She nodded her agreement. Xavier wrapped his arm around her and ushered her out the front door. She could probably feel him trembling, but he couldn’t control it. The anxiety of seeing her bound and gagged and the rush of relief that she was in his arms now were making his entire body shake.
As soon as they were in the bright sunlight and around the back of his Land Rover, semi-hidden from the space she’d been held captive, he turned Izzy around and worked the knot binding her hands together. The adrenaline was fading, but he was still on alert for the tall guy or his partner, so his heart rate wasn’t slowing, and he was struggling to steady his hands.
The kidnappers had known the exact moment he would be walking into that office space. Why hadn’t they had a knife or gun on Izzy or a better planned attack? They’d double-teamed him then both ran away. Why had they even kidnapped her? They hadn’t asked for money or anything. Something was wrong, and nothing was adding up in his brain, but he had Izzy. That was all that mattered right now.
The knot finally came loose, and he dropped the rope and turned her to face him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She nodded and shook her hands out. She looked small, vulnerable, and so beautiful. Then she slapped him across the face.
“What was that for?” He rubbed at his jaw, more confused than ever. Life used to make sense before he met Izzy Knight.
“Ditching me to go out with Alexandria last night.”
“You don’t understand—”
Izzy threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with such passion and love he almost lost his footing. He wrapped his arms tight around her and returned the kiss. She pulled away, and they both were short of air.
“What was that for?” he asked.
“Rescuing me.”
He couldn’t help but grin at how cute she was as all the angst and frustration from last night and this morning slipped away. He wanted to kiss her again, but sirens ripped through the air, and she stepped out of his embrace. Hopefully, the police wouldn’t take too long because he had a lot of questions for Isabella Knight. He touched his jaw again. She probably had a few for him too.
The police finally finished their questioning and taking evidence, what little there was. They typed all of Xavier and Izzy’s personal information into a computer and told them they were free to go. They seemed as confused by the thwarted kidnapping attempt as she was. The men hadn’t hurt her in any way. They hadn’t demanded any money. They hadn’t really hurt Xavier, besides the one guy fighting with him. She could still picture Xavier kicking that guy’s trash so easily. Xavier was a hero, but also a dipwad. He deserved a couple more slaps, maybe a few more kisses, but she really wished he would explain why he’d been with the model chick last night.
“I’ll take you home,” Xavier said with little enthusiasm.
“Sorry to be a burden.” She tossed back at him.
He opened her door, waited for her to climb in, and walked around to his side. He started the vehicle and drove toward her condo. Neither of them said anything. Izzy was bursting with questions, accusations, and demands, but he wouldn’t even look at her, his hand gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Finally, they pulled through the gate and into her condo parking lot. She reached for the door handle. He jumped out and ran around, waiting while she climbed down then shutting the door. They walked silently up to her condo door. She stopped at the door and turned to face him, hating how awkward they were. Was it really just yesterday morning he’d rescued her from being shoved off the waterfall? And now, he’d rescued her again. He was fearless and brave and she knew she was falling for him, but he was also a complete jerk. How could he have ditched her for another woman last night? Why?
Should she thank him for rescuing her? Yes, but she didn’t want to start this conversation. She tilted her head up and stared into his dark gaze. He looked as unsettled as her, but angry too. Kind of scary angry.
“I need the truth, Izzy.”
“You need the truth? Seriously, Xavier?” She tapped her fingers on her arm. “I’ll give you the truth. You pretended you cared about me then dumped me like yesterday’s garbage and took out some model last night. Is that the truth you’re looking for?” Her voice was too loud and she didn’t even care.
He brushed a hand through the air like he was swiping away an irritating fly. “Alexandria meant nothing. I went because my agent set it up. I went because …” His voice faded out and his eyes darted around at the other apartment doors and the cars parked below them. What was he looking for?
“Oh, that makes complete sense. So I shouldn’t care that my boyfriend had some beautiful woman draped all over him last night at some bar. No big deal. It was all for your ‘agent.’” She made quote marks with her fingers. Had she just called him her boyfriend? That might be taking it too far.
“It meant nothing. I promise.” He stared deeply at her as if begging her to see something she didn’t understand. “All those women were either setups or encouraged by my agent. It’s part of his way to make me look more appealing as a player.”
“That’s slimy.” She couldn’t believe Xavier would do that.
“I know, and I hate it. I’ve always hated it.” His eyes swept over her. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever dated that means something to me.”
Her heart started to soften. “You lost my trust, X.”
He swallowed hard. “I shouldn’t have done the pictures, but I promise you that’s all it was, pictures.”
“You could’ve called and explained that before I saw it splayed over social media.” And had her heart broken in the process.
He cocked his head and studied her. “I should’ve. I’m sorry, Izzy. I didn’t mean to hurt you like that.”
She processed his words. They seemed sincere, but yesterday, she’d trusted him above anyone in her life. Today, it was too tender, and she didn’t know what to believe.
