7. Impenetrable
Faith
The ride back to 444 Hawthorne Drive was quiet but not uncomfortably so. Cassius put his hand on my thigh and kept it there the whole time. Having him touch me made me hot; thinking about what we’d done in his penthouse made me burn.
The past twenty-four hours had been all about Cassius Edward Blackwood.
Now, everything seemed to revolve around the mercurial billionaire. Sitting next to him, his hand on my thigh, was an event. Laughing with him, being held by him, having him by my side while I faced my mother… This was the happiest I’d ever been in my life.
That was dangerous, and I knew it.
I was happy. But it was all about to go up in smoke.
Focus on the positives, Faith.
Lucas was safe and would get the treatment he needed. I had a job and enough money to care for myself and my brother.
I’d seen my mother, and I hadn’t imploded—also because of Cassius. Because not only was he by my side, but I was also financially secure. She still made me angry, of course. But having the promise of my double-platinum money, in addition to my signing bonus and regular club earnings, made me feel stable for the first time in my life. For once, my mother couldn’t hurt me. Money gave me the power and security I’d never had as a child.
Another positive: I’d lost my virginity. Cassius Blackwood had awakened me to a new world of privilege, pleasure, and feelings. The sensations I’d experienced with him were unlike anything I’d ever felt, and they were more than I had ever hoped for.
I stole a glance at the billionaire, who was steering with one hand, his icy blue eyes hidden behind his dark designer sunglasses. He’d changed my life forever. Long after he’d touched me in the deepest, most hidden away parts of myself, he would stay with me. The memories of our time together would haunt me until my dying day.
But it was over now. Once we returned to Club 444, I’d be just another employee. Stripped of my platinum status, I’d be like any other girl getting banged by a patron. I’d be in the club tonight, probably straddling some unknown billionaire or getting bent over a banister. I shivered. I would enjoy both scenarios and probably plenty more if they were with Cassius.
But that wasn’t meant to be, and I had to accept it.
We reached Hawthorne Drive, the now-familiar mansions with manicured lawns rolling past. It was a lovely day, the sun shining high in the late afternoon sky. I was loose and languid from all the sex and the feel of Cassius’s protective hand on my thigh. I closed my eyes, relishing my feelings of safety, ease, and belonging. The billionaire had paid me for my virginity, but it was I who owed him a debt—of gratitude. Because not only had Cassius saved me financially, but he’d also opened up a part of my soul that I hadn’t known existed.
It was a part that yearned, hoped, and dreamed. He’d awakened a part of me that wanted things for myself. I’d never had that luxury before.
It was tragic that now I knew what I wanted, I could never have it. But I could be grateful for the feeling itself. I refused to regret my time with Cassius Blackwood.
We reached 444 Hawthorne Drive before I was ready. The same burly, ginger-haired security guard greeted us, immediately opening the gate. He didn’t glance inside the Bentley’s tinted windows as we passed. Cassius drove slowly down the long drive, the beautiful gardens and statues coming into view first, then the rose-gold mansion. I was lucky to return to such a lovely place, and I knew it. I was grateful to be earning so much money. Still, my heart twisted as we parked the car in the circular drive.
But I plastered a smile onto my face as I turned to Cassius. “Thank you so much for bringing me to see my brother. It meant a lot.”
“My pleasure.” Hidden behind his sunglasses, I couldn’t read his expression.
“And thank you for allowing me to come back.” I swallowed hard. “You won’t regret it, Sir. I promise.”
He nodded.
“Well, I guess I’ll go…” Suddenly, I felt like I might cry. I needed to get out of the car and away from him. I couldn’t bear his distance, how far away he seemed, even though he was right next to me. Only hours before, he’d been inside me. I’d sailed to new heights of physical pleasure as Cassius Blackwood had possessed me from within. But now it was time to say goodbye as if this had never happened. As if we were two strangers.
“Faith—you forgot this.” Cassius pulled my diamond V pendant from his pocket. The delicate stones twinkled in the sunlight. “You should keep it as a memento of our time together.”
I wished he’d take his sunglasses down. I thought I’d caught the undercurrent of emotion in his voice, but I couldn’t be sure.
I gratefully accepted the necklace. “Thank you, Sir. Will I see you at the club tonight?”
He nodded, his mood impenetrable. “You will.”
“Goodbye, Sir.”
“Goodbye, Faith.”
I hustled into the mansion before my tears spilled over.
