Page 5 of Xavier

“G-go with a s-strange man?” My voice got higher as fear bit me hard.

“Hey, hey. It’s all right. Would it help if Xavier told you himself what he wanted you to do?”

“Xavier? But… but he’s…”

“I know, honey. I can get a phone to him. Tiny was on the way to Xavier, anyway. They can both come to you.”

“What?” I thought my heart would stop. “What does that mean?”

“Honey, he wanted to surprise you when you visited him tomorrow. The truth is, we knew there was trouble headed your way, so a guy we know moved up Xavier’s release. Him and Tiny are headed your way now. Fifteen minutes tops.”

I couldn’t help it. I let out a sob of relief. “Xavier.”

“Yeah. I’ve got him on the line now. He wants to talk to you.”

“Yes! Xavier!” I was officially losing it. I was going to dissolve into hysterics, and there wasn’t a Goddamned thing I could do about it.

“Tillie? Baby, it’s me.” Xavier’s deep voice washed over me, steadying me like nothing else could.

“Xavier, oh God, I’m so scared! There was a man. He threatened me. Told me not to leave the house until Monday.” The words tumbled out between hiccuping sobs.

“Listen to me, baby.” His voice had that deadly calm I remembered from the night we met. “I need you to stay exactly where you are. Don’t move, don’t make noise. As long as you don’t move or try to leave the house, you’ll be OK. Tiny and I are almost there.”

“You’re really coming?” I whispered.

“Yeah, baby. I’m really comin’. I’ll be there before you know it.” Xavier’s voice held a fierce promise that warmed me despite my terror. “Stay put and keep that skillet handy, just in case.”

I nodded before realizing he couldn’t see me, then I whispered, “OK.”

Minutes stretched like hours until I heard the faint crunch of tires on gravel. My breath caught. The instinct to run out the door to Xavier was so strong, I nearly managed to get to my feet before falling back on my ass.

“Xavier? Is that you?”

“Yeah. It’s me. Stay where you are. I’m coming to you.”

I pulled my knees to my chest. I still clutched the skillet. From a seated position, there wasn’t much I could do, but it seemed better than nothing.

The front door opened. I heard the click of the locks as they slid out of place, then the soft thud as the door was shut again. There was a soft murmur of male voices, then I heard footsteps going through the house.

“Clear.”

“Clear here too, Xavier. Let’s get your girl and get the fuck outta here.”

“Tillie? Come on out, honey.”

I stood, the skillet falling to the floor. Later, I was sure I’d be embarrassed at how I acted, but I threw myself at Xavier, wrapping my arms and legs around him, and sobbed into his neck.

Chapter Three

Xavier

I’d never been so glad to have Tiny as my backup as I was now. Standing in the little farmhouse with Tillie wrapped around me, clinging to me like I was her whole world, felt like nothing I’d ever imagined existed. I could savor the moment, and Tiny would watch over us. I glanced at the big guy and he nodded before going outside to give us a moment.

For a hot minute, my mind drifted to possibilities I knew better than to dwell on. Sure, I was out of prison now. Had no plans on that changing. But this girl… This fucking girl… She deserved everything in life I could never give her. Like this fucking house.

What were the odds Tillie had been the one to buy this property? No one had made it past talking to the real estate agent in years. Sure, the owner desperately wanted rid of it, but there was an old maintenance road along the southern edge of the property he didn’t own the right of way for.

That road was like the fucking Autobahn for smugglers from Mobile to Indianapolis as a way to be off the radar. The interstate was the preferred route, but the more experienced mules used that small road to bypass the interstate in and around Nashville.

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