Cassius

"You really fucked up this time. You know that, right?"

She tries to keep an impassive face, but I see right through it. She's fully aware that there's no fixing the past. Now I just need her to understand that she can still build a decent future.

After her failed attempt at remaining stoic, I finally get some kind of acknowledgement. Her head drops, staring at her lap like it holds the answers. It doesn't.

But I do.

Reaching into my pocket, I pull out a folded envelope loaded with cash and slide it to the center of the table.

As soon as her eyes land on the green edge of a hundred-dollar bill sticking out, she lunges for it. Her selfish as fuck mindset still pisses me off, despite being used to it. I'm faster, yanking it back toward myself.

"As much as I'd love to be done with you, this isn't for you to drink yourself to death with, Mabel."

"What are you implying?" She snaps.

"I'm not implying anything. I think I was pretty straightforward with what I said."

Leaning back in her chair, she crosses her arms and leers at me.

"What's it for?" She finally asks after a minute of silence.

I take up the same position, looking her straight in the eyes.

"I want you to get help. Quinn needs you to get help."

"Quinn put you up to this? You've got to be kidding me!"

"She doesn't even know I'm here. If it were up to her, she'd let you stay exactly how you are. You'll ruin her, Mabel. You'll destroy your daughter if you don't fucking stop."

A defensive nature takes over and she turns her head away.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The tiny shred of self-control I have over myself dissipates. Standing from the table, I make my way over to the row of glasses lined up next to the sink. Picking the first one up, I sniff it. Liquor permeates my nose.

I smash the glass in the basin. "Vodka." Picking up the next one, I do the same. "Vodka." I repeat. This goes on for all four glasses, each one getting simultaneously shattered against the stainless steel.

"Need me to go on?" I ask, turning to look at her terrified face.

She launches from her chair and comes toe-to-toe with me.

"I was right about you. You're just another sorry excuse of a man who wants to control women using violence and –"

"And I was right about you. You're just a piece of shit mum who's too selfish to see how much she hurts her daughter." I spit back, interrupting her speech.

There's two ways to go about a fight. Let your opponent throw every jab they've got until they tire themselves out so you can take them down easy or go at them full force right off the bat, giving them no chance to counter.

I have too much anger for the long game today, so I'm not going to give her the opportunity to try and manipulate her way out of rehab.

"You missed her fucking graduation, Mabel. Do you know how torn up she was? And for what? This bottle of cheap ass vodka?" I nod toward the glass container on the kitchen table.

I can see I've hit my mark by the way her face deflates. I was hoping it would stop right here and now, but she recovers too quickly.

"Quinn didn't care if I was there. And she especially didn't care if you were there."

"Wanna know how I know that's a load of shit? Because I was actually there. I saw her. I'm always there. I'm just kind of curious why you never are."

Biting her lip, she tries offering her excuse for her lack of mothering. "I'm there when I can be! I've always –"

"You're more delusional than I thought. I know you probably don't remember half the shit you've said and done to her, but at least have the decency to admit you've been a bad mum to her over the last few years. Can you do that? Or am I wasting my time trying to help you salvage a relationship with your only living kid?"

Tears pool in her eyes and she finally slides back down into her chair, a resigned look taking over her face. I didn't want to point out the loss she suffered, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

I take the calm silence as an invitation to continue discussing the plan with her.

"There's enough cash in here for you to go to rehab for at least six months. It's not a resort or any of that shit you see on TV, but it's something. I just want to get you on your feet. What happens from there is up to you."

She seems to consider my words before chiming in. "Why are you doing this for me?"

"It's not for you. It's for Quinn. I love your daughter, Mabel, and I wanna give her a fighting chance. If that means I have to extend that to you, then I'll do it. I just need you to love her as much as I do. I need you to do this for her." I can't hide the hopelessness in my cracking voice.

*************

Quinn

Mama's house is empty.

I came here to chew her out for missing something so important to me. I was a whole different level of disappointed on graduation day seeing as how it's the first big milestone she's ever missed.

If I wasn't already so broken up about Cash, I would have been obliterated over her not being there. But I had to split the heartbreak up between the both of them, so neither situation was grieved fully or properly.

But she's not even here for me to yell at. Well, I wouldn't yell. I'd just politely raise my voice a little.

There's broken glass in the sink and a half-drank glass of liquor on the kitchen table.

I search every little crevice, wondering if she could fit under the couch or in the space between the fridge and the wall. That's a big ol' nope.

Well, this is strange. I'd think she got kidnapped, but who in their right mind would want to steal my mama? She's hard enough to be around for more than five minutes, so I'm betting the ransom wouldn't be very good. Nobody would pay money just to be verbally assaulted.

After about an hour of continuing to search in places I know she can't hide, something catches my eye. A note hanging from the little cocktail glass magnet. Approaching it like it might detonate, I pluck it from the fridge door.

Don't worry, everything is fine. Meet me at Shadow.

-Cash$$

If my heart could beat out of my chest, it would be putting the smackdown on my bones caging it in right now, trying to escape. Mixed emotions flood through me like violent tidal waves, and I get so dizzy that I can't see straight.

