he soothes, rubbing a hand over my sweaty back.
"I should shower—"
"After we talk."
I nod. "As I said, I went to your house like we planned. I was heading down the hallway to the bedroom to shower and get comfortable."
He nods.
"Well, when I started heading down the hall, I heard it."
"Heard what?"
"Her."
"Her, who?"
"Uh, Carina."
"Okay. I’m not sure what she was doing in my house while I was gone and that’s something I’ll definitely be discussing with her since that’s twice today she’s let herself in without permission, but that’s another matter. So you heard Carina."
I nod. "I went down the hall. The green room—you know the one. Of course you know the one. Duh. It’s your house."
"Relax, Fee. It’s just me." He calms me by rubbing my back.
I nod again, trying to just breathe and tell him. I am so horrible at apologies and admitting my mistakes, but this man, he deserves every bit of groveling I’m about to do.
"I heard her while I was just outside the green room so I looked inside. The door was open a bit, just enough to see, and, uh, she was—uh..."
"She was?"
"She was having sex with someone in the green room."
"What? Who?"
I shrug. "I dunno."
Then it must click because his face softens.
"You thought it was me."
I look down again, picking at my pants, then shrug.
"Sera."
"Hmm?" I ask, not looking up.
"Look at me, Fee."
"I’m good, thanks." I can’t. I just can’t. I’m a jerk. I—God.
He chuckles. "Fee. Look at me," he reaches out and tips my chin up and in his direction. I reluctantly meet his gaze.
I sigh. "I’m an asshole."
"Stop. You’re not an asshole."
"I am. Majorly. Big time asshole."
He smirks. "I don’t want you thinking you’re an asshole, Fee."
I sigh and look down.
"And I don’t want you thinking I’m one either."
My head snaps up at that.
"What? I don’t—"
He nods. "You do. You thought it was me fucking Carina. Right?"
I can’t deny it. It’s the truth.
"Yes."
"Fee. We haven’t talked about this, but I’m not involved with her. I haven’t been for a while," he tells me, running the backs of his fingers against my cheek.
"But, she came to Denver."
He nods. "She did. Not for the reason you’re thinking."
I snort. "Please. What other reason could she possibly have to come all the way to Denver to meet you?"
"Business."
"Huh? Say what now?"
He chuckles. "Business."
"She’s—no fucking way."
"She is."
Part of the business. I think I’m going to be sick. This can’t be. She should not be associated with la Famiglia .
"Ugh. I need to talk to gampy about firing her. She’s—just yuck."
"Fee. You know that’s not how it works," Cage chides softly.
"Hmm. I bet if I use my ‘Lucy’ eyes on him it’ll work. I’ve got that look down to a T. That look will get you anything you want from gampy," I boast. Hell yeah, I’m bragging about that shit. That is epic. Lucy’s ‘look’ is golden.
"Likely that’s true, but it’d upset the balance of business."
"Well, when you put it like that... Damn it."
He chuckles again. "Sera," he says softly.
"Yeah?"
"You know I mean what I say. I won’t ever lie to you. I’ve told you this. I also know that trusting doesn’t come easily for you, but we’ve known each other for six-plus years now. I’ve never given you reason to doubt my word, have I?"
Well, maybe his actions but not his word, no. I mean, he made no promises to me when we slept together that first time. And God, that night... Amazing.
"We never talked about it," he says, knowing exactly where my mind went.
"No, and I think it’s best if we don’t."
"We’re going to have to at some point, don’t you think? It’s part of the reason you don’t trust me, Fee." He gently squeezes my hand.
I nod. "Then now’s as good of a time as any."
Cage
––––––––
W hat I Did For Love by David Guetta feat. Emeli Sande
Bring On The Rain by Jo Dee Messina
Raining On Sunday by Keith
"I should shower—"
"After we talk."
I nod. "As I said, I went to your house like we planned. I was heading down the hallway to the bedroom to shower and get comfortable."
He nods.
"Well, when I started heading down the hall, I heard it."
"Heard what?"
"Her."
"Her, who?"
"Uh, Carina."
"Okay. I’m not sure what she was doing in my house while I was gone and that’s something I’ll definitely be discussing with her since that’s twice today she’s let herself in without permission, but that’s another matter. So you heard Carina."
I nod. "I went down the hall. The green room—you know the one. Of course you know the one. Duh. It’s your house."
"Relax, Fee. It’s just me." He calms me by rubbing my back.
I nod again, trying to just breathe and tell him. I am so horrible at apologies and admitting my mistakes, but this man, he deserves every bit of groveling I’m about to do.
"I heard her while I was just outside the green room so I looked inside. The door was open a bit, just enough to see, and, uh, she was—uh..."
"She was?"
"She was having sex with someone in the green room."
"What? Who?"
I shrug. "I dunno."
Then it must click because his face softens.
"You thought it was me."
I look down again, picking at my pants, then shrug.
"Sera."
"Hmm?" I ask, not looking up.
"Look at me, Fee."
"I’m good, thanks." I can’t. I just can’t. I’m a jerk. I—God.
He chuckles. "Fee. Look at me," he reaches out and tips my chin up and in his direction. I reluctantly meet his gaze.
I sigh. "I’m an asshole."
"Stop. You’re not an asshole."
"I am. Majorly. Big time asshole."
He smirks. "I don’t want you thinking you’re an asshole, Fee."
I sigh and look down.
"And I don’t want you thinking I’m one either."
My head snaps up at that.
"What? I don’t—"
He nods. "You do. You thought it was me fucking Carina. Right?"
I can’t deny it. It’s the truth.
"Yes."
"Fee. We haven’t talked about this, but I’m not involved with her. I haven’t been for a while," he tells me, running the backs of his fingers against my cheek.
"But, she came to Denver."
He nods. "She did. Not for the reason you’re thinking."
I snort. "Please. What other reason could she possibly have to come all the way to Denver to meet you?"
"Business."
"Huh? Say what now?"
He chuckles. "Business."
"She’s—no fucking way."
"She is."
Part of the business. I think I’m going to be sick. This can’t be. She should not be associated with la Famiglia .
"Ugh. I need to talk to gampy about firing her. She’s—just yuck."
"Fee. You know that’s not how it works," Cage chides softly.
"Hmm. I bet if I use my ‘Lucy’ eyes on him it’ll work. I’ve got that look down to a T. That look will get you anything you want from gampy," I boast. Hell yeah, I’m bragging about that shit. That is epic. Lucy’s ‘look’ is golden.
"Likely that’s true, but it’d upset the balance of business."
"Well, when you put it like that... Damn it."
He chuckles again. "Sera," he says softly.
"Yeah?"
"You know I mean what I say. I won’t ever lie to you. I’ve told you this. I also know that trusting doesn’t come easily for you, but we’ve known each other for six-plus years now. I’ve never given you reason to doubt my word, have I?"
Well, maybe his actions but not his word, no. I mean, he made no promises to me when we slept together that first time. And God, that night... Amazing.
"We never talked about it," he says, knowing exactly where my mind went.
"No, and I think it’s best if we don’t."
"We’re going to have to at some point, don’t you think? It’s part of the reason you don’t trust me, Fee." He gently squeezes my hand.
I nod. "Then now’s as good of a time as any."
Cage
––––––––
W hat I Did For Love by David Guetta feat. Emeli Sande
Bring On The Rain by Jo Dee Messina
Raining On Sunday by Keith
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