Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 192

A blinding light flicked on, snapping Cassian out of his haze. Slowly, his senses returned.

Gone was the deceptive golden glow; Gennifer's face now stood clear before him.

His pupils constricted. Despite the ache in his limbs, Cassian jerked back, putting distance between himself and Gennifer.

The air felt thick and off. Instinctively, he turned his head and saw Ruby standing a few feet away, cradling Mira, her gaze cold and unreadable as she stared at the two of them.

Panic shot through Cassian, making his hands tremble. He opened his mouth, desperate to explain himself.

But before he could utter a word, all he heard was Ruby's steady footsteps. She ignored the tableau on the couch, walking through the living room and switching on each hallway light as she headed toward the kitchen. There, she calmly started preparing a bottle of formula for Mira.

Gennifer's eyes lingered on Ruby's retreating figure before turning back to Cassian, her cheeks still flushed. "Cassian, you're awake?"

There was hope in her eyes.

Cassian's expression hardened; his gaze was cold as ice. "Why are you still here?"

Gennifer froze, clearly caught off guard by his first words. She faltered, then forced a smile. "You were drunk. I brought you back—I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Cassian pressed his lips together, silent. His eyes swept over her face, his brow still furrowed.

Right. He'd been drunk.

He lowered his gaze, fingers massaging his throbbing temples as a sharp pain lanced through his skull.

Watching the change in his expression, Gennifer quickly stepped forward, offering a bowl of medicine. "Cassian, it's for your hangover. Please, drink a little."

Ruby reappeared from the kitchen, Mira now fed and content in her arms. She paused, taking in the scene: Gennifer fussing over Cassian, who for once looked uncharacteristically vulnerable—his hair tousled, eyes dull with exhaustion, making him seem fragile in the soft light.

A picture-perfect couple, Ruby thought with a silent, bitter laugh. Without another glance, she turned and headed toward her room.

Forget work, forget family ties. He'd been so furious he couldn't focus on the mountain of paperwork on his desk. For the first time, he'd wanted nothing more than to drown himself in a bar.

He'd ended up at the same bar where he'd once caught Ruby trying to escape. Alone, without his usual entourage, he'd skipped the private rooms upstairs and found a secluded spot downstairs amidst the crowd, ordering several bottles of expensive whiskey.

The first burn of alcohol had been sharp and bracing; as the liquor kept flowing, his mind grew foggy, the world spinning, hallucinations creeping into the edges of his vision. Bottle after bottle, until he didn't know where he was.

It was only when the bar manager noticed the motionless man and recognized his chiseled, almost statuesque face that anyone intervened—calling Gennifer to pick him up.

With the driver's help, Gennifer had hauled Cassian back to Northridge Manor. Even though her ankle was still injured, she'd waved off the housekeeper's help, tending to him herself, softly calling his name and brewing him a remedy for his hangover.

"Mr. Veyne," Ruby said coldly, prying his fingers off her wrist, "don't take your drunken temper out on me."

Cassian lunged again, gripping her arm even tighter. "You're my wife!"

Those last words came out in a hoarse, desperate shout.