Page 75 of Not All Himbos Wear Capes
How reassuring.
I wasn’t particularly worried about my safety, but hated how frightened Butch looked on my behalf. “Everything’s all right, baby,” I soothed, taking great pleasure in how the term of endearment caused Biggs’ eyes to widen while Harold’s narrowed. “I won’t let this big meanie make me cry.”
“I’ll talk to you later, okay?” Butch called after us as we left Biggs’ office, but it sounded more like a plea to the glowering man leading the way than a promise to me.
We entered the elevator, but instead of taking us back down to the lobby, Harold Holt hit the button for the roof.
Intimidation it is, then.
While I didn’t think he would actually try to throw me off the roof, as soon as we exited the elevator, I put as much distance between us as possible.
Harold simply smirked, as if my precautions amused him. “So tell me, XanderSuarez,when didyousuddenly start manifesting powers? Are you the biggest secret in our community, or has this development only been since you and Butch started this… whatever this is between you?”
Okay, so he’s a supe.
“I couldn’t say.” I shrugged, adopting an exaggerated show of innocence, even as I internally raged at his casual dismissal of what Butch and I shared. “Not when I’m flapping in the breeze with some random fucking stranger on a rooftop.”
My mother had also askedwhoI’d been around when hearing my powers had manifested, but now wasn’t the time to examine the coincidence.
He huffed a laugh. “Your choice of words is fitting, considering the circumstances.” Quickly sobering, he gave me another appraising look as his powers pressed against my skin—testing me. “Even if I were to tell you who I am, you still wouldn’t be properly motivated to cut ties with Butch, would you? We’ll simply have to find another solution.”
“Who the fuck areyouto think you have a say in this?” I scoffed, no longer interested in niceties. “As if this is a problem that needs to be solved.As if Butch doesn’t deserve someone in his life wholoveshim, especially with how he’s treated around here.”
Like property that can be beaten when he doesn’t cooperate.
A sudden thought occurred to me, and my eyes narrowed. “Areyouthe one leaving bruises on him?”
He stared at me in astonishment before throwing his head back with a laugh. “Oh, this is marvelous. You truly don’t know what’s going on here, do you? Ender and Signe did you a grave disservice by keeping you in the dark. Regardless. No,Ididn’t put those bruises on Butch…” The calculating expression was back on his face as his lip curled. “But I know who did.”
I knew I was taking the bait but couldn’t stop myself—not when revenge was within reach. “Who?” I gritted out. “Who did that to him?”
“What do you thinkyou’llbe able to do about it, Xander?” He cocked his head, as if I were an odd specimen under his microscope. “You’ve existed as little more than a human for your entire life. You don’t know what sort of powers are trying to emerge or how to properly wield them.”
Harold Holt—whoever he was—took a single step toward me, still nowhere close enough to strike. “Unlike those of us who werebornwith the ability tosolve problemswith a flick of our wrists.”
He lazily gestured, and a punishing wall of wind slammed into me, forcing me dangerously close to the edge of the roof. I panicked, but only for a moment. An unfamiliar sensation erupted in my chest, spreading outward through every nerve ending, pushing back at the powers attacking me with enough force to match.
My attacker stumbled backward, as if shoved by an invisible hand, and the wind pummeling me instantly disappeared. I slowly circled him as he straightened, grumpily brushing a wayward leaf off of his suit jacket before glaring at me with newfound hate.
And begrudging respect.
I had no fucking clue what I’d just done—or how I’d accomplished it—but this asshole didn’t need to know that.
Jesus, I hope I can do it again.
Instead of throwing more wind at me, Harold calmly strode to the elevator. He pressed the button and entered the cab without indicating I should join him—not that you could have paid me enough to do so. He turned to face me, cocking his head with a secretive smile playing on his lips.
“Since I’m feeling generous, I’ll not only let you live, but give you the name of who’s responsible for those bruises on your beloved ButchHawthorne.”
His smirk grew as the elevator doors closed. “The one you want is Captain Masculine.”
CHAPTER34
XANDER
I quickly realized the elevator at Biggs Enterprises had been programmed to take me straight to the lobby. When I stomped over to reception to demand access to Biggs’ office again, I was told I could either leave the building on my own two feet or be dragged out.
Having no choice but to trust that Butch wasn’t in mortal danger, I quickly hailed a cab back to the USN for my car before immediately turning around and driving back to the Enterprises building. I was hoping to intercept Butch as he left, but they must have snuck him out while I was gone.
