Becoming by Jourdyn Kelly

MISTRESS BARELY RESISTEDmaking a fool out of herself by touching Cassidy’s hair as she passed by. In her defense, she only wanted to know if it was a soft as it looked. She managed to stick to her task of putting her pink card on the table, bringing attention to it with a tap of her fingertip and walking away. She never looked back to see if Cassidy followed her. Truth be told, part of her hoped she didn’t. A much bigger, more horny part, was desperate that she did. That she was considering actually having sex with this woman surprised the hell out of Mistress. She never wanted to have sex with paying clients. Technically, Miranda Loring is paying. It was a thin technicality, but one Mistress held on to.

She entered the room painted in a soft pink hue for the first time in months. Since no one was allowed in here, nothing had changed. It was minimally but tastefully decorated with the finest furniture, carpet, and accessories. Mistress wanted the ambiance to portray safety and peacefulness. Some may say that was ironic, but she thought it made perfect sense.

Once inside the room, you found two high-back, pink chairs that faced each other. A door on the left led you into a full bathroom complete with a shower and soaking tub. Further in the room was the pièce de résistance. A colossal California King four poster bed. It was perfect for bondage. Not far from the bed stood an armoire full of implements of pleasure and pain. Mistress’s heart rate spiked when she thought of using those things on Cassidy Giles. If she showed up.

Determined not to get her hopes up, Mistress sat in one of the chairs that faced the doorway. Her posture—straight back, feet crossed at the ankles, and hands clasped together in her lap—gave off a relaxed, yet commanding, vibe. Inside, she was anxious and aroused. A feeling she deliberately avoided for years. It left her feeling a bit off-kilter.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed since she laid that card down on Cassidy’s table, but it seemed like hours. Just as she was about to give up, there was a knock at the door. For the first time, Mistress was speechless. She opened her mouth to say something and nothing happened. Apparently—luckily—that didn’t stop Cassidy from entering.

If Mistress thought Cassidy was hot from afar, being so close nearly caused her to gasp. Lust coursed through every vein in her body, and it took her a moment for her brain to function.

“Come,” Mistress commanded softly. Cassidy merely stood there, staring, so Mistress tried again. “Sit.” Her eyes glanced at the chair in front of her. When Cassidy still remained close to the door, Mistress tilted her head and studied her. Defiant. Strong-willed. Someone who could be difficult, yet oh so fun, to dominate. “You don’t like being told what to do.”

This is a waste of time, Mistress thought dejectedly. She had taken a chance by reopening her room for someone too young for her, and got what she perceived as rejection. Having had enough humiliation in her life, Mistress began to rise.

“Wait!” Cassidy moved to the chair quickly and sat.

“Why are you here?” Mistress asked as she resumed her position.

“I’m here in support of my friend.” She rolled her eyes slightly. “Of course, I haven’t seen her since.”

Mistress nodded. “Miranda. She and her friends are being well taken care of. You didn’t join in the fun.” Thank you for not joining in with someone else.

“Not my scene.”

Judging by Cassidy’s distasteful look, Mistress wondered if she would leave this room unsatisfied.

“You don’t approve.”

Cassidy shrugged. “Who am I to judge? I’m sure you get a lot of cheaters in here. Part of the reason I could never get into this lifestyle. What if I did something wrong? Forgot to obey? My ‘Dom’ would just find someone who would, right?”

There is definitely something deeper there, Mistress thought. People with that much passion, good or bad, usually had a reason for being that way. Cassidy had a point. There were Doms out there that did exactly what she described. Mistress knew that better than most. But that’s not what it was truly about. Especially here for Mistress.

“You have no idea what this lifestyle is about, do you?” Cassidy shook her head. “Would it make you feel better if I told you that Connor is with Miranda?”

Cassidy frowned in confusion and Mistress explained.

“They don’t know it’s each other. They wanted a different experience, so we’re giving them one. They’ll see that all they really need is each other at the end of the night. The purpose of this place is not to tear people apart, Cassidy. It’s to bring fire to the relationship. To give them something more than what they have right now. It’s not for everyone. But for those who enjoy it, it does not make them bad people.”

“How did you know my name?”

Mistress smiled. All of that I said, and she focuses on that. “This is my club. I make it my business to know what goes on in here. Do you feel better about Miranda now?”

