Cassian
I poured a moderate amount of whiskey into my glass swirling the liquid as my mind drifted right back to my conversation with Elvie last night. I had brought up Norman’s house on purpose. Even though I already had my private investigators run a full check, I needed to hear the truth directly from her mouth. I needed to confirm she had truly cut ties with that family on her own will.
Norman wasn’t just a bitter, selfish bastard—he was a greedy brother I’d known for far too long. It pissed me off how naive Elvie still was about them, genuinely believing Norman had been paying her tuition out of the goodness of his heart or old friendship with her late father. From what my findings showed, those payments stopped a long time ago.
There were so many things she didn’t know yet. Like the fact that I was surprised she still hadn’t recognized who I really was from her past. I had considered telling her, but what good would that do right now? The only thing that mattered was that she was out of that house, away from Asher and his father. And now that she was under my roof, I was going to protect her at all costs.
My jaw clenched as I took a slow sip, the liquid burning down my throat as I leaned my forearms against the cool kitchen countertop.
It was Saturday morning. As ridiculous and reckless as it felt, pouring whiskey this early wasn’t something I normally did. But I had been furious all night. Last night, looking into her soft, vulnerable eyes as she tried to hide her pain, every instinct in me screamed to pull her close, to touch her, to make her forget everything else. But I had forced myself to hold back. I wanted her badly but I refused to take advantage of her when she was hurting.
My phone buzzed on the counter beside my glass. I glanced down, shaking my head when I saw the name on the screen. Julian.
The idiot had been spamming my phone with links to high-end bar lounges, insisting we needed a night out. I knew what this was really about. He was stressed out of his mind between his demanding workload and his heavily pregnant wife at home. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Julian completely lost his mind before the baby even arrived.
Another text popped up immediately after.
Julian: I am definitely going to get back at you when you finally have a pregnant wife like mine, driving you crazy just because you chose to have babies with her.
A short chuckle escaped my chest. But as my eyes read the word wife, my mind instantly flashed to a face that had no business being there.
Elvie. Fuck!
Why did my mind jump straight to her? Settling down wasn’t even on my radar. I had barely gotten out of a messy relationship not too long ago. The last thing I wanted was to chain another woman to myself, let alone think about marriage or kids.
A soft gasp broke through the silence of the kitchen. I lifted my eyes finding Elvie in the doorway, her eyes wide.
Seeing her standing there, looking so soft and untouched, made Julian’s words echo in my head all over again.
She looked entirely unbothered by her messy state—dressed in oversized silk pajamas, her bedhead hair tumbling wildly over her shoulders, looking fresh out of sleep. And damn, she was breathtaking without even trying. My gaze lazily traced down her figure, taking in the way the soft fabric clung to her curves.
"I didn’t know drinking whiskey on an empty stomach early in the morning was good for your health," she said, a small, playful tilt to her lips as she started walking toward the counter.
I didn’t waste a single second. The moment she stepped into the kitchen, the self-control I had maintained all night dissolved. I needed her warmth.
Reaching out, I wrapped my hand firmly around her waist, catching her by surprise as I yanked her forward and lifted her seamlessly onto my lap.
Elvie let out a breathless breath as I buried my face into the crook of her neck, deeply inhaling the sweet, warm scent of vanilla and sleep that clung to her skin.
Fuck, her scent was absolute poison.
I expected her to tense up, to get nervous or tremble under my sudden hold like she normally does. But instead, I felt her soft hands gently wrap around the back of my neck. She leaned into me, resting her weight against my chest.
"You’re awake early," I murmured against her skin, my voice low and gravelly. The contrast between her soft warmth and the cold glass in my hand was driving me slightly insane, but I wasn’t about to let her go.
"I could ask you the same thing," Elvie replied, her fingers lightly trailing through the hair at the nape of my neck. The gentle, unhurried rhythm of her touch was surprisingly grounding. "And usually people start their morning with coffee, Cassian."
"Coffee doesn’t clear my head the way I need it to today," I said, pulling back just enough to look at her.
Her face was completely relaxed, the morning light catching the golden undertones in her skin. No anxious darting of her eyes like when we were in the living room last night. Just her, completely comfortable on my lap in her oversized pajamas.
"Is everything okay?" she asked, her eyebrows drawing together in genuine concern. "You look... distant."
"I’m fine," I lied, my hand smoothing down the small of her back to press her closer against my chest. "Just thinking about work. And my friend who is being an idiot."
