God! Did he have children?
“Woman!”
My eyes shot to the door and my throat closed.
Did he call her “woman?”
Did he call her “baby?”
“Cassidy!”
He was coming closer.
I didn’t move. I had to use all my energy not to throw up on the floor and I did this stupidly, because I did it wondering what he told her when he came to me, and that made me feel even sicker.
Deacon, so smart, why would he carry their picture with him?
It was like he wanted me to find out.
And maybe he did. Maybe that guilt at wanting me that ate at him all those years until he couldn’t control the urge anymore made him carry that picture. Take her with him when he was with me. Bring her into my house.
My fucking house.
But he’d said he was cutting ties. Did that mean he was leaving her? Leaving her and coming to me? Making me not only a cheater but a home-wrecker?
“Cassie.”
He was in the door.
“What’s your last name?” I asked, surprised my voice was so strong.
And so void.
I watched his body tense but his eyes moved to the bag then cut back to mine.
He took a step in and I lifted my hand.
He stopped and his face closed down. Totally. I watched that mask snap into place and it had been so long since I’d had it, I forgot how much it hurt when he gave it to me.
“What’s your first name?” I went on.
He didn’t move and didn’t speak, eyes locked to mine. He didn’t even launch in, giving me crap about invading his privacy by unpacking his bag.
“What’s your birthday?” I kept at him.
Not a muscle moved.
“Where did you grow up? What are your parents’ names? Are they alive? Did you play sports in high school? Did you even go to high school?” I fired at him.
He said nothing.
I stared into his tawny eyes, feeling just what he wanted me to feel. Closed out and in the cold.
And that cold was cold. So cold it was a wonder my teeth weren’t chattering.
“Do you love me?” I asked suddenly.
He moved then, but only to speak.