Chapter 10 Declan
Today is the day Xavier will start as my PA.
I am up early. I hit the gym to work off some of my energy.
I want to make sure that I’m calm when Xavier arrives at the office.
We have a busy day ahead, and I need to be clear-headed.
I dress in my dark gray Tom Ford suit with a black waistcoat.
I style my hair to perfection. I don’t think I’ve ever spent this much time getting dressed for work.
But I want Xavier to be pleased. I can see his attraction to me, and now I need to nurture that desire.
Alessia is right. I need Xavier to know that I’m not playing games with him.
But he also needs to understand that he’s mine.
“Where are you?”
“Still waiting in front of his apartment building. He hasn’t come down yet.”
“Keep me on the phone and go knock on his door. See what the hold-up is.” I snarl into the phone. Why the dumbass hasn’t already done this is beyond me.
“Yes, sir.”
I hear the car door open and close, then him running up the three flights of stairs. He knocks on the door, but I hear nothing but the sound of his breathing. He knocks again. No answer.
“Mr. Bonner.” Another knock. “Mr. Bonner, I’m here to pick you up.” My driver waits another minute before returning to the line.
“I don’t think he’s here, Mr. Murphy. I don’t hear any sounds coming from inside.”
I have a moment of panic. At least that’s what I think it is.
I’ve never felt anything like it. My chest hurts.
All I can think about is: what if he is in there, hurt or sick?
And if he isn’t in there, where the hell is he, and is he safe?
I don’t like not knowing. I don’t do well when things aren’t under my control, and right now, Xavier isn’t.
“Open the door and check,” I demand. “Now.”
It takes a few minutes, and then I hear him opening the door.
“The place is empty.”
Before he can say anything else, I hang up. I need to find Xavier. I call his number. I let it ring until the voicemail picks up.
“You were to meet the driver at 7:30. It’s now 8:15.
You’re late. I explained that I do not like to wait.
Call me back and tell me where you are.” I end the call and wait.
By nine, I still have not heard back from him, and I’m now running late myself.
I have a meeting with the finance department.
I leave my office and head to the conference room.
I walk in ten minutes late for the start of the meeting.
My father states the obvious with a curt, “You’re late,” then points to my seat.
Usually, in this type of meeting, I thrive.
Numbers are my thing. Calculations, summations, averages, margins, and projections—I can do them in my head quicker than most can figure them out with a calculator.
But today I can’t concentrate on what is being presented and discussed.
After what seems like the longest three hours of my life, it is finally over.
I stand to leave, but my father stops me.
“Declan, stay behind.”
I can’t help but sigh and roll my eyes at being held up. As soon as the last person leaves the room, my father looks me over.
“Why were you late? Is your new assistant unable to remind you of your commitments?”
“My new assistant isn’t here, and I have no fucking clue where he is. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go find him.”
“If he didn’t show up, then why are you going to look for him? Apparently, he was not serious when he accepted the position.” My father narrows his eyes at me. “He did tell you that he was taking the job, right?” I roll my eyes even harder this time.
“I didn’t give him a choice. My driver was at his place by 7:30, but he’s not there.”
“What exactly did he say when you made your offer?”
“No,” I say begrudgingly. My father laughs. “I don’t see anything funny about this.”
“Oh, it’s extremely amusing and highly unlike you.
” I cock my head, waiting for him to continue.
“You wanted something, decided that it’s yours, but did not take into consideration the fact that the thing is actually a person.
Usually, your manipulation skills are better.
Individuals do what they want; unless you hold power over them, they don’t like being told what to do.
Apparently, to this Xavier, you hold no power.
I’ve never seen you act like this; it’s entertaining in a way. ”
“I have never had a reason to act like this. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go find Xavier and figure out what I can hold over him.” He lets me go this time. No doubt he will be on the phone with Alessia to let her know. I pull out my cell phone and call Ronan.
“You know you could just send a text like any normal person would during a workday,” Ronan says when he picks up.
Ronan is the head of our IT and cybersecurity branch.
To him, actually talking to a person is a waste of time.
He’s the one who has the hardest time maintaining his facade.
If he could do everything with his tech and leave the outside world firmly closed off, he would.
“Can you track Xavier’s phone? I need to know where he is.”
“I thought today was his first day of working for your sorry ass. Has he bolted already?”
“Can you or can you not locate him?”
“I can, but it’s going to take some time. And you are going to owe me. I did the thing for free, so that is your one-time gift from me.”
“The dossier? You did that before I asked. So it doesn’t count.”
