Caught in the Dark

The house was entirely too quiet when Selene crept down to the kitchen. She hadn’t slept at all, because every time she closed her eyes, the image of Cassian down by the pool just kept replaying in her mind.

The raw memory of him looking straight up at her window while driving into that woman had kept her awake until dawn.

She’d thrown on an old singlet that was entirely too tight, its low scoop neck straining against the soft fullness of her breasts, barely managing to cover them.

She hadn't burdened herself with a bra, assuming she’d grab a glass of water and slip back upstairs before the rest of the house even stirred.

She stopped dead at the kitchen entrance, seeing Cassian already there, standing by the marble island fully dressed for the office. 

With his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar and sleeves rolled up, he looked unfazed by the night before, showing no fatigue from how he had used his body just hours ago.

Selene’s first instinct was to turn on her heel and walk away to protect whatever dignity she had left. 

But leaving felt like an admission of guilt or cowardice, and if she ran, he would know she was hiding, so she stayed frozen, her hand pressing firmly against the edge of the doorframe.

Cassian didn't look up immediately as he finished pouring his coffee. But when he finally lifted his head, his dark eyes didn't meet hers, instead they dropped slowly, settling right on the front of her shirt.

Under his intense gaze, Selene felt the tight fabric press hard against her skin, and right before his eyes, her nipples hardened, pushing visibly against the strained cotton.

The singlet was so small that the curve of her breasts was practically spilling over the edge, completely exposed to his eyes.

She wanted to cross her arms and hide herself, but she couldn't move, as she pinned by the sheer weight of his stare.

Only when the physical reaction was became undeniable did Cassian’s gaze finally wander back up to her face, a faint smirk touching the corner of his mouth as he lifted the mug to his lips, taking a sip without taking his eyes off hers.

He didn't have to say a single word, because the silence between them made it loud and clear that he knew exactly what she’d seen before she shut those curtains.

“I’m just—” she trailed off, her voice more strained than she wanted it to be as she finally forced her legs to move, backing away from the kitchen before she lost her mind.

By six in the evening, the tension of the morning had turned Selene into a nervous wreck, as she stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom, staring at her own reflection.

She had chosen an emerald green silk dress that clung to the curve of her hips and highlighted the fullness of her bosom, but the neckline was cut high. 

From the front, she looked elegant, but the back was a different story. The dress dipped all the way down into a sharp V that ended just at the top curve of her backside, leaving her smooth skin bare.

Reaching behind herself, her fingers traced the empty air where the fabric should have been as her skin prickled with goosebumps.

It was frustrating how hyper-reactive her body was being. She hated feeling the weight of Cassian’s eyes on her from this morning, and hated even more that she had to pretend they hadn't spent the last four years living as strangers.

A knock sounded at the door, followed by his voice. “Selene. The car is ready.” She took a deep breath, smoothing the silk over her hips before walking out.

The drive to his mother’s estate was heavy with tension as they sat trapped together inside his sports car.

The space was entirely too small for his broad frame, and every time Cassian shifted gears his elbow brushed dangerously close to her thigh, the silence between them suffocating.

She refused to look at him, ignoring the way his large hands gripped the steering wheel. But her peripheral vision betrayed her, catching the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest until the memory of those same hands gripping another woman’s hips flashed into her mind.

She shifted uncomfortably against the leather seat and crossed her legs tightly, wishing she could shake the image.

Beside her, Cassian’s gaze moved away from the road for a split second, taking in the tense line of her shoulders and the sudden flash of skin. He didn't say a word, his expression remaining blank, but his grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly as he looked back at the road.

As the car finally turned into the massive, iron gates of the Vale estate, Selene dragged her eyes away from the window and whispered.

“Three hours, Cassian.”

Without looking at her, he simply nodded, steering the car up the long, gravel driveway.

The front entrance of the estate was fully lit, the double doors already open as a butler stood waiting. Through the glass, Selene could see her parents, his mother, and Marcus moving around the grand foyer.

Cassian turned off the engine and stepped out without a word. Watching him walk around to her side, Selene felt the nervousness start to return, and the moment he opened her door, she slid her legs out, her heels crunching against the gravel as she stood up.

For the last four years, whenever they had to put on a show for the press or their families, Cassian’s routine was always the same. He would casually loop his fingers with hers, but… not tonight.

As they reached the bottom of the grand stairway and the eyes of their family were locked on them through the open doors, Cassian bypassed her hand entirely. 

He stepped up close behind her, his broad chest so close she could feel the warmth radiating from him through his suit jacket against her bare shoulder blades, and before she could even process the proximity, his large, warm hand landed directly on the bare skin of her lower back.

The heat of his bare palm burned against her skin. Slowly and deliberately, he slid his  fingers lower, until his palm rested entirely over the swell of her butt.

The possessive pressure of his large hand cupping her ass made her breath hitch, an instant, slick heat flooding her core. She went totally wet in a matter of seconds, her skin tingling where his fingers pressed firmly into her flesh.

She froze on the step, paralyzed by the sudden shock of his touch. His fingers dug firmly into her backside, guiding her weight and forcing her to keep moving forward.

As they walked inside, Cassian leaned down, his breath hot against her ear as he whispered,"If you look out the window tonight, make sure you don't close the curtains so fast."

She gasped, her eyes snapping to his as his pupils dilated, dropping to trace her parted lips before locking back into her eyes.

How was she going to survive the night?