“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Xan turned and smiled at him but there was nothing friendly about the grimace which made Kel bark out with laughter.
“She doesn’t see anyone but you. Lucky asshole,” Kel muttered.
“Speaking of assholes… any news on Tony from your friend?” Xan wanted to know, referring to Kel’s friend on the force who promised to look closer and gather as much information about Tony’s illegal business as possible and try to catch him red-handed, pinning something on him.
“You will learn when I do; all I know Kyle is working on it, although he suggested it would be a whole lot easier if you just went to the Santa Monica Police Department.”
“Yeah, because Lieutenant Mercer is such a huge fan of mine,” Xan smirked.
“Well, he is a friend of Catalina…”
“Precisely. Wish me luck Kel.”
“Thought you didn’t believe in such thing.” Kel raised an eyebrow.
“Looks like I’ve started to believe in many things lately,” Xan said.
***
The Fairmont Miramar Hotel was nestled on the picturesque bluffs overlooking Santa Monica Bay and it had been one of the finest hotels since 1921. It used to be a favorite destination for Hollywood celebrities in the past and something of its preeminence remained till today.
Located at the end of Wilshire Boulevard, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel had two hotel towers with three hundred and two rooms, as well as thirty-two luxurious garden bungalows spread out throughout the hotel’s palatial grounds in addition, positioned among the palm trees and tropical flowers.
The hotel was within walking distance of the beach and other Santa Monica attractions, and just across the street was the scenic Palisades part, with a panoramic view of the Santa Monica bay from Malibu to the Palos Verde Peninsula.
Banquet and meeting rooms were included, among plenty of amenities which were designed for events just like the one they were heading toward tonight.
Xan gazed at Catalina once more, admiring her lacy navy blue dress with a belt. The sleeveless bodice had lace illusion accents around her shoulders and upper back. A strapless slip was paired with a lace overlay and an embellished belt sat at her waist, while the mermaid style skirt flared lightly at her legs. She matched it with a pair of lacy pumps with a bow in the same shade as the dress was.
She was a stunning vision and he simply couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
“You are taking my breath away, Catalina,” he told her and took her hand in his as they entered the hotel.
“Why thank you. You are looking dapper yourself.” She smiled at him, still surprised by the transformation of her warrior.
Nothing remained of the merciless fighter tonight, and the man accompanying her looked like one of those sleek types who were born in a tuxedo. Unless one looked into his eyes, she thought; the lethal edge was present there as always, swirling in the green.
“So what exactly should I answer when someone asks me how we met?” He wanted to know.
“Surprise me.” She winked at him and he chuckled.
He could feel how tense she was, how cold her hand was nestled in his. The playful note was the last thing he expected from her right now. But Cat never acted the way he imagined her to, Xan remembered.
Catalina was relieved that the very first person whose path crossed with theirs was Jonah Richmond. His dark eyes brightened when he spotted her and it was the only indication he was pleased to see her, because not even the smallest smile softened the line of his lips.
“You look very chic my dear.” He kissed her cheek and looked at Xan. “I don’t think I know you.” Cat smiled lightly, thinking his up-front attitude reminded her of Xan’s.
“Jonah, this is Alexander, Alex–Jonah.” She introduced them, watching them exchange a handshake.
“Ah, the fighter. I can’t wait to see more of you in Catalina’s work.”
“Hmm.” A noncommittal sound was his only response.
“He is a work in progress,” she said tersely.
“I expect to see that progress and soon. We need to meet up and talk about this project of yours. Have fun tonight.” He walked away without giving her any chance to respond.
Typical Jonah, she thought, and massaged her temples, sensing an impending headache. She didn’t know if it was due to the stress the whole evening presented or because of the tight knot her hair was bundled up into.
“Well, I don’t think we need to worry about the background story of our first meeting for him,” Xan leaned in to whisper it into her ear.
“It’s not what you think. I have never said a word about the club to him; I just came up with an idea of promoting your school. Jonah is smart; he connects dots fast and pretty accurately. I trust him; you can too.”
“An idea, Kitten?” He looked down at her.
“I know you want to do it all by yourself and I respect that, but you need the word to spread and this is all I am offering to help you with,” she explained.
“It’s going to be awhile until we actually get started.”
“Waiting to promote yourself until then is a mistake; you need people to know and talk about it now. If you are lucky, you might even get a sponsor or two.”
“Cat…”
“I wanted to interest Jonah in a show we could transfer later and place on walls of the gym if you would like. Pictures depicting you and Kel ‘in action’, so to speak.” She glanced up at him alarmed by his silence. “It’s just an idea, Xan; I wouldn’t do anything without talking to you first. I just wanted to see Jonah’s reaction and he was interested, you saw it for yourself. It is not so easy to get his attention or involvement. Don’t be mad…”
“I am not mad, I am touched.” And he was, just like when she took his side when the police came knocking at his door.
Xan wasn’t used to having people in his corner. She had already told him she wanted to be a part of it and he brushed her off at that time by saying he didn’t need her money, that he was not a charity case.
