He easily caged her into the open doorway of the car. “You are not playing today.” He barely moved his lips as her scent reached him. The silky softness of her brown skin gleamed, and the sudden need to touch her shocked him. He tightened his fist to prevent himself from reaching for her.
Cassandra closed the remaining space between them and pressed her open palms on his chest. “I won’t play if you tell me your name.”
Xavier could feel his frame tremble from that innocent touch. Without any forethought, he closed the remaining space between them. Whatever pull she had over him, he gave up trying to fight it. If she can’t see what an ugly mudderfucker I am, then who the hell am I to tell her? He wanted to feel her, touch her, and have her feel and touch him. Her stomach cradled his growing erection, and she felt like heaven against him. Does she know how close I am to just taking her and pounding into her? How long will she stay in my arms before pulling away from me? Woman as beautiful as her would never even get this close to me. They always turn away in fear or revulsion. I’m too hard, too intense, too black, and too fucking ugly. Why is she not running from me?
Cassandra sucked in her breath audibly as his cock pulsed against her. She looked down at where their bodies touch, but she didn’t move as he expected.
Xavier looked down as well, and he pulsed harder. Her nipples were clearly beading behind her sports bra and T-shirt, their outline visible and blatant. He closed his eyes, determined to not let her see the madness he was feeling. The feel and scent of her is fucking sending me up in smoke! It’s as if my senses are drugged on her.
“I won’t tell anyone who you are,” she said softly.
Xavier blinked and opened his eyes. He had lost their train of conversation and was now confused by her promise. “Why not?” he asked.
“You’re undercover, right? Perhaps hoping to catch my brothers in the act?”
“What? No,” he denied, almost feeling the need to smile at her enthusiasm for having her brothers caught. He knew from his investigation about her that her brothers were small-time drug dealers. Their dealings had the attention of the agency, but the higher-ups were waiting for more substantial fish. So far the brothers had led them to no one substantive. But Xavier wasn’t on their case. He usually dealt with more violent and bigger drug operations.
“Look, I don’t care if you’re after them. I just need to know your name. It’s kinda difficult having a wet dream about someone whose name you don’t know.” She shivered against him and started moving her fingers in a circular motion on his chest.
Her confession stunned him, and he stared down at her silently. He couldn’t believe she found him attractive. Her obvious interest only made him pulse harder into her soft belly.
“So are you going to tell me, or am I going to be playing ball today?”
God, that tiny light caress and her lush curves are making me so fucking hard. This girl is going to get me arrested if she doesn’t stop touching me.
“No?” Cassandra angled her head in enquiry. He obviously didn’t answer fast enough because the next thing he knew she’d ducked back into her car, scrambled out the other side of the car, and sprinted toward the basketball court.
Xavier intercepted her before she crossed the street to the court and blocked her attempts to get around him. “You are too young, too beautiful,” he told her with a calm he fought hard to portray, willing her to understand.
“I don’t get it. What the hell does my age or my looks have to do with anything?”
“Look at me,” he murmured.
“Yeah, I see you. Are you fishing for a compliment?
“I can’t fuck you. You’re too young, too beautiful.”
She closed the distance between them and placed her palm on his chest again. “I’m twenty-one years old, old enough to know what I want. I think you’re just gorgeous.”
He grunted, unable to argue the point that she had only recently turned twenty-one and certainly not willing to argue about his looks. He knew what he looked like, despite her words to the contrary. Just her touch, the feel of her skin against his, and her scent had him helplessly sinking his fingers into the supple flesh of her round ass and pulling her closer. What the fuck am I going to do with this beautiful kid? A kaleidoscope of images flashed into his mind, his lips wrapped around her ripe nipples, his tongue on her tasting her nectar... Who the fuck am I kidding? I’m already lost over her. No fucking way will I be able to resist her! What the hell am I going to do when she realizes I’m a monster? How would she react if she sees me still standing even after a mortal wound? Bending his head in agony, he placed his forehead against hers; he was paralyzed with both lust and despair. I shouldn’t be touching her like this if I hope to keep my sanity.
