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“I don’t care, Cass. I really don’t,” I admitted. I looked up to the scaffolded ceiling and took in a large breath. “Don’t get them, Cass,” I begged. “Let’s just go—me and you—alone. Now. I need a minute.”
“But—”
I allowed the tears I’d held in to fall down my cheeks. I glanced at Cassandra’s shocked face and begged her one last time. “Please. I just need to breathe.”
ChapterSix
Xander
Travis Lumsden had a fucking mouth on him. I shouldn’t have been surprised that he cornered me the moment hair and make-up swooped in and began touching up Charlotte’s look. His direct line of questioning shouldn’t have fazed me but instead, it made me realize how much he cared for the wellbeing of his employees. I couldn’t help but be stunned when he asked me whether my recent loss and obvious grief would affect my job.
I took a step back in response, not sure how to really answer that cheeky question. I knew that Travis would’ve searched my security background and the details of Lily’s death would have been there for him to see. Even though I’d paid to have specific details hidden to protect us all, some things could never be hidden. I knew that a hit on a young singer couldn’t be deleted from the media but the background leading up to her death could be. At the end of the day, we should’ve taken the situation more seriously and dealt with the problem sooner. I should have found her stalker. Then, it would never have escalated and ultimately ended with the loss of her life.
It wouldn’t have been difficult for a man with the power like Travis Lumsden to achieve the answers he desired. I was just expecting to at least have a short amount of time to compose myself before being hit with the full force of his questions.
I dealt with his onslaught on questioning without breaking a sweat before I began clueing him in on all the safety precautions, I’d had lined up to ensure that nothing happened to his star act. I couldn’t help but get lost in the moment as I began listing off the various support techniques and creative means of protection I’d come up with. I paused just long enough to turn and glance at the green screen Charlotte had been previously standing at. I froze when I noticed she was no longer there.
“Where is she?” I shouted. I flitted my eyes around the room as I stormed past Travis and headed straight over in the direction of Memphis. “Charlotte, you were with her,” I shouted accusingly.
“She was—” He gripped a handful of his hair, searching out for her but she was gone. “She was here with Cassandra.”
“I want the place locked down!” I shouted into the air. Travis grabbed a member of the production team and snatched the walkie-talkie from his hand. He wasted no time in bellowing orders down the line. “I don’t care what you have to do but find her.” I seethed. “You.” I pointed my finger at Memphis and pushed him hard in the chest. “You had better hope that no one has laid a finger on her; so help me.”
“Boss—”
“Enough!” I said, cutting him off. I blew out a long breath and stared at him wide-eyed, scowling at him as I tried to rein in my anger. “Shut up, zip it up. I don’t care. One task. That’s all you had.”
“My woman needed me,” he began.
I balled my fist up and threw a punch against the wall beside his head. “And she needs me,” I whispered under my breath. “She could be anywhere. That lunatic could have her. Did you think of that when you were sending smooches on your texts?”
“It’s not that like that!” Memphis roared back at me. He grabbed me by the collar and pushed me back a step. “Charlotte has her own mind. Have you thought that she could be with Barrett? That she may have just gone to the toilet?”
I pulled his hands off my shirt and straightened the material. My gaze bore into his and my nostrils flared as I breathed heavily in and out.
“And if she’s not?” I questioned, wondering what retort and wonderful brainwave of knowledge Memphis thought he held that could make this fuck-fest magically all better. “Will you accept that you fucked up?”
“No, because Xander…” Memphis smacked his palm against my chest. “You were here too and if I fucked up, then that means you fucked up too.”
The moment Barrett waltzed into the room and spotted the two of us at war, he placed his bottle of water down and took in our stances.
“You both fucked up and she outsmarted you, didn’t she?” He chuckled. “I saw her just leave the dressing room with her coat and bag alongside Cassandra. I thought you were just behind her,” Barrett admitted. “I came back in here to grab my coat and was going to call to see where you were heading.”
“Fuck!” I snapped. “Cassandra Draketon has always been a thorn in my side. I should’ve guessed this time would be no different. Let’s go and find them now.”
My mind was screaming as I scanned each corridor that led off from the dressing rooms. What if Charlotte and Cassandra had already left Victory Studios before Travis’s command had reached the corners of the place? They could be anywhere and anyone could’ve gotten to them.
Think Xander, think.
The moment I laid eyes on her I was obsessed with her beauty; the long cascading brown hair that I wanted to wrap my fist around as I had her pouty pink lips wrapped around my cock and her chocolate orbs filled with tears as she deep-throated me. Shit! My possessiveness to this woman was an instant hit to my chest. It felt like an addiction running through my veins when I cast my gaze at the words scrawled on that paper. I wanted to ignore the pent-up emotions that were gathering inside my gut. I couldn’t escape the attraction I hindered for this woman I’d just met. I had the urge to just run… Run and never look back. I felt like everything was closing in on me rapidly, but I couldn’t because she’d already trapped me. Instantly.
Charlotte was sex on legs. She was a forbidden temptation sent to lure me from the confined expectations I’d set myself. I was battling my sheer willpower and forcing myself to ensure the hero inside me stayed locked within because I knew that the moment he escaped, she’d be tethered to my side and become my kryptonite.
Then we’d both be screwed.
We searched the place for two fucking hours. I was going mad with crazy thoughts of where she could be. Cassandra was diverting my calls and Charlotte had turned her cell off. How dare she?
I leaned up against the wall of the alleyway that was situated near the exit of the studios. Darkness began to descend on me as I racked my brains. I couldn’t lose her; not another client. I hadn’t even had a taste of her. I shouldn’t want it but after just one meeting, Charlotte Baxterly had me so tied up in knots. I swore I would make her pay for giving me the runaround.