Elvie lifted a brow, a trace of curiosity in her eyes. "You have friends?"
A short chuckle escaped my chest. I rubbed the light stubble on my thumb gently against her cheek, my hands naturally wanting to trace every single inch of her soft skin.
"I’m human, Elvie. Of course I do. Just like you have a friend at school."
"Talking about that... since today is Saturday, can I invite my friend over? I want us to—"
Before she could finish her sentence, I squeezed her thigh through the soft silk of her pajamas. "You don’t have to ask me," I cut in. "You can do whatever you want in this house."
I watched as a deep, gorgeous blush crept straight up her cheeks, likely from the sudden press of my hand on her thigh. She was trying so hard to play it cool, but her body betrayed her every single time. Teasing her and making her blush was quickly becoming my absolute favorite pastime.
She smiled, her eyes shining. "Thank you, Cassian." Then, she glanced down at the glass in my hand and shook her head. "Alright, I should probably make us some breakfast before you get drunk."
I leaned in closer, my lips brushing the sensitive shell of her ear as I whispered, "I really don’t mind getting drunk... as long as I get to snuggle into your body like this, and also get to..."
I trailed off, sliding my hand smoothly under the hem of her pajama shirt, my warm palm making direct contact with her soft skin.
Fuck. This girl was completely messing with my head.
A soft moan escaped her lips as my fingers trailed lazily across her lower belly. Her hands immediately flew to my arm, her breath hitching. "Cassian..."
I slowed my movement, my thumb rubbing a light, deliberate circle over her skin as I looked into her hazy eyes.
"Hmm?" I murmured softly. "Is everything okay?"
"You’re... you’re distracting me," she breathed out. She tried to sound stern, but the soft hitch in her voice stripped away any real defense. "I said I was going to make breakfast."
"Then go ahead and make it," I murmured, my thumb continuing its slow, torturous path across her skin. I didn’t pull my hand back an inch. "I’m not stopping you."
"Cassian," A breathless laugh slipped past her lips as she leaned her head back against my shoulder. "How am I supposed to cook when you’re holding me like this?"
"You figure it out," I replied, pressing a light kiss to the sensitive spot right beneath her ear. "Because I’m not moving."
She let out a soft sigh, her body sinking even deeper into my lap as if she had already given up the fight. Her reaction hit me straight in the chest—this quiet, unforced surrender that she only ever gave to me. For a girl who had spent years walking on eggshells in Norman’s house, watching her completely let her guard down in my arms felt like a victory I didn’t even realize I was fighting for.
"You are terrible," she whispered, though her hands stayed wrapped securely around my arm, anchoring me to her.
"I’ve been called worse," I smirked, my hand slowly sliding out from under her shirt to rest back on her waist, giving her just enough room to breathe. I wasn’t going to push her further right now.
"Go on, make your breakfast," I said, finally releasing my hold on her waist.
As she slid off my lap, I didn’t miss the laugh that vibrated through her, as she turned her back to me and walked toward the refrigerator. I adjusted the bulge in my pants, taking a deep breath to settle the sudden rush of heat in my chest. If only she knew how effortlessly she affected me.
"By the way," I said, leaning back against the counter, "How is your painting going?"
Her hand paused right on the refrigerator handle. She turned around slowly to look at me, a slight pout on her lips. I bet she didn’t even know she did that. And I found it cute.
"I haven’t had time to finish it up," she admitted, leaning against the door. "It seems like I need to try harder to find some inspiration."
A dark, amused thought flashed through my mind. Well...her head was too consumed with my touch to concentrate. But I decided not to say it out to rile her up.
I gulped down the rest of the whiskey, setting the empty glass down on the countertop with a soft click, and stood up straight.
"Well... we can work on your inspiration today."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"
"Hmm," I hummed, stepping out from behind the island. "Yes. I have a few errands to run, but when I get back, we can start the lesson."
There was a subtle shift in her expression, her eyes lingering on me as if she grasped the deeper meaning behind my words. A low chuckle escaped my chest. Walking up to her, I leaned in close, my breath brushing her cheek.
"You’re a very bad girl, Elvie," I whispered softly, letting my gaze drop to her lips before meeting her eyes again. "And I like that."
With a knowing smirk, I pulled back and smack her ass. I needed to stop doing if I want to tame beast cock inside.
"I’m not a bad girl!" her voice floated after me as I walked out of the kitchen.
I didn’t turn around, but the smile stayed on my face all the way down the hallway.