Taking a few steps back, I grip the table ledge for support and try to refocus my vision so I can examine the note again. Even his handwriting makes my insides feel like a mountain of intestinal goo.

I never thought I could experience such an immense feeling of loss for someone who still exists, for someone who is still reaching out to me. He continues to be part of my life, and yet, I still feel like he's gone. It's such an odd sensation.

Once I finally put myself back together, I get confused all over again. Does that mean my mama is at Shadow? Because that sounds like a recipe for world destruction. You can't put my mama in a sketchy bar. She'll probably be topless bar dancing and hitting on every man in the building before eating their souls for eternal youth.

Rushing out the door, I speed over to the club and burst through the door, disregarding whatever Billy was trying to say. It seems like any other Sunday evening, quiet and void of any soul-eating women. I don't see mama anywhere.

While scanning the bar for her one last time, Cash finally comes into my field of view. He's lost in a conversation with Gio and my heart's ablaze over the fact that he forgave him so easily. That's just the kind of man Cassius Moretti is.

And I still feel like I don't deserve someone that pure. Yet, the biggest part of me wants him anyway. Well, the skin is the biggest part of me, but I meant my heart. Though, my skin misses him too, if that's even possible.

My feet carry me over to him, painfully slow. By the time I'm standing at his back, I can't force my vocal cords to do talking things. I think they're stuck. Luckily, he turns around and jolts back in surprise when he realizes I'm right on his heels.

"You're not supposed to let your guard down."

Really, Quinn? You finally speak and that's what you say?

He grins and retorts, "Not my fault you've got ninja skills."

It almost feels like nothing ever happened, like I didn't tell him he wasn't good enough for me. Like I didn't stomp all over his feelings. Why is he acting so normal? I need him to yell at me and tell me how terribly I messed up.

"I...got your note." Is all I manage to respond with.

"Yeah, sorry, I just didn't want you to panic."

"Is mama here?" I glance around again, still not locating her.

Cash puts a hand on my arm and leads me off to the corner of the room before leaning against the wall with his shoulder. His sexy shoulder makes the wall look good.

"This is really important, and I don't want you to argue with me or interrupt until I'm done. I need you to listen, okay?"

I nod, trying to show him that I'm completely capable of listening. I just usually choose not to. I can tell this is one of those moments where I need to put my serious pants on, though.

"I went to see your mom this morning. After she didn't show up to your graduation, I couldn't stop thinking about what to do. So, and I don't want you to feel bad about this or get mad, but I used the cash I've been saving up to get her into a rehab program."

I open my mouth, mostly to gasp, but quickly shut it and let him continue.

"She didn't want to at first but, after we talked about some things, she agreed to it. It's not the best facility, but I wanted to find something I could afford for more than just the typical ninety days. Your mom needs real help, Quinn, and I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about it first..."

Oh man. He's spiraling. He must be really nervous because he's stealing another page from the book of Quinn right now. Should I let him keep rambling or put him out of his misery?

My heart is so full it feels like it's about to burst. I would have never thought someone would go this far to help me.

"...I know I should have. I just... I wanted to get everything sorted out for you so when we –"

"Pause." I blurt out, holding my hand in the air. He obeys my command, sealing his lips shut. "I know you said not to interrupt, but you totally sound like me right now and I need to say something before you keep going."

He remains silent, almost appearing relieved that I stopped his suffering.

"Thank you, Cash." Tears immediately fall and I don't bother trying to stop them. "F-for everything. I mean it with my entire heart. I don't know why the world thought to bring you into my life but...Jesus, I'm so happy it did and I can't ever apologize enough for –"

I guess we're on an interrupting spree, because he silences me by slamming his lips down on mine. His repetitive kisses are laced with desperation and longing, only ending when he decides to embrace me in a way that's so loving, it makes me feel as if my whole body is breaking.

His mouth moves against my hair, whispering something that makes my blood stop circulating. "Oh and uh, we got Hunter arrested."

I whip away from him. "Uhm, excuse me, what?! How? We? Who is... what?"

All he does is shrug with the most innocently clueless expression on his face.

Have you ever wanted to throw up from being so relieved? The idea that I won't have to worry about him showing up, about him waiting around every corner, about suffering at his hand again is... wow.

"I...I think I need to sit down." The world is spinning.

He hobbles me over to a nearby table and eases me down into the chair.

"Quinn...are you okay?"

Instead of answering, I grip the table and take a few heavy breaths, trying to even out my heartbeat. I'm more than okay. I'm...good. For once, I'm good.

"Two things, Cash. I need two things from you and then we never have to talk about this again."

He nods, waiting for my conditions.

"First, I'm taking over my mama's rehab payments. I have more than enough money and it's my responsibility. I should have done it a long time ago but... I don't know why I didn't. Anyway, yeah, I'll handle that. No arguments."

I think long and hard about my next request. It could be a mistake but, if it is, it's the only mistake I've ever thought is worth making.

"I need you to go on a road trip with me. Like, ASAP."

There's curiosity in his eyes, but he just nods.

"Whatever you need, Quinn, consider it done."