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“Actually, no card was normally left but my mother used to tell me that a family friend used to send them and they were too special to throw away. I never did feel I had the right to question her.” She released a sigh and moved her hand away from mine, cradling her hands around her face.
“Charlotte, what about the amount of them? Why twenty-eight bouquets?” Travis questioned, walking over toward us with the tick in his jaw apparent.
“I’m twenty-seven-years old. The last bouquet was—”
“Meant to symbolize you wouldn’t see your next.” I breathed harshly as my nostrils flared and a surge of anger flew through my body, allowing my possessiveness to shine. “That’s not going to happen, Charlotte.” I grabbed her chin with my two fingers and forced her to look at me. “That. Is. Not. Going. To. Happen. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
I pulled her onto my lap and wrapped my arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head and encasing my warmth around her like a bubble of security.
“Then if you want to protect her Xander, then whatever this thing is between you both stops now. It’s too much of a risk. Charlotte needs to take priority,” Travis demanded.
I felt a whoosh of air release from my body and an overriding sensation of anger ignited within me. Who the hell did this man think he was to lecture Charlotte on who she dated? She was mine. Did this director feel he could stake his claim on my woman? Like fuck that was going to happen. I’ll destroy him first. I lifted Charlotte up and placed her back on the chair beside me before I stood up and made my way over to the man. My fists were clenched and I wanted to hurl a punch into his face. I cast a glance back at Charlotte, noting the furrowed brow and questioning eyes staring back at me and it made me hate that Travis had put that doubt on her face.
“Don’t worry, kitten. I think Travis has some explaining to do. Don’t you?” I balled out, clenching my hands in and out by my side and gritting my teeth together. “Why would you state that she’s not my priority? Why is it any of your business?”
“Because she’s my lead actress, Xander. Maybe I’m concerned that you won’t be able to separate your personal life from your business life,” Travis uttered, marching right up into my face and closing the gap. “It seems Charlotte is a prime hit and Xander, your reputation is damaged as it is. I think you need to keep your dick in your pants long enough to actually catch this person because otherwise, you’ll never forgive yourself if something happened.”
“She’s mine,” I uttered, looking at the confused silent woman shying away from the situation. “Charlotte is mine.”
“Not if she’s dead, Xander. Think about it for a moment. Think of Lily.” I shuddered as I felt my knees weaken from beneath me and I grabbed the sideboard next to me. I felt the weight of Lily’s necklace encased in my wallet pocket before a knock disturbed us.
“Yes, come in,” I announced before I could take the words back. Barrett quickly made his way to the door, scowling at my lack of thought. Anyone could have been behind it. Shit, rationality had gone and my mind was obsessed with the concern and way I wanted to remove it from Charlotte’s features. Barrett nodded and let Memphis into the room with Cassandra in tow. It was happening again. I was failing. I needed to distance myself back to security detail until we dealt with the threat. “Anything Memphis?”
“Nothing!” he exclaimed in frustration. “I wish I could’ve given you all better news.”
“Me too. Me too. I need a favor,” I replied, turning to face the man with long dark hair who was cocking his head to the side. “Take the girls back to Charlotte’s place and keep an eye on them. I need to talk strategy with Travis and Barrett. I’ll fill you in later.”
“I’ll stay,” Charlotte announced, crossing her ankles as she patted the tips of her fingers against one another methodically. “It’s about me after all.”
“Charlotte, go! I’m not taking any risks now. This is business after all.”
“Business. You call this business. You call me business. Fuck you Xander!” she screamed, jumping out of the seat and pointing her finger into my chest. “I thought this was different.” She stormed off, grabbing the wrist of Cassandra and pulled her along out of the room as Memphis dropped his head and gave a sullen nod and shut the door behind them.
“You did the right thing,” Travis stated, watching Barrett for an indication of his opinion which wasn’t visible. I knew Barrett well enough that he wasn’t about to jump ship and praise the man for hurting Charlotte or me for that matter. He was loyal and knew how much turmoil I’d been in. This was probably the first sign of happiness I’d had in ages and I had thrown it away for a few choice words from a director.
“No. I’ve probably fucked up my whole life,” I said, forcing the painful admittance out. “But when haven’t I done something to add a mark to the pain in my heart?”
ChapterEleven
Charlotte
Igritted my teeth together tightly, knowing that if I forced my bite down any harder, I’d be at risk of breaking one of my perfectly aligned teeth. I had to get out of that room quickly before I unleashed my full temper on the alpha male who thought Travis Lumsden had the right to control who the hell I had a relationship with. It was as if Travis had cast a spell over Xander and made him completely forget the attraction we’d shared just the previous night; hell, even the previous hour. Where had my protective man gone? Where had the guy who’d I dropped all my walls for and allowed into my fragile heart ran to? I’d let the fucking man into my bed. I’d let him fuck me senseless as he made my mind, body and soul become lost in him and then he listens tomy boss. Who does that? This was my life Xander was toying with on a delicate string and he’d decided it was best to just screw me over. Worst of all, I let him do it. I let him into my personal space, my inner circle that minimal people get to grace, just to have it all spat back in my face. I wasn’t standing for this.
“Cassandra!” I shouted. I grabbed her wrist and dragged her behind me as I slammed open the door and headed straight out of Travis’s suffocating office space. “Please tell me you brought your car here?” I enquired, not stopping to take in the sound of the feet following us. Of course Memphis would be the ever so obedient guide dog and listen to his keeper.
“I… I…” Cass began before we were interrupted.
“I’ll drive you!” Memphis shouted from behind the pair of us. I didn’t turn around to acknowledge him but I knew we had no choice in the matter. “Black jeep.”
“I know,” I barked. “I’ve seen you in it before.” The moment the harsh words left my mouth I swallowed and shook my head as I pulled open the door and climbed across the black leather seats. “You didn’t deserve that Memphis. I’m just so angry. Just take the pair of us to mine, please.”
“I’ll start the takeaway order now so at least they can be preparing it on the way back. Have you got wine and ice cream in?” Cass questioned as we waited for the purr of the engine to become alive from beneath Memphis’s fingertips. “I have a feeling you have a lot you want to get off your chest.”
“I always have the essentials in for a good bitch rant and rave about a fucking wanker of a guy,” I rabbeted out of my mouth, not caring that Memphis had heard the insults about his friend and colleague. I needed to get through filming ahead though first, especially if he was in charge of my security tonight; he’d be hearing a whole lot worse once the red wine had hit and allowed my tongue to become loose. The backlash that would occur would be an epic showdown to say the least. Especially when it allowed my innermost open and truthful thoughts to slip out like a skater gliding on the ice. Xander and I would be the topic of attention but not for the perfect reasons that it should be. More like the hurtful pain he’d caused. “Plus, I may even have to make you devour Pretty Woman with me.”
“Richard Gere definitely knows how to treat a woman,” Cass agreed as Memphis turned the engine on and reversed the car out before hitting his foot on the accelerator. Cass tapped on her phone whilst pulling up the list of local takeaways. “Chinese, Indian… sushi? What do you fancy?”