Cassidy shrugged again. Mistress could tell she was still uneasy about everything that went on in this establishment. Especially when it came to her friend. She wanted to show Cassidy that what happened here could be incredible.

“Would you like to learn more about what we do here, Cassidy?” Mistress titled her head again at Cassidy’s hesitation. It almost scared her that Cassidy would say no. It was a very vulnerable way to feel.

“Yes.”

That one small tremble in Cassidy’s voice caused desire to explode inside Mistress. She had never wanted to be with someone as much as she did at this moment. With this woman. It was enough to make her ignore the warning bells.

“Let me bind your hands.”

Cassidy’s eyes, that had been trained on Mistress’s cleavage, snapped up at the demand. “Take off your mask.”

The request took Mistress by surprise. No one had ever questioned her, countered her, or asked for anything more than what she was willing to give. Until now.

“No. If you can’t comply, Cassidy, we’re wasting our time here.”

“You mean submit.”

Mistress set her desire aside. She became a dominant because it was what she needed in her life. Control. It didn’t do to have someone demanding things from her at this point in her life.

“I admit that I don’t know much about this… stuff,” Cassidy said quickly. “But I’m pretty sure that trust is a big thing, right? Don’t I need to trust whoever is going to be causing me pain?

Mistress caught the slight shiver that ran through Cassidy and felt compassion. “I don’t want to cause you pain, Cassidy.”

“Cass. Remove the mask. Please?”

“Since this is your first time, I’ll compromise with you.” You’ll what? She couldn’t believe she just said that. Mistress did not compromise. What the hell? I seem to want to do a lot of things with Cassidy that I haven’t before. With a confidence she didn’t fully feel, Mistress looked Cassidy in the eyes. Extraordinary eyes. “Let me bind you, and I will take off the mask.”

“Take the mask off first.”

Ah, yes, you are a defiant one. That will have to be dealt with. With a stern but delicate hand, of course.

“You don’t like authority. If you want to learn, Cassidy, you’re going to have to knock that chip off your shoulder. Or I can do it for you.” Mistress made sure to emphasize Cassidy’s full name. It was clear that Cassidy was used to getting her way. She would have to learn that not everything is negotiable.

Cassidy slowly put her arms behind her back and, essentially submitted to Mistress. It was a small victory, but it definitely had the desire coming back ten-fold. Mistress stood and walked behind Cassidy’s chair. She slipped a long piece of silk out of her cleavage and bound Cassidy’s hands together. She made sure the silk would hold, but not hurt. Too much.

Mistress leaned close to Cassidy’s ear. “That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” she whispered. She closed her eyes and silently breathed in the handsome woman’s scent. It was a woody/citrus combination that ramped up Mistress’s arousal even more. Cassidy turned her head and Mistress nearly kissed her. Unnerved, she moved away quickly and sat down.

“Now the mask.”

The husky, low octave of Cassidy’s voice made Mistress want to give into anything she asked. Even take off her mask. She lifted her blonde hair away from her neck and grabbed the ribbon that kept the mask in place. Holding the mask to her face, she pulls the ribbon to untie it. She closed her eyes and thought about what she was about to do. Not even her staff had seen her without a mask firmly in place. What was it about this woman that made her give in to her desires so easily? With both hands, she lowered the mask from her face.

There was a small gasp in the room. When silver eyes met bicolored ones, Mistress could see the hunger in Cassidy’s gaze. It filled her with a confidence she had lacked behind the mask. With the mask, clients had to use their imagination as to what Mistress looked like. She could be anyone they wanted her to be. Most importantly, she didn’t have to be herself. As beautiful as people always told her she was, years with Samantha had chipped away at her self-esteem. She no longer saw the beauty everyone else did. Refuge behind the mask became her salvation.

“Are you ready for your next lesson?”

“What’s your name?”

“You may call me Mistress.”

“You know my name.”

Mistress wasn’t sure whether to laugh or leave. Cassidy was perilously close to whining, and the pout was beyond cute. But this was a lesson. If Mistress was going to keep any semblance of control, she would have to make Cassidy understand who the boss was.

