Page 35 of Breaking the Rules
“Funny, Micah. Can I get you something to drink?” Waverly offered.
Micah shot a look at Xavier. “How about a coffee?”
“I suppose you want one as well?” she asked Xavier.
“Please,” he said, offering her that devastating grin.
She led the way into the house and continued on into the kitchen while Xavier pulled Micah into the living room off the entrance.
“Nice place,” Micah said, eyeing the room.
“Don’t even try to skate on that,” Xavier warned him. “I know you’ve been here. I know you installed the security system.”
Micah crossed his arms and sat on the chaise end of the couch. “And you’re pissed.”
“You’re lucky I’m not beating the shit out of you right now. You shut me out of Invictus business.” Beneath the anger was a hurt that he hadn’t expected. He’d counted on Micah to have his back from battlefield to boardroom.
“Saint, you know I love you like a brother—” Micah began.
“But what? You could have told me.”
“She asked me not to,” Micah said simply.
“Oh, so if a client asks me to go set your fucking house on fire I should go ahead and do that?”
“Look, she was a good kid, and I felt like we owed her. She could have dropped us like we were hot when you got your panties in a bunch and walked out. She could have taken that out on the business, but she didn’t. So I owed her because you owed her and were in no shape to repay her.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been lying to me this whole time.”
“Chill the hell out, lover boy. I installed a security system. Occasionally we provided drivers and guards to Mr. and Mrs. Sinner. End of story. You were so gone over this girl. Man, when I poured you on that plane to your family, part of me didn’t expect to see you again. But you pulled yourself together and got back on track, eventually. But don’t think for a second that I didn’t see you cringe every time there was a news story about her. Especially when she started dating Wrede.”
“Yeah, well, Wrede is out of the picture now.”
“Don’t fuck this up again, Saint. I don’t know if either of you can handle another round.”
Xavier shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor. “I’m not fucking this up again. I’m fixing what needs to be fixed, and then I’m going to convince her that I’m the one she wants.”
Micah nodded once. “She was leveled over you. Hid it a little better than you, of course. But that’s the actor in her. So don’t do it again to either of you, got it?”
“Got it.” Xavier nodded.
“We good?” Micah asked.
“Maybe. I’ll let you know. I still want to kick your ass.”
“Well, while things are up in the air, let me get on your ass about getting back into the office.”
“You told me it was about damn time I took a vacation!”
“Yeah, I meant like a long weekend to Aruba or something. You’ve been out for a week, and the natives are getting restless.”
“Micah’s right,” Waverly said brightly from the door. She was carrying a tray with coffees and accessories.
Xavier took the tray from her and put it down on the table in front of Micah.
“You should definitely be getting back to the office.” Excitement and hope warmed her voice.
“Nice try, both of you, but I’m staying put. Unless Waverly flies to New York with me to take a day and a half of meetings and then on to London.”
