Page 43 of Save Us
He eyes me in such a way it feels like he’s daring me to argue with him, but before I can even respond, he leans over and kisses me on the mouth, hard and possessively. His promise is nothing more than a threat to not cross him again. He is not remorseful, he is not ashamed, and he is not beyond doing it again.
Chapter 17
Xander
A smile kicks up on my face when I receive an email from Jonah which backs up his claims about Oliver’s tax evasion. I more than know he will manage to get it swept under the carpet, and there will be no legal ramifications for his deceit, however with me reporting it to the country, it will at least let everyone know he’s not the shining, charitable, do-gooder he likes to present. If nothing else, it will give him one heck of a headache and a lot of well-deserved flack thrown his way. Not only that, but Carl Steele will also be pretty pissed off with the golden boy. The same guy who he trusted to elevate Mayfield’s status once he became president, especially after he nearly killed a member of the Steele family barely a week ago.
Although I don’t trust Fox as far as I can throw him and have a desperate urge to send the story out today, I reason with myself to sit on it until Tuesday, just as he had instructed. He obviously has a plan, and I don’t want to be the one to destroy it if it’s going to help bring down Lawrence. There’s also that niggling feeling at the back of my mind, the one telling me that this could potentially threaten the life of his wife, as well as shed unwanted light over my daughter. Neither of them deserves Mayfield’s kind of wrath. Though, if I’m honest, I can’t protect Angela any more than I could have protected Beth. Unfortunately, something tells me the woman who reminded me so much of my girl, is also on borrowed time.
Before I start to reply to Jonah’s email, I’m distracted by the sound of people talking and laughing in the living room. I immediately close my laptop to go and investigate. As always, I wander into the kitchen to find out what’s happening; it tends to be the center of everything in this house. It’s such a warm, light, and airy space, people just tend to gravitate this way. Casey is flustering over mugs and pots of coffee and sugar while my best friend, Rein, is perched up on one of the breakfast bar stools, dressed in his usual dusty overalls, baseball cap, and a pair of faded sneakers.
Rein and I have been best friends since middle school, and he was the only other one of us to stay behind once school finished. We still talk to Matt and Mikey, but we scarcely see them. Rein’s seen me through the worst of times, and I’ve helped him with his business by giving him free advertising and a small investment in his company. He’s a one-man band making beautiful pieces of furniture, usually from recycled materials like driftwood, old surfboards, and disused sails. You could argue they’re more like pieces of art. Quite a few of which are on display in this very house.
“Hey, man,” I greet him with a smile as I slap my hand over his right shoulder, “how’s business?”
“All good,” he grins before thanking Casey for the coffee she’s just handed him. She smiles sweetly and takes in a healthy visual of his naked chest, complete with a surfer’s six pack and a sheen of perspiration. My sister is still about as subtle as a brick when it comes to the opposite sex, and is the least bit embarrassed by it, even when I roll my eyes over her obviousness.
“Like what you see, Fenton?” Rein waggles his eyebrows about in her direction until I slap his arm.
“You know I can appreciate a good bod,” she replies with a mischievous grin, “especially the one on that dude from the other day. You know, the one in the expensive suit.”
“Oh, yeah? Can’t say I would ever need to wear one of those, Casey,” Rein laughs, “you might need to stick with him if that’s what you’re after.”
“Don’t even joke about it!” I snap, sounding stiff and irritated. “He’s Mayfield, Casey. Need I remind you how dangerous those guys are? Christ, look at what happened to Beth!”
With my angry words, I manage to silence the room. Everyone knows Beth is still a sore subject for me; I try not to bring her up if I can really help it. The only person who usually gets to hear me talk about her is our daughter, and she’s currently at kindergarten, thank goodness.
“Yes, of course I do!” Casey finally responds, sounding a little cautious but still places her hands defiantly on her hips. “But you seem to trust him, otherwise, why else would you let him in here?”
“I don’t trust him, Casey,” I argue with my temper beginning to flare up again. She’s challenging me on something that should be a no brainer. “I just want to help him take down Lawrence!”
“Shit, Xander, you let one of them inside of your house? Are you kidding me?!” Rein exclaims with an incredulous look in his eyes. “Dude, you’ve got Rosie to consider now!”
“You think I don’t fucking know that!” I growl, the volume between us getting louder and louder as our tempers begin to fray. “But I’m doing this for Beth! I’m doing it because I have to-”
“Beth is dead, Xander! She’s been dead for five damn years!” he shouts as he jumps to his feet in frustration. “Rosie is here, now, and you know what else? Beth would be turning in her grave if she knew you were dealing with one of those assholes and jeopardizing her daughter’s safety!”
“Don’t talk to me about, Beth!” I say through clenched teeth, getting ready to lose my shit when I walk up close to him. “No one gets to talk to me about the mother of my child and the only woman I’ve ever loved!”
I’m so furious, my whole body is shaking, and my hands have already balled up into white-knuckled fists, getting ready to fight my best friend if he doesn’t back the hell off. When I look into his eyes, he looks just as angry, and if it weren’t for Casey’s next words, I have no doubt we would have begun arguing with our fists.
“Look, let’s just chill the fuck out!” Casey says in frustration, now stepping in between us. “There’s far too much testosterone in here, and your little girl is due back home in under an hour, so cut it out!”
Eventually, it’s Rein who backs away first, still sighing and shaking his head in disbelief over my seemingly reckless decision to get involved with Jonah Fox.
“I’m only thinking of you and that little girl, Xander,” he huffs, tucking his hands, that are still clenched up tightly, inside of his overalls. “Beth wanted you both as far away from all of them as you can be. Inviting one of them into your lives is ludicrous and you know that!”
I remain standing there, ram rod straight, with anger still fueling my reactions. It’s not until he finally looks up with a genuinely concerned expression, that I let my fury begin to dissipate into nothing. I quickly slump with a long sigh, releasing my adrenaline and anger while looking sheepishly to the floor, essentially giving in.
“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” I concede. “I’ll print the story but keep him out of my life, agreed?”
“Hey, it’s your funeral, but I guess that’s better than nothing,” he replies just as he grabs for his keys on top of the countertop. “And you,” he says pointing at Casey, “don’t even think about going near him, no matter how expensive his suit is. Jesus!”
“Actually, I whole heartedly agree with that,” I add, standing next to him as I glare at my sister for even considering such a stupid idea.
The poor girl angrily drops her mouth open in outrage, given that she’s now suddenly the one who we’re ganging up on.
“Fucking men!” she huffs under her breath before walking outside to drink her coffee by the beach.