Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Freya was lacking in the skimpy bikini department.
During her rebellious early high school years, string bikinis had been her go-to, much to her older brothers’ dismay.
However, since the accident, it was only one-piece bathing suits or tankinis.
She was self-conscious of her scars. They’d faded over the last decade, but the sight of them still turned her stomach.
She rummaged through her dresser drawer, grabbed a simple teal tankini top and black bikini bottoms, and added them to her tote. Her lips pressed into a tight line as she eyed her closet. Should she pack a change of clothes? Would that be too presumptuous? Or would it be good just-in-case planning?
She heard the key in the front door, and the soft creak as it opened—Xander had double-parked to help her up to her apartment before heading back out to find parking—and she made her way to her bedroom door.
“Hey,” she called out, leaning against the doorframe. She nodded at the brown paper bag he held, which sported the logo of her favorite bakery, and grinned. “What’cha got there?”
He dropped his keys and the bag onto her small dining table. “I had to park a few blocks down, and since I had to walk by Comfort Food, I figured I may as well get us some post-lunch desserts.”
She made her way to the dining table and reached for the bag, and he tsked, snatching it away and hiding it behind his back. “Uh-uh. Pack first. Lunch second. Then dessert before the hot tub.”
She pouted. “Not even a hint?”
His eyes narrowed as he playfully contemplated her question. “It’s pie-ish,” he finally said.
Her stomach let out a loud growl, and she grinned, clapping her hands in excitement. “Oh my God, Xander. If you got us any of their mini fruit cobblers, I swear, I’ll love you forever.”
“Duly noted.” He chuckled and nodded toward her room. “Pack.”
“Bossy,” she muttered, but her lips tipped up in a smile. Heading back to her room, she called over her shoulder, “I’ll only be a few more minutes, but the TV remote is on the coffee table. I think there are some magazines too if you’re bored out of your skull waiting for me.”
She heard his soft chuckle from the living room. “I’m good. Take your time, baby.”
Her stomach fluttered. She’d never been one for pet names. But Xander calling her baby? With that deep, sexy voice of his? Yup, she could get used to hearing that.
She opened her closet and grabbed a change of clothes to add to her tote—a casual, comfy post–hot tub outfit.
Before she could overthink it, she grabbed another outfit, carefully folded it, and added it to her bag.
So what if that second outfit happened to be all black and one of her favorite work outfits?
Chuckling to herself, she filled a small toiletry bag with some makeup and skincare essentials.
Not that she was expecting anything to happen between them tonight, but it was better to be prepared, right?
Besides, if she accidentally fell asleep on him again, she didn’t want to be a giant inconvenience.
His place was closer to her work, and it would be easier to just go from his place than for him to drive her all the way back to her apartment and then back to the resort . . .
Yeah, that’s it. She was simply being courteous. Just in case.
Oh, who was she trying to fool? She definitely wouldn’t be opposed to something more happening between them.
As he’d said earlier, she was in charge.
Yes, their make-out sessions both last night and earlier this morning had been mind-blowing, however, she wasn’t sure she was brave enough to actually push things forward more.
Shaking her head, she blew out a breath. Relax. Just go with it. One step at a time.
After double-checking she had everything she needed in her tote, she slung it over her shoulder. Entering the living room, she turned toward Xander.
And froze.
The words “I’m ready” locked in her throat. Right beside her breath.
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Xander. Sitting on her couch. With the photos she’d received in the mail laid out on the coffee table in front of him. The photos she’d forgotten to put back into the white envelope.
Her heart hammered in her chest when he met her gaze, all the earlier teasing and flirtation were gone. His dark-brown eyes swirled with an intensity she couldn’t interpret.
He held up a photo by the corner. The one with her eyes blacked out. The one with the familiar scrawl that never failed to make her stomach heave.
“Freya, what the hell is this?”
Xander wasn’t sure what he was looking at.
When he had picked up the Vogue on her coffee table, he’d caught sight of the photos beneath the magazine.
At first, he’d seen a photo of a young Freya.
She looked very much the same. Sweet and beautiful.
Even back then as a teenager. But the last two photos had the hairs on the back of his neck rising.
Her xed-out image.
Her blacked-out eyes.
The ominous words: “It should have been you.”
What the fuck?
Her footsteps had him turning, needing an explanation.
Freya stopped in her tracks. The way her eyes widened and mouth fell open had worry and unease swirling in his gut.
He carefully picked up the photo with her eyes blacked out. “Freya, what the hell is this?”
She sucked in a breath and blinked, simply looking at him. Silence filled the room for two long heartbeats. Then she cleared her throat and was suddenly in motion.
“Oh, um. Those are nothing.” She rushed over, plucked the photo from his hand, gathered the remaining pictures, and stuffed them into a white envelope.
“Freya?” His gut was screaming that something was wrong, that he needed to demand answers, but he needed to proceed with caution. “I didn’t mean to snoop. They were in between the magazines.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” she said, flashing him a giant smile. A giant, fake smile. “No worries. I forgot to put them away. You about ready to go?”
Everything in him wanted to push, to ask what the hell was going on, but he’d follow her lead. For now.
Rising, he took her hand before she could turn.
He could see the flutter of her pulse in her neck.
“Freya, baby.” He waited until she met his gaze.
The worry shimmering in her blue eyes made him crazy, made him want to slay all her dragons.
“If someone’s bothering you, or if you’re in trouble, you know you can tell me, right?
Even if I didn’t work for Hudson Security, I’d still help you in any way I can. ”
“I know,” she whispered before surprising the hell out of him and wrapping her arms around his waist. His arms automatically went around her.
“I appreciate your concern, but those photos aren’t a big deal.
Just a prank, I’m sure. Can we just get out of here?
” She glanced up at him. That fake smile of hers was beginning to look painful.
He was about to protest. Until he saw the unshed tears shimmering in her eyes. It was like a punch to the gut.
“Okay, baby, if you say so.” Pulling her close, he pressed his lips to her hair. They’d talk later. Because no way in hell were photos of her face and eyes scratched out no big deal. “Lunch and hot tub?”
Exhaling, she nodded and blinked back her tears. Her smile was shaky and tugged at his heart. “My knee is starting to hurt, so that hot tub actually sounds really good.”