Chapter 3
Anastasia’s eyes widened at his blunt assessment. She rushed to explain, momentarily dropping her composed façade.
“God, no—that’s not what this is.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Jasper and I are done. Completely done. My grandmother Elisabeth is in her eighties now, and seeing me settled has been her dream forever.” She met his gaze directly. “I need someone, and I don’t need more time to decide who.”
Make Cassian Rhodes her backup plan? She’d rather play Russian roulette with five bullets.
Cassian studied her, his expression giving nothing away while his eyes caught every micro-expression crossing her face.
“You’re ready to walk away from him? Just like that?” His tone suggested casual interest, but there was something predatory in his stillness.
“When they’re serial cheaters who fuck your stepsister behind your back?” Anastasia’s voice turned razor-sharp. “I’d run, not walk.”
The conversation she’d overheard had sobered her instantly. The alcohol buzz was gone, replaced by crystal clarity.
After hearing Jasper talk about her like she was disposable, something had snapped permanently.
Cassian’s perfect eyebrow arched slightly, something dangerous flickering behind his eyes that made her pulse quicken.
He shifted closer, his designer cologne enveloping her. “Are you absolutely certain this is what you want?” The controlled rasp in his voice sent shivers down her spine.
Her eyes might have been glistening in the dim light, but her voice was steel. “I’m throwing out the trash, and I’m not looking back.”
In one fluid movement that she couldn’t have anticipated, Cassian’s arm slid around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. His lips brushed her ear as he spoke, “You realize what you’re starting, don’t you, Anastasia?” His breath was warm against her skin. “Once I have something, I don’t let it go.”
Heat bloomed across her cheeks and spread lower. Her heart hammered so hard she was certain he could feel it where their bodies pressed together. After a breathless moment, she looked up through her lashes. “I’m counting on it.”
Common sense had officially left the chat.
“Good.” His thumb traced her jawline. “We’ll get the license tomorrow.” Cassian’s tone made it clear this wasn’t a discussion—it was happening.
“That fast?” she whispered, caught between excitement and vertigo.
“Second thoughts already?” His lips curved into something not quite a smile. “Or just eager to make it official?”
“No second thoughts.” She found herself leaning into his touch. “Would you mind driving me home? I need to get my documentation.”
Twenty minutes later, Cassian’s sleek black Bentley glided to a stop in front of her Upper East Side brownstone.
Anastasia currently shared the place with her grandmother Elisabeth—her sanctuary after everything had fallen apart.
When her father Sharpson Kingsley had walked out on them for his younger mistress Whitney Stone, he’d torn their family to shreds without a backward glance.
Whitney’s daughter had even taken the Kingsley name, becoming Valeria—a constant reminder of what had been stolen.
Anastasia’s mother Sheila hadn’t been able to handle the betrayal. After a spiral into depression, she’d died in a car accident that Anastasia had always suspected wasn’t entirely accidental.
The memory still gutted her. Every time she thought about it, the wound reopened as fresh as the day it happened.
That’s why she would never forgive Sharpson. Her mother’s death was on his hands.
Anastasia would carry that anger to her grave.
Valeria—three years her junior and freshly graduated with a business degree she’d barely earned—had somehow landed a position at Jasper’s company, J&A.
At a company gala weeks earlier, Valeria had performed some sexy dance routine that had every man in the room drooling. That must have been when Jasper’s wandering eye had first locked onto her stepsister.
J&A had become one of the industry’s most talked-about jewelry brands in recent years, featured in Vogue and worn on red carpets.
That status was undoubtedly why Valeria had maneuvered her way in.
Though Anastasia also worked at J&A, she headed the design department, working mostly in her private studio.
She rarely crossed paths with Jasper during business hours and had zero involvement in HR decisions.
She’d been blindsided at that company party when she’d spotted Valeria schmoozing with executives.
Anastasia hadn’t made a scene—she’d severed emotional ties with the Kingsley family years ago.
She just never imagined Jasper would sink to sleeping with her stepsister.
To win approval from Jasper’s old-money family, Anastasia had worked herself to exhaustion, proving her worth through talent rather than pedigree. All for nothing.
Her natural gift for design had earned her gold at the prestigious A’ Design Award in the Jewelry category—the industry’s highest honor.
After falling for Jasper, they’d built J&A together from the ground up.
They’d spent a weekend at the Hamptons brainstorming the company name. The memory now felt like a cruel joke.
“We’re here,” Cassian’s deep voice drew her back from the edge of her thoughts. His hand covered hers briefly—a surprisingly gentle gesture. “It’s late—I’ll meet Elisabeth properly another time. Wouldn’t want to give the lady a shock tonight.”
Anastasia blinked, surprised by his consideration. She nodded. “Yeah, that’s… thoughtful of you.”
“Get some sleep.” His eyes traveled over her face as if memorizing it. “I’ll send a car at nine tomorrow morning. We’re doing this properly.”
“Okay.” Anastasia found herself responding softly, the fight in her temporarily subdued by his unexpected gentleness.
