“I need to clear my head. Just a few days. Maybe a week.”

He’d been exceptionally agitated the day he’d walked from their home. As if the months of guilt had collided, and she’d had no desire to hurt him more by making him stay.

“I don’t know what to say,” Shay whispered.

Cassie met her gaze and winced at the sorrow shining back at her. “There’s nothing to say. I didn’t want to believe he was serious about the divorce, but after tonight, I think it’s clear he can’t get over the past. He’s never looked at me in anger before.”

She sipped her wine, uncomfortable in the silence with these women who were practically strangers. The chatter of people in the distance was all she could hear until footsteps echoed up the Vault staircase, the pounding getting louder.

“Quick,” Shay blurted. “Put the wig back on. The mask too.”

Cassie’s heart throttled to high speed. Although T.J. knew she was here, she didn’t want anyone else to find out.

As Shay straightened and Zoe turned to face the stairway, Cassie hitched the fake hair back into position and slid the mask into place. She was still straightening the stray strands of hair sticking out at odd angles when the footsteps stopped.

“Ladies.” Leo’s honeyed tone filled her belly with nerves. “There seems to be a misunderstanding that I need to get to the bottom of.” The pounding of his shoes against the floor sounded again, getting closer and closer. “T.J. is under the impression someone paid an escort to seduce him.”

What? Cassie’s gaze snapped to Shay, hoping to gain some understanding while she kept her back to her business partner.

“I thought you said he knew you were here,” Zoe muttered under her breath.

He did. T.J. had whispered her name as they’d kissed. Right before he’d demanded she leave.

“Shay.” The name was a deeply masculine growl. “Please tell me you don’t know anything about this. I assured T.J. my adorably sweet girlfriend wouldn’t be stupid enough to risk her job by getting involved.”

Shay released a nervous chuckle. “Honey, you say the nicest things, but your tone implies you don’t think I’m that sweet.”

“Yeah,” he grated. “I should work on that.”

Shay strode around the bar and sauntered toward Leo. Cassie swiveled in her stool, keeping her face shadowed by her hair as Shay stopped in front of her boyfriend and leaned to whisper something in his ear.

As the faint hint of her words drifted forward, Leo’s scrutinizing gaze snapped to Cassie. His frown deepened, the wrinkles increasing with each passing second until Shay stepped back.

“What’s going on here?” Leo approached, shoving his hands in his pockets in a vain attempt to appear nonchalant.

Zoe scooted to the side of her stool, turning her knees into Cassie. “If you want to leave right now, no questions asked, just tell me. I’ll escort you out. You don’t need to speak to him. We can go somewhere else and talk about this.”

We. Such a simple word, yet the friendship behind it brought an explosion of warmth through Cassie’s body. “Thank you, but I think he deserves to know why I caused the scene downstairs.”

Zoe inclined her head. “It’s up to you.”

Cassie removed her mask and checked her reflection in the mirror across the bar. There wouldn’t be any beauty awards heading her way in the near future, and even without the mask, she was still barely recognizable.

She pushed from the stool and straightened her shoulders as she faced Leo, a man she’d met numerous times but didn’t claim to know well enough to anticipate how he’d react. She gave him a sad smile and pulled off her wig, exposing the blonde hair beneath.

He squinted at her, his gaze raking her face, then lower, all the way to her high-heel-covered toes.

“Fake nails.” She placed the wig on the bar and wiggled her fingers. “Fake tan.” She indicated her body with a wave of her hand. “Contact lenses.” She pointed to her eyes. “All of it’s fake.”

“Oh, shit.” His voice was barely audible. “Cassie? Is that really you?”

She gave a regretful nod. “Hi, Leo.”

“Jesus Christ.” He massaged his forehead and began to pace. “I need to tell him.”

“No.” Cassie scooted forward, her heels tapping frantically along the floor. “Wait.” She grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. “What did you mean when you said T.J. thinks someone paid an escort?”

“I mean exactly that, Cass. He’s down there, almost coming to blows with Brute because he thinks the woman he was making out with was a hooker.”

Cassie shook her head. “He said my name. He knew it was me.”

Leo peered down at her, seeming to read her thoughts when she couldn’t even understand them herself. “You can interpret it however you like, but he’s down there thinking he cheated on his wife. He has no clue you’re here.”

“He doesn’t?” She felt like a parrot, repeating the words in her head over and over again. But if he didn’t know she was here, why had he said her name? “He must have been thinking about me.” A smile tilted her lips. A weak, almost useless smile that filled her aching heart with hope.

Then whiplash had her straightening. He may have been thinking about her. However, to his knowledge, he’d been kissing someone else. He’d cheated on her…with her.

“Cassie, I’m sorry, I know you’re hurting.” Leo stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “But you have to leave. I can’t be a part of this, not only because he’s my business partner. He’s my friend above all else.”

“And he’s my husband.” She swallowed over the dryness in her throat and dropped her hold on his arm. “I’ll do anything to get him back.”

“We’ll figure out another plan together,” Shay offered.

“Shay,” Leo warned. “I don’t want to hear this.”

“Then run along, sweetheart.”

His ocean-blue irises darkened with contempt. “You don’t understand. T.J. is going out of his mind. He’s beside himself. I’ve never seen him so distraught.”

“That can only work in Cassie’s favor.” The sound of Zoe’s footsteps approached. “If there’s still emotional attachment, surely there has to be a way to stop the divorce.”

“You both need to stay out of it,” Leo grated. “We won’t stand for drama in the club. No matter who’s involved. Tonight has been bad enough. The only saving grace for you, Cass, is that he has no clue it was you.”

Drama hadn’t been her intent. She hadn’t even planned to seduce him. That was a bonus. One that would’ve kicked her in the balls if she had any. “I’m sorry for the stress I caused. I just can’t let him go. I know he still loves me.”

Leo inclined his head. “I know that too.”

Wait. What? “You do?”

“Yes.” His tone was comforting even though a scowl creased his forehead. “You don’t understand what’s going on downstairs. I’ve just spent the last ten minutes holed up in the bathroom with him. He’s spilling secrets and losing his shit. It’s obvious he loves you.”

This was the first true glimmer of hope. Doubt had started to whittle away the certainty of T.J.’s affection. Now her confidence was renewed. “He told you about the other club.” It wasn’t a question. She could see understanding in his eyes.

He nodded and gave her a somber smile. “He mentioned it. Among other things. And to be honest, I understand his reasons for the divorce. Maybe it’s for the best.”

The meager glimpse of hope shattered, leaving her chest hollow. It wasn’t Leo’s words. It was the pity in his expression. The complete lack of belief for any happiness in her future.

“How?” Shay accused. “One bad decision shouldn’t end a marriage. How could he leave her after what had happened? If anything, he should be ashamed for not sticking by her. He’d walked out when she needed him the most.”

Leo inclined his head. “He has a lot of regret. But this isn’t about one mistake. There are ongoing issues that led to his decision.”