Elvie
Taking a shower in under five minutes had to be one of the craziest things I had ever done in my life. From the moment Cassian spanked me upstairs to me rushing into my room, stripping down, rinsing off, and throwing on a fresh set of clothes, the whole process couldn’t have taken more than six minutes total.
Was it anticipation? Or pure excitement over what Cassian wanted to tell me—or what he planned to do?
Reached the bottom of the staircase, I stopped and heave out a long, heavy sigh, silently begging my racing heart to calm down.
Cassian was seated right where I left him. His legs were loosely crossed, and the white towel he had used earlier was draped over the armrest. He was casually scrolling through his phone, looking infuriatingly relaxed.
Damn. How could a man look this absurdly good without even trying?
I caught myself before he could look up and notice me staring again. Clearing my throat, I headed straight for the single armchair across from him. But before I could lower myself into it, Cassian’s eyes flicked up, and he patted the empty spot right beside him.
"Come here," he said smoothly.
Just the quiet authority in his tone made my knees feel absurdly weak. I redirected my steps toward the larger couch and sat down, intentionally leaving a generous amount of space between us. I knew if I got too close right away, I wouldn’t be able to hide how badly I wanted him near me.
Cassian stayed focused on his phone for a few extra seconds before setting it face down on the cushion. He shifted his body, turning to face me completely.
Without a word, he reached out, his hand settling gently into my hair as he brushed a stray lock away from my face.
The moment his warm skin brushed against mine, any lingering reserve I had completely evaporated. I leaned into his palm, unable to hide just how much I melted under his touch.
"Cassian..." I whispered, my voice barely audible in the quiet room.
His thumb caressed my cheekbone, tracing a slow, path down to my jaw before tilting my face up to meet his dark eyes.
"That’s better," he murmured, his deep voice carrying a quiet satisfaction that set my pulse off all over again. He didn’t pull his hand away. Instead, his fingers slid back, resting warm and possessive at the nape of my neck.
Cassian closed the distance I had so carefully kept between us, shifting closer until his knee brushed against my thigh. The air between us instantly turned charged, heavy with the memory of what we had shared in his studio.
"You left a gap wide enough for a third person," Cassian said softly, his gaze dropping to my lips before rising back to my eyes. "Do you really think keeping your distance on this couch changes anything between us now?"
"It was worth a shot," I muttered, my voice barely more than a whisper. My hands tightened on my thighs, trying to keep my throbbing core at bay.
His lips curved into that familiar, dangerous smirk. "Nothing about us is distant anymore. You know that as well as I do."
He shifted his weight, his arm settling comfortably along the back of the couch behind me, effectively trapping me in his space. The subtle scent of sandalwood and damp hair enveloped me completely, making it impossible to think straight.
"Now," Cassian continued, his tone softening slightly into something more serious, though his hand remained right where it was at the back of my neck. "About why I wanted you down here."
"I want you to tell me everything that happened in Norman’s house and why you left."
My eyes widened in complete shock as a wave of ice rushed through my veins.
Before I could even process the question, Cassian pulled his hand away from the back of my neck. The sudden loss of his touch made me feel instantly cold and exposed.
How did he know I used to live in Asher’s parents house?
A hundred different thoughts raced through my head at once. I had never mentioned Norman to him or even brought up my past. How did he....
"Don’t hide anything from me, Elvie," Cassian added, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made it impossible to look away.
I opened my mouth but no sound came out. I closed it again, my throat feeling like sand.
My mind scrambled to make sense of what was happening. "Cassian..." I finally managed to whisper, thinking of where to start from.
Cassian took a deep breath, his expression softening just a fraction as he leaned in closer. He reached out and wrapped his fingers around my hand, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
"Listen, Elvie," he said softly, his voice dropping into a tone that was surprisingly tender. "I didn’t ask this question to put you on the spot. I just need to know to aid my findings. You can be free with me."
The way he looked at me—with genuine concern made the tension in my shoulders finally give way. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, my body relaxing under his touch.
He was right. Cassian had been nothing but good to me. He had taken me in, given me a safe roof over my head, and protected me when he didn’t have to. If anyone deserved to know the truth about who he was keeping under his roof, it was him.
I stared down at our joined hands, gathering my thoughts before speaking in a low voice.
"I... I grew up in Norman’s house," I began, the words feeling strange on my tongue after keeping them buried for so long. "I lived there for years, and even though it was suffocating most of the time, I stayed because I didn’t really have anywhere else to go."
I paused, biting my inner cheek as the memories surfaced. "And... they support in paying my tuition."
"They paid your tuition?" he asked, his brows pulling together.
I slowly nodded, looking back up into his eyes. "Yes."
"I... I really don’t have much to complain about," I added, looking away for a brief second. "They did what not everyone could do, considering Mr. Norman was just a friend to my father. But yeah... it was still hard."
"Why did you leave, Elvie?" Cassian’s asked his eyes never leaving mine.
I swallowed hard, the taste of sudden bitterness filling my mouth as my mind flashed back to that night. That horrible, humiliating night I caught Asher...
The memory made my stomach turn, but there was no way I was telling Cassian about Asher. I couldn’t bring myself to speak his name or put that disgusting moment into words.
"It was just getting too much. I knew I had to leave and find my own ground." I said instead with a shrug.
Cassian didn’t speak right away. His gaze lingered on my face, as if he knew there was more I was keeping buried. But instead of pushing me, he squeezed my hand again.
"I’m glad that you did," he said quietly.
I blinked, momentarily lost. Did he mean... he was glad I had left that house? Glad that I had ended up here, with him?
"You’re safe under my care, Elvie," His voice was deep, smooth, and full of absolute certainty. "And nobody—I mean absolutely nobody is going to hurt you while I’m here."
A sudden wave of warmth rushed straight through my chest, chasing away the cold memories of the past. I stared at him, my heart doing a strange, fluttering flip. I didn’t know why, but hearing those words come from him made me feel safe in a way I hadn’t felt in years.
Was this man actually real? Or was he somehow an angel sent straight from above just to save me?