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Naomi had barely sat down across from me before I was asking, “Tell me about Silas?”

Naomi’s face dropped into a scowl, her voice low. “Cassius knew Silas since they were kids. They met Jonas years later at school. When Jonas and I first got together, Silas helped him sneak out and cheat on me. Lied like a dog for his ass. Let him fuck some stripper at his house and everything.”

My jaw dropped. “What?”

“Yeah, and Cassius enabled his ass. That idiot let Silas crash a hundred-thousand-dollar car racing. Then, to the police, he lied and said it had been stolen after they went and took him from the scene of the accident.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Why would they do that?”

Naomi sighed, frustration etched on her face. “I think Cassius sees him as a brother since he’s the only person who stuck around after the mess happened with his parents. And it’s like they can’t help but fuck up when he’s around. I was so fucking happy when he left. He’s been off somewhere in Mexico, doing God knows what. I’d say his ass is probably running drugs. He ain’t had no job since I’ve known him, but he always got money. Got a luxury condo on Clearwater Beach.”

Just then, a familiar figure approached our table. Solomon, the man I had met a while back, walked up. He stared down at me for a second, then smiled at both of us, but his eyes were locked on me.

“Hey, Angel,” he said, his voice warm. “Hi, Angel’s friend.”

He gently pulled me from my chair, his arms wrapping around me. His hand settled at the small of my back, sending a warmth through my body.

Leaning in close, Solomon whispered in my ear, his breath hot against my skin. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured. “I don’t like that you’ve been avoiding me.”

As he released me, I swear my temperature shot up fifty degrees higher than before he came.

He excused himself, saying he was with a client but wanted to say hello. As he walked away, I felt flustered as fuck. Naomi, on the other hand, was freaking out.

I sat down, watching his back.

“What did he say?” she demanded, drawing the attention of some nearby customers.

“Shhh,” I looked around.

“Fuck them people,” she whispered. “What did he say? His damn tongue was nearly inside your ear.”

I hesitated. “He said he doesn’t like that I’ve been avoiding him.”

Naomi’s eyebrows shot up. “Ooh, that means you had to see him to be avoiding him. When did this happen?”

I dropped my head, feeling her gaze. “He ran into me at work and invited me to lunch the day after your little set-up at the club with Cassius and his date. We spoke a few times on the phone, but then I stopped responding.”

Naomi looked at me, amusement spreading across her face. “So, you’re going to let Cassius keep you from your husband?”

I frowned, annoyed. “Why do you always do that? Drag him like that?”

Naomi’s eyes softened, and she reached across the table to touch my hand. “I ain’t gonna tell his business, but it’s some shit about Cassius that he needs to work out. I don’t say what I say just for your sake. This man is walking around with demons hanging on his back like rabid monkeys. The regret from losing you when he fucks up might be the one thing that pushes him to the dark side, permanently. I love Cassius like a brother and don’t want to see him fucked up. When he was dealing with women like Keisha, there wasn’t any change for him. But adding heartache to the shit that’s already ailing him?” She shook her head.

I stared at her, her words settling over me. I knew there was truth in what she was saying. Cassius had his issues. I could see that, and I couldn’t ignore them forever.

“I care about him,” I said quietly.

Naomi nodded. “I get that. Just don’t lose yourself trying to save someone who might not want to be saved.” She changed the subject after that.

After we finished brunch, I was in my car heading home to meet Cassius when he called me and told me he was going out with Silas. I said okay, though it wasn’t okay.

Later that night, Solomon sent me a text, a simple hello .