Cassandra pressed her lips against his ear. “Before you start thinking of fucking me, can you at least introduce yourself first? Maybe ask me on a date first? I may be a bit old-fashioned, but I think that all happens before we start fucking, no? Besides, you would have to make love to me first. I will need you to be gentle. I kinda noticed that you’re a big”—she laughed huskily—“a really big guy.”
The thought of being in her tight snatch almost brought him to his knees. I’m so fucked! He tightened his fingers on her lush flesh as his dick tried to drill a hole in his jeans. “Don’t say things like that,” he muttered. This reaction to her isn’t normal. It’s visceral, impossible for me to control.
She kissed his ear, his neck. “I can’t help it. Why is that?” She kissed the middle of his chest. “I don’t know your name, but I still want you. I’ve never wanted like this before, never felt desire like this.”
“Jesus,” he hissed. Can’t she feel how I’m pulsing like hell to get into her?
“Tell me your name,” she whispered, peppering his face with soft kisses.
Her tender caresses were playing havoc with his concentration. “It’s Xavier. Call me X,” he murmured.
“Xavier,” she said breathlessly and gently ran her fingers over his closely cut hair.
His breath hitched. He loved the sound of his name on her lips just a little too much. That’s my name, but she has no idea what I am. Her touch obliterated him. He couldn’t resist her any longer. Bending his head, he angled his lips over hers. It started out as a simple meeting of the lips, and he was jolted by her softness. Parting her lips with his tongue, he delved deeper, and his big frame trembled at the first taste of her. Oh God, she’s so sweet. He couldn’t help kissing her as if wanting to devour her. Holding her, tasting her, was pure nirvana. It was the first time in his life he’d ever felt as though he might pass out from the maelstrom of sensations consuming him.
She eagerly kissed him back, passionately twirling her tongue around his.
He was oblivious to everything around them, deepening the kiss and clutching her tighter against him. She strained against him as though she couldn’t get close enough. Oh God! The universe shrunk to just her; nothing else existed.
“Get a room!” a pissed-off voice yelled from a passing vehicle.
Xavier raised his head and put her away from him. He swayed unsteadily on his feet for a brief moment. He closed his eyes and tried modulating his breathing to regain his equilibrium. When he looked back at her, she seemed to be having the same problem and was staring back at him in bewilderment. Yeah, that’s how I fucking feel, completely obliterated by your barely-legal ass.
He grabbed her hand suddenly and escorted her back to her car. “Go home.”
“Am I going to see you tomorrow, Xavier?” Cassandra climbed into her car.
“What do you think?”
“Can you at least run with me instead of behind me?” She looked at him with a teasing glint in her eyes, daring him to deny he had been running behind her on her morning runs.
He grunted and walked away without answering her query. He followed her home and ensured she was safely inside the house before leaving for his apartment.
Xavier knew he was being followed as soon as he climbed o
ut of his SUV after parking it in the lot of an apartment complex about a mile from his temporary home on Paradise Island. He had deliberately parked his car to throw off the idiots following him. There were two men in a darkly tinted Dodge Durango, who climbed out of their vehicle when he exited his car.
Moving swiftly through the car-park, Xavier entered the unlocked picket-fence-type gate into a central courtyard for the complex. He weaved in and out between the buildings, noting that the men continued to follow in his wake. Xavier moved swiftly as a chorus of dogs barking filled the air. In seconds, he was able to work his way behind his pursuers. Striking with lethal force, Xavier brought down both men with a series of strikes and kicks, utilizing the martial arts training he’d perfected while in the US Special Forces. In seconds, both men were rendered unconscious with a variety of broken bones and bruised, bloodied faces. Xavier didn’t escape the minor scrimmage without any injuries however. He’d been struck directly in his chest with a bullet from a third assailant he hadn’t seen coming. Grimacing slightly when the man had discharged his weapon, Xavier was pissed when he snapped the man’s neck. I hate being shot. I won’t die, but that shit hurts like a bitch! At least this bastard won’t be waking up again.
