Off Her Rockers (Loving All Wrong #3.5)

by S. Ann Cole

  Izaboch winked at Xavier as he bit one side of his lip. It was then I saw what I hadn’t seen before in all the other times we met during the sale. Cheekiness, and attractive arrogance, a mischievous tease in those brown eyes. Uh-huh, this one here was a bad, bad boy.

  His hands went up in mock surrender. “Oki. Oki. I go and leave. I be roun ze back if you need me, Mizz Alina.”

  “She won’t,” Xavier answered for me.

  Izaboch chuckled as he walked off.

  “What was that all about?” I asked Xavier.

  “Iza’s famous around these parts for his… debauchery. Don’t want you anywhere near him,” he told me. “Think he’s God’s gift to women. Cocky little shit.”

  I busted out laughing. “You’re one to talk, slut of L.A.!”

  His scowled deepened, hating the title. “Now tell me, what’s this all about?”

  I took a breath. Here we go. “Mrs. Pierre died.”

  “What? When?”

  “Some months ago.”

  His mouth turned down at the corners. “Sucks. But she was really, really old. Lived long enough, I guess.”

  “Mmhm,” I agreed absently, sweeping my eyes around what was just the front of the land. It was spectacular.

  “So, what are we doing here if she’s dead?” he asked in an impatient tone. “Really confused here, Chino.”

  I held up a “gimme a minute” finger, then jogged back to the vehicle and got out his blueprint from my handbag. With a bracing inhale, I turned with it in my hands, knowing once he saw it, he’d get where this was going.

  His eyes locked in on the blueprint. He stared. Then stared some more. Turned and looked at the land. At the house. Did a full 360. And then his eyes relocked on the blueprint.

  “Where’d you get that?” His voice was just audible.

  “From your chest.”

  “What?”

  “When I told you I found your heart what did you think I was talking about?”

  He shook his head, his eyes darting from my face to the blueprint to the plantation house. Face, blueprint, house. Repeat.

  “Know you mean well wanting me to pursue this, Chino, but I can’t afford it. Don’t have enough saved up. And I left the band. Never gonna get there.”

  Closing the gaping distance between us, I pressed the blueprint against his chest. “But what if you could? Once this place is up and running you could start paying me back. Monthly, or yearly.”

  His eyebrows stretched to the heavens, and in a less serious moment, I would’ve laughed at his expression. Shocked Xavi was cute. “You wanna help me buy over six thousand acres and a plantation mansion?” He laughed something incredulous. “Can’t ask you to do that, Chino. It’s my dream, not yours.”

  “First, your dream is now my dream. As long as you want me, I’m your partner in everything. Second, I already bought it.”

  He jerked back two steps, like I just blasted him through the gut with a shotgun, grabbing on to the blueprint like it was a lifesaver. “You—with what? This shit’s more than thirty million dollars’ worth of land and house, babe. Way more.”

  “Yeah…” I dragged out slow and cautious, looking down and scuffing the front of my boot into the cold, wet earth. “About that…”

  “You lied, didn’t you?” His eyes narrowed in on me, jaw tightening. “Wasn’t thirty mil, was it?”

  “No, no it was,” I rushed to defend. “My trust fund is thirty mil. But…I didn’t tell you that I also had a separate inheritance.”

  His jaw popped. He was pissed. With the precarious state we were in right now, this old omission wasn’t earning me any favors. “How much?”

  Clasping my hands under my chin, I begged, “Promise me you won’t freak out.”

  “Why would I? You never stop lying. Used to it by now.”

  “Promise me,” I demanded.

  He glared for forever until he gave in. “Promise. How much?”

  Eyes closing, I winced as I told him, “Twelve…billion.”

  Nothing.

  I popped one eye open, peeked at him. He was staring at me, unamused. “You gonna tell me how much or you gonna jerk me around all day?”

  My other eye deemed it safe to open. “I’m not jerking you around. I’m a billionaire.”

  He blinked at me. Blinked at the house. Blinked at the blueprint in his hand. Blink. Blink. Blink.

  “Holy shit, you… It’s true? You bought the plantation.”