“I’ve given you the mask, Cassidy. That’s all I’m willing to give you. Stand.” Cassidy didn’t hesitate this time, and Mistress smiled. Progress. God, she’s tall. And, oh so damned sexy, she thought as she stood as well. “Walk to the edge of the bed.” When Cassidy reached her destination, Mistress spoke again. “Face me, Cassidy.”

The sexual tension in the room was palpable. There was an animalistic magnetism between the two that had them leaning into each other. No kissing! It was Mistress’s one unbreakable rule. Kissing meant emotions. Emotions meant the possibility of heartache. Not to mention, she’s way too young for you! Play and then step away. She pressed a hand firmly to Cassidy’s chest.

“No touching. Not with your hands, not with your mouth.” Mistress started to unbutton Cassidy’s shirt. “What’s your favorite word, Cassidy?”

Mistress stopped her task when Cassidy didn’t answer. Her lips twitched as she realized Cassidy was focused on her breasts. She waited until cheeky woman realized she seriously wanted to know the answer.

“Um. Platypus.”

The answer was so out of left field, it caused Mistress to laugh. “Platypus?” Cassidy nodded earnestly. Cute. “All right then. That is your safe word. Should be easy for you to remember. If I do anything that you’re not comfortable with, or you want me to stop, all you have to say is your safe word. I will stop without hesitation. Without question. Understand?”

Cassidy nodded again. Mistress found the speechlessness endearing. In a move purely born out of a need to feel Cassidy’s body, Mistress wrapped her arms around her. Of course, she could have used a different tactic to untether Cassidy’s hands, but where was the fun in that? Once her task was done, she stepped back.

“Remove your shirt.” Interest turned into surprise when it was revealed that Cassidy wasn’t wearing a bra. Nice. Mistress allowed her eyes to roam further down. The six-pack abs caused her sex to clench almost painfully. Very nice! She couldn’t resist feathering her fingers down that hard stomach.

Hell, if she didn’t get Cassidy inside her soon, she may just implode. Such a visceral reaction nearly brought Mistress to her knees.

“Unbutton your jeans, but leave them on.” If you take them off right now, I may lose control. Cassidy did as she was told, and Mistress continued. “Now get on the bed. Lay down in the middle, with your hands above your head.”

Cassidy hopped up on the bed—not quite the arduous task as it was for Mistress—and assumed the position. Mistress’s hands itched to touch Cassidy. Everywhere. She forced herself to maintain control. To stretch this experience out for both of them.

“Grab ahold of this bar,” Mistress demanded, pleased when Cassidy obliged. She wrapped the attached ropes around Cassidy’s wrists, again making them tight enough to feel the bite of the rope on the skin. After completing her task on both hands, Mistress allowed herself a moment to take in all that was Cassidy Giles, bound and at her mercy. As marvelous as the view was, she needed to see the rest. Hooking her fingers into the waistband of Cassidy’s jeans and boxer briefs, she tugged.

“Lift.”

Cassidy complied and grinned when Mistress hit a “snag.” She let out a small gasp when she saw what had impeded her progress. There, in all its wonderful glory, was an impressive dildo. Cassidy Giles packs and that made Mistress very happy. She had used them on herself in the past. A very enjoyable experience. One that Samantha never gave her. She was all about using instruments to torture Rebecca, but never that. If Rebecca wanted a dick, she could find a man. It looked as though Cassidy didn’t have the same hang-ups.

She lifted a brow at Cassidy’s arrogant smirk. It’s not often she was surprised by people these days. This surprise had her mouth watering. As did the multitude of tattoos that painted Cassidy’s body. Tiny works of art that Mistress would love to trace with her tongue. She licked her lips at the thought.

“Spread your legs.”

Mistress was mesmerized by the delicious sight of Cassidy’s glistening sex. If she were ever ambivalent about being a lesbian, this sight cured her of that rather quickly. More!

“More, Cassidy!” she echoed her needy thought. There was hesitation this time. One that Mistress could understand. It wasn’t easy opening yourself up—literally—to someone. Particularly someone you didn’t know. She waited semi-patiently—despite the tapping of her nail on the bedpost—to see if Cassidy could do it. Finally, Cassidy chose to trust Mistress and spread her legs. “Good girl.”