Yet she didn’t take offense like most people would, offering him something he would have never come up with himself. Offering him her art where he knew her heart was.
“You are rendering me speechless,” he admitted, and raised her hand to his lips. “But I am not sure I can afford C. Bennett’s work,” Xan half-joked.
“You are a smart guy, I am sure you can think of… something.” She smiled sweetly at him and he couldn’t stop himself.
He bent his head to her ear and murmured wicked words, providing her with an explicit description of a sexual nature. She felt a hot flush covering her from head to toe.
“That sounds risky, if not illegal.” She looked back at him.
“Are you backing down, Kitten?” One arrogant eyebrow went up and she had a sudden urge to bite down at his lower lip just to see the smirk disappearing from his handsome face.
“No, count me intrigued.” She had the pleasure of witnessing a glimmer of surprise entering his eyes.
“You are killing me,” he groaned. “Keep this up and you are going to make my evening very… uncomfortable.”
“I’ll do my best.” She batted her eyelashes at him.
“You are this close to carrying the imprint of my hand on your sexy little butt,” Xan informed her and her jaw nearly dropped open.
But no witty reply came this time and he sent her a gloating look.
“Didn’t think you were ready for it.”
“Isn’t it our favorite couple?” Chloé’s voice was an unwelcome intruder in the heated little byplay they had going.
Catalina flinched as if somebody had poured a bucket of cold water over her but it was a good thing as well, reminding her this was not the place to let her guard down at any time.
“Chloé.” Cat smiled coolly at her ex-best friend wondering if a time would come when she wouldn’t feel this twinge of betrayal.
She gazed up straight into the cold blue eyes of Gabriel Mercer who was accompanying
the model tonight. She shouldn’t really be surprised, Cat thought. This was exactly the kind of behavior Chloé excelled in.
“Gabe.”
“Catalina, you look beautiful.” He smiled at her, if a bit sadly, completely ignoring Xan’s presence.
“Thank you, I hope you will enjoy the evening. I heard there is a special show planned.”
“Nothing like fireworks to diversify and spice things up,” Chloé sent her a haughty look.
“Excuse us, I should find my grandmother.”
“Of course, I will congratulate her later myself.” Gabe nodded.
“Well, that was awkward,” she muttered when they walked out of eavesdropping range.
“Predictable, I would say.” Xan shrugged and she wondered if he was really so indifferent underneath it all.
One glance into his eyes reassured her that there were embers of anger smoldering below the surface.
“And here is the guest of honor,” Cat smiled at her grandmother, who looked as stunning as ever. “Congratulations,” she said. “Grandmother, let me introduce you to Alexander Thorpe.”
“It’s an honor, Mrs. Bennett.” Xan kissed Florence’s knuckles and Catalina was impressed how charming he could be.
“Mr. Thorpe.” She nodded stiffly. “I see this time you tried for a less dramatic effect, Catalina; the dress was a good choice.”
“Thank you, yours is spectacular.” Cat smiled brightly and Xan stifled the need to shake his head.
He couldn’t believe these two women were related. He had no idea how he could have ever considered Catalina cold, because she was like a ray of sun compared to the ice sculpture that was her grandmother.
Florence was cool and remote in a way that barely resembled a human being. He thought he would have frozen to death if he had been forced to live with the woman for any period of time, no matter how short.
Nobody could consider her frigid words directed at Catalina as a compliment, yet his Kitten had taken them as such. She kept astounding him anew and all he wanted was to wrap her in his arms and take her away from this place and these people who had no idea what kind of a treasure she truly was.
He felt as if he was barely starting to recognize it himself, catching a glimpse of her here and there when she was unaware of it.
He was silent when the two women exchanged a few meaningless sentences and he took Cat’s hand in his when their ways finally parted.
“Tell you what, Kitten; after we are done here I will take you to a street race. How is that?”
“I think the night just got a lot better.” She smiled at him with gratitude. “When?”
“I don’t know yet; they can’t exactly plan it so the date and place goes through at the last moment.”
“Please tell me this time I get to take my camera with me.”
“Only this time,” he said, and she brightened instantly, making him feel like he just offered her the best gift she has been waiting her whole life for.
Xan realized that in this moment, he would have given her absolutely anything if only it could keep this expression on her face, allowing him to bask in her warmth a bit longer.
CHAPTER 42
Catalina knew that the celebration aside, her grandmother was going to summon her any following day after in order to talk through her observations and share her general point of view about the whole event.
It became kind of a ritual between the two of them and sometimes she couldn’t decide which part of those linked affairs was harder on her nerves, because a big part of their meetings was dedicated to Florence pointing out and emphasizing every single faux pas Catalina committed.
It was hardly surprising her stomach clenched with nerves in an automatic response when she found a message from her grandmother awaiting her on her answering machine the very next afternoon.
She took a deep breath and decided she could listen to it as well and be done with it. Cat’s eyebrows jumped up when not a word of a cryptic message was related to the events from the previous night.