His blood quickly saturated the front of his T-shirt. Xavier was irritated by the inconvenience of the ruined shirt but quickly searched all three men for IDs or any information that could help identify who the Chinese men were. More than likely they were only mules and were insignificant in uncovering why their boss was so intent on Cassandra.
The dark-skinned African man lurked in the shadows, watching his prey intently. He noted his skill and was not at all intimated by it. He had the element of surprise on his side. By the time Xavier saw him coming, it would be too late. Soon, very soon, I will do what others have failed to do and eliminate this unworthy half-breed.
Half an hour later, Xavier stood in the bathroom of his temporary home and calmly dug the bullet out of his chest. It’s time I call the only man on earth I trust with my life.
Chapter Five
Cassandra grinned with pure delight as she saw Xavier waiting for her on the sidewalk outside of her house. “Good morning, X, glad to see you made it.” She smiled affectionately up at him.
He looked at her through lowered lashes for a silent, intense moment. Turning abruptly, he took off down her usual jogging route. Cassandra ran, caught up with him, and swatted him on his hard butt. “Okay, so you’re not a morning person. Me personally, I love morning, afternoon, and evening,” she said cheerfully. “I thank God for all of it.”
Although it was still dark outside at that time of the morning, the streets were well lit, and she was easily able to see the expression on his face.
Xavier glanced over at her and didn’t comment.
Cassandra grinned at his surliness. “Is this your first assignment to the Bahamas?”
“No,” he grunted.
“Oh, so you’ve been here before?”
“No.”
Cassandra said good morning to pair of joggers they passed. “I don’t understand. If this isn’t your first assignment here, how can this also be your first time here?”
“Not on assignment.” The abundance of words seemed forced from his deep, gravelly voice.
Cassandra laughed. “I ain’t gonna lie. I just like asking you shit so I can hear your voice. But will it kill ya to be a little bit more forthcoming? Geez, getting an answer from you is like trying to find the hole in a gnat’s ass without a microscope.”
He looked at her with bemused warm eyes. His lips twitched, and a muscle in his cheek jumped as if uncertain of whether to laugh or not.
“I mean you’ve already got me distracted with this drool-worthy body. It’s like when God was handing out hotness, you were a damn glutton and took it all for ya self. No chocolate fineness left for anyone else!”
He emitted a stunned sputter then another. The frozen muscles in his face melted, his eyes glistened brightly, and then he laughed out loud.
Although his laugh sounded more as though he was in pain, Cassandra smiled, pleased that she had finally made him lower his shield. She waved and said good morning to another fellow jogger.
“So I’m going to pretend that this is your first time here in the Bahamas and you’re just a lowly tourist, wink, wink,” she went on.
He nodded and gave that grimace-like smile again.
“Ah damn,” Cassandra exclaimed. “You’re killing me here: gat me crushin’ on dem gorgeous dimples.”
He shook his head at her teasing.
She laughed and took pity on him. “So here is me treating you as if you’re a tourist: we’re running along the eastern side of the island, which has some interesting historic sites. You wouldn’t quite see it from the road, but just behind those trees over there is Blackbeard’s Tower. It hasn’t been kept well and is quite derelict. However, you would still be able to see the lookout tower of Edward Teach, who was the famous pirate, Blackbeard.”
He looked to the site she pointed out.
Encouraged by his obvious interest, Cassandra continued to tell him more about that area of the island. “Farther up this road is one of the three forts on the island. The forts were built in the seventeenth hundreds to protect the island from being invaded by pirates and enemies of the British Empire. The fort on this side of the island is called Fort Montagu and is the oldest of the three. It is obviously no longer in operation. But you’ll be happy to note that that fort fell in the late seventeenth hundreds under the attack of the Continental Marines, known today as the United States Marine Corps.” She told him more about the houses they passed and the local elite who lived there.
