Page 53 of Xander

Henry: And I’ll get rid of her. She’s nothing to me.

And then, the final one:

Henry: Where is Xander? Is he with you?

I looked at Xander, who had been watching me intently. “Is that him apologizing for hitting you? Let me guess, he somehow made it your fault because you pushed him too far and brought out his anger.” A sound escaped him, not quite a scoff.

I felt numb as I set the phone down. I thought of Xander’s mother, locked away somewhere, and Xander’s sinister warning before my wedding.

Had Henry done this to her as well?

All the tension in my shoulders poured out in a rush, and I sagged against the marble. With trembling fingers, I picked up the French 75 and took the sip I’d been denying myself.

Oh, hell.

He’d made it fucking perfectly.

Chapter

Sixteen

XANDER

Jordan’s eyes brightened with another sip, though she didn’t express her delight. My gaze wouldn’t budge from her lips as they hovered over the rim of the glass. “Any good?” I heard the huskiness in my voice.

“Yes,” she admitted. “Do you want to try it?” she offered absentmindedly.

“It’s a girlie drink.”

A half-smile graced her goddess-like face. “No one will take your man card away if you have one sip.” She held up the glass. When I didn’t move, she rolled her eyes. “I won’t tell anyone.”

How could I say no to her? I could barely distance myself after giving in to the fantasy eating me alive for years.

Instead of grabbing the glass, I lowered my face and let her tip the flute until the cool liquid poured into my mouth. My fingers curled around the stem, nearly groaning when they grazed hers.

Our gazes clashed over the rim of the glass. We had a moment, a small exchange of coy smiles. And that was it; Jordan quickly remembered herself.

She withdrew the flute, refusing me even a glimpse of warmth.

Nostrils flaring, I turned away from her.

She tightened the sheet around her chest, similar thoughts floating in her mind. “W-what happened… it should have never happened.”

I drew a long breath, tamping down my impatience. This might be a new development for her, but these suffocating feelings played an integral role in my life over the last few years. At this point, I had lived with these emotions for so long that I couldn’t remember not craving her like a depraved man.

“You mean, last night when I fucked your brains out?” I asked unapologetically.

Her eyes rounded at the blunt proclamation.

“Why?” she asked after a long pause.

I knew what she was asking. Why did you pursue me?

Jordan lowered her defenses after Henry’s true colors were exposed, but my reasons remained a mystery to her.

I shrugged. “I’m attracted to you.”

She took a sip of her drink, weighing the answer. She’d run for the hills if she knew of the sleepless nights and the depths of my obsessive ‘attraction.’ “That’s too simple a justification, considering the gravity of the situation. I’m your father’s⁠—”