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I’d be scared if I was on the receiving end though.
As he stands up, looking stronger and more powerful than ever, I can see at once that although he’s a pussycat, Xander Sexton is a formidable opponent to anyone who’d cross him.
He relaxes again, even though the pounding continues, and turns to me smiling.
“I’ll see who that is,” he says cheerfully, calmly. The picture of a man who’s in complete control of the situation.
On his way to the door, Xander stoops to pick up my torn panties and track pants, tossing them to me over his shoulder in a tight ball without even looking.
Instead of worrying, I hear myself sigh.
Not helplessly, but hopelessly in love.
From where I’m lying in the living room, the huge couch is shielded from the front door but I hear it open and can easily listen in.
“Morning, Professor.” A thick, heavily formal sounding voice announces.
A cop voice if ever I’ve heard one. That knock too, and I feel my chest tighten. My heart in my throat.
“Sorry to disturb you—” the voice continues, but Xander is way ahead.
“Then why pound on my front door like some deranged lunatic if you didn’t want me disturbed?” he asks coolly. “You haven’t anyway, disturbed me that is. But why all the pounding?” he asks, easing the sarcasm back but only by a notch.
I hear an inhalation of indignation, the sound of a gun belt heavy with keys being hitched up over a belly it could never hope to cover.
The officer clears his throat, hoping to start over.
“I’m Sargent Eames, Campus police. I am sorry to bother you Professor, but we have a missing girl,” he says, raising his voice in an accusing tone.
“And you need me to explain how someone can still be missing if you ‘have them’?” Xander replies, sounding like a professor addressing a failing student now.
I have to cover my mouth to stop from laughing out loud.
“No!” The cop says gruffly. “Err… I mean, we have a case where a girl is missing, and you’re the last person identified as being seen with her,” he manages.
I so badly want to peek my head around the huge arm of the couch, but Xander’s face in my mind with that serious expression of his is a firm no.
He can handle it, but the anxiety I haven’t known since meeting Xander has returned, and if Campus police are already involved it won’t be long before my dad is.
“Ah, Gillian Parker. Why didn’t you say so,” Xander remarks casually, scoffing a little.
“I hate to break your case so soon, but she’s hardly missing, never was. She’s here, on my couch.”
There’s a long silence, and I’m almost scared to breathe.
Finally, I hear the door creak a little, but not opening wider. Xander’s in the process of closing it.
“Enjoy the rest of your day, Sargent,” he clips, signaling an end to the case of the missing student.
“Uh, just a minute, Sexton,” The voice booms. “I’d like to speak with Ms. Parker myself if you don’t mind.”
“Well I do mind,” Xander says, voice hard now.
“And why would that be?” the cop asks smugly.
“If you must know everything, Sargent Eames, she’s asleep at the moment and I’m just about to shower and ready myself to take Ms. Parker to the campus medical center. Police escort not required.”
The cop isn’t having it though and asks again to see me in person to ask some questions himself.
There’s the crunch and blip of a two-way radio, with the cop moving away from the door murmuring.
I quickly dress under the coverlet, knowing this will end badly for us both if Xander pisses off the cops much more than he already has.
They just want to see me safe and sound, Xander. Why so defensive?
It isn’t long before the same cop tells Xander exactly that, using his best ‘now let’s all just be friends’ voice.
I hear that low growl again, more intense this time and I wonder if it’s just in my head or if the cop can hear it too.
“Professor,” The cop pipes in, his voice sounding thinner, “If you have a dog or anything else that could impede our inquiry, I suggest you restrain it, another unit’s on the way and we’ll be taking any steps required to speak to the young lady in question.”
But the growl only gets louder. It feels like the whole house will start to shake.
Oh Xander, no. Don’t ruin it now.
Chapter Eight
Xander
First the threat of her dad coming down to take her away, now the campus police.
I know it’s their job, but I know what they want before I even open my door.
They want Gillian. They want to know why I didn’t take her straight to the medical center but most of all they probably want to know what a student (technically anyway, even though she’s graduated) is doing in my home, having spent the night.
