Page 27 of Midnight Legacy

I sipped my orange juice while continuing to eyeball him.

“No,” he repeated.

“I’d like to know what happened to my family.”

Xavier came and knelt in front of me, threading his fingers through mine. “Jay already has your dad’s business partner brought in. I’ll question him myself in the next day or two and get your answers.”

There was little point in arguing when he was in this mood. Instead, I watched him make my pancakes.

I swear that there was a psychic connection between the three male friends, because as soon as he started cooking, they all began arriving. Megan crept in behind Jordan in her pink bunny onesie, waving shyly. What had started as an intimate brunch for two resulted in a banquet for five.

There was no reason for me being a grumpy bitch, considering I’d ordered dinner for everyone last night, but I sat seething. Even when Xavier put a plate in front of me with fluffy pancakes and bacon grilled just the way I liked it, I stabbed the poor pancake after viciously slashing it with my knife.

The men were chatting about the opening tonight and Megan was playing a game on her phone, so I took my plate and sat on the bed to eat. It even pissed me off that no one noticed I disappeared. Was my reaction irrational? Yes. Did I care? No. Xavier blamed everything on my hormones, so I added my mood to the list.

Today, I officially hated the world.

My mind wandered to my uncle and my memories of him. Uncle Dan had spoiled me the way my dad never had. Dad tended to be quiet and more reserved, his affection not as pronounced as my uncle, who would swing me around and throw me in the air. Something didn’t sit right with me that he believed we were alive all these years. No one disappeared in the age of social media.

Deep in contemplation, I chomped down on my crispy bacon. A discreet cough at the door alerted me to Xavier propped up on the doorframe, watching me.

“You okay?” he asked in a low voice. I could hear the others laughing and chatting in the background.

I stared at him, and unexpected tears filled my eyes.

“Oh, baby.” He was at my side in an instant.

“The world feels too much today,” I whispered against his chest. How had I gone from rage to crying?

“It feels like that most days, but we just push on.” He kissed the top of my head.

“I’m supposed to be in control.”

Xavier climbed on the bed behind me and tucked me in beside him. “None of us are truly in control. More often than not, it’s a disguise we wear to make others feel better.”

“I don’t like being pregnant,” I muttered and was rewarded by one of his deep chuckles. “I’m going to have to force a watermelon out of my vagina.”

He tipped my head up to stare into my eyes. “I’ll be there with you every step of the way.”

“Will you squeeze a watermelon out your penis?” Now the rage was returning after the crying.

He bit into his bottom lip to prevent the smile that was playing on his mouth from spreading. “Not gonna lie, but I don’t think I can do that.”

My grumpy expression made him laugh and hug me harder.

“My vagina’s barely big enough for your massive penis, I don’t think a baby will fit.”

All the conversation outside the open door stopped. I scowled at the door.

“Everyone out!” Xavier shouted. “Unless you want to see my massive penis!”

There was noise and then the door slamming shut.

“I just needed a timeout,” I tried to explain.

His lips hovered over mine. “Your wish is my command.”

A mischievous grin tugged my lips. “When I was a little girl, I had to blow a dandelion to make a wish.” His brow furrowed in confusion. “Now, I just have to blow a billionaire to get what I want.”

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