Chapter 35

35

Cass

I 've been keeping myself busy with the arrangements all day Friday, trying to keep my mind off Cole. But since this is all for him, it's not been an easy task.

Ending things with him last night, yet again, was the right thing for both of us.

If I keep repeating that sentence to myself over and over again, maybe I'll eventually believe it.

I was able to get fifteen out of twenty fraternity guys to attend our fake reunion on such short notice, which was a small miracle. Daddy won't be happy about all the airfares on his credit card, or the free rooms, but if we find Cole's father then it'll all be worth it.

Now, the hard part.

"Free lap dances for a DNA clinical trial? Seriously?" I ask Eli when I catch up to him in the front lobby Friday after getting his text. It's my very last shift before Daddy and Vanessa come home .

"Hell, yes," Eli replies smugly. "I told them it was for a very important ‘clinical trial' to end erectile disfunction."

"And you think that will actually work to convince them?"

"It already is working."

I shake my head in disbelief. "No way."

"Get a straight man drunk, offer him free titties in his face, and he'll do anything you fucking want. Especially to cure ED. We should have all the samples for you soon."

"Wow. That's…great."

"The dancers are aware that DNA is for a paternity test, but not for whom. They're collecting and labeling each sample as they get them. And getting paid extra, obviously."

"Thank you. I owe you one," I tell him while throwing my arms around his neck.

"I didn't take you for a hugger. Stop it before someone sends a photo to Dante."

"Sorry. I'm just nervous," I say with a forced smile when I release him.

"Do you know where you're going to send the samples yet?" he asks, straightening the sides of his suit jacket like I wrinkled the material in seconds.

"I've already spoken to a local testing facility that can have the results within twenty-four hours."

"So maybe before the men leave on Sunday?"

Holding up my crossed fingers, I tell him, "That's the hope."

"And they're going to be able to process this many samples over the weekend?" he asks in disbelief.

"For a small additional fee per sample that I've already promised them."

"Paid for by Daddy's black card?" he guesses with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course. I didn't think he would mind."

"Oh, Dante won't mind. At least, not unless Vanessa minds. "

"Oh, shit. Vanessa," I mutter, slapping my palm over my forehead. "Do you think I should've told her before doing all this?"

"Yes, you should have told her! How do you think she's going to react to you tracking down Cole's daddy behind her back?"

"He may not even tell her. I don't even know if he'll want to meet him if he's even one of the men in the group that showed up."

"Cole will want to meet his father, Cass. But sure, leave telling Vanessa up to him."

"She won't be angry with me, will she? I mean, Cole has been wondering who his father is for twenty-one years!"

"And you somehow pulled off the impossible in one weekend. If anything, Vanessa may be a little ticked about that."

"I'm trying to stay optimistic, I am. But…what if Cole's father is not here? This whole plan may be for nothing if he's not one of those fifteen men."

"It's not nothing. This is definitely something, Cass. And even if your plan doesn't succeed, you should still tell Cole. Won't you have to anyway in order to get his DNA sample?"

Crap. He's probably right. I've been trying to avoid Cole since the other night in the pool. Our last night together. Maybe I could steal Cole's toothbrush or find a strand of his light blond hair…

"I know what you're thinking," Eli says. "If you fuck up the sample, then this really is all for nothing. You have to tell him and swab his damn mouth."

"Why should I tell him and get his hopes up?" I ask him quietly, not mentioning that we're not exactly speaking to each other at the moment. I've been avoiding Cole, and he hasn't sought me out. Not that I want him to.

"Cole should know that you went to all this trouble for him."

"It wasn't that much trouble. I only made a few phone calls. You did most of the hard work scheduling all the reservations and arranging the food and servers for the ballroom, then the strippers."

"Cass, you know what I meant. Cole should know that he's more than just a fuck buddy for you. "

"That's all we are, asshole. He's my stepbrother and I think he deserves to know who fathered him. Don't make it more than it is. Besides, we're no longer fuck buddies."

"Why not? You think you love him more than he loves you? If you can't see that the boy feels the exact same way about you, then you're a fucking idiot."

I squash down the hope trying to spring up in my chest like an elephant stomping on a ripe tomato. "It doesn't matter. It's over. He's leaving soon."

"Only for a year."

Biting my lip I admit, "He mentioned trying to convince Daddy to let me go with him to New York."

"I knew it!" Eli exclaims triumphantly, both of his arms raised in the air like he just scored a touchdown. "And you shot him down, didn't you?"

