Chapter 2

Late that night, the clinic was as cold as a meat locker.

Cassius walked in, carrying the deep winter chill with him.

He came up behind me, rested his warm hands on my shoulders, and kissed the side of my neck.

"Still mad about yesterday?" His voice was rough with exhaustion, and he was clearly trying to make peace.

Before, I would have leaned back against him and soaked up every second of his attention.

But tonight, I turned my head away from his touch.

Cassius froze.

"Yesterday was an emergency." He gripped my chin and forced me to face him. "Didn't I come straight back to you the moment I was done?" He sounded faintly exasperated. "Sierra, you're my wife. I need you to be more understanding."

I knocked his hand away, my eyes stinging.

"Cassius, I'm your wife, not some pet you can abandon whenever you please and soothe whenever you decide to come back."

He stared at me for five full seconds. Then his eyes softened, as if he were pleased by my anger.

"I'm sorry. I've been neglecting you. I'll have Luca clear my schedule tomorrow, and we'll spend the whole day at home. How's that?"

His warm chest pressed against my back, and his familiar scent surrounded me.

He'd held me like this when he told me he loved me, and again when he proposed. He'd called me his treasure and thanked me for becoming his wife. Even now, he still buried his face in the curve of my neck like he couldn't get enough of me.

Maybe he'd never meant to hurt me.

I hesitated, took a deep breath, and laid a hand over my flat stomach without thinking.

"Cassius, actually, I..."

Just as I was about to tell him, the personal phone in his pocket rang. I knew that ringtone. It was reserved for Mia's security team.

Cassius tensed at once.

A bodyguard's panicked voice came through the line. "Don, Ms. Russo is having another panic attack! She locked herself in the bathroom with a piece of broken glass, and she keeps calling your name..."

Cassius's expression tightened.

"Break the door down. I'll be there in ten minutes."

He ended the call and grabbed his coat before turning to me. "Something's come up with Mia. I have to go."

"Cassius." I stepped forward and caught the hem of his coat. "I really have something important to tell you..."

"Sierra," he cut in with a frown. "You can take care of yourself. Mia can't. I have to go."

He gave me a long look, then brushed my hand aside and walked out of the clinic.

The steel door shut again, and every bit of his warmth went with it.

I was cold all over.

Mia had panic attacks every so often, and I knew she was using them to lure Cassius away. Too bad he couldn't see it.

Whenever I questioned her, he'd shake his head in annoyance. "Sierra, she's not that bad."

As if I were the one out to hurt her.

I sank into my desk chair, opened the bottom drawer, and pulled out an ultrasound printout I'd kept pressed flat.

A tiny shadow curled up in the black-and-white image.

Ten weeks old.

I was pregnant.

In his world, I would always be a fortress, strong enough to take care of myself. Mia would always be the fragile one he had to save.

I picked up a lighter and set the ultrasound printout on fire.

The flames glowed red in my eyes.

Cassius, if you think I don't need you, then you don't deserve to know about the baby either.