Xavier silently listened and nodded encouragingly when she lapsed into silence. He split his focus on her and the man following them. It was one of the men he had beat the crap out of the other night. This time, the man seemed more intent on watching them than posing any physical threat. Yeah, well, after the last time, this idiot doesn’t want to tangle with me again. Damn, it’s not often you see a man shot point-blank in the chest with a .38 Glock still standing to knock your ass out. If I were in his shoes, I would approach with extreme caution too. Having already tracked one of Cassandra’s stalkers back to who he believed was their boss, Xavier was still trying to determine why this man would be interested in Cassandra’s activity. There was no obvious link between the two of them.
When their run was finished, he watched her go into the house to shower and change for work. Xavier drove back to his house to do the same. The Chinese tried to follow, and Xavier drove around for almost an hour before he was able to lose him. Xavier would have liked to apprehend the guy and interrogate him, but then he would reveal too much about who he was. The most paramount question I want to ask this bastard is why the hell they have Cass under surveillance.
***
At lunchtime Cassandra had walked over to where he sat in his vehicle. He pushed open the door, silently inviting her in. She obediently climbed into the air-conditioned cabin of the vehicle. She was only mildly surprised to see him waiting on her when she came out again. She silently got into the passenger side of the black Land Rover without protest.
“Have you eaten?” Xavier asked.
Cassandra grinned. “No, not yet. I have to eat balanced meals in order to maintain my training regimen.”
He had her lunch spread out on a tray. In addition to the chilled bottle of Gatorade, granola bars and banana, he had turkey sandwich on wheat bread and a small container of yogurt with peaches, strawberries, and almonds.
“I can’t eat all of this!” Cassandra looked at him as though he had lost his mind.
“Eat what you can. I’ll eat the rest.”
She rolled her eyes at him and took a sip of the Gatorade.
“Why do you work?” Xavier asked.
Cassandra coughed as the drink went down the wrong way.
Xavier lightly tapped her between her shoulder blades.
“I
s that a serious question?” She frowned at him.
“Yes,” he said, not at all fazed by her annoyance.
“I want nothing from my family’s criminal enterprise. I have a full athletic scholarship for college, but I work to pay for my incidentals.” She bit into the sandwich and chewed furiously. “My family gives me nothing.”
“You live at home with them. Does that not count?”
Her frown deepened. “I stay there so that I can get Cam out. He graduated last week from high school. He has a full scholarship with East Carolina University. I can’t let them destroy his future by convincing him to deal in school. We leave in five weeks for the beginning of the school year.”
“Was that something you had to worry about?” Xavier asked.
“Those bastards tried to store drugs in my travel luggage. Now, whenever I return to school, I repack my clothes in luggage that they had no access to. They are very good at hiding little packets in the lining and hidden pockets. I have to meticulously check everything before I travel. I want Cam to be the same. As soon as he goes to school in the fall, I will never go back to that house again.” Cassandra finished her lunch and sat back to look at him. “Cam looks up to them, so he’s proving a little harder to convince.”
True to his word, Xavier started to eat the half-sandwich and extra fruit she’d left behind.
“I graduate in May next year and will probably enter the WNBA for a few years,” she continued. “Cam needs to take ownership of his future, decide what kind of man he wants to be, and be committed to doing the right thing. This is my last attempt to help him decide on the right path.”
Xavier smiled. “Somehow I doubt you will give up on dictating his life so easily.”
“Ha ha, very funny, I don’t try to dictate his life.”
They chatted for a few minutes more until her lunch hour was up. Cassandra came out again at four p.m., and Xavier drove her to the afternoon training.
I could really get used to being chauffeured around, being fed, and being guarded with such great care. He watches me with those dark eyes, intent, unwavering, his interest made abundantly clear. His meticulous care of my needs is a testament that his interest is not just sexual. He makes me feel like Princess Belle with his constant expectation that I will reject him. When will he accept that I’m attracted to him? His beauty is not just on his face and body but deep within him. I can see that he has an amazing, gentle soul.
Xavier: (Indestructible) Page 4