Instead, Florence was telling her to wear something ‘adequate’, take her portfolio and head to one of Santa Monica’s leading restaurants to meet up with a ‘dear friend’ of hers.
Catalina glanced at her watch, instructing herself not to get excited, but it was hard not to since the whole arrangement looked suspiciously as if Florence had organized a meeting with a potential client.
She had never really acknowledged Cat’s lifestyle, treating photography as nothing more than her hobby. Now this… was big, she decided and smiled to herself, sending a short message to Xan letting him know she might be late for his training.
She congratulated herself on updating her portfolio recently, thinking that her life seemed to be taking a turn toward the better.
She was in love, her work was going well and as of a few minutes before she started to believe that perhaps a breakthrough in her relationship with Florence was heading her way.
The only shadow on this pretty picture was Chloé, but she pushed the thought aside, determined to focus on the positives alone for a change.
***
Xan’s lips lifted up at the corners in a small smile after reading Catalina’s message. He sent her a reply wishing her good luck with her meeting and put the device aside, ready for his pound of flesh.
Waiting for Kel to get ready, he looked around the gym, thinking of all the improvements he would like to have in their own school compared to the place they were renting now for their sparring sessions.
He couldn’t believe he was well on his way to making his long-term dream come true.
Xan knew he wouldn’t be able to pull this off without Kelton. They’d come a long way individually and as a team both.
When he first signed up for the lessons with the ex-Marine, he had no idea where it would lead to. He was looking at the fighting purely from a physical point of view. It was all about surviving and kicking ass; nothing else mattered to him at the time.
He suspected that some part of that guy still resided in him but after years filled with training he knew it was more than just learning self-defense techniques, throwing proper punches and kicks, or working up a decent sweat.
If anyone asked him, gaining inner strength and self-confidence were the ultimate rewards for all the effort. And for the frightened battered kid that he was back then, it was an invaluable lesson. Same as understanding that sooner or later hard work had to pay off and that perseverance was the key.
He supposed it was the part Catalina could relate to, because he saw within her the very same traits that helped him through doubts and uncertainty she had to feel herself at one point or another.
He was so used to seeing all the differences between them that whenever he stumbled upon similarities he was taken aback by them, not knowing how to proceed.
His head snapped up when he saw Kel coming out of the locker room and thought that Muay Thai wasn’t his only teacher.
It was Kelton who helped him the most, although the stubborn son of a bitch would have said it was the other way around, Xan smirked inwardly.
Fine, so they helped each other out, he decided.
He could have never imagined that by pushing his physical and mental limits, he was going to learn how to harness body and mind, not only in training but also in everyday life.
Xan didn’t think he knew the meaning of the word ‘discipline’, but he had to because he would have never committed to those trainings in the first place otherwise, and by doing that, he had made a commitment to Kel as well.
They pushed through when the odds were stacked against them and now was the time to collect the fruits of their labor. That, and if they were lucky, they could help somebody who was as lost and scared as the boy he once was himself, Xan thought.
“Are you done with getting pretty for me?” He called out to Kel and laughed when the man flipped him the bird.
“I needed fresh air in order not to barf when I saw you were ready to make out wi
th your cell just because your girl sent you a message. Spell out embarrassing for me?” Kelton smirked, then laughed when he managed to avoid a jab Xan threw his way.
***
“Catalina?”
She smiled politely if a bit absent-mindedly at the man across the table. She blinked in order to bring him back into focus.
“Yes, Timothy, sounds like a fabulous idea,” she agreed, hoping he had asked her opinion about a wine that could go well with their dinner and not something entirely different.
Cat berated herself for not paying attention because it was unacceptable, no matter how much she wanted to be at Xan’s training right now snapping pictures while he was sparring with Kel.
But truth be told, she would rather be anywhere else at this moment because Timothy Rodney was exactly the type of a man she was used to, having met males similar to him throughout her life during never-ending social events. It was not his fault really that he represented everything she disliked the most simply by being a product of his upbringing.
She brought up a glass of water to her lips, studying her companion over the rim of it.
He was tall, dark haired and classically handsome in the way most women would have found more than pleasing to their senses.
She hadn’t, Cat thought, wondering what was wrong with her.
But the answer to that was an obvious one; her personal preferences ran much darker and rougher now. More to the point–they were limited to one man only.
The simple, if brutal, truth was that Xan had ruined her for any other.
He was untamed in a way that sent a loud and clear message he was feeling just fine in his own skin and didn’t see any reason to change anything about himself.
And why would he? Catalina asked herself.
She wanted him exactly the way he was and given a chance wouldn’t change even one thing about him, either.
She sighed softly when she thought that it was unlikely he would have ever believed the claim she just inwardly admitted to.
He had told her about the people who didn’t deserve to be called parents and about the place he came from, but there were many more unspoken stories in his eyes and they kept her spellbound.
CUL-DE-SAC (On The Edge Book 1) Page 32