37. Xander
Xander
JUST MOVE
“Why aren’t you answering me?”
Because she’s asked the same question twelve times since we left Cash and Jordyn’s house.
When I open the passenger door to let her out of my car, I offer my hand, and my dick twitches as she slides her tiny fingers into my palm.
Everything about this woman makes me hard. Watching her eat a bite of pancake with syrup dripping down her chin nearly had me exploding in my brother’s kitchen. What I wouldn’t do to pour some of that on my dick and let her lick it off. Jesus.
I’m exhausted, though.
Both physically and emotionally.
Sharing what happened between Nicola and me was draining.
It also lifted a weight off me that I hadn’t expected.
Almost like talking about it healed some of the hurt.
I lock the car and pull her toward my elevator, but she pulls back, stopping me in my tracks as she yanks her hand free and puts both of them on her hips.
“Daddy!” Defiance and stubbornness linger in her eyes, and once again, I have to adjust my dick.
“Yes, baby girl?” This is the first time she’s called me Daddy so casually. I’m already amused by this adorable little tantrum I see brewing.
“I want to know what you mean by bodyguard and why I need one. Also, I can’t afford one unless I can pay in cheap dinners.”
Narrowing my gaze, I move to her until I’m so close she has to tip her head back to look up at me. “You won’t cook any other man dinners. Do you understand me?”
Her plush lips part, and she stares up at me, studying. “Yes, Daddy,” she answers softly.
My temper is immediately soothed, and I reach for her hand again. “Your bodyguard will be paid for by me because I want to make sure no one ever fucking touches you again. I don’t care whether you think you need one or not, you’re getting one, so deal with it, sunshine.”
This time, I make it to the elevator and punch in my code. Quinn stands beside me, shifting from foot to foot. I look over at her to find she’s fighting a smile, her brown eyes glittering under the shitty lighting of the parking garage.
“You’re quite controlling,” she finally says, though there’s nothing harsh in her tone. No, she actually sounds happy about it. She likes it.
“You have no idea, baby. Go.” I nod toward the waiting elevator.
“We’re going to your apartment?”
“Yeah, baby. I need to get some clothes, and then we’ll go nap at your place.”
Honestly, I hate the idea of Quinn being in the same room Nicola has been in, but I loathe the thought of leaving her to change out of last night’s clothes even more.
“You don’t want me to sleep in your bed?” Her voice is shaky. When I look down at her, I hate the uncertainty in her eyes.
I gently tug her into the elevator and wrap her into my chest, pressing a kiss to her head.
“I hate my entire apartment, sunshine. It has too many bad fucking memories. No, baby. I don’t want you to sleep in my bed.
Because my bed doesn’t feel like home. Yours does. So that’s where we sleep. Together.”
Honestly, I’d sleep anywhere with Quinn. Except my apartment. Not where a poisonous snake was living and destroying people’s lives. Quinn is too good for that. She’s too precious.
“Why don’t you move, then?” She stares up at me with wide, innocent eyes.
“Maybe that would help you move on from that bitch. I would say we could set it on fire, but I live in the building, so that might not be a good idea.” She scrunches her nose and sticks out her tongue, then giggles and shrugs like she didn’t just mention doing something that’s absolutely a felony.
It’s actually a great fucking idea, though, honestly. Once I move her away from here.
The fierceness on her face as she talks about Nicola is almost shocking.
I’ve only ever seen Quinn being sweet and bubbly.
She’s strong, I don’t doubt that for a second.
The first time we met, and she told me she’d punched her ex-boss, I was both shocked and impressed.
My girl has been through hell, which has made her so strong, yet she’s still so soft and playful.
She hasn’t let the shit that’s happened destroy her.
She hasn’t let it harden her to the world.
Not like I have.
Just move.
Is it that easy?
Would I magically feel better living somewhere else? Somewhere Quinn would like.
A house.
With a shower like the one we used this morning. My girl seemed to be a huge fan of it.
