Page 7 of The Devious Husband
I’m fuming as I park in front of his office building, pure adrenaline rushing through me as I sneak around the back, to a private entrance Xavier thinks I don’t know about. I once bribed our head of security, Silas Sinclair, to hack into Xavier’s system and give me his entrance codes. Xavier, being the cocky asshole he is, never changes them.
I breathe a sigh of relief when the door unlocks, revealing a hallway with an elevator at the end that leads straight to Xavier’s office, where he’s hidden his most secure vault. I’m certain that’s where he’d have put my jewelry. Nerves rush through me as I enter the elevator and keep my head down, realizing I rushed into this without the usual preparation. Normally I’d have worn a wig and a hoodie, along with gloves and actual shoes, instead of the fuzzy house slippers I stormed out in. I’d have carried my usual mischief bag, filled with tools that help me both break in and do some decent damage — instead, I’m armed with nothing but my knowledge of Xavier and a whole lot of guts that have suddenly failed me at the thought of Xavier’s office not being empty when the elevator doors open.
I exhale shakily when I step forward hesitantly, suddenly far more nervous than I’d anticipated. I’m trembling as I push against a painting and watch it swing open to reveal a large vault. “Please,” I whisper, hoping his code is still the same. 8502, as always. I’m sure it has some kind of sentimental value since he uses the code frequently, but I haven’t been able to figure it out. I’ve only just begun to turn the lock when alarms begin to blare, and I turn around, panicked.
“Who are you!” a patrol guard shouts, illuminating the room with his flashlight, and I rush over to the elevator, only to find it locked.
Seven
Xavier
“Kitten,” I murmur, trying my hardest not to smile at the fire blazing in her eyes as she sits behind bars, for the second time since I’ve known her. “You really do seem to think you have nine lives, don’t you?”
She glares at me and crosses her arms, not realizing it just makes her look even more beautiful, even more provocative. The way she unknowingly pushes her breasts up in that black tank top she’s wearing is a sight for sore eyes. “I see you’ve come to gloat,” Sierra says, pouting just slightly.
I smirk, I can’t help it. “You do realize it’s my office you tried to break into, right? Who else would they have called?”
“They should have called Raven, like I asked them to.”
I tut mockingly, loving the way it riles her up. Her eyes begin to sparkle dangerously and her cheeks flush beautifully. “You haven’t learned your lesson from the last time you got arrested for breaking into my office, have you? Do you need a reminder, sweetheart?”
Her breath hitches, and her expression shifts, becoming disarmed and a little shy at the mention of that evening. She’d broken in with Valentina, her sister-in-law, who, at the time, was still her brother’s secretary. They’d gotten caught and arrested, resulting in Luca bailing Val out — but much to Sierra’s absolute horror, he left his little sister to me.
“Hardly,” she says, looking away. “That night was one I’ve regretted ever since, and the last thing I need is a reminder of it.”
My chest clenches painfully, and my smile slips. Right. Of course she regrets it. Why else would she have distanced herself from me shortly after?
“Let her go,” I tell the officers behind me, feeling oddly defeated. “But leave the handcuffs on.”
Sierra’s eyes snap to mine, and the way she blushes does something to me, makes me a little hopeful when I know better. “Gotta protect myself from your claws, sweetheart,” I tell her, loving the outrage on her face.
She storms past me, indignation oozing off her in waves, and I sigh as I stare at her for a few moments, taking in her curves and her long, dark hair that just about hits her waist. She pauses and looks over her shoulder when she realizes I haven’t moved, and I smile, realizing that I’m just as completely and utterly fucked as I’ve ever been when it comes to her. She doesn’t even need to say anything for me to follow her, and she has absolutely no idea how much power she holds over me.
“I see you got your tires fixed,” she says sourly when she finds my town limousine and my driver waiting for us.
I bite back a smile as I hold open my car door for her. “Which is exactly why you aren’t getting out of those cuffs anytime soon.”
She rolls her eyes as she gets into my car, and I join her, ensuring we’re facing each other as I pull the door closed behind us. Sierra inhales sharply when I lean in, her eyes roaming over my face and lingering on my lips. It isn’t until the car is in motion that I snap out of my daze and pull her seatbelt on for her, clicking it into place. She blushes, and just like that, my wounded heart recovers.
I smirk as I pull my tie loose, noting the way her expression shifts just slightly when I pull it off. For a moment, I could swear I saw longing in those gorgeous emerald eyes, but then her expression hardens.
“I was right, wasn’t I? You hid my jewelry in your office.”
She still knows me so well. “I’ll trade you a truth for a truth. You said something very interesting when we danced, Kitten. Tell me what you meant, and I’ll tell you whether or not you were right.”
Sierra narrows her eyes and throws her head back a little as she slips her foot out of her cute fuzzy slipper and presses it against my chest, pushing me flush against my seat. I can pretty much guess why she’s here dressed in what can only be described as house clothes — she figured out where I put her jewelry and rushed out. “Just because I’m handcuffed doesn’t mean I can’t forcibly make you talk, Xavier.”
I bite down on my lip as she slides her foot up and presses against my throat lightly. “Oh yeah?” I murmur, my voice huskier than I’d intended.
Sierra gasps when I grab her ankle and turn my face to bite her leg. “W-what are you doing?”
“What do you think? You presented me with a snack, so I’m taking a bite.”
“Xavier!” she admonishes as I suck down on her skin and mark her just above her ankle. “You… you’re completely unhinged!”
“You say that like it’s new information, when you were the one who drove me crazy.” I smirk and undo my seatbelt before leaning in and working my way up her leg, my teeth grazing over her soft leggings.
“Tell me, Kitten. Did you feel like I didn’t treat you well at the opening gala?”