“Rise up,” I mentioned by gritted enamel. “We’re going again to the lodge.”The place I can knock some sense into you in peace.

“How was your date?” Xavier ignored my order and flicked his gaze over my face, down my gown, and to my ft. A tiny pinch fashioned between his brows.

“Incredible.” I didn’t dispel his assumption of why I’d left the gala early. “Much less implausible was getting one other Perry Wilson notification about you.”

An odd glow of satisfaction settled in his eyes. “Did it interrupt your night?” he requested silkily. “My dangerous.”

I stored my expression impartial as I shifted my stance and punctiliously stepped on his foot with a razor-sharp stiletto. The desk hid what I used to be doing from prying eyes, so from a distance, it appeared like nothing was flawed.

Xavier’s cockiness immediately disappeared beneath a grimace. “You have got thirty seconds to rise up, otherwise you’ll lose not solely a toe however a way more necessary a part of your anatomy.” I cocked my head and tapped a finger in opposition to the tequila bottle. “Do you know there are on-line tutorials for all the things? Together with methods to castrate a house invader with frequent home goods.”

To his credit score, he didn’t flinch on the wordcastrate. “Let me guess. You’ve watched all of them, overachiever.” He slunk deeper in his seat and stared up at me with hooded nonchalance. “Calm down, Luna. It’s Friday night time. Take the stick out of your ass and have slightly enjoyable.”

A muscle twitched beneath my eye.Don’t take the bait.“I’m not right here to have enjoyable.” It got here out as a close to growl.

“Clearly.” Xavier gave me one other once-over. “It’s too dangerous you’re losing a wonderfully good gown on such a boring finish to the night time. Talking of which, how did your date really feel about you leaving early?”

“They felt it was of their finest curiosity to do as I say.” I stepped more durable on his foot, a smile flashing at his renewed grimace. “Since I’m having such aboringnight, I’m tempted to spice issues up. In fact, I can’t assure my thought of a enjoyable time matches yours—particularly once you’re surrounded by your folks, and the probabilities of embarrassment are excessive.” My smile disappeared. “Relaxation assured, Iwilldrag you out of right here such as you’re an insolent little one throwing a mood tantrum, and no, I donotcare if I’m the one who has to scrub up the mess afterward. It might be price it for the shit you’ll get from your folks for the remainder of your days. So except you need that to occur, get the hell up.”

Xavier listened to my tirade with no trace of concern. After I completed, he yawned, stretched his different arm over the again of the banquette, and forged a pointed look on the heel impaling his five-thousand-dollar shoe. “Can’t rise up except you let me go, sweetheart.”

I didn’t take my eyes off him as I launched him, suspicious of his sudden obeisance.

He unfolded himself from the banquette and stared down at me, a glint of amusement reentering his eyes. Even after I wore my Jimmy Choos, he towered over me by three inches.

I hated it.

“In my protection, I did fulfill my finish of our deal,” he mentioned. “Like I mentioned, the ceremony and gala are two various things. The ceremony ended when Eduardo completed his speech, which additionally occurred to be whenyouleft. So don’t attempt to use it as an excuse to again out of our trip.”

“That’s semantics.”

“Possibly,” he drawled. “But it surely’s additionally the reality.”

“And what about your promise to not go clubbing till we mounted your picture?”

“My imagewasfixed. There hasn’t been a single dangerous story about me for weeks.” Xavier’s eyes gleamed with laughter. “You by no means specified your definition of a ‘mounted picture,’ Luna. It’s not my fault if we now have totally different concepts of what which means.”

God, he was unbearable. Much more annoying was the very fact he was proper, however I might fairly throw myself off Large Ben than admit it. “Simply shut up and comply with me,” I snapped, wishing I had a wittier reply.

“Sure, ma’am.” His cheeks dimpled. “I really like a girl in cost.”

I ignored the sexual innuendo and turned on my heel. He adopted me to the exit with out saying goodbye to his mates.

I didn’t know if he’d uninterested in arguing with me or if I’d genuinely scared him with the specter of embarrassment—I doubted it—however the causes for his about-face didn’t matter. The one issues that mattered have been if he listened to me and stayed out of hassle.

“What’s the story behind the bracelet?” he requested on our approach down the elevator.

“Excuse me?”

“The bracelet.” Xavier tipped his chin towards the friendship bracelet on my wrist. “You weren’t carrying that on the gala.”

My muscle mass coiled. Solely my finest mates knew about my visits to Pen, and there was no approach I used to be including him to that trusted circle.

“It was a present.” I didn’t elaborate.

“Hmm.” A shadow of realizing handed over his face. For somebody who’d been consuming all night time, he was shockingly observant.

Fortunately, he didn’t press the difficulty, and we walked the remaining distance to the principle exit in silence.

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