Page 108 of Xavier

“I know, don’t worry. I’m going to keep you safe. You’ll stay with me until… well, until we figure out what we need to do.”

“I’m… staying with Jade for the moment.”

“Well, that’s very nice but… I’ve been here with you before, remember?”

I nod. I remember. Life is making it hard to forget.

Cam reaches out to squeeze my hand, and in that moment I’m grateful for him, more than I ever have been. He opens his mouth to say something, but a loud shout interrupts him.

“I’m sorry, sir!! I need you to wait outside while I call her! Sir!”

The door flings open, and suddenly Kaine is standing in my office, Ram looming behind him.

He nods at Cameron, before turning to me.

“I need to know everything that’s going on. Right now.”

Cameron jumps to his feet, hands out in front.

“Hey, you can’t just barge in here and tell us what to do, man.”

Kaine brushes past him and stands over me.

“Malyn-er,… Isa… fuck it. Malynda, you need to tell me what Xavier knows about what happened with the break-in at your apartment. And we don’t have a lot of time.”

“What, why?”

“Because… Ram, tell ‘em.”

“Ram?”

“Um, Xavier just called me and told me… he told me to tell you that he’s sorry. And that he loves you.”

The message sends a chill down my spine. Nothing ever ends well with that message.

Kaine sits down on the couch next to me.

“Malynda, I need to know. Remember what I said to you at my house the other night? About the lengths he will go to? I think he knows something about what happened to your apartment that he’s not telling me. But you need to help me and tell me. To help him.”

Kaine’s words echo in my brain. And his mother’s words. Surely, he’s not still looking for a way to die? Not now that we’re finally back in each other’s lives?

I look into Kaine’s eyes and I know. I would trade my shame for Xavier’s life, any second.

“Twelve years ago, I was almost raped. The guy is back. And Xavier knows about it.”

Kaine springs to his feet and takes my hand.

“Come on, we’ll need to work fast then. We’ll talk more in the car.”