He lowered his voice and took a step closer. “Look …” He glanced around again. “I don’t know if you’ll believe me but I went with Alexandria last night to protect you. My agent is a slime ball and as soon as this contract is signed I’ll be done with him.”
She was so confused. How was taking pictures with a super model protecting her and why couldn’t he just spell it all out? She studied him. “How is that protecting me?”
He shook his head. “My agent threatened … he was going to make you look bad. I’ll explain it all later, but you need to trust me. Can you trust me, Izzy?”
She gnawed at her cheek and finally said, “I don’t know.”
Xavier flicked his thumb against his pant leg. “Please believe I wouldn’t hurt you, Izzy. If you believe anything I say, believe that none of those women meant anything to me, and I’m sorry about the pictures you saw last night.”
She studied him and then finally nodded, still not sure if she trusted him or why he couldn’t just spell it all out. He leaned closer and said quietly, “Can I trust you?”
“What?” She stepped away from him.
“I can’t trust your father or my agent, but I really wish I knew if I could trust you.”
She bristled and wanted to smack him. “What are you talking about? This is all about me trusting you, not the other way around!”
“Why did you buy me at the bachelor auction?”
She gritted her teeth. Why were they back to this? “I told you, to get money for the hospital.”
“But why would your dad be that generous with you?”
“Maybe he actually cares.” It hurt to say it because she didn’t believe it and probably never would. “Why do you care if he donates money to my hospital?”
“I care because I think he’s trying to manipulate me. I think your dad set this whole thing up so I’d stay in Dallas.”
She fell back a step. “Excuse me?”
“He wanted us to date. He knew how appealing you would be to me, and he wanted us to fall in love so I wouldn’t take Denver’s offer.”
Xavier paused for half a beat, a hungry look coming over his face, hungry for her, but it was there and gone quickly. He shook his head and muttered, “Even your kidnapping today seemed contrived. They didn’t want anything. The guy fighting me was pathetic, and then he got out of there as quick as possible. Would your dad set something like that up?”
“Why would he do that?” She didn’t have a good relationship with her father, but he didn’t hate her enough to have somebody kidnap her. Did he?
“To bring us back together. To keep me here.”
She couldn’t even compute what he was saying. “You’re trying to tell me that my dad used me to lure you into staying?”
“Did he?”
“How would I know?” She shoved her hair behind her ear.
He took a step closer. “You tell me. Did you make up all the stuff you shared with me, all the hatred with your father? Are you in league with him to keep me away from Denver?”
She slapped him across the face, harder than she had the previous two times.
Xavier’s eyes hardened and darkened. “The last two times you slapped me I at least got a kiss out of the deal.”
“Don’t plan on it,” she shot back at him. He’d betrayed her trust and hurt her without a very good explanation and now he was claiming she was in league with her father?
He took a step closer, and she backed up a step, running into the door. His smell overwhelmed her, not his usual cologne but a clean, manly scent she couldn’t hide from.
“Tell me the truth, Izzy. Was it all a ploy?”
“If you can believe what your twisted little mind is telling you, then you don’t know me at all.”
“The only thing I know is you’re the most beautiful enchantress I’ve ever met.”
She glared up at him. His words should’ve been kind, but they were twisted to make it look like she’d put a spell on him or something. “I am not some enchantress, and I haven’t done anything my father has wanted since I was ten. Why would I care about his stupid football team or try to tempt you to stay?”
He planted his hands on either side of her head and leaned in. “You tell me, Princess, because I’m more confused than I’ve ever been in my life.”
“I am not a Princess.” She yelled at him.
Xavier bent down and kissed her. The kiss was possessive and strong and took her breath away. Unfortunately, her body reacted, and she cupped his face with her hands, stood on tiptoes, and deepened the kiss. Xavier crushed her against him, taking the kiss to levels daydreams were made of. His hands were warm on the bare skin of her shoulders and almost as demanding as his lips. He wanted her, all of her. Could she trust him again?
After who knew how long, he pulled back and muttered, “You sure don’t kiss like a princess.”
That was his response? She needed reassurance of love and trust, and he mocked her? Izzy planted her hands on his chest and tried to shove him away, but he didn’t budge. “Go to Denver!” She screamed. “See if I care.”
She whirled and pulled her key out of the small pocket in her shorts, working it in with trembling fingers. Xavier’s presence still surrounded her—his breath, his smell, his touch from a few seconds ago. She had to get inside before she lost it completely. The lock finally turned and she pushed the door open. Xavier’s hands dropped away, and she didn’t allow herself to look at him as she slipped inside and slammed the door.
Leaning against the door, she touched her lips and let the tears slide down her face. At least she had other kisses to remember him by because the last one was amazing, but it wasn’t her X. She sighed. He’d never be her X again.
19
Xavier stared at Izzy’s door. He shouldn’t have kissed her like that, like he wanted to possess her, not like he cared about her. Especially with her having a hard time trusting him because of all the crap with his agent. He wanted to knock on the door and apologize, but she had slapped him, again, and yelled at him to go to Denver. Most importantly, he still didn’t know who or what to believe. Would Knight really go to such extremes to keep him here? Xavier actually wanted to stay here and be with his friends, but Izzy ripping out his heart like this made him want to commit to Denver.