  I nodded.

  With disbelieving shakes of his head, he spun in a slow circle again. “Crazy lying cheating heart-breaking Chino with more money than honesty bought Pierre’s plantation.” He stopped circling, eyes on me again. “Dad knew about this?”

  Again, I nodded. “He did. But he never told me about the connection between your mom and the owner.”

  “’Course he didn’t,” he said, wagging his head. “Probably thinks it’s fate or some shit.”

  I laughed out. “I literally said the same thing.”

  He began circling again, and I watched without words, a little anxious. He was wearing an expression I’d never seen before, one I wasn’t quite sure how to place. “You wanna hop in one of the gold carts and go check out the rest of it? This is merely the front, you know.”

  A single shake of his head. “Been here like a hundred times. Have walked the grounds and dreamed what it would be like to own something like this. That plan I drew up is for much smaller land space. The estate—”

  “At the foot of the hill. I know.”

  He looked at me, then. “You do?”

  “Mick told me. We tried to get it, but the owner wouldn’t budge no matter how much I offered. It had to stay in the family. I’m glad they didn’t, though, because this…this is just…wow.”

  Xavier laced his fingers on top of his head.

  Stifling a smile, I picked up the blueprint he didn’t seem aware had fallen from his grasp. He seemed to be having a hard time believing I’d really bought the place and was waiting for it to sink in.

  “Chino, this is more than I could’ve ever… I can’t even…”

  “Uh, hold your horses there, dream boy. It’s not for free. It’s for sale.”

  Hand’s falling from his head, he flashed me a sly smile. “What about you being my partner?”

  “First, you haven’t said yes to taking me back yet. And second, what do I get from just handing this plantation ranch over to you on a silver platter?”

  His eyebrows waggled suggestively. “Me?”

  I rolled my eyes. “If you want the plantation, we can have a contract drawn up: you get an eighteen month pass before you start making monthly or yearly payments. Your choice.”

  He was giving me the sexy, I’m-a-rock-star-drop-your-drawers grin now. “What kind of super-rich girlfriend are you? You’re supposed to give me stuff for free because I’m hot, I have a big cock, and my hair can do that man-bun thing.”

  What in the what? I lanced him with a glower, fixed my hand on my hip. “I don’t know what planet you visited when you were in your coma, but you need to find your way back to Earth. You know, the place where nothing, not even a bucket of manure, is for free.”

  “Not even if I give you a proper eat-out?”

  Oh sweet Mary and Joseph. “Xavi—“

  “For the rest of your life?”

  “Are yo—“

  “I’ll do that thing you like with my finger and tongue along your asscrack---“

  “Xavi!!” I stomped my foot, my blood hot and my heart racing. Though it wasn’t from anger. Aroused was more like it. Just remembering how ‘that thing with his finger and tongue’ made me feel…I shivered. “Can you be serious?”

  “How’d it pass me how much fun teasing you could be?” His eyes danced with mirth. “Don’t think I’m gonna be able to stop now. Don’t even think I’ve ever seen you blush before.”

  “That’s because we’ve only known each for a little over a year,” I filled in. “We still have a lot to l
earn.” I stepped close to him. “Just like I didn’t know how complete seeing you grin and laugh like this would make me feel. By the way, there are two German Shepherds at the back with Izaboch.”

  “You’re shitting me.” Excitement emanated from him in thick waves.

  I batted my eyelashes and asked sweetly, “Would I ever lie to you?”

  Xavier’s lips twitched, and then he broke out in incredulous laughter. “I won’t even…”

  Before I could whip him with a quick retort, he was gone. Bouncing as fast as he could on his leg, disappearing around the house.

  Moments later, I heard dogs barking.

  Not exactly a dog person, I didn’t follow. Instead, I went back into the car and leaned my head on the headrest. Closing my eyes, I released a long, relieving breath, and smiled.

  Some fifteen minutes later, Xavier returned to the vehicle, rubbing his cold hands together. “Love ‘em.”

  “Don’t worry, those bad boys are free,” I said. “And oh, you might want to get over your issues with Izaboch because I promised him I’d let him remain in the barn house and keep his job.”

