Page 51 of Nothing Special X: The Last Stand

“And trust us, it won’t take long for the enforcers to find whoever’s behind this. And when they do…” Free’s smile was almost innocent as he made the sign of the cross over his chest, kissed his thumb, and flicked his gaze upward with feigned sympathy. “May they rest in peace.”

Xander had decided he already liked Free the most. His genius, humor, the slight British accent, trendy wild hair, and handsome face all worked for him.

Then Free did something he hadn’t expected.

He hugged him.

Not too hard. Not with the kind of overexcited force fans used when they forgot he was a person with bones and boundaries.

Free wrapped him in a brief, warm embrace. It didn’t startle him, and because of all Free had done and his compassion, Xander allowed himself to receive it.

“You’re going to be okay,” Free murmured. “You’re safe now. I Promise. I know a lot of shit, Xander, but there’s only one thing I know for absolute certain—God and Day don’t fail. Never have, and I don’t think they ever will.”

Xander closed his eyes.

When Free pulled back, he gave him one last reassuring nod before turning and heading down the hallway with the others moving around him. One by one, they peeled away, and just before the elevator doors closed, Free tapped a few keys on his tablet and smiled.

“Starlight secured.”

Xander

The soft click of the door when Cassidy used his phone to unlock it, made Xander’s heart pound for a different reason.

He was sharing space with Cassidy Morrison.

The man he’d been thinking about in the shower a few hours ago, who’d made him hard enough to ache with need.

The man who’d raced to him when he’d been in trouble, saved his life, and held him tight in his strong arms when he’d broken apart.

Cassidy stepped in first.

He moved through the suite with unhurried efficiency, checking the rooms, windows, and terrace access, before he came back and held the door open for him.

Xander walked inside.

The suite of course was beautiful. It looked like a millionaire’s condo staged for a magazine spread.

There was a sleek kitchen on one side with dark cabinets, stone counters, hidden appliances, and a bar stocked better than a private club.

The living area was furnished with deep heather-gray sofas around a wide glass table, soft area rugs, and warm lights tucked into recesses in the high ceiling.

Two doors were on either side of the suite, each one likely leading to a master bedroom.

Beyond the living room, the far wall was all floor-to-ceiling windows, opening onto a terrace shining with low amber lights. The wide lounge chairs that surrounded the modern gas firepit had cushions so big they could probably swallow his plus-sized body.

If he wasn’t so exhausted, he’d go straight to the glowing blue Jacuzzi and dive in headfirst.

Their suite towered high enough above the city no one could see in.

He wondered if Free had chosen this room for that purpose.

Xander drifted aimlessly toward the windows and stared out at the blank sky. He bet the sunsets were stunning from this side of the hotel, but at the moment, he didn’t care.

In the reflective glass, Xander watched Cassidy set his bags on a huge ottoman before stopping in the middle of the room, looking almost awkward for the first time since he’d met him.

“You okay?” Cassidy asked.

That rough voice stroked over him in ways it had no business doing.