Chapter 33
Xander
EXECUTIVE DECISIONS
I’m not going to walk away from Quinn.
I can’t.
Not after what she told me about her past.
I’m going to right all those wrongs, and then I’m going to provide her with a highly protected future wrapped in silk and fur. Whatever she could ever dream of, she’ll have. And I’ll watch her thrive from a safe distance, killing any and every man who ever tries to date her.
While she sleeps in my arms, I reach over to the nightstand and grab my phone. Cassian is the first name I pull up.
Xander: You are dead.
Almost immediately, my phone vibrates.
Cassian: I’ve been waiting to hear from you.
Jason Furley is her ex. Forwarding you his address.
Her mom is Jennifer Summers. She is at Caring Hearts Recovery Center, where Michael Baker works as the director.
After speaking to the receptionist, it sounds like the staff have been suspicious of him for a long time, but they’ve been scared to come forward for fear of retaliation.
Michael has a wife and three children. Two boys and a girl.
Forwarding you his home address, too. Hopefully, you will feel less like killing me with this information.
That fucking asshole.
I’m getting really tired of his sneaky, yet helpful bullshit.
Xander: Fuck you. You’re fired.
Cassian: This has been too much fun. We should do it again.
There won’t be a next time.
I pull up the group chat I have with my brothers next.
Xander: Breakfast meeting at Cash’s place at 8:00 a.m.
It’s nearly two in the morning, but I’m not surprised when I get a middle finger emoji from Beckett right away.
I smile, knowing damn well he’ll show even if he doesn’t like it.
A second later, Cash texts me privately.
Cash: Is there a reason you’re calling a meeting at my house?
Xander: Yes, and I’ll share it with you in the morning. Let your wife sleep in.
Cash: The last time I checked, you don’t cook, and my housekeeper is off for the weekend.
Xander: I’ll make Beckett cook something.
When Cash sends back an eyeroll emoji followed by a middle finger one, I silently chuckle.
Quinn stirs slightly, her hand twitching as it rests over my ribs. I watch her sleep for a long time, her warmth soaking into me like a weighted blanket until I finally give in to my own exhaustion and close my eyes.
“What is so important that we have to be here at eight in the morning?” Beckett asks as he comes striding into Cash’s kitchen just before eight.
I raise my eyebrows and wait until Cash turns around from where he’s making a cappa-what-the-fuck-ever he drinks and notices Beckett wearing the same clothes as last night.
“Didn’t even make it home to change?” Cash asks as he smirks.
Beckett grins and runs a hand over his face. “I was in a poker game all night. Walked away with five mil so you can deal with me wearing the same fucking clothes for this meeting our brother called to order.”
I roll my eyes but give Beckett a fist bump at the same time.
“Congrats, man. I can’t wait to take that from you in our next game,” I tell him as I open the fridge and grab a carton of eggs and some bacon.
When I carry it over to Beckett and shove it into his chest, he looks down at it and sighs. “Are you kidding me? You invite us over for breakfast and then you expect me to cook?”
I shrug. “I can do it if you want to die of food poisoning later.”
Beckett groans, and Cash laughs just as Kian walks in, wearing freshly pressed slacks and a crisp button-down shirt.
I’m sure he’ll head to the office after we’re done here.
The guy is a workaholic, but I think it’s his escape.
Just like alcohol has been for me. And as of lately, it’s been the ray of beautiful sunshine who is still sound asleep upstairs with her blonde, silky hair fanning out all around her.
It was torture leaving her. Even just to come downstairs.
“Why are we here?” Kian asks from in front of the basic coffeemaker, waiting for it to finish making his cup.
I lean my hip against the counter and eye my brothers. “I’m taking over Luxe, The Obsidian, and The Empire. Cash and Kian, you guys will move to take over The Platinum, The Royal, and The Phoenix.”
The kitchen goes silent as my brothers stare at me like I’ve completely lost my mind. Maybe I have, but honestly, I don’t care. Not even a little. I can’t have Quinn, but I can watch over her. Closely.
“Just like that? You take over our casinos without discussion or votes…?” Kian finally asks, looking at Cash, probably since he’s the CEO of Savage Entertainment.
Cash meets my gaze and stares at me for a long moment, studying.
He’s turning it over in his mind. I know how he works.
Cash is irrational and an asshole a lot of the time, but he’s also smart, and he can read people like a book.
It’s a gift we all have after years of practicing poker with our dad and his friends.
“I approve of the change. Kian, you can pick which ones you want, and I’ll take the other.” Cash doesn’t look away from me as he talks, and when he finishes, he gives me a slight dip of his chin.
Kian and Beckett are going to give me a heap of shit. I already know it. I’m prepared for it. But Cash… he understands. Because he would do the same damn thing if Jordyn were working for us.
“Jesus Christ,” Beckett murmurs, cracking another egg into a pan.
I turn my attention to Kian. He’s watching me closely. A little too closely for my liking, but whatever. They can try to analyze me all they want. I’m fucked up. Twisted. Obsessed. All the things they’re thinking are true.
She needs me, though. A protector. Someone to look after her. Make sure she’s happy, healthy, and safe.
A Daddy.
That’s what she needs.
Finally, Kian lets out a deep breath and nods. “Quinn’s a good girl. She’s genuine.”
My shoulders tense, and I slowly push myself off the edge of the counter. I don’t like hearing another man talk about her like that. Calling her names that only belong to me.
As though he can read right through me, Kian puts up his hands. “Fuck, Xander. Chill the hell out. I don’t mean it like that. I just mean…” He shakes his head and sighs heavily. “She’s not Nicola.”
Just the mention of her name on my sober mind makes me itch for a drink. Quinn is nothing like her. The total opposite of everything Nicola was. And for some fucking reason, I can’t give myself to her. There’s nothing left of me to give.
Swallowing down the bitterness threatening to pull me under, I change the subject. “I have some business that needs some attention. I’ll be using the southwest warehouse and digging in the mountain over the next few days. Multiple issues need to be addressed.”
Kian smiles. “We don’t handle business alone in this family. Count me in. It sounds like fun.”
Beckett laughs and flips some eggs and bacon onto a plate. “I’m in as well. When are we getting started?”
“Later, after I take her to work this evening,” I answer as I start shoveling food into my mouth. “I need to take Quinn home to nap for a few more hours. Roman Cross will meet me at our building today. He’ll be her assigned lead bodyguard from now on.”
Cash takes a sip of his coffee and grins. “She know that yet?”
“Nope.” I smirk, wondering how my good girl is going to react to having me take control of her safety.
My older brother laughs and shakes his head. “Yeah. Good luck with that.”
I don’t need luck. I have big hands and a belt. If my girl wants to try to defy me, I won’t hesitate to spank her ass.