Chapter 22 #3
I’ve learned to keep my distance from men.
To give my mom’s boyfriends an extra-wide berth, so while their eyes were lingering, I never let them get within arm’s reach if I could prevent it.
It became easy to spot a creep from a mile away.
Somehow, Jason slipped under my radar. I’m not sure how.
Maybe I chose to ignore his behavior because he was safer than the situation I was in at the time.
It took years before I saw his true colors.
A scowling, chiseled face floats into my mind, and warmth spreads through me.
Xander Savage.
My pussy aches, and my nipples harden against the lace of my bra.
I shouldn’t trust him.
He’s dangerous.
Unhinged.
He watches me sleep.
And I haven’t said a damn word to him about it, because how do I tell a man that it turns me on when he comes into my apartment at night and watches me sleep and then sneaks back out before I wake up?
How do I tell him that I’ve never slept better in my life because this is the safest I have ever felt?
I shouldn’t trust him.
“Quinn, I have to say, it’s very brave of you to come and ask me for a different arrangement,” Mike says in a tone that instantly dries my pussy up. “I think there’s a much quicker, easier option that will be beneficial for both of us.”
He steps forward, closing the gap between us, coming far too close within the already small confines of his office. Then, as if he does it all the time, he lifts his hand and runs the back of his fingers down my bare arm. I flinch and jerk away like I’ve been burned.
He reaches out and tries to push the door closed. But I’m faster, and I catch it and haul it open. I know better than to let a man like him close me into a room alone.
“Let me stop you before you do something else that you shouldn’t,” I say, glaring up at him. “If you so much as peep a word about some sort of sexual arrangement, I’m going to scream and draw the attention of every single one of your employees, and I don’t think you want that.”
This motherfucker.
I point at him, shaking my finger. “Shame on you, asshole. I already thought you were a slimeball for trying to tack on that astronomical late fee, but to suggest I would do some sort of exchange of sexual favors for you is… is…” Shaking my head, I let out a choked noise as tears start to sting the backs of my eyes again.
This asshole is not going to see me cry.
I stare up at him and take a deep breath, trying to settle my nerves, but instead, it just makes my chest burn.
“I will start looking for a new facility for my mom first thing tomorrow. I’ll have her out by the end of the month.
You are an evil person. I truly hope your wife is fucking another man behind your back because, God knows, you’re not pleasing her.
In fact.” I jab my finger toward him again.
“Maybe I’ll give her a call and make sure she’s aware of what kind of man you are. ”
Without waiting for his reply, I spin on my heel and storm out of the facility, not missing the way the receptionist grins at me on my way, giving me a quick thumbs-up that makes me smile a tiny bit.
That only lasts for about ten seconds until I make it outside to the parking lot. Then, huge sobs shake through my body.
I can’t believe this. Some asshole literally attacked me last night, and the very next day, another one tries to negotiate sexual favors with me to allow my mother to stay in her care facility. What the fuck is wrong with people?
It takes a good five minutes before I’ve gotten my breathing under control. My makeup is probably a disaster.
“Just like my life,” I mutter to myself.
I pull out my phone and order a car to take me to Jordyn’s.
Part of me just wants to go home, curl up under my blankets, and cry some more, but the other part of me wants to go over to my new friend’s house, get drunk, and have a good time.
After all, I’ve already seen her intoxicated, and she’s a damn good time.
It only takes a few minutes before my ride arrives, and I climb into the back. The man looks back at me and smiles. “Quinn?” he asks, confirming I’m his customer.
Nodding, I buckle my seatbelt.
“I’d like to ask how your day is going, but by the looks of it, it’s not great. Here’s some tissues if you need them.” He hands me back a small, unopened package of them and starts driving.
“Thank you. This is wonderful. I appreciate it.” The ride is supposed to take about thirty minutes, so it will give me plenty of time to clean myself up. Thank goodness I carry my makeup in my purse.
“Are you okay?” he asks absently as he pays attention to traffic.
Sniffling, I dab at my eyes. “Not really.”
“Want to talk about it? We have nothing else to do for the next few minutes.”
That’s true. Maybe spilling my guts to a stranger would be good for me. I’ll never have to see him again, and he’ll probably forget about it as soon as I get out of his car.
“It’s a long story.”
He chuckles. “Aren’t they all?”
I smile and relax against the comfortable leather seat and let everything spill from how I left home as a teen and never saw my mom again, up until this past year when I got the call from Mike at Caring Hearts.
The entire time, the driver stays mostly silent, only humming now and then to show me he’s listening, but other than that, he lets me word vomit it all out.
As I tell the driver about my life, all I can do is wonder what Xander would think if he knew all of this.
Would he regret fucking me last night? A girl from the gutter.
Daughter of a crackhead and a gambler. There’s no doubt in my mind that Xander has been through some rough shit.
And unfortunately for him and his brothers, a lot of their pain and heartbreak has been on the local news because of who they are.
At least I’ve gotten to endure my shit in private.
The one thing I can’t figure out is who in this world could have walked away from Xander Savage. As much as I agree that last night being a one-time thing is for the best, I don’t think my heart is on board with that.
When I finish the story and let out a breath, I feel a sense of relief. But I’m also mentally exhausted.
“What a bastard,” he says tightly while slowing to a stop. “Good for you. Should have kicked him in the balls, too.”
That makes me laugh as I nod. “Believe me, I thought about it.”
He smiles at me in the rearview mirror. “Here’s your destination.”
My eyes go wide, realizing I’ve been talking for nearly thirty minutes. Then I look out the window and my jaw drops. “Holy shit.”
In the back of my mind, I knew Jordyn must have money.
Not only is she married to Cash Savage, but she’s the CEO of her own family’s hotel and casinos.
Still, I hadn’t expected such a big house.
I’m not even sure it can be considered that.
A mansion, maybe? An estate? Whatever it is, it’s beautiful.
The surrounding area is lush with tropical plants and palm trees, making it feel like an expensive resort. When someone opens the back door, I startle and whip my head around, but I recognize him immediately.
“Miss Summers,” he greets, taking a step back to allow space for me to get out. “I’m Caleb. We met last night.”
I nod and offer a weak smile. “Right. I remember.”
Before I move away from the car, I look back at the driver who is waiting silently while looking through the windshield. I grab my phone and glance at the rideshare app to get his name before I get out.
“Thanks for listening, Cassian. It’s made me feel a little better,” I say, scooting out.
He turns and smirks at me. “No problem. Don’t worry. I’m sure that asshole will get his karma.”
I grin at the thought and give him one last wave before Caleb slams the door and motions for me to go ahead of him toward the enormous porch.
Time to hang out with my new friend.