Cassidy waited until Cristian's breathing deepened into the steady rhythm of sleep. She carefully untangled herself from his arms and slid off the mattress. She walked out of the bedroom and headed toward the massive open kitchen.

Her bare feet slapped softly against the freezing marble floor. She walked to the island, grabbed a glass, and filled it with ice water from the dispenser.

She tipped her head back and drank the whole glass. The freezing liquid hit her stomach, trying to calm the violent cramps twisting her insides.

The phone she had left on the marble counter suddenly lit up. A soft buzz accompanied the light.

Cassidy set the empty glass down. She picked up the phone. It was an iMessage from Joy. It was a video file.

She hesitated for a fraction of a second. She quickly pressed the volume button down to mute, then tapped play.

The video was shaky. It showed a dark, neon-lit VIP booth at a club. Hayden was slumped over a table, wearing a tiny slip dress.

Cassidy stared at the screen. Even without sound, she could easily read Hayden's lips. She was sobbing, repeating the same word over and over: Cristian.

A second later, a text bubble popped up from Joy. "Darren and his idiot friends just said Cristian is already on his way to get her."

Cassidy's hand jerked violently. The phone slipped from her fingers and slammed hard against the marble counter. The crack echoed in the silent kitchen.

Her eyes widened in absolute horror. Her brain scrambled to process the information. Cristian had been so cold on the phone. Was it all an act? Did he wait for her to fall asleep so he could sneak out and play the hero?

She did not bother looking for her slippers. She turned and ran back down the long hallway toward the master bedroom. Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it was going to break her ribs.

She shoved the heavy bedroom door open and stared at the center of the room.

The bed was empty. The covers were thrown back on his side.

Cassidy felt the blood drain from her face. The room spun. She turned her head toward the massive walk-in closet.

The black trench coat he always wore was gone from its hook.

A suffocating wave of despair swallowed her whole. Her legs lost all strength. She leaned against the doorframe, sliding down until she hit the thick carpet.

She shoved her fist into her mouth, biting down hard on her own skin to stop the pathetic sobs from ripping out of her throat. She was a fool. She was just a placeholder.

Then, a sharp beep echoed from the front of the penthouse. The electronic lock on the main door clicked open.

Cassidy flinched. She pulled her hand from her mouth and wiped the tears off her face with the back of her sleeve.

She grabbed the wall and forced herself to stand. She stumbled out of the bedroom and walked toward the foyer.

The motion sensor lights flicked on. Cristian was standing by the front door. He was wearing his black trench coat. He was taking off his shoes. In his left hand, he held a brown paper bag.

He heard her footsteps and looked up. His dark eyes instantly locked onto her red, swollen eyes and her bare feet on the cold floor.

His jaw tightened. He closed the distance between them in three long strides. "Why are you walking around without shoes?" he demanded, his voice sharp with reprimand.

Cassidy just stood there. She stared at him, her brain completely short-circuiting. She could not process what she was seeing.

Cristian let out a heavy sigh. He bent down, scooped her up into his arms, and carried her into the living room.

He dropped her onto the plush sofa. He placed the brown paper bag on the glass coffee table. The smell of toasted bread and melted cheese wafted into the air.

"You were tossing and turning," Cristian said, unbuttoning his coat. "I figured you were hungry. I went down to the 24-hour deli on the corner and got you a sandwich."

Cassidy looked at the steaming bag of food. The tears she had just fought back broke loose again. They poured down her face, this time born from the overwhelming, dizzying high of absolute relief.

Cristian froze. He looked completely out of his depth. He sat down next to her, his large, rough thumbs clumsily wiping the tears off her cheeks. "Cassidy, what happened?" he asked, his voice dropping to a low, concerned rumble. "Why are you crying?"

Cristian picked Cassidy up from the sofa and carried her back down the hallway. He walked into the master bedroom and placed her gently in the center of the bed.

He pulled a thin blanket up over her legs. He turned around and walked toward the adjoining sitting room to pour her a glass of warm water.

Cassidy sniffled. She watched his broad shoulders disappear around the corner. A heavy wave of guilt washed over her. She had doubted him.

Then, panic spiked in her chest. Her phone. She had left it on the kitchen island. Joy might send another message.

Cassidy threw the blanket off. She sprinted out of the bedroom, her bare feet slapping against the floorboards, and ran straight to the kitchen. She grabbed the phone off the marble counter.

The moment her fingers touched the screen, a new voice message popped up from Joy.

Cassidy's heart raced. She was desperate to hear exactly what Joy had to say. Her hand trembled as she reached for the screen. She intentionally tapped the play icon, completely forgetting that her phone was still paired to the kitchen's Bluetooth speaker system from when she was listening to music earlier that evening. Instantly, Joy's voice blasted through the penthouse at maximum volume.

"Cass! Did your husband go or not? That little bitch is still crying at the club. You better not let him rekindle his old flame!"

The words echoed off the high ceilings like a bomb going off.

Cassidy screamed. She fumbled with the phone, desperately trying to hit the volume down button. Her hands shook so violently that the phone slipped from her grasp and crashed onto the hardwood floor.

Cristian walked out of the sitting room, holding a glass of water. He stopped dead in his tracks at the edge of the hallway.

The apartment fell into a suffocating, dead silence. The only sound was the faint rattle of the phone settling on the floor.

Cassidy stood frozen by the island. All the blood rushed out of her face, leaving her chalk-white. She forgot how to breathe. Her mind went completely blank.

