In the car, Cassian’s silent for a short while before he says, “My brother is falling for you.”
I snap my gaze at him in shock. “What?”
“I’ve seen him over the years, watched him with girls. The longest he’s ever spent with someone was Gen. The redhead. But you’re different.”
I turn toward him as my curiosity is piqued by what he’s just said. “How so?”
“I don’t know. I can’t explain it, but you challenge him, which no other girl has ever had the balls to do. You question him, you make him think and, more importantly, you make him feel.”
“I don’t know if feelings are a good thing. When our folks get back, it’s going to be hell if they know what we’ve been doing.”
“But does it feel wrong?” He emphasizes the word feel. It’s something I’ve been pondering since the first time Damien’s lips touched mine. And honestly, I have to say no.
“Not in the slightest. It feels right, it feels perfect when I’m with him. I’m only used to what my mother is like.”
Cassian chuckles. “If you think your mother is bad, she has nothing on my dad. He’s ruled this house with an iron first for years. When my mother walked out, she took his heart along with her, and we were left with the cold, aloof Bradford Thorne.”
Sadness laces his words, and for a moment, I’m upset that they had to go through that. But, then again, they’ve grown into men who are strong and resilient. They don’t need anyone to look after them. I see it as a good thing.
“My mother offered to allow me to go to Oxford next year. When the school year starts, I could be in England.”
“You’ll be near Damien,” Cassian offers, with a sly grin. “I think you should go. My brother may not admit to a lot, but I can see how much he cares for you. I’m not sure he’ll ever be able to love, though.”
“What happened to him?” I’ve been curious to know about his past, and Cassian seems happy to give me some insight into Damien. “He’s never spoken about anything other than The Black Knights. I don’t know if he was ever with someone who, perhaps, broke his heart.”
“It was my mother.” Cassian’s words sink into my chest, slicing right through my heart. “When he was fourteen, he witnessed my mother and father fighting. I was locked up in my room, so was Finn. Damien had sat on the top of the stairs, listening to them bicker, which turned into a full-blown argument.”
“And now he believes love doesn’t last?” I stare at Cass who glances my way as we pull up to the house. While the wrought-iron gates swing open, he nods. “I guess it makes sense.”
“He believes that love is a lie. He always has. But what he doesn’t realize is that it’s an emotion that can’t be stopped or thwarted by walls you put up. But Damien is convinced it’s only a word people utter to get what they want.”
“And if I said it to him, then he would think I’m being dishonest.”
Cassian nods once more. “Not because he thinks you’re only here for status or money, or anything like that. It’s just how his mind portrayed love as a lie, and his beliefs turned all the good into something sinister. Knowing how my parents used each other stuck with him.”
“I understand.”
“Do you love him?” Cassian asks, as he kills the engine and turns to look at me. His eyes shimmer, more green than blue. It’s a beautiful color. As endless as Damien’s and Finn’s.
“I think I do. It’s not easy to say those words,” I tell him, “I wasn’t brought up in the most loving home either. My mother was more concerned with her latest award or the next movie deal. So, I understand why he’s hesitant.”
“Don’t take how he is with you for granted. I’ve never seen him like this,” Cassian tells me, before he pushes his door open, “but also, don’t expect too much from him too soon.”
“I won’t.”
That’s the end of our heart to heart, and I’m thankful for it. Even though I knew that Damien wouldn’t come to terms with the thought of loving someone, he’s still allowing himself to care. And that’s all I can ask for.
I follow Cass inside and make a beeline for my bedroom. Inside, I grab a hanger and drape the dress, hiding it in my closet. If Damien walks in here, I don’t want him to see it before tomorrow night.
The moment my bedroom door whooshes open, I feel him. He steps inside, stopping beside my bed as I’m shutting the closet. His gaze narrows, sweeping over the room and notices the empty bag, the shoe box, but that’s all he can find.
“Did you get a dress?”