He stomped off her patio and down the steps, driving much too quickly to his house. When he stormed inside, his mama was cooking omelets in the kitchen.
“Are those actually for me, or are you feeding them to Brody and his brothers?”
She arched an eyebrow. “I don’t need your sass, boy.”
Xavier sank onto a barstool. “I’m sorry, Mama.”
“Were you out on a run?”
“No. Izzy was kidnapped.”
“What!” Mama dropped an egg on the slate floor. It broke open and oozed out, but she didn’t move to pick it up.
“She’s okay now. I rescued her.” He rolled his eyes. “Whole fat lot of good it did me.”
“Who kidnapped her? Why?”
“That’s the thing.” He pushed a hand over his short hair. “I don’t know who or why. The police were just as confused.” He shook his head and tried to explain. “I got a phone call from some guy this morning, saying he had Izzy. I followed his instructions. When I got there, Izzy was tied up and this guy fought with me, but everything about the situation was off. Like the fight was staged. When another guy hit me from behind, I let the first guy go, and they both ran off. They didn’t ask for money or try to hurt either of us.” He tapped his thumb against his leg.
Mama stared at him as the onions, peppers, mushrooms, and sausage sizzled and popped in the pan. It smelled really good. “You think it was a setup?”
“But why would she do that?” Xavier leaned forward against the counter—confused and tired and missing Izzy already.
“I don’t understand how you think our sweet Izzy would set up her own kidnapping.”
He tapped his palm on the counter. “I agree. She wouldn’t do that. But something stinks here. I think it was her father.”
“Messed up family,” she muttered.
“I don’t think we have any idea.” He shook his head. “Let’s head to Denver today instead of tomorrow.”
“Is Izzy coming with us?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Her eyes filled with a challenge that he had never stepped up to.
“Oh, Mama.” He buried his head in his hands. “Let’s not get into this right now. I’ve got a huge headache, and I’m hungry.” He should tell his mama about the crap his agent had pulled, but she’d be outraged and probably call Neil out on national television or something and Xavier would be in a bigger mess than he was in now.
“You listen to me,” Mama said. “You love that girl, and you need to make it right. I saw your stupid Instagram post with some fakey model chick last night. You probably broke Izzy’s heart, and you need to fix it!”
“Mama. You know how much I love you, but I am done with you bossing me around. I’m not going to be with Izzy.” Saying the words shredded a piece of his heart. His agent had messed things up with him and Izzy but so had Izzy’s dad and everything was a convoluted mess in his head.
“Recognizing you love Izzy does not mean I’m bossing you around, little boy.”
“I’m not a little boy anymore Mama. I’m a man. We’re going to Denver, and I’m probably going to accept their contract and move there, and what I’d really appreciate is you not bringing her name up again.”
“Why not?” She jammed her hands onto her hips.
“Because it hurts!” He glanced down at the granite counter top, running his hand along the rough edge. “It hurts okay. You never talk about my father. Why?”
She reared back, and her eyes widened.
“Why?” Xavier asked quietly.
“Because it hurts.”<
br />
“So you understand?”
She didn’t answer, simply opened her arms. Xavier walked around the bar and held his mama close. The veggies and sausage for the omelet burned in the pan as Mama clung to him. He couldn’t imagine the pain she’d been through, losing her husband and raising him on his own. The hurt from losing Izzy wasn’t comparable, but it still yanked him inside out and made it hard to keep putting one foot in front of the other. But the hug actually did help with the hurt a little bit.
20
Izzy had no clue if there was any truth to Xavier’s theories, but she had to know if her father could do something like this to her. She pulled into the circle drive of her family mansion, but her phone rang before she could open the door.
“Hello,” she said cautiously, not recognizing the number.
“Sweet girl,” Mama sounded out of breath.
“Oh, Mama.” Izzy sighed and leaned her head back against the headrest. She missed Mama so much. She missed Mama’s son more.
“Listen, I overheard X arguing with his agent this morning when he was unloading his suitcase upstairs and he thought I was at the store.”
“His agent?” He’d said his agent was a slimeball and made him take all those pictures with girls, but he’d still accused her of being in league with her father.
“From what I can gather he only took those pictures with the model chick to protect you from his agent leaking all kinds of mean stuff about you. His agent is making him do all of this nonsense to get more money out of Denver or your daddy.”
He’d claimed he was protecting her, but even if she could forget about the pictures with Alexandria why did he keep attacking her and acting like she was in league with her father? “Does he really believe that I only dated him to keep him in Dallas?” she asked.
“If he does I’ll kick his hind end,” Mama huffed. “No one could doubt your sincerity, sweet girl. And no one with a brain could miss the love you have for my boy.”
The Fearless Groom (Texas Titan Romances) Page 14