Damaged Love - Jaxson Kidman Page 0,33

to talk about who got what when?”

“Yeah, maybe we should,” Noah said.

They started to face off, yelling at each other about their conquests.

I set my eyes to Xavier and he nodded to the door to go outside.

I looked back at Noah and Easton.

“Two fingers are what counts,” Easton said. “Not just rubbing-”

“You have no idea how stupid you sound right now,” Noah said.

I shook my head.

Xavier walked by me.

I followed him.

I could use some fresh air.

And maybe time alone with Xavier.

Or maybe I’d run off the deck and just start running down the beach.

And I would never be seen again.

Chapter 12

conquests and kisses

Xavier leaned against the railing next to me.

“They’ll be in there for a while,” he said. “Back and forth.”

“Best friends, huh?”

“Something like that.”

“And they really argue over each other’s sex life?”

Xavier smirked. “When you can’t get it, you make sure you brag about the times you’ve gotten it.”

“Stop,” I said. “I don’t believe that for a second. You three? No way you guys are running dry when it comes to that.”

“Oh yeah?” Xavier asked. “What about you?”

Heat rushed to my cheeks. “What about me?”

“I know you have no memory, but you still have feelings. Needs. Right?”

“That’s a little personal.”

“You brought up the subject,” Xavier said. “I took you away from it in there. I just thought we could come out here until they were done arguing.”

I had a lot of questions for Xavier but I didn’t want to go down that road with him. I didn’t need to know how many girls he had slept with. Because it would probably end up making me jealous.

There, I can admit it.

And I didn’t need him asking questions and have me slip up and confess things that I wasn’t supposed to remember.

“So… this ball thing…”

“That sounds dirty,” Xavier said.

“You sound like Easton,” I said.

“No. I’m always me. You just haven’t seen all of me yet, Winter. Give it time. Hang around.”

“Get followed,” I said. “Feel threatened. Be confused. Yeah, this is a great way to live.”

Xavier laughed. “You get really worked up sometimes, you know that?”

“Do I not have the right?” I asked.

“I didn’t say that,” Xavier said. He looked forward. “Look, this ball thing is a big deal. For us. For our families. We usually just slip away and handle it. Someone will spread a rumor that we’re off to track someone down or we got into trouble. Who the fuck knows or cares, right? That’s what they do over at BFH. Anyway, this is just part of the gig.”

“The gig?” I asked.

“Being rich. Being powerful. Being part of a family that controls a lot. It’s not just sit back and buy an island and call it a life. You get the money and then you have to protect the money. Then you have to grow the money. And then you have to protect the money you’re growing. It’s all bullshit.”

“Sounds like you don’t like being rich, Xavier.”

He smiled. “I never said that. But it comes at a price. Which is kind of ironic.” He turned and leaned against the railing. His right hand touched my hand. “You have to be there. We won’t be able to function without you.”

“Why do you guys care so much about me?” I asked.

“I can’t speak for the other guys,” Xavier said. He moved his hand from my hand to my face. Touching my cheek, keeping my gaze upon his. “But for me… when I look at you, I see a tough kind of beauty that just sticks in my head.”

“Beauty…”

“Yeah. You’re fucking sexy, Winter,” Xavier said. He inched closer to me. “No matter the past or present. It’s all the same. I’ve always thought that way about you. But let’s keep that a secret. Okay? Between you… and me…”

Xavier moved even closer.

My lips started to quiver, aching for his kiss.

Before he could kiss me, the door opened.

“And I never touched anyone from HCH,” Easton announced. “That was all a lie. That was Jess getting back at me for fooling around with her friend.”

Xavier pushed from the railing and winked at me.

“You two still fighting over this?” Xavier asked.

“You know, why don’t you take a turn to argue with him?” Noah asked.

“I don’t need to,” Xavier said.

“Yeah, because you keep your sex life hidden,” Easton said. “Fuck, man, have you ever had sex?”

Easton and Noah laughed.

Xavier didn’t.

There was no way Xavier was a virgin.

But he was quiet about his private life.

That… well, that was intriguing.

And kind of sexy.

I went back into the house at