Chapter 137 Family duty
Cassie
Outside, the city hummed with its usual nighttime symphony distant sirens, the occasional car passing by, the soft rustle of wind through the trees. Normal sounds for a normal night.nothing about this night had been normal. Nothing about Greyson was normal. as I lay there in the darkness, held in the arms of a man who'd just shared his darkest secrets before immediately closing himself off again, I realized that this was what loving Greyson O'Malley would always be like: two steps forward, one step back. Walls coming down only to be rebuilt. Intimacy followed by distance.
The question was whether I was strong enough to handle it.
Whether I was strong enough to love a man who might never be able to fully let me in.
I didn't have an answer yet.
Greyson's arms tightened around me in his sleep, as if even unconsciously he couldn't bear to let me go, I thought that maybe just maybe it would be worth finding out.
The hours passed slowly. I watched the shadows shift across the ceiling as moonlight filtered through the blinds, creating patterns that danced and changed with each passing cloud. Greyson remained deeply asleep, his body relaxed in a way I rarely saw when he was awake. Even in rest, he usually maintained some level of alertness, some readiness to spring into action. Tonight, after everything he'd shared, he'd finally surrendered to true rest.
I thought about everything he'd told me. About James Turner and that basement. About the things he'd been forced to endure, the innocence stolen from him when he was barely more than a child. About Meagan, his sister, who'd suffered alongside him. The weight of those revelations pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.
How did someone survive that and still function? How did they build a life, maintain relationships, present a face to the world that didn't scream about the damage beneath?
I knew the answer. I'd seen it in Greyson's carefully controlled movements, his calculated responses, the way he approached every situation like a chess game where he had to stay three moves ahead. He'd survived by building walls. By creating distance between himself and everyone around him. By never letting anyone close enough to see the cracks in his armor.
Until tonight.
Until he'd chosen to let me in, to show me the wounds he'd spent years hiding.
And now he was leaving.
The irony wasn't lost on me. Just when we'd taken the biggest step forward in our relationship, just when he'd shown me the most vulnerable parts of himself, he was pulling away. Not because he wanted to, but because his father demanded it. Because duty called. Because despite everything we'd shared, there were still parts of his life where I couldn't follow.
I understood the logic. I understood that his work in the family business often required secrecy, that knowing too much could put me in danger... understanding didn't make it hurt any less.
A small sound escaped me—half sigh, half sob and Greyson's arms tightened reflexively around me. Even in sleep, he was attuned to my distress.
"Shh," he murmured, still mostly asleep. "I've got you."
The simple words, spoken without conscious thought, nearly broke me. Because he did have me. Completely. And I had no idea if he truly understood what that meant, or if he'd ever be able to give me the same in return.
I forced myself to relax, to let my body melt back against his. There would be time for doubts and questions later. For now, I had these few remaining hours with him, and I wasn't going to waste them on worry.
Eventually, exhaustion caught up with me, pulling me down into fitful sleep. I dreamed of basements and shadows, of a young boy with Greyson's eyes, trapped and terrified. I dreamed of walls built so high they blocked out the sun, and of myself standing on the outside, calling his name but never quite able to make him hear.
When I woke, early morning light was just beginning to filter through the windows, painting everything in shades of gray and gold. Greyson was already awake, propped up on one elbow, watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read.
"How long have you been awake?" I asked, my voice rough with sleep.
"A while." His hand came up to brush a strand of hair away from my face. "I was memorizing this. You. Us. So I'd have something to hold onto while I'm gone."
The tenderness in his voice, in his touch, made my chest ache. "Grey..."
"I know," he said quietly. "I know this timing is terrible. I know I'm asking a lot, expecting you to wait while I disappear on mysterious business I can't explain. I know it's not fair."
"No," I agreed. "It's not. But since when has anything about us been fair?"
A ghost of a smile crossed his face. "True." He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "I should go. I need to pack, and my flight leaves in a few hours."
I wanted to ask him to stay. Wanted to wrap myself around him and refuse to let go. But I didn't. Instead, I nodded, forcing myself to be the understanding partner he needed rather than the clingy girlfriend I felt like being.
We rose together, moving through the morning routine with careful politeness. He showered while I made coffee. I dressed while he gathered his things. We moved around each other like dancers who'd practiced the steps a thousand times, never quite touching but always aware of where the other was.
At the door, he finally pulled me into his arms, holding me tight enough that I could feel his heartbeat against my cheek.
"I'll call you," he promised. "As soon as I can."
"I know." I tilted my head back to look at him. "Be safe, Grey. Whatever this meeting is about, whatever you have to do please be safe."
"Always." He kissed me then, deep and thorough, like he was trying to pour everything he couldn't say into that single gesture. When he finally pulled away, his eyes were dark with emotion. "Cassie, I—"
He stopped, the words catching in his throat.
"I know," I said again, because I did. I could see it in his eyes, feel it in the way he held me. He might not be able to say the words, but the feelings were there.
One more kiss, quick and almost desperate, and then he was gone. I stood in the doorway, watching until his car disappeared around the corner, feeling like a piece of myself had just driven away.
The apartment felt too quiet, too empty without him. I wandered from room to room, straightening things that didn't need straightening, finding traces of him everywhere I looked. A coffee cup he'd used. The indent on the pillow where his head had rested. The faint scent of his cologne lingering in the air.
I ended up back in the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed where just hours ago we'd shared something profound and transformative. The sheets were still rumpled, still held the warmth of our bodies.
This was what loving Greyson would be like, I realized. Moments of profound connection followed by distance. Walls coming down only to be rebuilt. Intimacy and isolation in equal measure.
The question remained: was I strong enough for this? Strong enough to love someone who might never be able to give me all of himself? Strong enough to accept the parts he could offer and not resent him for the parts he couldn't?
I lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, and tried to find an answer in the morning light.
The truth was, I didn't know. I couldn't know. Not yet. This thing between us was too new, too raw, too undefined to make any promises about the future.
But I knew one thing with absolute certainty: I wasn't ready to give up on him. On us. Not after last night. Not after seeing the man behind the walls, the wounded boy who'd survived and the strong man he'd become.
So I'd wait. I'd give him the space he needed to handle his business. And when he came back, we'd figure out the rest together.
One day at a time. One moment at a time.
Just like I'd promised.My phone rang and my father's face appeared on the screen
"Dad ?"
"Hey Cassie can you please come through for breakfast?"
"Give me an hour love you bye ."