She tied Cassidy’s ankles in the same fashion as her wrists, patted her on the calf and made her way to the armoire. She swung the doors open and pondered her options. This was Cassidy’s first experience. Mistress wanted to make it memorable, yet adventurous. She didn’t want to go overboard on the pain. But she also knew that the combination of powerful pleasure with the sharp sting of a whip was intoxicating. Ah, a whip. Perfect.

Mistress chose a fringed whip for maximum pleasure. She slapped her palm a couple of times. Partly out of the need to feel the leather on her skin. Partly to get a reaction out of her Sub. It worked as each sound of the snap caused Cassidy to jump. Mistress used the fringe to tickle Cassidy’s ribcage, knowing the sensation would amplify her next move. With a flick of her wrist, she slapped the whip against Cassidy’s side, who immediately hissed through clenched teeth.

“Do you always wear that?” Mistress asked, nodding towards the dildo. When Cassidy failed to respond audibly, Mistress slapped the whip across her nipple. “Answer me!”

“Yes.”

Another slap, another hiss. Mistress noticed the small movement away from her, but she had other things to deal with at the moment.

“Yes, what?”

More hesitation. She knew Cassidy would have a problem with this. Hell, it was something Rebecca herself had issues with. All Cassidy needed to do was say her safe word and this would be over. She almost expected it.

“Yes, Mistress.”

More progress.“And do you use that often?” Cassidy shrugged and received two stinging snaps from Mistress. “Tell me the truth, Cassidy.” Even if I don’t want to hear how others have enjoyed you. The unbidden thought shook her.

“I used to, Mistress. Not so much these days.”

Mistress wondered if Cassidy revealed so much because she was scared of getting punished again, or she was just that open. Let’s see how much she will tell me.

“Why?”

“I haven’t found anyone that holds my attention lately, Mistress.”

A young, handsome, obviously passionate woman such as Cassidy didn’t seem like she’d have a challenging time finding anyone that would fight to hold her attention.

“Do I hold your attention, Cassidy?”

“Yes, Mistress. Very much so.”

The vulnerability and honesty in Cassidy’s gaze took Mistress’s breath away. As a reward for her candor, Mistress fanned the fringe of the whip softly over Cassidy’s breasts. She could practically see the tension flowing out of Cassidy’s body, though her hands still held tightly to the headboard.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Cassidy. That’s not what this is about.” She ran her fingers up her captive’s arm and tapped the firm grip. “Relax. Loosen your grip. Your brain is anticipating the pain, your body bracing for it. So much so that you can’t feel the pleasure that being like this can give you.”

“Easy for you to say. Why don’t you lay here all tied up, and let me hit you. See if you like it.”

Pain of a different kind rushed through Mistress causing her to frown. She forced herself to erase the images of her past before they took over.

“Say your safe word, Cassidy.” The woman’s mouth clamped shut, and Mistress could see the contrition in that handsome face. “I know what it’s like to be hit. The kind of hitting that doesn’t come with pleasure at the end of it.” Stop talking! You’re getting too personal, Rebecca.

“I’ll kill them!”

As though surprised by her outburst, Cassidy quickly looked away. Mistress, on the other hand, was touched by the ferocity and protectiveness she heard. With her fingertips, she brought Cassidy’s gaze to hers.

“You’re sweet.” Mistress smiled at the cute little blush that graced Cassidy’s face. It tugged at her heartstrings. Time to get back to business, she thought with conviction. She’s not your lover or your girlfriend. She’s a client. A Sub. Not thoroughly convinced, Mistress called on all of the disciplines she had built up over the years.

“You’re associating the feel of this,” she whipped Cassidy on the side, “with pain and humility. It doesn’t have to be like that.” Mistress took Cassidy’s “cock” in her hand. She realized then that it was double-sided, and one side was snugly inside her Sub. Perfect. “I want you to associate this, with this.” With deliberate movements, Mistress jerked Cassidy’s cock while flicking her nipples smartly with the whip.

“Fuck!”

Mistress leaned in close. “Did your pussy contract when I did that?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Cassidy panted.

She’s beginning to understand.Mistress continued to stroke in slow, torturous strokes as she kept the whip moving sensually across Cassidy’s nipples. Cassidy’s hip began to move in rhythm sending electric currents to already aching parts of Mistress’s body. As Cassidy’s breathing became erratic, Mistress knew she was close. She increased the speed of her strokes, and at just the right moment, she snapped the whip, hard, across Cassidy’s breasts.

