Page 72 of Xavier

"Yes?"

"But I was wrong. Sorry to bother you, I didn't mean to run into your… girlfriend."

"Whoa. What? My what?"

Still facing the wall, I wave my hand towards the bathroom, as if that explains it.

"Yeah, I need more than that.” He grips me by the shoulders and spins me around. “Look at me! Who are you talking about?"

A force myself to breathe before I yell. "That... fucking... supermodel! The redhead. Your girlfriend or lover or... whatever."

His brows wrinkle. "Who… wait. You mean Patricia?"

"I didn't ask her her name, Xavier. She just knocked me over and ran off. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the new bed we bought for you." I'm being a petty bitch, but I can't see to stop myself.

But it doesn’t get past Xavier. He shakes his head and pushes me back against the wall, his hands still on my shoulders, staring me directly in the eyes.

"Are you jealous?" he asks.

I just close my eyes, trying to block out his face, trying to stop him from reading me.

I feel his hand let go of my shoulder and grip my chin.

"Open your eyes, Malynda."

I obey, I don't have the energy to fight him.

"I’m asking you, are you jealous, Malynda?" Each word makes me flinch. Makes me realize what I am feeling.

I glare at him. If he wants me to say it, I will.

"Fuck you, Xavier. Yes!" I yell, almost spitting in his face, "Is that what you want to hear? Yes! I'm jealous at the thought of you fucking her!"

He shakes his head and pushes away from me.

"Unfuckingbelievable."

I move to pull away from the wall, but he's back, pressing his bare chest against me, making me feel every inch of his body on mine.

"That is Patti, she's my assistant. You’ve been emailing with her all week. To avoid talking to me directly.” He stares at me, watching his words sink in. And then he continues, “And no, I'm not fucking her. I told you. I told you, Malynda, that you were my first, and that you were going to be my last. And unlike you, I keep my fucking promises. Every single one."

His face is barely two inches from mine.

He's whispering but it feels like a storm in my mind.

What is he saying? No. He doesn’t mean it.

"A-Are you telling me you’ve never slept with anyone else?" It can't be. Not all this time. Not looking like he looks.

His answer is short, abrupt. “Yes.”

"I don’t believe you." I hiss at him. Even though I know it's true. Oh my god.

And that's the last thought I have before he closes that two-inch gap between us and his mouth is on mine.

His tongue is instantly in my mouth and I feel myself involuntarily suck on it, a heat rising up into every part of my body. I push against his chest but pull him in by the shoulder all at once. His hands are in my hair, against the back of my neck. Strong, hot, commanding. Controlling.

"Fuck, Malynda," he groans against my mouth, and then we're kissing again. His hand moves down over my back, cupping my ass, grinding his hardness against me. I'm putty in his hands, giving in to him. I barely know how I'm standing.