Page 53 of Tripped By Love

Marco

HOLD YOU TONIGHT

“Cry every single tear you need to cry,

I can’t fix the world.

But I…I can hold you tonight.”

Performed by Tim McGraw

Written by Nite / Copperman

The last time I’d felt thismuch anger toward another human being had been that awful night in the Fleet Marine Force. After I’d seen the violence inflicted because I’d been stupid enough to shut my eyes. I turned away from the door to see Cassidy with her head in her hands and her body quaking. I was at her side in two large steps with my hands running in circles along her back.

“It’s going to be okay, Angel. I promise.”

Her eyes whipped up, littered with tears but shock as well. Her look drifted to Brady, and I silently cursed myself. I’d forgotten he was there in the sea of anger and heartbreak I’d been feeling. When my gaze met his, it was grim, and I didn’t know if the emotions behind them were directed at me or the asshole who’d just left.

“What the hell is going on?” Brady demanded.

“I wish I could tell you,” Cassidy whispered. “I have no idea why he’s decided to come back and terrorize me. There’s no way he really wants Chevelle. He can’t have changed that much.”

My heart hurt for her, for the fear she must have been feeling at Hardy’s threats.

Brady turned to the restaurant’s last remaining guests who were still cowering in their seats. He gave them a charming smile and said, “We’ve got your meal, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. We’re so sorry to have put on such a show. Can we get you anything else?”

“No, thank you,” Mr. Anderson said and took his wife’s arm and left.

Brady then turned to Laney. “You’re done for the day, right? We’ll see you tomorrow.”

Laney blushed and headed through the kitchen to clock out.

He’d cleared the room in his normal, suave way.

When it was empty, with only Cliff still singing cluelessly in the back, he sat down next to Cassidy at the restaurant’s counter while I remained standing next to her.

“How long have you and Marco been….” He trailed off, suddenly uncomfortable.

Cassidy laughed. “Never. We’re not.”

And even though it was true, it stabbed at my heart because I didn’t want it to be true. I may have kissed her to prove a point to Hardy, but once our lips had met again, it had been a feral claiming that had occurred. Me claiming her, and her claiming back. I knew it was a disaster in waiting. I knew I couldn’t keep something so bright without somehow tarnishing it, and yet I still longed to be the one at her side, holding her hand.

“I saw you two,” Brady said, eyes flitting to the wall that I’d had Cassidy pinned to with my hands under her shirt and my tongue in her mouth. Where I’d been in heaven. In heaven with an angel.

“That was just pretend,” Cassidy said. “Marco helped me by saying we were a couple the day Clayton first showed up trying to get me to give him a second chance. Today, he said he didn’t believe us, so we convinced him otherwise.”

Every word was factually what had happened, and yet I still wanted to deny them. I wanted to insist that we were exactly what I’d said we were. Brady’s eyes landed on mine, taking me in and trying to read me. I kept my face impassive?void of emotions?but it didn’t seem to fool him.

“That was some pretty good acting, then,” he remarked.

Neither Cassidy nor I responded.

Brady snapped his leather bands at his wrist in thought. “I’ll call Lee. We’ll find the best damn family lawyer in the United States.”

Cassidy sighed, closing her eyes. “Poor Lee. He’s always bailing me out.”

“I pay him to manage things in my life, Cassidy. And even if I wasn’t paying him, I can guarantee you, he would be all over this himself. Lee wouldn’t stand by and let anyone try and take Chevelle from you.”