* * *
Macy and Tatewere on me before I could announce my return. They launched a thousand questions all at once.
“Faith, where the hell have you been?”
“We heard you quit!”
“Everybody’s in an uproar because you went missing!”
“Is your brother okay?”
“Did you sleep with Mr. Blackwood last night?”
“Why aren’t you wearing your necklace?”
“Are you okay?”
I flopped down onto my bed. “Woah, ladies, one at a time. Yes, I’m okay.”
“Thank goodness!” Macy hugged me, and I noticed she was no longer wearing her V necklace, either.
I inspected my friend. “Did you and Elias…?”
“Did we ever!” Macy fanned herself and laughed. “Elias delivered the goods all night last night.”
Tate leaned forward conspiratorially. “Macy here had multiple trips to O-Town.”
“So, it was good?” I asked, happy for my friend.
“It was incredible.” Macy looked impossibly prettier, her caramel complexion infused with a new warmth, her eyes sparkling. “He was so gentle with me the first time. He was really sweet—I couldn’t have asked for a better first experience, which is kind of wild when you think about it. I mean, I work at a sex club. But he was chivalrous, you know? He was so careful with me that I felt like a queen.”
I grinned at her. “That’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you.”
Macy jerked her thumb at Tate. “This one here had a wild night, too.”
Tate laughed. “These billionaires are crazy. There was a line out the door of the dungeon last night. Everybody wanted a scene where I pegged them. Apparently, it’s the hottest service at the club,” Tate said proudly.
I blinked at her.
“You still don’t know what that is, do you?” My roommate laughed again. “Come down to the dungeon tonight, and I’ll demonstrate with one of the patrons on my waiting list. That is, come if you’re available. Or do you have plans with a certain smoking hot billionaire again?”
Both Tate and Macy eyed me with interest.
“I’m available tonight.” I sighed, then fingered the base of my neck, where my V pendant used to hang. “Mr. Blackwood exercised his platinum rights to me.”
Tate arched an eyebrow. “I bet he did.”
“Did you visit O-Town?” Macy asked. “Did he hurt you, or was it good? Did you do it more than once? How did you guys leave things?”
“I visited O-Town a lot. It didn’t hurt at all. We did it more than once.” I blew out a deep breath. “And as for how we left things… We just left them.”
I tried not to think about saying goodbye to Cassius. My tears spilled over as soon as I was inside the mansion.
I shrugged. “We had our three times together, and that’s that.”
“So, where were you last night?” Tate asked.
“I was here. But I got a call from the treatment center about my brother—he needed me. So I went to Boston this morning.”
Macy and Tate waited for me to go on.
“And?” Macy asked.
“And he’s better,” I answered quickly.
Tate arched an eyebrow, but she didn’t say anything.
“Why’re you looking at me like that?” I asked.
“Because I might’ve seen a certain oldest Blackwood brother running out of our room this morning, looking pissed,” Tate said. “Then I might’ve seen him hop into his Bentley and drive away. And then I might’ve brought the ginger security guard coffee and a donut as a bribe and asked if he saw my roommate leaving with Mr. Blackwood, and he might’ve told me yes.”
“Oh.”
Tate arched an eyebrow. “So, are you going to dish about why Mr. Blackwood brought you to Boston today or not?”
“He brought me to see my brother.”
Macy and Tate looked at each other, then back at me. “And?” Macy asked again.
I licked my lips. I didn’t want to get Cassius into trouble for breaking the club rules—even though he owned the club—and I didn’t want my friends to think I was taking advantage. “Um…”
“Girl, did he bang you again? Like, a lot? ’Cause you got that look,” Tate said.
“What look?”
“The freshly fucked, I-might-be-in-love look,” Tate said knowingly.
“I’m not in love,” I said, my voice husky.
Macy and Tate looked at each other again.
“Stop doing that!” I wailed. “But, yes, we had sex again today—a lot of sex. Don’t tell Gina, okay? I don’t want to get in trouble.”
Macy crossed herself, and Tate followed suit. “We won’t say a word,” Macy promised. “But what does it mean? If you went beyond the three-time rule, does it mean you’re having a relationship with him?”
“Not at all. Cassius said because we were off-premises, it didn’t count. The only other thing he said to me was goodbye.” I picked at some imaginary lint on my dress. “So I’ll be in the dungeon tonight, Tate. You can show me what’s what—I need to learn, anyway.”
I looked up at them. “I’m not a virgin anymore, and I have a job to do.”