  His head jerked to me, eyes narrowed. “You made promises to that little shit?”

  “He’s got a pregnant girlfriend. Give him a chance.”

  He grunted, but made no promises. “So, you and Dad, huh? Never would’ve thought.”

  “Listen to me. Honest. Your dad is the best. I love that man so hard. Xena’s seriously missing out.” I frowned. “Speaking of, I think we better get back. We have a few hours’ tops before he checks out.”

  Xavier’s entire torso turned to me now. He stared, hard. “How do you know that?”

  “By the tone of his voice.”

  “What?”

  Hold on, he couldn’t tell when Mick was winding down and out? “Mick’s voice is deep and gruff. Whenever he’s close to checking out, his voice gets lighter and lighter, sometimes right down to a whisper. And the last hour right before he clicks out, he stops talking altogether.”

  Xavier studied me a moment, creases on his forehead once more.

  I had to ask, “You didn’t know that?”

  Slowly, he shook his head. “Never knew when he’s gonna check out. He just…checks out. Frightens me sometimes.”

  I reached out and touched his arm. “The signs are there, Xavi. Maybe you just don’t pay close enough attention to pick up on them.”

  He was still watching me, as if seeing me for the first time.

  Before long, he blinked, straightened, started the engine, and drove us home in silence.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  I WAS CURLED UP IN THE ANTIQUE CHAISE in the guest room, gaze directed out the low, frosty window on the opposite side of the room, watching the snow drift down to the earth, clouding around the windowsill, gaining momentum, and with momentum came heights of white.

  Out of nowhere it had begun snowing hard, straddling the border of blizzard territory.

  There was an old-school wood-burning fireplace here in the guest bedroom, crackling and huffing and puffing to keep us warm, as the electronic heater wasn’t enough to fight off the sudden blast of chills we were getting. A soothing aroma of fire-kissed wood permeated the air, making the moment of peaceful silence one I would yearn for in times of stress and anxiety in the future.

  Jacob was asleep under a thick blanket on the bed, butt pointed to ceiling, face planted in the mattress. He’d been sleeping in that position ever since he learned how to creep. I still didn’t understand it.

  After I’d showered him and tucked him in, he’d asked for his “Ian”—Davian—and “Dev”—his grandfather Dave—and “Dada”—JK. I promised him I would take him home to see them soon. He had no choice but to believe me. But I knew it was selfish of me to have kept him from his family for so long.

  Speaking of, Davian was currently boiling with justified rage. It was wrong of me, I admit it, but I couldn’t leave yet without knowing where Xavier and I stood. I came to France on a mission, and I wasn’t leaving until that mission was completed.

  Xavier hadn’t spoken to me since we left the plantation this morning, but it wasn’t a resentful or brooding silence. More of an I-just-need-some-time-to-think kind of silence. A silence I more than understood, so I gave him the space he needed and spent the rest of the day in my room with Jacob.

  As I predicted, Mick had checked out about an hour after we got back, so Chloe and Xavier had been monitoring him. After living with the man for the last two months, I knew he would be good as gold by morning.

  I skipped dinner again, but this time I really wasn’t hungry. The only thing on my mind was getting an answer from Xavier. Put me out of my misery already.

  The plantation and my inheritance was no light matter. I get it; it was a lot for him to digest. Anyone who would just jump and said yes to pretty, shiny things without thinking long and hard about it, were reckless opportunists to beware of.

  I could’ve given him the plantation ranch free, but I didn’t want to lock him into choosing me in order to get the plantation. If I had done that, I wouldn’t know for sure if he truly wanted me back, or simply taking me back because he wanted the plantation, not me.

  Selling him the plantation ranch separated me from the equation. He could choose not to take me back and proceed with purchasing the place from me.

  I didn’t come with it. There was the plantation ranch, and then there was me. Two separate entities.

  But God, I hoped he chose me, too.

  On the heel of that thought, my door creaked open, and my gaze shifted toward the door.

  Xavier. Speak of an angel.

