“You did the right thing, babe. And he will, too. Just give him time. He loves you.”
I hope so.
Because I don’t think I want to live without him.
CHAPTER 43
Xander
MY LIFE IS ENDING
Earlier in the evening…
I don’t knowwhat to say.
My first fucking thought right now is that I want a drink.
An entire bottle.
Three bottles.
The road is a blur before me as I drive through the streets of Las Vegas, the wind making it too loud to hear anything else. Quinn fixes her hair and makeup, but I don’t miss how she has to keep wiping tears in between. It kills me. I want to reach over and touch her thigh, but I don’t, and it feels wrong.
She doesn’t want me. Because I drink. Which confuses me because I haven’t hidden it from her.
When I pull into the VIP valet line at The Obsidian, Trey jogs over and opens Quinn’s door as soon as he sees someone in the passenger seat.
“Quinn.” He’s clearly surprised to find her there.
I let out a growl as she climbs out. I push open my own door and round the front of the car, scowling at Trey.
“Mr. Savage,” Trey greets, looking between me and Quinn while holding out his hand for the key. He keeps glancing at her, then narrowing his eyes at me. “Good to see you, sir.”
“Why do you keep looking at her?” I snap, glaring at him.
Quinn reaches out and tugs on the arm of my shirt. “Xander, stop,” she murmurs softly. “Trey is my friend.”
Fucking, Christ. Everyone is her friend. Because she’s Quinn, and it’s impossible not to love her.
I look down at her, then at Trey, an employee I’ve known for years and always liked.
He holds up his left hand and points to a wedding band on his third finger. “No offense, Mr. Savage, but if I weren’t married, I’d be more interested in you than I would be Quinn.” Then he smirks before he waves at Quinn. “Call me and we’ll have dinner.”
Ignoring me, he rounds my car and climbs in the driver’s side to move it. Quinn looks up at me, and the piece of my heart that she’s mended over these past few weeks breaks.
She doesn’t want me.
“I need to go,” she says quietly, her eyes watering and nose red from crying. “I love you, Xander. I love yousomuch.” Her voice cracks, and another piece of me breaks. “I hope you can find peace in your life again. But I think until then, we shouldn’t see each other.”
I try to process what she’s saying. The reality of her words. This is her walking away to protect herself.
Fromme.
She shouldn’t ever have to protect herself from me.
I’m supposed to be her safe place.
Tears cascade down her cheeks again as she steps toward me and rises on her tiptoes to press a gentle kiss to my lips. The entire time, I can’t breathe. I can’t move. I can’t fucking do anything.
