The Sweetest Devotion

𝐗𝐈.

    "I'm trapped, Jay," I said softly. "It can only be sex with Keith, because if I fall for him, it'll only end badly."

    There was a knock at my door, drawing my attention across the room.

    "If you want to cut off ties now, I get it," Jadyn replied. "Whenever you want to escape the stress of Cain and your dad's situation, I'm here. Whatever you want, I support you."

    I was entirely overwhelmed with what was going on. Sinking on a raft with no way to land. Having at least one hand reaching out to help me lifted some weight from my shoulders.

    "Thank you, Jay. I mean it, you've been my rock since this whole thing started." I got up from the couch and went to answer the door. 

    "Of course, what are friends for?" Jadyn reasoned. "I don't want you to feel alone when you have me."

    I opened my mouth to thank her again, but the words never came out.

    Cain was on the other side of the door when I opened it. His men weren't too far behind him keeping lookout.

    "J-Jay? I gotta go," I let her know before I hung up.

    I was still in my sports bra and yoga pants, but Cain held the grace to look me in the eye.

    "Cain," I said as I leaned into my door. "You're back."

    He nodded. "I was in the neighborhood."

    Somehow, I doubted that. "Okay."

    There was no use in fighting him, so I let him into my suite and shut the door behind him. He made no move to remove his jacket or get comfortable. Instead, he stood in the foyer, staring back at me.

    "Do you have any plans?" he wanted to know.

    "Not particularly, why?"

    "I'd like to take you out on a date. Somewhere...special to me," Cain answered. His eyes ran down my current state of dress before returning to mine. "You'd have to change of course."

    I could've stood my ground, asked him to leave, but what was the point?

    "What should I wear?" I gave in.

    Cain's eyes returned to my figure. They were empty and impassive. If he lusted after me, he didn't let it show. "A dress."

    Classy. Got it.

    "I'm going to go shower and get ready. Please wait outside." I opened my door and Cain put up no right as he began making his way by me. It caught me by surprise he didn't insist on waiting in my living room. "Wait."

    Cain paused just as he'd made it back into the hallway. "Yes, Kennedy?"

    "You can wait in front of the TV," I offered.

    For the briefest second, Cain smiled at the change of plans, but still, he went over to his men and left me to be alone in my suite.

    Who knew the devil could be a gentleman?

    Cain was in a fitted black suit. I preferred white, but I had just the black Balmain dress in my closet for the occasion. After all, this was my funeral.

Forty minutes later I was in the back of a town car sitting beside Cain as we rode over to his surprise date. Like a dutiful fiancée, I wore my ring as my only accessory. My hair was back in a bun, I'd only applied mascara and eyeliner for makeup, and my Balmain mini dress had caught the eye of Cain and one of his men. Beans had the decency not to be affected by the sight of me.