Page 42 of Midnight Danger

He pulled me to my feet and silently buttoned and zipped up my skirt. This was the reason I came back to him. No one else understood me or treated me the way he did. Like I was the most valuable person in their life.

“Today’s gonna be a bitch. You should probably stay with her,” Jordan told Megan.

She nodded and slipped from the office, returning a few minutes later with her coat and handbag. “I told Al you’re upset and I’m taking you home.”

All three stood and watched me until I reluctantly gave in. Xavier’s arm wrapped around my waist to tug me against him. His lips kissed the top of my head. “I need you to be safe. The only place I can do that is at home.”

I nodded silently.

“Don’t go out. Don’t answer the intercom to anyone. Call me if you need anything and that includes just hearing my voice.”

A smile curved my lips at the reference to the night I was abducted. We both knew the only reason I phoned him was because I needed to hear his voice. It saved my life. That and big boobs to hide a phone in.

I straightened Xavier’s tie and we all left my office in a group, the men emanating menace to stop anyone asking questions. Xavier’s Jaguar was in the carpark below the building. Megan and I slipped into the back, her hand finding and squeezing mine.

We both knew that if the men were acting like this, then there was a problem. Xavier shielded me from most of his life, telling me only what I needed to know to be in his world. If he was worried, then I definitely should be.

Fear trickled down my spine because I knew whatever was coming involved guns and death. I could only pray that Xavier survived.

***

Chapter Fifteen

Xavier

Something had happened to spook Dad and it wasn’t the raid on the premises last night, I doubted he even knew about that since I’d been doing damage control all morning until Cassandra messaged. We picked Ash up, filling him in on the way to Dad’s house.

He was on the phone when we arrived, barking orders. Jordan discreetly began prowling around the perimeter of the house. We’d found Dad easily because he wore a tracker he didn’t even know was there.

His gaze finally found me standing in the doorway. “I’ll phone you back,” Dad snapped before disconnecting the call.

“Want to tell me what is going on?” I asked, propping my hip on the doorframe.

“There’s nothing to tell. How did you know about my meeting this morning?” He glared at me, anger radiating from him in waves, his back rigid and fist bunched at his side.

“Sit down, Dad, we need to talk.” He’d always been there watching over me since Mum passed away. Whatever was happening, we needed to sort it quickly so I could focus on Cassandra and the family we were starting.

He reluctantly sat down, bent forward so his elbows were on his thighs and his head lowered.

“Firstly, I need to make sure you’re free next Friday.” My stomach flipped at the thought of what I had planned.

“I’m booked for a meeting in Paris.”

“Cancel it.” His expression hardened at my words. “Dad, I’m getting married. I want you to be there.”

His eyebrows shot up. “But you’re not even dating anyone.”

“You need better spies,” I said. “My fiancée is living with me and currently pregnant with our first child.”

My father always had the answers before he asked the questions, so he was rarely surprised. His jaw dropped and he blinked.

A smile ghosted across my lips. “Uncle Lucas lands in the country early next week for the ceremony.”

“You told him before me?” he queried.

“No, he thinks he’s coming for a family conference about my shares in the wine business.”

Dad nodded thoughtfully. “Who is she? And when do I get to meet my future daughter-in-law?”

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