Page 40 of Midnight Danger

My eyebrows shot up and I cowered back in my seat. The last time anyone had screamed at me was during my attack.

“Really, Dad, there’s no need to scream like a bear.” Xavier stood in the doorway with Jordan beside him.

“Xavier, what are you doing here?” Mr. Bartholomew’s eyes narrowed on his son, his hand bunching on the table.

Al looked ready to run.

“As your business partner, I could ask the same thing,” he replied coolly, wandering around the table until he reached my side.

I noticed his jaw tightening when he stared at my left hand for several seconds. It never occurred to me that he would arrive, so my ring remained in my handbag. Xavier lifted the documentation from beside me, running his gaze over it before handing it to Jordan.

“This property is subject to a legal investigation,” Jordan said smoothly. “Malcolm had his fingers in the sex trade pie. All his assets are frozen, including any properties he owned.”

My head tilted slightly, and Jordan’s lips twitched.

“I guess you’re not the only one in the room with a law degree,” Jordan replied to my unasked question. “Mine happens to be for criminal law, where the bad guys reside. I didn’t catch the 101 class.”

Xavier huffed out a laugh beside me. “What are you doing, Dad?”

“Helping a friend escape her husband. I knew her father and he would have done the same if I’d had a daughter.”

Jordan tutted, flicking through the file. “As your barrister, Xavier, I’m instructing you not to use Bartholomew Enterprises to buy this as it would drag you into this investigation.”

Mr. Bartholomew stood suddenly, his seat falling over. “Listen, you little shit.”

“Enough.” Xavier’s voice was low and cold. “We’re sorry to have wasted your time here today, but our company will not be purchasing this property, or any of the others in the portfolio.”

The man from The Twilight Rooms watched in glee, his eyes snapping between Xavier, his father, and me.

“You made me an equal business partner,” Xavier continued. “That means you need my signature on the sale.”

His father glared at Xavier as if he was going to go over the table to get to him, before turning on his heel and storming out. Jordan moved around the room, taking the man who knew about my relationship to one side. Even in a suit and sporting a law degree, Jordan was a scary fucker.

“Miss Kinkade, can I speak to you privately for a moment?” Xavier’s blue eyes bored down into mine and trepidation fluttered low in my stomach.

“Certainly.” I lifted my laptop and exited the room, heading to my office.

The sound of the door locking made me want to hide. Xavier in a suit was a force to be reckoned with. “Is there any reason you’re not wearing your ring?” he asked quietly.

Kicking my heels off, I began to fiddle with the button on the back of my skirt. It was stupid and silly, and he hadn’t shouted at me, but tears began to roll down my face.

Xavier watched me for several seconds before he appeared behind me and deftly opened the button and tugged down the zip.

I slumped into the sofa in front of the window and buried my face in my hands, my hair cascading forward to hide me. “My clothes don’t fit anymore, I can’t concentrate, and if I wear the ring then I need to answer questions that I’m not ready for.”

“What sort of questions?” He dragged his jacket off and flung it onto my desk, loosening his tie.

My eyes finally met his. “If I tell the world that we’re engaged, my career is over. Al won’t trust me and his contract with your company will be in jeopardy.” I glared at him. “This is all your fault.”

His eyebrows shot up. “My fault?”

“Yeah, you were supposed to be a naughty fantasy that stayed locked away. Then you arrive in my life with your penis and the next thing I know I’m fat and my shoes don’t fit anymore.”

His lips twitched. “I’m sorry about your shoes. I know how much you love your shoe collection, it took me ages to pack them up for you.”

“You’re not sorry about upsetting my life with your penis?”

He settled himself on the sofa, moved my legs onto his knee. and began to rub my feet. “Nope, not sorry about any of that. My penis is more than happy with the arrangement.”

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