a little as I turn to look at Xander, still waiting for his answer.
His eyes were fixated on the road as his jaw churned. “It means that I am going to take you home and then I have to take care of something.”
“No,” I force out of my mouth. “I meant do you actually love me?”
The words linger around me as Xander’s shoulders soften a little. He shoots a quick glance over to me while sucking in a deep breath.
“Charlotte, I really do love you, and I always have.”
Chapter 9
Xander
I have to find Lorenzo, and if he doesn’t talk, I’m gonna tear each of his limbs from his body before putting a bullet between his eyes.
Blood courses through my veins, boiling as it flows. I hold Charlotte tight in my arms as she clutches me.
Like I’m gonna leave her.
Again.
Last time I pushed her away, she got into a car with that asshole Blaine and almost died.
She needs to know that won’t happen again, but because of my shitty track record, it’s no wonder she doesn’t believe me.
Hell, I’d think I’m full of crap, too.
I’d been able to console her long enough to drive her back to her house, and somehow we’d managed to escape the prying eyes of the house staff long enough to sneak up to her bedroom.
What happened the last time we laid on this bed together is what started the fucking downward spiral in the first place.
I breathe her in, the sweet smell of coconut wafting under my nose as her breathing finally settles.
“Xander, what does this mean?” she murmurs with a loud sniffle. “Why did he mention Andrew? How could he have known?”
I shake my head, my jaw twitching when I think of all the ways I’m gonna make Lorenzo remember once and for all who the fuck owns him. Spoiler…it ain’t Moretti and his asshole crew.
It’s the Iazettis.
“I don’t know, babe.” I stroke her hair, smoothing it away from her face. “I mean, it’s public record. If he’s got some beef with your dad, it’s easy enough to dig up information to use that’ll scare you. And him.”
“Do you really think his issue is with my father?”
“Why else would he be coming after you?” I ask the question, knowing full well that there’s another glaring reason why and it’s currently stroking her back.
Fuck.
“I don’t know. I mean, I was away from here for a long time. It was much easier to get to me in London without my security all over the place. Everyone knew I was away. Why is he doing this now?”
A loud pinging sound blares out and I grab my phone, trying to come up with a response for her. My eyes narrow at the screen. It’s a message from Dad.
I need you to get to my office. Now.
I roll my eyes. My father just got back to town from his business trip and all of a sudden, he needs to see me? Fucking Jase must have alerted him about something I dropped the ball on. He just can’t wait to take every opportunity to tear me down, especially after seeing how Phoenix chose me to help him with—
Shit. This is about the other night when Phoenix asked me to help him corner Lorenzo after Scarface stalked me and Charlotte at the beach and me casually choosing Charlotte over my family obligations.
I ignore the text and shift on the bed, wondering what kind of bullshit I can make sound the least bit plausible for her inquiring mind while I figure out how to defend my actions to my father. “Maybe because he proved he can get to you right under your controlling asshole of a father’s nose and that was more of a win for him?” I wait, holding my breath. It sounded pretty convincing, but is it enough for Charlotte?
“He obviously has no idea that my father doesn’t give a damn about me, whether I’m in London or Ridgeview,” she mutters. “So if he’s trying to use me to scare big bad Charles, he should know that my father already lost the kid he cared about.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, gritting my teeth. That motherfucker. He’s really the one I want to tear apart limb by limb.
I’ll have to circle back to him after I figure all of this other shit out.
Other shit meaning…is it really me who put Char in Scarface’s path?
Did I almost lose the girl I love for the second time because of my own dumbass decisions?
My phone