ending, numbing me to the core.
The shoe in my hand flies before I can even form the words. The heel connects with Cooper’s forehead, knocking him off balance. A drop of blood slips down his face, but I don’t care—my anger is too fierce, too raw.
All the years we’ve spent together flood through my mind in a crushing rush. I can’t breathe. I can’t focus. I need to get out of here.
“Cass!” Cooper’s voice cracks as he clutches the sheets to his chest like it’ll hide his shame.
Stupidity must have taken over because he just revealed the woman beneath him—an impeccably beautiful brunette with piercing hazel eyes and full lips.
Her effortless beauty stings, making me feel small, with nowhere else to look.
She screams, shrinking under the covers as far as she can, while I fight against the burning mix of humiliation and rage coursing through me.
“What the fuck!” I scream, voice raw and ragged, the embers of fury flickering and then exploding.
“Cass, please!” Cooper lunges for me, but I’m already turning on my heel, out of reach.
I hear the dull thud as his body hits the floor.
But I don’t waste another second inside the apartment.
I can’t bear to be in the same space as him, breathing the same air as him.
I storm out, mind foggy, vision blurred, moving through the pounding rain as if in a daze—until the realization hits me.
I came in Lexie’s car.
Cooper’s footsteps follow me, his bare feet pacing on the soaked pavement. I can’t bring myself to look at him as I head for Lexie’s car. My hands tremble, my chest aches with shock and humiliation. I vaguely hear him calling after me, but I’m too numb to respond.
The key is already in the ignition before I even realize it.
Without a second thought, I’m peeling away from the curb, the tires spinning through puddles as I drive into the storm.
My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts I don’t want to face—pain, betrayal, humiliation—swirling into one suffocating knot.
But there’s only one place I want to be.
The rain blurs the city lights, turning the roads into a seamless, gray blur.
It’s not just the downpour that distorts everything; it’s the fog clouding my mind, making everything feel unreal.
My clothes cling to my skin, soaked through and chilled to the bone, and I curse myself for not grabbing a coat.
Worse, I didn’t even think to grab anything—no bag, no jacket, nothing but the anger pounding in my chest.
“Fuck!” I scream into the empty car, slamming my palm against the steering wheel. There are no tears, no desperate sobs—just a raw, burning anger mixed with deep embarrassment.
The realization sinks in slowly, cold and relentless like the rain soaking me through. Questions ricochet inside my head—Who was that girl? How long has this been going on? I don’t want to think about her, but one detail keeps clawing its way to the surface.
She wasn’t surprised.
Sure, she gasped when I burst in, naked and exposed, but there was no doubt in her eyes about who I was. No confusion, no hesitation. This wasn’t a one-time mistake or a momentary lapse. This was routine.
My hands tremble on the steering wheel as I navigate streets that feel both unfamiliar and somehow deeply familiar.
It’s like I’m moving through a fog, every turn automatic, every street name passing unnoticed.
Deep down, I know where I’m headed—even though my mind refuses to admit it.
The rain intensifies, pounding against the windshield in a relentless sheet, blurring the world outside and doing nothing to quell the storm raging inside me.
The wipers struggle to keep up, their steady swish barely registering over the pounding in my chest. I grip the wheel tighter, knuckles whitening, but it doesn’t help. The anger and humiliation swirl inside, freezing my thoughts even as my body continues moving forward.
Without thinking, I pull to a stop. The car idles in the quiet darkness, headlights casting weak shadows that dance across wet pavement. I sit there for a moment, breath shallow, the cold washing over me like frigid fire. Slowly, I open the door, the creak startling me in the heavy silence.
My feet sink into my soaked shoes as I step out. The night air is sharp against my skin, the cold dampness seeping through my clothes and settling into my bones. My legs carry me forward, each step hesitant but sure—drawn by some force I don’t yet understand.
Once I reach the familiar black door, my hand raises, trembling as it moves. I knock twice, the sharp rap echoing into the still night, heart pounding louder than the rain.
And then the door swings open.