Page 29 of Session 33

Silas was striking as fuck—tall, about 6'7", built like he played pro ball at some point. He had the kind of chiseled features that gave him an unfair level of good looks, and he carried himself with that air of arrogance men have when they know they look good and don’t let you forget it. It was more obnoxious than Cassius, but pretty much the same vibe. Silas gave me a once-over, his eyes lingering a bit too long on my breasts and thighs.

“This is Angel,” Cassius said, his voice calm but with a slight edge, like he was already checking Silas before anything even popped off.

Silas smirked at me—strange and sly. Pulling me into a hug that was a bit too tight and a bit too long, his hand slid to the small of my back.

“Nice to meet you, Angel,” he drawled. Then he turned to Cassius with a grin. “Not your usual type, Cassius.”

Silas took a place at my side, slinging an arm around my neck.

Cassius chuckled. “Yeah, but that’s a good thing.”

What the fuck did he mean,not his usual type?Their laughter rubbed me the wrong way, but I forced a smile, trying to hide my annoyance. “Nice to meet you too, Silas.”

I couldn’t help but notice how Cassius watched Silas being touchy and flirty but didn’t say anything. If it had been anyone else, he would’ve said something. He’d cursed out some dude just for looking my way too long. I wondered what their dynamic was.

I sidestepped Silas’ embrace. “Y’all have a good game,” I said, hoping it would be over quick.

I took a seat on the bleachers, my legs bouncing as I watched the game kick off. Silas was loud as hell, talking shit every chance hegot, hyping himself up and taunting the other team. The other team wasn’t backing down—they were giving as good as they got.

I could see Cassius was getting frustrated, his jaw tight as he tried to keep his cool. Somebody shoved him from behind as he went in for a layup, and the game got even more heated. Silas retaliated by shoving one of the other players. The gym erupted into chaos as people tried to separate them.

I didn’t even think about it. I jumped up and rushed over, grabbing Cassius’ arm to pull him back before it got worse. “Come on, let’s go,” I said. “You can’t be out here fighting.”

He snatched his arm away so fast, I damn near stumbled. The look he gave me was cold as hell, and when he spoke, his voice was sharp enough to cut. “Don’t tell me what the fuck to do, Angel. Who the fuck is you?”

I physically recoiled, hurt and surprised. It took everything in me to push down my anger. Cassius really didn’t know me well enough to be yelling at me like that.

We stood there, locked in a staring contest, until finally, he sighed and relented. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, his anger dissipating. “Let’s just go.”

I stared at him for a second longer, my heart still racing. The apology helped, but it didn’t erase what he’d said.

As we walked to the car in silence, the tension between us was thick. I kept glancing at him, wondering if this was a glimpse of the man I didn’t know yet.

Once we were inside, he turned to me. “I’m sorry for snapping at you.” He took my hand and kissed the palm.

“It’s okay,” I said, trying to sound reassuring, but it wasn’t okay. I was trying to work out in my head how to tell him withoutstarting a fight. Cassius hadn’t met my temper yet, and we probably wouldn’t make it if he did—this early, anyway.

We drove to the restaurant for brunch in silence, the awkwardness lingering between us. I watched him closely, wondering about his friendship with Silas. He wasn’t as volatile with Jonas or even Naomi.

When we arrived, the lady at the front station seated us immediately. I was just starting to relax when my eyes landed on Silas. He had changed, and damn near every woman in the restaurant’s eyes were on him. My heart sank as Cassius waved him over.

“Hey, I invited Silas to join us. I hope that’s alright,” he said casually as Silas walked over.

I forced a smile. “Of course,” I said, but inside, I was fuming. Why didn’t he tell me?

His presence immediately dominated the table. He was loud and brash, making crude jokes and talking over me. I pretended it was okay, but inside, I felt uneasy. I watched Cassius, wondering if this was who he really was when he wasn’t trying to impress me.

Later that night, after we got to my house, Naomi called. I had to ask her about Silas.

“Who is Silas, Naomi?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

There was a long pause, and then Naomi sighed. “You know the lil’ devil on cartoon characters’ shoulders? He’s Jonas and Cassius’ lil’ devil.” I could hear her teeth gritting through the phone.

Chapter twenty two

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.”

---