Cristian looked down at the phone on the floor. He slowly lifted his gaze and locked eyes with Cassidy, who was shaking like a terrified child.

He did not yell. He did not throw the glass. He walked forward with slow, measured steps. He placed the water glass on the marble counter.

He bent down and picked up the phone. The screen had a spiderweb crack across it. He pressed the lock button, silencing the device.

He handed the phone back to her. His dark, piercing eyes never left her face.

Cassidy reached out with a trembling hand and took it. She dropped her chin to her chest, bracing herself for the explosion of his anger.

Instead, Cristian reached out. He pinched her chin between his thumb and index finger, forcing her head up so she had to look him in the eye.

"Is this why you were crying earlier?" he asked. His voice was terrifyingly calm, but it demanded the absolute truth.

Cassidy bit her lower lip so hard she tasted copper. Tears welled up in her eyes again. She gave a tiny, jerky nod.

Cristian let out a long breath. His thumb moved, slowly stroking the soft skin of her cheek. His expression turned deadly serious.

"Listen to me, Cassidy," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Hayden and I ended things three years ago. There is nothing left."

Cassidy blinked. Her breath hitched. In three years of marriage, he had never once explained his past to her.

Cristian stepped closer, his chest almost touching hers. "I have zero interest in recycling garbage from the past. And I certainly would not run out in the middle of the night for her." He paused, his thumb gently stroking her jawline. "And when Darren called earlier, I didn't tell you who it was because I didn't want you to worry over nothing. It was nonsense, and it had no place in our bedroom."

The word "garbage" hit Cassidy's ears and sent a shockwave of pure joy straight to her heart. The heavy, suffocating weight in her chest evaporated.

Cristian watched the fear leave her eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched upward in a helpless, almost fond smirk.

He pulled her into his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head. "Next time you have a question, ask me. Stop listening to outsiders."

Cassidy buried her face into his solid chest. She wrapped her arms tight around his waist and let out a soft "Okay." The crisis that had nearly destroyed her mind was gone.

Cristian kept his arm wrapped tight around Cassidy's shoulders as he guided her back into the master bedroom.

He pressed his hand against her lower back, forcing her to sit on the edge of the mattress. He turned and walked into the bathroom, returning a moment later with a dry, white towel.

He dropped to one knee on the floor in front of her. He lifted her right foot and began to gently wipe the dirt and dust from her sole with the towel.

Cassidy gasped. She tried to pull her foot back, her toes curling in shock. Heat rushed up her neck and burned her cheeks. "Cristian, I can wash them myself."

He ignored her protest. His grip on her ankle was firm and unyielding. He meticulously cleaned both feet before standing up and tossing the towel toward the laundry hamper.

He sat down next to her. The mattress dipped under his heavy frame, sliding her slightly closer to him.

Cristian turned his head. His dark eyes locked onto hers, intense and entirely focused. "Besides Hayden, do you have any other questions?"

Cassidy's heart skipped a beat. Her stomach fluttered. She knew this was the opening she needed.

She looked down at her hands. Her thumbnail dug into the side of her index finger, a nervous habit she could not break. A violent war raged in her head.

If she stayed a contract wife, she could be replaced tomorrow. If they had a child, the bond would be permanent.

Cassidy sucked in a deep breath of air. She forced her hands to stop fidgeting. She lifted her chin and looked straight into his dark eyes.

She gathered every ounce of courage she possessed. Her voice shook, but the words were clear. "Cristian, I want to have a baby."

The air in the bedroom vanished. The silence was so absolute she could hear the hum of the air conditioning unit.

Cristian froze. The fingers resting on his thigh twitched and curled into a loose fist. A flash of pure shock crossed his face.

He clearly had not expected his quiet, compliant wife to drop a bomb like this.

Cassidy watched his silence. The light in her eyes died. Panic seized her throat. She started to backtrack instantly.

"I mean, it was just a thought," she stammered, her words tumbling out in a rush. "If you think it is not the right time, we can forget I said anything."

She tried to stand up, desperate to escape the suffocating tension.

Cristian's large hand shot out. His fingers clamped around her wrist like a vice.

He yanked her backward. Cassidy lost her balance and crashed hard against his solid chest.

Cristian twisted his body, pinning her flat against the soft mattress. He hovered over her, his broad shoulders blocking out the light. His eyes were dark, swirling with a dangerous, predatory heat.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper. "If we have a child, you are permanently tied to the George family. There is no walking away."

Cassidy stared up at his handsome face. She did not hesitate. She nodded her head. It was exactly what she wanted.

Cristian's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. The shock in his eyes melted away, replaced by a deep, terrifyingly intense satisfaction.

He lowered his head until his lips brushed against her ear. "Alright. As you wish, Mrs. George."

The sound of her title on his lips sent a violent shiver down her spine.

Cristian's mouth crashed down on hers. It was a punishing, bruising kiss, demanding everything she had. He was punishing her for trying to run away a second ago.

Cassidy closed her eyes. She reached up, her hands gripping his wide shoulders, kissing him back with equal desperation.

He tore the buttons of her pajama top open. The fabric gave way, and the cool air hit her skin before his burning hands replaced it.

This was not their usual routine. This was raw, desperate, and completely consuming.

Hours later, the sky outside began to lighten. Cassidy lay exhausted, her head resting on Cristian's arm. She fell asleep with a small, secure smile on her lips.

Cristian lay awake in the dark. He stared at her sleeping face. His fingers gently traced the curve of her cheek. His eyes were dark and unreadable, swirling with a heavy, unspoken possessiveness that he himself had not fully realized yet.