AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It isn’t,” she whispered into the room. “Out of everyone here I guess you can understand where my head is probably at. I…”
“I get it but this isn’t like what happened to Lily.” I reached forward and gave her a hug. I felt the shiver across her body before I pulled back and looked at her hunched form. “I can see the bigger picture and you know that I’ll have guys watching you…” I turned to face Travis and nodded. “Both of you. I won’t let whoever this is hurt anyone that’s close or dear to my woman. Do you understand me?”
“Thank you Xander. It means a lot,” Cass admitted.
“Yeah, thanks,” Travis uttered quietly.
“Cass, you weren’t just Lily’s make-up artist or Charlotte’s for that matter. You were their friend; their best friend. I’ll always watch out for you,” I said as Charlotte came next to us and molded herself into my side.
“He’s right. We look after our own. This person doesn’t know who they’ve decided to play with,” my woman said with such a fierce determination as she sagged into my side and gripped my waist.
I couldn’t believe the way my cock began to harden at the power and strength she’d shown from a few simple words. I willed it to calm down, needing present company to piss off.
“We’ll catch whoever it is,” Charlotte continued, “and then all of this will be a distant bad dream.”
“I second that,” Travis replied as I noticed Cass leave the room, her sobs clear and loud as my insides flipped over with a dreaded sensation.
In all the years I’d known Cass she never has been a woman to be overly emotional. She’d managed to hold her own, even when she was scared and dealing with situations herself until it came to Charlotte and she asked for my help. Panicked and concerned were one thing but tears were different. It seemed that everyone else in the room was oblivious to the difference though in Cass. Memphis and Barrett hadn’t thought to mention it if they’d noticed the difference. I mean, they had known Cass for as long as I had. Maybe I was just worked up after the letter being addressed to me? That all this infrastructure of me was in my head? It just niggled away in my gut. Cass was unusually emotional, worked up and distraught.
What was really going on with the make-up artist I thought I knew so well?
I didn’t know but I’d find out soon, especially now I’d put one of the mini trackers I’m glad I stored in my pants pocket and slipped it directly inside the handbag she used every day. I was a bastard. I knew it in my soul but I knew something was wrong and I was determined to find out what.
ChapterTwenty-One
Charlotte
We were finally alone. I didn’t realize how good it would feel to shut the door and finally just be alone with Xander without having a room full of people gawking at us. I should’ve been worried, nervous even after finding that letter but I wasn’t. I felt secure, safe even as I had him.
Xander didn’t realize that I’d noticed he was up to something as I kept my gaze trained on him. I saw the slight movement of his hands as he went to stand up and I watched as he headed toward Cass, noting him sliding something out of his pants pocket and dropping it into the palm of his hand as if it was nothing. I wasn’t naïve. I knew Xander and the skills he possessed but I wouldn’t question him, certainly not on the motives he had for doing this. He had his reasons and I just knew that I had to trust in him that they were genuine.
“Shall we go to bed and talk?” I asked, placing my hand on Xander’s back. “Or we can just go to bed. I don’t mind.”
“Kitten, you can’t give me that option.” Xander growled as he turned around and lifted me over his shoulder. He wrapped his arm tightly around my ass and I squealed loudly as I grabbed his waist. “You know we have to talk and now all I want is to slide my fingers into your hot, tight pussy and forget about the last few hours.”
I pouted as I felt the blood rush to my head and I bunched up my fists, shrieking at him as I attempted to smack Xander’s back.
“Put me down.”
“No, kitten. You’re being a brat.” Xander began to head towards the stairs as I took a deep breath. He smacked my ass and it sent a shot of desire straight between my legs. “I mean it; talk.”
I didn’t want to talk though. I wanted to forget and feel. I wanted to be lost in an orgasmic haze that only Xander could cause and then the moment I start to come back to reality, I wanted him to throw me all the way back to the stars at lightning speed again, where only he could catch me and help me soar.
Yes, I may be acting like a brat but I’d had enough. My mental health was waning and only Xander could help me forget just for a little while how fucked up a mess my life had become but it wasn’t to be until I’d told him what my solution to this mess was. I just didn’t want him to freak out because I knew it was coming; or worse, lose him. I knew that this idea would catapult Xander straight back to the night he lost Lily, bringing back every memory, whether he was ready to face it or not. The issue was time was against us and I honestly didn’t know if Xander had the strength, not only as my lover but as my protector to shield my heart and go through with my crazy scheme.
Xander dropped me with a bounce onto my bed and I quickly righted myself, leaning up on my elbows and sitting myself up. I patted the bed next to me for him to join me.
“Talk to me, kitten. You know this is taking all my restraint to not let go and say fuck it.”
“And you think this is fun for me?” I snapped back, watching as Xander crawled next to me. I placed my head onto his chest, grateful to have him to hold and listen to his steady heartbeat as I spoke. “It’s just I know what I’m going to suggest is going to be tough…”
“I never thought it would be easy but I knew there’d be risks,” Xander growled back. I knew he was fighting with himself on what emotions he thought he could show, what he thought I could cope with. “Just tell me and then we’ll figure it out.”
He was right until I told him we couldn’t deal with it if my idea was even feasible. If it was even a workable option with the team he had. Maybe it would have spurred an idea in Xander and created a better solution to our issues, finally allowing us to live our lives.
“I want to arrange an extravagant event for my birthday, to make it seem like we’ve nothing to hide. I thought we could invite media presence and dress to impress with me attached to your arm.”
“Go on.” Xander shifted his arm around me tighter as his heart rate began to increase. “I need to know.”