Cassidy yelled and thrashed. Legs tried to close but were held open by ropes. The vision proved to be Mistress’s breaking point. She needed to be fucked by Cassidy or she would explode. And, not in the good way. Her eyes were trained on that cock that she could practically feel inside of her right now and she licked her lips in anticipation.

“In my opinion,” Mistress began, warring with herself to give in to everything she wanted. “People have it all wrong. Even those who are deeply into this stuff.” Cassidy had a charmingly confused look on her face, so Mistress explained. “This Dom/Sub lifestyle. Everyone assumes that the Sub is weak and that it is the Dom that is in control.”

She chuckled lightly when Cassidy looked pointedly at her wrists and ankles and raised a brow. She gave her a playful flick of the whip but located it very precisely. Cassidy moaned with pleasure as the fringe caught her clit.

“One word, Cassidy. That’s all it takes from you that could stop all of this. You have the power to leave me wanting. And, oh god, do I want you. If you could only feel how wet I am for you.” Another groan from Cassidy nearly had Mistress fidgeting. “If you break the rules, you get punished, but there’s always a reward for you at the end. If I do something you don’t like, one word and it’s over for me. No rewards. So, you see? You have the power here. You are allowing me to do these things to you. I wouldn’t be able to do them without your permission.”

Mistress started unfastening her corset. There was no denying what she wanted from Cassidy. She made the rules. If she wanted to fuck someone, that was her right. She didn’t think Cassidy would object. The corset comes off and her full breasts spill out, captivating Cassidy. Of course, Mistress didn’t mind having her rosy-tipped nipples stared at by this woman. It made her feel wanted. Yet, even though she made the rules, there were still rules. She paused in taking off her leather pants until Cassidy finally looked up at her.

“Paying attention?” she smirked.

“Yes, Mistress.”

“You’re not to move. If you move your hips, I will stop. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Cassidy responded after a second’s hesitation.

That was as convincing as my understanding of what’s happening here, Mistress thought sardonically. Nevertheless, she continued to undress until she stood in front of Cassidy completely naked. It was the first time since Samantha since anyone had seen her like this. That would have been more daunting if Cassidy didn’t look as though she could start drooling at any moment. Mistress never stopped taking care of her body and was proud of her femininity. As long as Cassidy didn’t focus on Mistress’s back, things would be okay. She was quite confident she could keep Cassidy’s attention elsewhere.

Mistress crawled up on the bed until she was straddling Cassidy. She knew the woman beneath her could feel the heat radiating from her center, and praised her silently for her control.

A soft touch started on Cassidy’s cheek and moved down her neck. She tweaked Cassidy’s nipples hard, before moving her hand down between them. Taking the ‘cock’ in her hand, she guided it to her opening.

“Don’t move,” she reminded Cassidy before sinking down onto her. She’s so wet the dildo slid in easily, and she moaned in ecstasy. Cassidy moaned in response but still managed not to move. Impressive.

Unable to keep her own body from moving, Mistress lifted her hips and impaled herself on Cassidy once again. Being watched with such intensity only heightened her passion as she moved her hips back and forth, her clit rubbing against Cassidy’s chiseled stomach with each stroke. Her breasts bounced in rhythm with the thrusts, effectively holding Cassidy’s enraptured attention.

“Don’t come until I tell you,” Mistress rasped, hearing the change in Cassidy’s breathing. It was a lot to ask for, she knew, if Cassidy was feeling even a fraction of what Mistress felt. Her hand clutched at Cassidy, and she dug her fingernails digging into her stomach as her breath hitched. So close.

She fell forward, enticing Cassidy with her swaying tits. When she felt Cassidy’s hot mouth suck in one of her nipples, she gasped loudly. Using her left hand to hold herself up, she tangled her right hand in Cassidy’s hair and pulled her closer. She needed more, and Cassidy responded by biting her nipple hard. That sensation of that pain with the pleasure that she was feeling having Cassidy inside her had a strikingly fierce orgasm racing to be released. She bucked wildly and slammed her body down on Cassidy’s hard and fast.

“Move!” she cried out. “Fuck me!”

There was absolutely no hesitation in Cassidy as she brought her hips up with strong thrusts, giving Mistress everything she needed. Flesh slapped against flesh, rough and fast, and the sound was intoxicating.