“No, not the dossier. You’ll find out what it is later. It was Finn’s idea, actually.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about. Right now, I need his location.”
I hang up. I fire off another text to Xavier.
Me: call me
I send him several more texts and leave two more voicemails. Over the top? Maybe, but I don’t have any fucks to give at this point. I leave the office at three and drive to his apartment. My driver is still there. He meets me in front of the building.
“I waited around in case Mr. Bonner showed up. I still have not seen him. Do you want me to keep watching for him?”
“Yes.” I turn and make my way up to his apartment.
It takes me no time to pick this sorry excuse for a lock.
No wonder it only took my driver a couple of minutes to get inside.
A toddler with a paperclip could do it. I look around.
I want to find something, anything to tell me where he is.
My concern grows when I see his phone still on the charger beside what was a bed yesterday, now a sofa.
Weird. Why would he not have his phone with him?
Did something happen that left him no time to grab it?
The pictures of the four victims pop into my brain like a slide show.
Each face in the crime scene photos morphs into Xavier’s. I shake that thought away.
An ancient-looking laptop is sitting on the makeshift table.
The phone has a lock screen, so I open the computer.
It makes a strange noise, but boots up. There’s no password protection.
The page still open is a job posting website.
So he thinks he is still employable even after what I told him on Saturday.
If I have to contact every fucking business in the state, no one will offer him a job.
I check his email for any interview requests and find none.
I do see some very interesting porn. It all revolves around a smaller guy getting dominated and tossed around by a much larger man.
Very telling. This was Xavier’s fantasy, and one that I will star in from now on.
I close the computer and check around the small room.
Xavier lives very simply. Aside from a few pictures of what appears to be him with his family, taken years earlier, there is nothing of note.
I am looking out the window, reading my driver’s text that he is here, when I hear the door open.
A very high-pitched squeal follows. I turn to see Xavier with his hand over his heart, breathing hard.
“What the fuck are you doing here, again?”
“You did not show up this morning, nor have you answered any of my calls or texts.”
“I was at work. I didn’t take my phone with me because I forgot it. Besides, I told you on Saturday I wasn’t going to take your job. So if that is all.” He makes a sweeping motion with his hand, expecting me to leave. I won’t be going, not yet anyway.
“What job?”
“That’s none of your business. But I started a new job yesterday, so I don’t need yours. Now, please leave.”
Making my way to the door, I close and lock it, never taking my eyes off him.
I can tell from the gape of his open mouth that he isn’t expecting that.
I am not used to feeling this way. When I saw him walk through the door, I felt relieved knowing that he was safe.
Rage, irritation, and frustration are normal for me.
But the anxiety and worry are something new.
I need to get this back under control before it drives me crazy.
I step into his space. He doesn’t step back.
My boy has a backbone. I respect it, right now, it’s irritating.
“Tell me why it is again that you said no to me.”
“I don’t want to get involved with you or your family.”
“Ah, but you see, Xavier, you already are. You have been since the moment that I saw you dancing, since the moment,” I lean in and brush my lips over his ear, “that I touched you.” He shivers.
“You… you need to leave, please.”
“No,” I run my nose along his neck, not quite touching him.
He smells of coffee and sugar. His breathing is becoming ragged.
There is a loud bang on the door right at that moment that shatters my momentum.
He shoves away from me and lunges for the door.
If he thinks his salvation is on the other side of it, he is mistaken.
A balding man with a potbelly shoves a piece of paper into Xavier’s chest. “You have five days to vacate.” The man says and then walks back down the hall.
“What the fuck, Fred? Rent’s not due yet!
You can’t do this!” Xavier starts to follow him down the hall.
Fred yells back, “Landlord’s orders, kid.
” He comes back inside the apartment holding the notice.
“This can’t be happening.” He repeats this to himself several times.
He puts his back against the wall and slides down.
His legs are bent in front of him, and he wraps his arms around them.
I crouch down beside him. He has his head resting on his knees, and I can’t see his face.
But right now, I need him to look at me. I need him to see me.
“Xavier, look at me.” I have to say it a couple more times before he turns his face to me. “It’s going to be okay.”
“Nothing is okay.” He whispers. His eviction has finally broken him. But that’s okay, I’ll put him back together again. I’ll give him the life he deserves. He might not see it yet, but he will soon enough.
“I promise it is. Now, let’s go.” He still doesn’t move; his eyes are still on me. I cup one arm behind his back and the other under his knees, and lift him as I stand. He must be in shock because he puts his head on my shoulder and silently begins to cry.