Before I respond, the elevator doors open and we step into the cold, dark foyer. The gleaming black-and-white checkered floors make me want to be sick as I lead Quinn through the space.
“Holy shit, it’s huge in here.”
Clenching my jaw, I stay silent. That prickling feeling at the back of my neck starts creeping over me.
As we pass through the kitchen and living room, I pause at the built-in bar and pour myself a drink while Quinn looks around with an expression that tells me she hates everything in here.
It wouldn’t be obvious to anyone else. She’s too sweet for that.
I’ve watched her. Closely. Night after night, day after day, since we met.
I know when she’s masking her real feelings.
I drink the whiskey in one swallow just as she turns to look up at me.
“It’s morning,” she whispers, her eyes fixated on the glass in my hand.
“Just needed a drink,” I mutter as I set it down.
She raises her eyebrows but doesn’t say anything about it. Instead, she points toward my hideous couch. “You never got rid of it.”
“Nope. Thinking about burning it now, though.”
Her sweet laughter fills the space, and suddenly I don’t feel as on edge. I still want to get her the hell out of here.
I guess I’m adding something else to my to-do list today.
Find and slaughter every person who ever hurt Quinn.
Find a real estate agent and buy a house.
“You touch her in any way other than for her protection and I will kill you. Don’t fucking look at her, smell her, laugh at her jokes, or make any of your own. Your only job is to keep her safe. Nothing else.”
Roman Cross stares at me with an expression carved in stone, pretty much like the rest of him. The guy is a fucking brick, and his résumé is just as heavy with accolades. He’s still human, so there’s always a chance for error.
“She has no authority to fire you. If she gives you any trouble, let me know immediately and I’ll handle it.” With the back of a wooden hairbrush to her ass.
She thinks I’m controlling now; just wait until it comes down to her safety.
“Any questions?” I finally ask once I’ve finished.
He gives me a single shake of his head, his eyes not moving from Quinn’s apartment door. She’s still curled up in her bed asleep, but I need to wake her soon so she can get ready for work.
“I’ll keep her safe, Mr. Savage.”
He’d better. Otherwise, it’s his fucking head.
It’s peaceful inside her small apartment when I walk in. Despite the lack of furnishings, everything about it is Quinn. Happy, bright, and feels like sunshine. Even her shelf of sad little cacti is adorable.
“Rise and shine, baby girl. It’s time to get up.” I tug at the blanket to uncover her face and then brush her wild hair away from her bare face.
“I’d like to reject that option and sleep some more.”
Grinning like a fool, I lean down and kiss the tip of her nose. “You can sleep as long as you want, baby. I’ll email HR right now and tell them you’re never coming back. You can come to work with me instead.”
Quinn smiles and opens her eyes, staring up at me through her long, dark lashes. “As much as I think I’d enjoy spending the day with you, I’ll be keeping all of my jobs, thank you very much.”
I already figured that would be her answer.
Nicola would have jumped at that opportunity.
The only difference is, I never would have offered it to Nicola because I never wanted to spend that much time with her. With Quinn, I could spend every minute of every day in her company and never get bored.
“Then you better get up, sunshine.”
She raises her arms above her head to stretch, and as she does, I kiss her soft, exposed stomach. When I do, she freezes, but I don’t pull away or stop. She may not know she’s perfect, but I’m going to show her. Little by little, she’s going to learn just how beautiful she is.
When I shift lower to the hem of her pink lace panties, she sucks in a breath and holds it.
Without hesitating, I peel them off her hips and toss them onto the floor.
Then I bury myself between her legs, licking and sucking on her clit until she’s crying out and trembling as an orgasm rocks through her.
Only when she stops shaking do I stop cleaning her up with my tongue.
My cock is rock hard as I stand, but I don’t care. That was all I needed. Just her taste on my tongue.
I smirk as her eyes flutter open and closed, and a lazy smile plays at her lips.
Reaching out, I offer her my hand. “Come on, baby girl. Let me help you get ready.”