Page 11 of Midnight Danger

He stared at me for several seconds, his body stilling over mine. “Fuck!” he shouted, his neck arching back so he could stare at the ceiling. When he looked back down at me, the Xavier I knew stared back at me. He lowered himself to me, his lips coaxing even as I tried to turn my head away.

He was my kryptonite. No matter how much I wanted to hate him, when he touched me, I couldn’t resist. I needed to run and keep running, it was the only solution. He surrounded me, consuming my every thought until there was nothing left but him and the feel of his body moving in mine.

He groaned, his hand skimming down my stomach until it found that tiny mass of nerves between my legs. Xavier knew my body and everything that got a reaction from me. He was a musician who knew exactly where to touch to create the right notes.

I was pissed, angry beyond belief, but none of that translated to my body writhing under his. I screamed, my legs desperately widening to accommodate him pulsing as he exploded.

Xavier slumped on top of me. This was the bit where I normally stroked his back, but I lay here numb. I swore I’d never sleep with him again after what I saw last night.

“Cas?” He pushed himself up enough to look into my eyes.

Right then, I made a decision. I slowly stroked his back even as I planned my escape. I didn’t need much with me for a few days while I sorted my head out.

Everything was on automatic pilot as I put clothes into my bag instead of what I normally took to work. I wore trousers and a top as opposed to my skirt suit. The small safe in my room contained my passport and cash for emergencies.

“Gotta go, I’m late for a meeting. We’ll chat about this later.” I pressed a quick kiss on his lips, lifted a slice of toast off his plate, and darted to the door before he could object.

My fingers skimmed my phone as I texted my boss Al and my best friend Megan.

Dying with the cold. I’ll be off for a few days. Going back to bed. Cas.

They both replied within a few moments, telling me they hoped I felt better soon. I turned my phone off and removed the SIM. Then I did what I did best.

I ran.

There were places that rented rooms by the day for cash. Risking using my credit cards once, I went into a department store and bought myself a backpack and comfortable clothes. Then I lifted more money from my bank account and became the woman I used to be before I became Cassandra Kincade.

Over the years, I’d kept the bank accounts opened by my parents for me. I still held a passport in that name as well. Megan was the only person in this world that knew who I really was. She knew because she harboured the same secrets as me.

My hair was shoved under a baseball cap to hide part of my face, and I changed into the baggy clothes I bought. No one who knew me would recognise me right now.

Every hour that passed took me further into my past and miles away from Xavier. He had the power to make me accept his life. I should never have agreed to be with him, but the lure of finally finding someone to protect me had been too great.

I changed trains often, crisscrossing across London until I was sure that anyone tracking me would be confused. Then I got on a train out of London and headed to the one place I swore I would never return to.

I went home.

***

Chapter Five

Xavier

“Where the fuck is she?”

Three fucking days Jordan had scanned facial recognition through CCTV. He found her a few times on trains going opposite directions before she disappeared off the grid completely. Her phone was dead, and her credit cards hadn’t been used since the morning she wandered out of my life.

I knew there was something wrong with her reactions, but I wanted to believe we could just ignore what had happened.

“I’m an expert on disappearing, Xavier. To be honest, watching her, I’m impressed.” Jordan continued to type while scanning video footage. “Do you think she went to the police?”

“No, I think she was fucking terrified and ran from the two psychopaths she saw killing those men.”

“You’ll need to talk to her friends,” Ash said from where he was lounging on a sofa in the background. “Maybe they’ll know something.”

Jordan spun his chair around to stare at Ash. “I’ve been so far into her life that I’m the equivalent of her gynaecologist right now. What could her friends possibly tell me that all her records don’t?”

Ash pushed himself up. “You’re the one who pointed out she disappeared like a pro. What if that’s because she is?”

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