"Of course, I did. I told you; we're done."

"Why, Cass?"

"Because he can't stay or..."

"Or what?"

"Or he may not survive the fallout. You know that as well as I do, Eli."

"Bullshit. I think you're just scared to tell him the truth, about everything. You're afraid he'll bail like a pussy, like those two guards you were fucking."

I gasp indignantly. "How did you know about them?"

"Two young, hot as fuck men on the night shift quitting around the same time, fleeing this place like their dicks were on fire? Oh, and recently reported as ‘missing.' Yeah, I figured you and Cole had something to do with it. I also heard from security that Cole confronted one of your dates in the parking lot…at gunpoint. And despite all of that evidence, you still doubt how he feels about you?"

Shaking my head, I tell him the truth. "It doesn't matter how he feels. I'm not worth it—my father's wrath or ruining everything between Daddy and Vanessa. "

"You don't know for certain that it would ruin anything." I raise my brows at him, and he rolls his eyes. "Your father can sometimes be reasoned with, especially if Vanessa is on your side."

"Those are long shots, and you know it." Sighing, I mutter, "Besides, there's still time for me to fix this...quietly without anyone else knowing."

"If that's how you wanted this to go, you would've ended it already, as soon as Dante and Vanessa left town at the very least. So, stop lying to yourself."

Swallowing around the lump in my throat, I tell him, "I know I should but..."

"You may as well come clean before your father is the one demanding DNA tests."

Shaking my head adamantly, I tell him, "No. He can't make me give him a name. I won't. No matter what."

"Dante may not force you to talk, but he could have me string up every man who has ever stepped foot in this casino until he finds a match, your stepbrother included."

"There's no reason for him to question anything if I get engaged or married soon."

"You would tie yourself to a stranger just to keep Cole out of the crossfire? He wouldn't want you to do that, Cass, to take on that burden alone, and you fucking know it."

"Then I won't give him the chance to do anything stupid."

"Speaking of stupid things, your VIP guest should be arriving any minute now. Her plane just landed. I didn't want to put that in a text message, but that's why I told you to come to the front desk."

"Okay. Well, that's good. I'm ready to get this over with," I tell him.

"Are you sure? I could do it for you."

"No, I need to be the one who handles her. You can watch, of course."

"Oh, I'm definitely watching. How do you plan to start?" he asks.

"I'm not sure yet. Do you have any suggestions? What hurts the most?"

"If I had to choose, either knives or fire."

"Great. Let's do both," I say while watching the front door. Eli doesn't leave my side, more excited about this than I am.

I instantly recognize the middle-aged brunette when she walks through the doors like she owns the place.

"That's her. That's the cunt extorting Cole," I tell Eli.

He gives some sort of finger pointing circular motion to the guards at the door and they immediately pounce on her.

After half an hour of tormenting the indignant, whiny bitch, I'm tired of looking at her fucking face. Tired of remembering that Cole has seen her naked and been inside of her. Thank fuck he wore a rubber in those videos because she's probably a nasty bitch.

Gagging her was the first thing I did, having learned my lesson from conversating with Gavin. There's not a damn thing I want to hear from her mouth.

Holding the lighter to her hair and letting it burn wasn't nearly as satisfying as carving the c-u-n-t into her stomach with a knife. Even if no one will ever see the label since she's not long for this world, it still felt really fucking good to label her for exactly what she was.

"Lower her down," I instruct Eli who has happily stood by and watched. Then to her, after he complies with my order, I say, "I think I remember in one video that you liked Cole's hands around your throat. I doubt you'll like mine as much."

My fingers grab on to her neck and squeeze. Watching the cougar's face change into such a variety of colors feels almost like creating art.

"She's dead, Cass," Eli informs me several minutes later when he comes closer to exam her .

Wow. He's right. There's not a twitch left in her, so I let her go and step away from her corpse.

"Can I…take over?" the crazy bastard asks.

Ew. I know exactly what he wants to do. And while it's disturbing as hell, I also think it's highly appropriate for the skanky whore.

"Knock yourself out."

"Fuck, yeah!"

"I'll, um, go check on the floor, and then come back to help you get rid of her. Just text me when you're done."

"I can handle the body dump if you'll help me load her up. It's the least I can do for this fun-filled afternoon," he assures me.

"You're a sick fuck, Eli," I tell him with a shake of my head as I walk to the elevator. "And it's kind of awesome."

His cackling laughter follows me all the way up to the lobby.