Page 118 of The Sweetest Devotion

Cain returned to his cake, and it really was a wonder watching him eat. He’d try a new flavor and smile to himself at the taste. Something that wasn’t a big deal to me, was a lot to him. He’d never experienced a life of having an open channel for desserts before, making me question his foster parents and their approach to his diet. He sat beside me a tall and lean man, muscular, but not too much.

“Was your time in foster care all bad?” I asked.

Cain cut into a slice of red velvet cake, my least favorite due to how rich it often was. “Yes.”

I wasn’t a cruel person. I didn’t have it in me to not feel horrible for how he’d grown up and what he’d gone through.

“The best home I stayed at was only for a night, and then the rest were different versions of hell.” He suddenly shrugged as if it were not a big deal. “But don’t feel bad. It motivated me in a lot of ways. I grew from the experience.”

“I feel like you’d benefit if you talked to someone, expressed yourself openly and honestly,” I said softly, trying to be gentle so he wouldn’t lash out.

Cain’s gaze cut to me. “Don’t ask me questions if you’re just going to analyze me.”

I should’ve backed down, but I couldn’t let him walk all over me. I couldn’t let him win. “That’s what marriage is, Cain. Knowing your spouse through and through. We’re literally strangers to each other.”

“You come from a castle, and I come from the very bottom,” Cain pointed out. “You’ve never had to do the things I have to survive. Your parents loved and tucked you in. I was born in secret and treated like a mistake. You can’t handle my truth, and I’d rather spare you the details than have your pity.”

I didn’t mean to pity him. His turnaround was legendary, overcoming his adversity and becoming one of the richest men in the West was a story of a champion. But there was no mistaking the fact that he wasn’t happy. That something was missing behind his eyes. Whatever that was,Icouldn’t fill that void. He deserved true love, someone who wanted him, the good, the bad, and all the ugly. And that just wasn’t me.

“Cain,” I started, trying to stay calm and not have a panic attack. “What if…we didn’t get married? What if we just became friends and got to know each other? Who knows, you might not evenlikeme in the end.”

Cain took my hand, going and adjusting his ring I was wearing. He lifted his eyes to mine. “If I say yes, then what?”

I couldn’t believe he was considering it. That he’d give me an out. “Then we’ll be friends.Bestfriends if you want.”

A corner of his lips quirked up. But then he was shaking his head. “I say yes, and then you play along for who knows how long before you suddenly meet someone else? And then I’m left with nothing, but abestfriend?

“I left my last ex because I found out she was trying to get pregnant. I lost trust.” He ran his thumbs over my knuckles. His soft touch always such a paradox to who he was as a person. “I’d hate to lose my trust in you, Kennedy.”

“Y-You trust me?” Surprise filled my voice at the revelation.

Cain nodded once. “Every day I don’t receive a phone call from one of my friends at the HHPD, I’m a little more impressed with you. Do I knoweverything about you? No, but I like what I see and know so far. I’m anticipating the rest.” He scooted closer. “So stop trying to get out of this marriage, because it’s happening, Wife.”

The finality in his words let me know there was no escaping him. His admission to having friends at the local police station let me know there was no stopping his wrath. No calling for help. There was no way out.

Cain Carter really owned me.

He reached into his pocket and procured those familiar clear red dice. “Let’s just see how the dice roll, okay?”

“Okay,” I accepted.

For show, Cain released the dice onto the table with a subtle flick of his wrist.

He hadn’t even tried and he’d rolled a seven.

22

Boysall around the gym were either shooting hoops or studying. Except one.

Dominique was sitting on a bleacher by himself when I approached him. He was texting on his phone. The goofy grin on his face let me know he was more than likely talking to a girl.

“?’Sup?” I asked as I took a seat next to him.

He jumped. His eyes enlarged as he whipped his head in my direction. “Come on, bro. Don’t be doin’ that.”

Looking at Dominique head-on, I could see bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and an uneasiness about him.

Something was up, but I couldn’t dive in just yet. I could tell by the way he was eyeing me that his guard was up and he wasn’t about to come out and tell me he was in trouble.

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