34. Thirty-Four

Thirty-Four

Cass

As the echo of Derrick’s words fades, my chest heaves and my hands shake. The weight of what I’ve just learned presses down, threatening to crush me. But beneath the anger, betrayal, and heartbreak, there’s something else—

Because now I know the truth. And I’m going to make damn sure that Derrick’s manipulation, his hold over our lives, ends finally here and now.

I glance down at Kendrick, nestled in my arms. The sight of her stops me in my tracks. She’s barefoot, wearing yoga pants and one of my old shirts hanging loosely over her frame. But she’s never looked more beautiful. Like she just stepped out of my dreams.

She stares up at me, her gray eyes still glistening with tears. “You came back early,” she says as the sorrow slowly starts to fade from her face, leaving only a welcoming smile.

“Yeah,” I say huskily, “I couldn’t stay away.” I slide my hand to the small of her back, pulling her closer when Cassidy rushes into the room, still in her pajamas. “Dad!” she squeals, throwing her arms around us in a sleepy hug. “I thought I heard voices.”

Holding her tight, I press my cheek against hers without releasing Kendrick. “Hey, sweetheart,” I say, my voice rough with emotion. “Sorry it’s so late, but I missed you guys.”

She pulls back, grinning sleepily. “You were amazing in that interview. Mom and I watched it together, and she cried—I wasn’t supposed to tell you that,” she adds with an impish grin.

I chuckle, letting loose my hold on Cassidy. “Your secret’s safe with me. How are you holding up?”

Her face flushes with pride, “Now, everybody knows you’re my dad.”

“Of course,” I say, kissing her forehead. “I want the whole world to know.”

Cassidy beams, then looks at her mother, who has been silently watching our exchange, as she gathers her composure. “Mom’s been counting the hours till you came home,” she tells me, trying unsuccessfully to hide a yawn.

I laugh, and my eyes meet Kendrick’s. “Well, I’m home now, aren’t I?” Turning back to my daughter, I suggest softly. “Cassidy, why don’t you go back to bed? I’ll still be here in the morning.”

Cassidy nods as she covers another yawn with her hand. After she trails up the stairs, I turn back to Kendrick and take her hand. “Come with me,” I say, leading her toward the sliding glass doors.

The early morning air is cool against my skin as we step onto the sand. The moon casts its silver glow over the waves, their soft rhythm matching the pounding of my heart. I stop and turn to face her, the light catching her features, making her eyes shine like stars.

“Kendrick,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “There’s something I need to tell you, now that I know what Derrick did–”

“Cass, I’m sorry—“ she begins, her voice trembling, but I shake my head gently, brushing a loose strand of hair from her cheek.

“Let me finish,” I say softly. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for you, Kendrick. To walk away from everything we had, everything we could’ve been—because of him. And to carry that alone all these years.” My voice thickens, and I take a steadying breath. “You didn’t deserve that. We didn’t deserve that.”

Tears again spill over her lashes, trailing down her cheeks, and I reach up, brushing them away with my thumb. “You left out of love.” I continue, my voice raw. “You sacrificed everything for me. For my dream… The heartbreak is in your song–those powerful gut-wrenching lyrics.”

“I didn’t want to go.” She shakes her head, her voice breaking. “I did it to protect you. To give you the chance to have the life you deserved. I didn’t want to hold you back.”

“You never held me back,” I whisper fiercely. “You were my reason to keep going. And when you left…” I pause, the words catching in my throat. “I didn’t know how to make sense of anything without you.”

Her hand lifts, trembling, and rests against my chest, right over my heart. “I thought I was doing the right thing,” she murmurs, her tears falling freely. “But every single day, I missed you. Every moment, I wondered if I’d made a terrible mistake.”

I cover her hand with mine, pressing it firmly to my chest. “You didn’t make a mistake, Kendrick. Derrick did. He manipulated you, and he tried to control me. But that’s over now. He’s out of our lives for good. And I’m not letting anyone or anything come between us again.”

She searches my eyes as if trying to believe the words and let them sink in. “Cass,” she whispers, her voice full of doubt and longing, “are you sure? What if Derrick’s right, and we ruin your career? I don’t want to be the reason you give up something you love.”

I smile a slow, genuine smile that comes from deep within. “I’m not giving anything up,” I say, my voice steady and certain. “I’m building something real—something lasting. A life with you and Cassidy. That is what I want.”

Her lips part as if to speak, but no words come. Instead, she leans into me, her head resting against my chest. I hold her tightly, my heart pounding with the weight of everything I feel for this woman—the love, the gratitude, the unshakable certainty that this is exactly where I’m meant to be.

And as the moonlight spills over us, illuminating the path ahead, I know it’s time to say the words I’ve carried in my heart for so long.

“I love you,” I say simply. “I’ve loved you since the first moment I saw you all those years ago. Even when you left, even when I didn’t understand why... I never stopped. And now that you’re back in my life, I’ll never let you go.”

Her breath hitches, and she just stares at me for a moment, her eyes wide and glistening. Cass,“ she whispers, her voice trembling, “I love you too. I always have. Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I swear I’ll never do it again.”

My lips find hers in a kiss that feels so right–so loving. It’s soft and slow, filled with all the unspoken promises we’ve carried for years. The world fades away until it’s just us, standing together in the moonlight with the force of the ocean surrounding us.

When we finally pull back, her cheeks are flushed, her smile radiant.

“There are a few things I still need to tell you about, but later,” I say, cradling her in my arms.

“So,” she says, her voice soft, “what’s next for Cass Wild, rockstar and family man?”

I grin, brushing my thumb lovingly over her cheek, and promise, “Whatever we want.”