Page 36 of Breaking the Rules
“Mmm, sorry. Busy. But feel free to go on your own,” she offered, helping herself to one of the cups of coffee.
“We really could use you in-house at least while you’re here,” Micah began again.
“Let me see your phone,” Xavier demanded. He knew when he was being played.
Micah looked sheepish. “My phone?” he patted his jacket pockets. “Hmm, must have left it in the office.”
“Okay, I’ll use yours,” Xavier said, snatching Waverly’s phone off the tray.
“How do you know my passcode?” she gasped and smacked him when he keyed into her phone.
“To Micah, ‘Please get X out of here. He is not employed by me or my parents. He’s squatting in my life.’” Xavier recited her texts. “To Waverly, ‘Interesting, I’ll do my best.’”
She made another grab for the phone.
“You sneaky little—” he began.
“Careful how you finish that sentence,” she warned him, eyes flashing.
“Fine. You want to put cards on the table, stand up.”
Waverly stood up and jutted her chin up at him. “What are you going to do? Fight me?”
He yanked her t-shirt up over her head in one swift move. She surprised him by going for his balls instead of her t-shirt, but he managed to deflect the blow and lock her into a hold and held her in front of Micah. “This smart ass got herself shot in some kind of home invasion at a friend’s house. Wrede was with her and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.”
“Damn, Sinner,” Micah said, examining her wound. When his eyes inevitably traveled up to her red satin bra, Xavier growled. “Eyes up here or down there. Nowhere in between.”
“I’m guessing we need to make these inquiries you’ve been feeding Research official,” Micah said, keeping his eyes glued to the ceiling.
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“Xavier!” Sylvia Sinner’s surprise was unmistakable. “When Waverly said she was bringing a guest, I just assumed it was Dante.”
And score one for Team Sinner, Waverly thought, hugging her mother in gratitude. Sylvia looked good in the soft spun lavender poncho over white cropped pants, better than good. Five years of sobriety had done wonders. She looked younger, healthier, happier. And that change had changed her career trajectory, too. She was enjoying a revival of sorts. The only thing Hollywood loved more than a public downward spiral was a comeback, and since Sylvia had come out publicly to talk about her alcoholism and recovery, she’d once again become one of the most sought-after actresses in the industry. She’d also started a new yoga-inspired fashion line that had opened up a surprisingly strong income stream.
“Haven’t you heard?” Xavier said, swooping in to kiss Sylvia on both cheeks. “Waverly upgraded.”
Sylvia’s laughter turned into a breathy gasp of pleasure when he revealed the massive bouquet of flowers he’d insisted on bringing for her mother. Waverly rolled her eyes and stepped around the love fest.
She found her father in the formal living room lighting a fire in the hearth. “Waverly!” the pleasure in his voice at seeing her automatically scaled down her attack mode. He was dashing as ever. His dark hair was cut a little shorter than usual for a movie role that he’d just finished filming. The crinkles around his eyes when he smiled were a little deeper. And there was a lightness in his gaze that, despite being there for several years, still struck her every time she looked at him.
The Sinners had been through hell and back together.
She walked into his open arms and held on tight for a moment. What had been a nonexistent relationship just a few years ago had evolved into something real and solid. Robert and Sylvia Sinner had taken her near-death experience and made it into a turning point for their family.
“Xavier’s here,” Waverly told her father.
She saw her father’s face light up.What the hell did that mean?she wondered.
“I take it you’re not pleased,” Robert said with a smile.
“Dad, I don’t want him in my life, and now he’s driving me everywhere, following me around, staying in my house…”
Robert’s eyebrows shot up. “He certainly moves fast.”
“He does when he knows what he wants,” Xavier agreed, stepping in behind Waverly and offering his hand to her father. “Robert.”
Robert took Xavier’s hand in his and pulled him in for a one-armed hug. Waverly frowned at the friendly greeting. “What is this?” she demanded. “You barely know each other, and he was not nice to your daughter. Now you’re hugging buddies?”
