Page 33 of The Sweetest Devotion

It was Cain.

My morally questionable fiancé.

Like always, he was sporting a suit, this one a three-piece indigo wool suit with a striped silver and navy tie that really did it for him. Cain looked impeccable in a suit. It wasn’t a surprise he’d been photographed candidly in style sections of gossip magazines and gossip pages online. He was bringing the suit and tie aesthetic back tenfold. His suits didn’t outweigh him. He wore them with confidence and a swagger most men would envy.

On paper, and in a photo, wedidmake sense together stylistically. My style was professional—dresses, blouses, and slacks. A look I’d always adored and obsessed over after growing up watching my father and mother go out to dinner or cocktail parties.

Still, even if we looked good together, it didn’t mean we were goodforeach other.

Cain’s men were hard to miss, as I spotted Beans and another man flanking the elevator and watching the hall for passersby.

I didn’t bother greetingmy future husband. Instead, I glowered at him, wanting him to get the hell on with whatever reason he’d stopped by.

He took his time in front of me, examining me in my state of dress. That morning, when I’d washed my face and brushed my teeth, I momentarily rejoiced that I hadn’t developed bags under my eyes or dark circles. My grim mind hadn’t taken my appearance yet.

“Can I come in?” Cain asked after a pause.

“If I say no?” I challenged.

“Then we can talk like this,” he said simply. He remained standing in my doorway peacefully as he stared at me, face hard to read. “I was out of line the last time we saw each other, and it’s unacceptable. I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t control my impulse to roll my eyes. “I don’t want to hear your apology. It means nothing, because we’restillengaged.”

“Fair point,” Cain admitted.

Even if he looked and sounded remorseful, I wasn’t moved. “So don’t bother starting off a cycle of doing wrong and apologizing.”

Cain peered into my eyes. “I don’t make apologies, Kennedy.”

Somehow, that felt fitting for what little I knew of his character. He ruled his business with an iron fist. He didn’t apologize for anything. Yet, he gave me that grace. “I should feel so special.” My eyes traveled to the plastic takeout bag in his hands. “What’s that?”

He extended the bag toward me. “Someone told me you haven’t left this hotel in days, and I wasn’t sure if that meant you were eating or not. It’s a bourbon salmon dish.”

I folded my arms. “I don’t want it.”

Cain did me one better by reaching past me and looping the bag on my doorknob. The fooddidsmell good, and it was nice he was considerate of my diet.

Cain wasn’t fazed by my attitude as he stood back and moved along with his visit. “Listen, I’m going to Vegas for a while.”

“Ah, business? Of the requiring infant-size coffin variety?”

Cain snorted softly. “Of the casino variety.”

If I was stuck with this man for the rest of my life, I didn’t want to be played for a fool.

“Don’t lie to me,” I told him. “Just tell it to me straight. If you’re going to do something heinous, I’d rather hear that than some lie. If you’re going to screw some other woman, you can tell me that too.”

Cain’s eyes snapped to mine. “I’d never cheat on you.”

“Said every man ever,” I let out sardonically.

He grimaced. “I’m. Loyal.”

The finality and anger laced in his two words said enough. Cain was monogamous. This engagement was a sham, and yetI’dalready stepped out.

“Okay,” I said in the end.

Cain ran his thumb along his bottom lip, studying me some more.“Have you seen your father?”

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