Page 90 of Breaking the Rules
“We’re going to have to be patient with each other,” she cautioned him.
“Yeah, because that’s our strong suit,” he said dryly, pressing a kiss to her throat.
“We can’t just have sex all the time. We’re going to have to talk every once in a while. But that’s the only way we can make sure nothing else stands between us.”
He pulled back and stared up at her as if he was deciding something. And then he yanked her down for a sweet, soft kiss. When she moved for more, he tucked her head against his chest and took a deep breath.
“There’s still something in the way,” he said. She heard his voice like a rumble in his chest. “Something we haven’t talked about.”
“What?”
“I was angry with you,” he began. “Probably more mad at myself because I felt so helpless. We were flying back to L.A., and I felt like I was delivering you to everyone who could hurt you again. Your parents, the studio, Ganim.” Xavier swiped a hand over his face. “So I picked a fight with you on the plane. I wanted to blame you for putting my team in danger, but really it was everyone in your life who was willingly shoving you in harm’s way.”
Waverly’s heartbeat picked up. He was talking about the night Ganim had taken her, the night everything changed for them. It was the night they never spoke of.
“I saw you weren’t feeling well at the club, thought it would be an out, a reason to take you home. But I didn’t stay with you. I wanted to get your drink and bring it back to you and then convince you to leave. But when I followed the waitress to the bar, I saw the bartender pull out this vial…” He shook his head, took a steadying breath.
She pressed her hand against his heart, felt it thunder beneath her palm.
“I lost it, Waverly. Someone was trying to hurt you right in front of me, on my watch. I grabbed him, pulled him over the bar. I don’t even remember how many times I hit him. By the time they got me off of him, let me back up off the floor, you were gone.”
She saw the flash in her own memory, felt the residual roll of terror. There were screams over the music and then Ganim’s face swam before her, but she was too weak to scream or fight.
“I lost it. I completely lost it,” he shoved his hand through his hair. “You were my world and not just because you were a job. You know that, right?”
She nodded but said nothing.
“Micah was there, Travers and Hansen, too. And everyone was just standing around talking on phones, looking at security footage. I needed to move. I needed to find you. We were going to take Travers’ SUV,” he remembered. “And then I realized you were wearing your tracker. It took me ten minutes to remember. Ten fucking minutes, Waverly. That’s how gone I was. If I’d remembered five minutes earlier, you wouldn’t have had a scratch on you.”
She shook her head. “He had a gun,” Waverly reminded him. “He would have just shot me in the car. It could have gone even worse.”
He took another breath. “Micah was driving because I… I couldn’t. I was tracking you, and I knew where he was taking you. I knew he was going to kill you. And then Kate calls and she’s hysterical.”
“And Kate is never hysterical,” Waverly said with a sad smile.
“She’s just sobbing in my ear that I have to save you, that it’s streaming live. And then we were there, and I saw you. I saw him. I don’t even remember pulling my gun. Micah knew exactly what to do. He just floored it up over the curb onto the sidewalk, and I threw the door open.
“He knew we were coming for him, that I wasn’t going to let him live. I saw the knife coming down and I fired. Three times. Center body mass. The truck was still moving, and I dove for him. As soon as I touched him, I knew he was gone. He just kind of crumpled under me like a doll. And then I was with you. And there was so much blood. So much blood,” he repeated, his voice choking.
She rested her head on his shoulder, stroked his chest tenderly with her hand.
“I’ve never loved anyone that much, and almost losing you broke me.” His voice broke with emotion.
“Do you remember what I said to you?” she asked quietly.
He nodded, but didn’t answer.
“I told you I knew you’d come for me. And I meant it. I had no doubt that you’d move heaven and earth to find me. And when I opened my eyes and saw your face I knew that everything was going to be okay.”
“I almost wasn’t fast enough.” He swiped at a tear that had escaped the corner of his eye. “I almost cost you everything.”
She cupped his face in her hands. “You were fast enough. You saved my life, Xavier. I’m here today because you were there. You didn’t hesitate. Your instincts, your skills, your control stopped a killer.”
He wiped his face again, trying to absorb her words yet still fighting them against the truth he believed.
“I have to tell you something, X. Something I never told anyone about that night.”
“What?”
