3. Breaking
Faith
The last thing I wanted was to tell Cassius the news. But if I didn’t, Gina would. I couldn’t bear to have any more of my personal business discussed without me, as though I was a mere transaction.
I suppose I was a mere transaction—at least to Cassius. But this was my life, too. So I was nervous as the billionaire approached the house, but I was also resigned.
“Cassius, we need to talk.”
His icy gaze drifted over me. “Come inside.”
He led me to the brand-new, bright, and sunny kitchen—the opposite of how I felt.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he said. “I need to talk to you, too.”
I took a deep, shaky breath. “Me first.” If I didn’t get the words out now, I might never say them.
“Go ahead.” Cassius started pushing buttons on his fancy coffee machine, making us each a drink.
“I met with Gina this morning. I had to get tested.” My face felt hot. My ears started ringing, and my hands got clammy. “Cassius, I’m… I might be pregnant.”
He almost dropped his coffee cup. “Might be?”
I nodded. My whole body was shaking. “I took an early detection test, and it came back positive. But Gina said sometimes they’re wrong.”
Cassius Blackwood seemed flabbergasted for the first time since I’d met him. He gaped at me. “We just had sex for the first time a few days ago.”
“I know. These new tests can detect things right away,” I said. Misery welled inside me. I hadn’t known what to expect from him, but it was clear this wasn’t welcome news.
“I thought… I thought you took a contraceptive shot.”
“I did,” I said quickly. “All the girls did—we had to when we signed our contracts. But Gina said that one in one hundred women still get pregnant on the shot.”
“One in one hundred.” Cassius stared past me. He seemed dazed.
“Cassius…” I licked my lips. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head as if to clear it. “Why are you sorry? It’s not your fault. We had consensual sex. I just can’t… believe it.”
“Me either.” I sank onto a barstool at his immaculate island. The whole kitchen was pristine as if it had never been used before.
“I don’t know what to say.” Cassius stared down at his cup.
“That makes two of us.” His shock mirrored my own.
Silence fell between us, stretching out. Finally, I rose to leave. “I know this is a lot to process. I’ll leave you alone.”
“Faith, wait.” The billionaire motioned for me to sit back down. “I had something I needed to discuss with you, too. The timing of all this is just…”
His voice trailed off, and I waited, wondering whether he’d ever finish the thought.
“I violated our contract, Faith. I took you more than three times, and everyone knows it. As CEO of the club, I have to make this right.” Cassius stared at me. “I’m buying out your contract. As of this morning, you’re officially no longer an employee of Club 444.”
I gripped the edge of the island. I felt like he’d knocked the wind out of me. Cassius is firing me once and for all.
I couldn’t speak, so I just nodded.
“Faith—look at me. Please.”
I raised my gaze to meet his icy blue eyes.
“This is a good thing,” he said gently. “It means I don’t have to beat up other members when they touch you. It means you don’t have to go out on the club floor. You can be free, Faith. And financially independent. With what I’m paying you for your platinum rights and what you’ll receive for your contract being bought out, you’ll be a multi-millionaire. You’ll be able to take care of Lucas and yourself for the rest of your life.”
I nodded again, but my eyes filled with tears. What he was saying was good news. I was rich. I was secure. My brother would get the treatment he desperately needed.
But what I was hearing made me feel desolate. You’ll be free. You’ll be able to take care of Lucas. You’ll be able to take care of yourself for the rest of your life.
There was no mention of him. There was no mention of us.
“Thank you,” I mumbled. “I’m very lucky.”
I dragged myself up from the barstool. My limbs felt heavy, and I was dizzy, but if I didn’t get away from Cassius, I would lose my mind. “Gina will handle the details, I assume.” I tried and failed to keep my voice neutral. It sounded dead to my own ears.
I headed for the door. “Thank you again, Cassius.”
“Wait, where are you going?” He intercepted me, catching my wrist. “You can’t go back to the mansion. The other girls can’t hear the details about your contract like this—they need an official announcement.”
“Where am I supposed to go?” I felt tears threatening. I had money now, so I didn’t have to be afraid. Still, I felt panic rising in my chest, like when my mom kicked me and Lucas out of our apartment. Then, like now, I’d been blindsided. I had no security. I had no home.
“You can stay with me, of course,” Cassius said, releasing me. “We’re perfectly within our rights to do as we wish. Once I buy out your contract, we can do whatever we like.”
We stared at each other for a beat.
Cassius took a deep breath. “Would you like to stay with me, Faith?”
I swallowed hard. Sometimes, he was so hard to read. Or maybe my own issues kept me from seeing him clearly; it was hard to tell.
“Do you want me to?” I croaked.
“I’m the one who asked you.” The billionaire looked as though he was holding his breath.
“I’d like to stay if you’d like me to,” I said.
“Then we have an agreement.” He arched an eyebrow. “I have to meet with Gina, so please make yourself comfortable. I won’t have your things packed and moved over until we make an announcement—I don’t want to cause an uproar.”
“I should say something to my friends,” I said. Tate and Macy would be worried about me.
“I’ll handle it,” Cassius said. “For now, why don’t you make yourself comfortable? There’s a private pool out back. You’ll find suits and towels in the pool house. I’ll be back in an hour, and I expect you to be waiting for me.”
A flicker of hope—that same, stubborn hope—ignited inside my chest. “Yes… Sir.”
For the first time that morning, the billionaire smiled. “I’ll have some food sent for you. I’ll see you soon, Faith.” He came closer and gently kissed my cheek.
And when he left, I realized that I had no fucking idea what had just happened between us.