  His eyes went immediately to a sleeping Jacob on the bed, and as though that’s what he was hoping for, he pushed the door further open and came in.

  Hair tied back in a damp knot. Freshly showered. An old Nirvana T-shirt and sports shorts.

  For both mine and his sake, I kept my eyes above his waist.

  “Poor Chloe is going to die of blushes seeing you walk about like this,” I teased as he came over to me. I drew up to a sitting position in the chaise to make room for him.

  “Good to know I can still make chicks blush,” he said in a quiet voice, lowering down beside me.

  “Even when you’re long gone you’ll still be making women blush,” I told him. “You are, and will always be, Xavier Xander.”

  His response was a shrug, as if he didn’t believe it. Then, he leaned forward and began removing his prosthetic leg.

  Afraid of getting a repeat of this morning, I kept my mouth shut and watched him do it. Though I wasn’t sure why he was taking it off.

  Setting the leg aside, he smoothed his palm over his stump a few times and cocked his head to look at me, “This is me now, Chino.”

  Jesus.

  Drawing close to him on the chaise, I leaned over to touch his stump. I paused, hand hovering, and looked back at him for permission.

  A slight nod of the head.

  With two fingers, I traced the stitch-like scars that circled his thigh. They resembled stitches around a baseball. I touched them, adored them, accepted them, and loved them. Loved this newness to him. These beautiful scars told half his story. Because if there’s one fact we knew about life, there were more scars to come.

  I leaned down and touched my lips to the raised skin. “And you’re more beautiful now than you were before.” Kiss. “Now you have character.” Kiss. “You’re unique.” Kiss. “You are a story.” Kiss. “And I would be proud to call you mine…if you would have me again.”

  His hand covered over mine on his thigh. “You claim you want me back, so why’d you buy the plantation here?”

  “Because ‘here’ is where your heart is.”

  “But your life’s in L.A.,” he pointed out. “How’d that work?”

  Wasn’t it obvious? I straightened back to a sitting position. “Xavi, my life is with you. Wherever you are, that is where I’ll be. Even if you don’t take me back, trust that I’ll b
uy the nearest house to you and live there. Not to stalk you. Just to be near you.”

  His brows furrowed then, and I saw the moment he got it. “You wanna move here?”

  Yup, he got it. “Duh.”

  “And Jacob?” he pushed, skeptical. “Know Davi won’t be up for that.”

  “He will have to be.” I shrugged. “We’ll work something out. Either he goes to school here and Davi gets him on holidays, or he goes to school in L.A. and I get him on holidays. If we go to court, this time the odds will be in my favor because I’ll prove to be more stable here, while Davi will be traveling a lot for work.”

  “Want him with us,” he demanded. “Davi gets holidays.”

  I fought back a smile. He just indirectly agreed to take me back. “Then that’s what I’ll fight for.”

  Dropping his head back on the chaise, he let out an audible sigh. “Well, this makes it all a shit of a lot easier.”

  “What?”

  To meet my eyes, his neck rolled on the edge of the chaise in my direction. “Was hesitant…didn’t wanna keep sharing you with him. Long as we’re in the same place, running in the same circles, sharing the same friends, I’d always be sharing you with him. Pointless not to admit you two share something I’m jealous of, and it makes me feel powerless.

  “Tried to brave through it the best I could before, ‘cause I wanted you regardless, but, just don’t got it in me anymore to keep competing with him. Not with one leg. Perspectives changed. Decided letting you go was best.”

  I made a lamenting noise in my throat, but he squeezed my hand to let me know he wasn’t done. “Now I know you wanna move here, with me…makes me breathe easier knowing you’ll be here, with me.”

  I sought for a direct answer this time. “Does that mean you still want me?”

  His fingers slid through mine. “Was never a time, and never will be a time, when I don’t want you, Chino. You know, sometimes I think that ‘fake’ story was actually the real story. Think I really did fall for you from seeing those pictures, and I used breaking Jess and Davi up as an excuse to get to you. In retrospect, think all I really ever wanted was you. The lie was the truth. And every other truth was a lie.”

  My stare dropped to our fingers making love with each other. “We can start over here.”