Cassie unfastened her seat belt, but grabbed my hand before I could continue out of the vehicle. “What?” I asked.

“Another night at a hotel with you. I’m starting to think I might want to come on more road trips if it has these same perks.”

Looking into her eyes when I knew we were about to part ways was so fucking hard. I stroked the side of her soft cheek, trying my hardest to remember every single light freckle across her nose. I needed to keep my emotions at bay, and as the seconds went by it was becoming impossible. “I never meant to feel this way about you, Cassie. I’ve spent my career being professional, and then you walked into my life. When I asked you to come with me I never expected we’d be like this. You’re so beautiful, inside and out. I’m lucky to know the real you, and I’ll be forever grateful you gave me the chance.”

“Are you getting sentimental on me? I might have to attack you once we’re in the room.”

I reached over and kissed her, knowing damn well she’d change her mind about me the moment she saw her family. Our lips lingered as I opened my eyes and saw into hers. This was how I intended to remember our goodbye, not the way she’d look at me when she realized I’d betrayed her.

We exited the vehicle after our short embrace. Cassie reached in the backseat to fetch her bag, while I got the rest of our things out of the trunk. Little did she know I’d run into the house before we left and gathered her favorite items she wouldn’t want left behind. I’d tucked the bag in the far corner of the trunk and hoped she never noticed it sitting inside.

We walked together inside the hotel, and I headed straight for the front desk. I had to act normal, not like I was there to meet someone. It was bad enough I’d done this behind her back, I couldn’t give her warning before she was reunited with the parents she’d given up on.

Cassie sat down in the lobby expectantly. I kept glancing over, hoping she’d stay put. Then I saw them, the two people with hopes of having their little girl come home. My heart began to palpitate, my palms becoming sweaty. I was overwhelmed with different emotions as they got up closer, drawing enough attention for her to look up.

Her mother was crying, while her tall father stood with his hands to the side. Cassie stood up, but didn’t embrace her mom, not at first. Her immediate reaction was to turn around and look at me. Her face said it all. She knew I’d done this, and it was like a full circle from the first time we’d met. All I saw was anger. She’d trusted me. She’s given herself to me completely and I’d known from the beginning we didn’t have a chance.

I stood watching for a couple minutes, finally seeing her in her parent’s arms. They’d protect her and help her get over everything she’d been through, including me. They’d give her the opportunity to turn her life around. She’d be safe and loved. That’s all I could hope for.

I waved to her father. He nodded back. Cassie turned to follow his gaze and found me standing in the same location. Her father began to approach me, but Cassie remained. He reached his hand out and shook mine. “We really appreciate it. She gave us a real scare.”

“I figured. Your daughter is a wonderful woman. It’s obvious she was raised by two good people. I didn’t tell her we were coming here because she can be pretty stubborn.”

He smiled for a second to agree, and then gave me this look, like he knew I was more than just an agent assigned to return her home. My cover had been blown.

“Is there something I need to know about between you and my daughter?”

His question was direct. “There’s nothing you need to worry about, Mr. Healy.”

He nodded again. “Good to hear. Thanks for bringing her home to us unharmed.”

I handed him the bag of Cassie’s things. “She’ll probably want this stuff.”

He took the bag and walked away, leaving me to watch as he took her away from me. The moment they walked out of the building I headed toward the elevators. Just as it began to open for me to enter I heard her voice. “Logan, wait.”

The tears in her eyes were too much to see. “I thought you left.”

She shrugged. “I just want to know why. Why would you be with me? Why would you show me so much only to let me go? Did it mean anything to you? Was it just some job you needed to see through?”

“No. You haven’t been part of my job for a long time. I know you don’t understand, but I did this for you, because I care about you.”

I reached for her, but she backed away. “If you cared about me you would have been honest. I told you things. I slept with you. You let me think we’d be together. How could you be so cold? Did I know you at all, or was it all a ploy to keep me content while you planned to get rid of me?”

“It’s not like that, Cassie.”

“Oh really? From where I’m standing that’s exactly how it is.”

“I’d like to still be friends. What we shared was…”

She cut me off. “A mistake.  Being with you was a huge mistake, Logan Campbell. I’ll never forgive you for this. Don’t try to call me. Just forget you ever knew me at all.”

When she walked away I didn’t run after her. What good would it have done? She’d made up her mind, and it was exactly how I’d suspected it to go. Cassie may have been home with her family, but for the first time I wondered if it was really where she belonged.

Chapter 32

Cassie

In all honesty I didn’t know how to feel. Having my parents with me was reassuring. They weren’t screaming at me or talking about the mistakes I’d made. My mother sat in the back of the truck next to me, her arms clung to mine as if she were going to lose me again.

I cried silently to myself, but not because the emotions I was experiencing from having them back in my life. My tears were because of the pain and disloyalty of a man I thought I might have a future with. He’d been everything a woman would look for; generous, thoughtful, compassionate, but I wondered if it was all a façade. How much was real? Did he even like me, or was it all to keep me occupied?

Pulling up the long gravel driveway to the ranch was how I would imagine it could feel to walk through the gates of heaven. It was beautiful, and the most comfortable place on earth.

My brother was on a tractor running parallel to the way my father was driving. He waved when he saw the vehicle, and I knew when I finally had him close I’d pull him into a hug and never want to let go. Callie, my youngest sister, was on the porch. She was petting one of the barn cats that wandered around killing the field mice. Usually they were feral, but one particular had taken to being a lap cat.

Callie stood when the truck came to a stop. I climbed out and stretched before making my way in her direction. Feeling her holding me, smelling the familiar scent of our shared shampoo, it made me feel as if I’d never left. “I missed you, Cass.”

“I missed you too.”

“Jax and Amber said they’re going to come by for dinner. Mom invited everyone to the entertainment barn this evening. It was probably meant to be a secret, but I know how you hate surprises.”

I smiled. For a long time I’d assumed my family didn’t understand me. I’d fought them tooth and nail, completely believing I was in control of my own future.

I’d been wrong. So wrong.

After being greeted by my brother, I followed my family into our home. Everything was exactly as how I’d left it, including my room. Once I’d made sure everyone was okay with me taking a few minutes for myself, I entered and closed the door behind me. My secrets were in a box hidden in my closet. I pulled it out and started going through pictures and receipts, all tied to my relationship with Brant. I cried for the time I’d wasted on such a fowl person. I cried because I’d hurt the people I loved the most, but mostly I cried for the man who’d used me for his own personal entertainment. I wailed against the pillows on my bed, trying to hide my anguish from my worried family. They’d want to comfort me, but I couldn’t begin to tell them how I’d made another stupid mistake.