Chapter 12 #3
His eyes found mine again, and I spotted his gratitude. “I’d like to speak with you alone.”
“What?!” Jasmine said.
I placed a hand on Cassian’s back, turning to block Jasmine from Cassian with my body as I guided him inside my house and shut the door.
Cassian may have struggled to be anything but polite to her, but I had spent a lot of time resenting Jasmine.
I enjoyed shutting the door in her face. I locked it too.
The moment we were alone, Cassian’s expression broke. His brows drew together and his eyes widened as he watched the door with a quivering chin. “Sterling, I’m so sorry,” he said.
“Me too,” I said.
He shook his head, and a tear slid down his cheek. “Why? You have nothing to apologize for.”
“I’m sorry I’m not wearing a shirt,” I said.
His delightful laugh filled the room while he wiped his tears away. “I don’t care about that,” he said, taking the opportunity to look me up and down. “You were right. I promised I wouldn’t overreact, and then I did.”
“It’s okay. I knew it wouldn’t be easy for you,” I said.
He shook his head. “It’s not okay. I hurt you.”
I sighed, unable to take my eyes off him.
“I’m just happy you’re here,” I said, brushing his hair out of his eyes but pulling my hand back when I realized it might be inappropriate.
He took my hand before I got far, pressing it to his cheek again.
He kissed my palm and then looked me in the eyes once more.
My heart fluttered, and my stomach flipped. “Wh—what do you want to do?”
His eyes welled with tears. “I don’t know,” he whispered.
“I, uh…” I didn’t know how to tell him this without making him feel bad, which seemed to be a weak point of mine. “I don’t know if there’s anything I can do. I’ve been demoted.”
His eyes widened. “Because of me?!”
I shook my head rapidly. “No, Cassian. I did my job poorly. I shouldn’t have closed your case, but I cared too much about what you thought of me. That’s on me.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said, squeezing his eyes shut and pulling my hand off his face. “I ruined everything.”
“No you didn’t. Jasmine did.”
Cassian sniffled, opening his eyes but refusing to look at me. “I don’t know. If it weren’t for her, I never would have met you.”
I smiled, wishing I could kiss him. “Should I escort you to the station?”
“I—I—” Cassian shook his head. “I can’t bring myself to turn her in.
She’s like a sister to me. All the important people in my life have moved on and forgotten me except her.
It took everything in me to come here, but it’s undeniable that she did it.
I moved a rune stone without telling anyone, and she knew. ”
Cassian had evidence. Jasmine could be arrested now. “Cassian, I don’t know how to tell you this, but Jasmine left you when she cursed the inn.”
Cassian squeezed his eyes shut and covered his face with both hands. “Why?” he asked, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed into his hands. “Why does everyone leave me? I try so hard to take care of people, but it’s never enough.”
I pulled him into my arms, petting his head while he cried on my shoulder. “I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want you in their life. If you had asked me to stay, I would’ve stayed as long as you needed me.”
His crying slowed until he lifted his head to look me in the eyes. “Really?” he asked.
I nodded, unable to fight a smile while looking at him.
“What if I always needed you?” he asked.
“Then I would have stayed forever.”
He blinked, releasing another stream of tears down his face. I wiped them away with both hands and held his face to admire him while he was still here. “Will you ever forgive me?” he asked.
“I already have.”
Cassian slid his arms around my shoulders, resting his face against my neck. “I missed you so much, Sterling…”
“I missed you too,” I said, kissing the side of his head as I wrapped my arms around his waist. We fit together perfectly. I never wanted to let him go.
He lifted his head, his face inches from mine. I leaned closer, hoping he was thinking the same. He gave me the confirmation I wanted, pressing our lips together.
Gods, how I missed his kisses. I kissed him slowly, tasting the salty tears on his lips while I pulled him against me.
He grunted and pulled away, air hissing between his teeth as he inhaled and turned his head away. “I could kiss you all day.”
“I wouldn’t mind,” I said, cupping his face in my hand.
He giggled, a rosy blush tinting his cheeks. “Jasmine is waiting outside. You better put on a shirt,” he said, patting my bare chest.
“She can wait a little longer.” I kissed him one more time, and he smiled dreamily. “And don’t pretend you want me to put on a shirt.”
“I don’t…” he admitted. “But I have to do something about my traitorous cousin.”
“All right. I’ll help you bring her to the station,” I said.
Cassian hesitated. This would clearly be hard for him, which was probably why he came to me instead of the Force headquarters. “Thank you, Sterling.”
“Anything for you, Cass.” I dressed myself in normal daytime attire so Jasmine wouldn’t become suspicious, and then I returned to Cassian. He was pacing the main room, wringing his hands with a furrowed brow. “Hey,” I said, scooping him into my arms again. “It’s going to be okay.”
He shook his head. “What if we’re wrong? What if I’m the traitorous cousin?”
“We aren’t. You aren’t.”
“Do you promise?” he asked, his expression softening at my words.
I kissed him. “I promise. We’ll tell her you and I made up and we’re all going out to celebrate. It’s not really a lie.”
Cassian nodded. He held my hand as we left my house to stand in the empty, icy street. We took turns looking down each end of the street, but we were alone.
Jasmine was gone.