“Now! Come with me!”

Cassidy let go with a roar that reverberated through Mistress, causing her to come hard. She squeezed Cassidy’s breasts as she rode out the last waves of an orgasm that was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Something else happened that she had never felt before. A warmth flowed from her and washed over Cassidy. Mistress had a moment of embarrassment until she realized Cassidy climaxed again.

Depleted—literally—by the power of what just happened, Mistress collapsed on top of an awfully triumphant Sub. She let out a small sigh and weakly reached up to release Cassidy’s hands. She tensed almost involuntarily when Cassidy immediately wrapped her arms around her. She would have loved to lay there and be held by her incredible lover… she sighed silently. She’s not your lover. This is your job. It was an ugly thought, especially since what just happened between them felt nothing like a job. It felt… real.

Gingerly she dislodged herself from the woman beneath her, and rolled off the bed and shuffled to the bathroom. The least she could do was clean up the mess she left behind. Armed with a warm, wet washcloth, she came back into the room. She was surprised to see Cassidy’s ankles still shackled to the bed. Maybe she was afraid to untie herself. Mistress didn’t like the idea that Cassidy could be afraid of her. She placed the washcloth on Cassidy’s tummy and proceeded to untie her, gently rubbing the redness that was left behind on her skin.

Once that was finished, she began wiping Cassidy clean. “I got you all messy,” she said quietly. It still surprised and embarrassed her that she had that reaction. She hadn’t known her body was even capable of that.

“That’s quite all right. I enjoyed it immensely.” Cassidy grinned sincerely.

“So did I,” Mistress answered just as honestly. She brushed the washcloth over the small, red welts left behind by the whip. Had she been too harsh? The thought of hurting Cassidy made her unbelievably sad.

“Kiss me,” Cassidy whispered.

Her hand stilled. She wanted to. Oh, God, she wanted to so badly. But she couldn’t let herself get emotionally involved.

“I can’t.”

“Against the rules?”

The disappointment in Cassidy’s voice was enough for Mistress to bring the emotional shutters down.

“Something like that,” she responded evenly and turned away.

“So, no name and no kissing. What else should I know?”

“Perhaps this lifestyle isn’t for you, Cassidy.” Mistress knelt to pick up Cassidy’s clothes and tossed them at her. “Get dressed.”

She started to get dressed, disappointed that such an awe-inspiring time was ending this way.

“I’m sorry.”

Mistress paused but said nothing.

“Please, Mistress. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She noticed from the corner of her eye that Cassidy was not getting dressed. That immaculate body made her want to start all over again. But, she couldn’t.

“It’s okay, Cassidy. Not all of us are made for this.”

“I am! With you. May I see you again?”

Mistress contemplated the ramifications of seeing Cassidy again. She had already stepped out of bounds.

“I don’t think…”

“Please! I have more to learn. I want to learn. With you.”

Mistress finished dressing and reached for her mask. “Okay.”

“When?”

“You have an open invitation, Cassidy. Come whenever you desire.” They both smile at Mistress’s play on words.

“How will I know you’re here?”

“You’ll know.”

“It’ll be you, right? I don’t want anyone else, Mistress.”

Mistress nodded. “It’ll be me. Now, you should get dressed and join your friends.”

“I’d rather stay with you.”

I’d rather stay with you, too.Mistress secured the mask, hopefully hiding what she was feeling inside, and stepped to Cassidy. “You’ve learned enough for tonight, Cassidy. I’m sure by now Rand is finished with her ‘conquest.’ Celebrate with her.”

“Promise you’ll be here again?”

Mistress, unfortunately, felt the neediness she heard coming from Cassidy. Not good. Do not promise! “Yes.” She relaxed minimally when Cassidy seemed to accept that answer and slipped on her shirt. “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need to. There’s a full bathroom through that door,” she informed her guest.

“Won’t someone else need the room?”

There was no mistaking the real question, and Mistress answered honestly. “This is my personal room. No one is allowed in here without me. I won’t be needing it anymore tonight.”

Cassidy caught Mistress’s hand as she walked by and brought it to her lips, kissing it lightly.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

The gesture touched Mistress deeply. This was a mistake. You should have left her alone. She caressed Cassidy’s cheek and smiled softly before walking away.