I sit against the house, blood pouring from my leg as Anthony writhes in pain in mom’s arm. Xavier hangs up the phone and runs over to me and takes his tuxedo off and rips his blouse underneath off, then rips the sleeve off to tie it around my thigh where the blood is seeping out.
He ties a knot tightly around my thigh, making me grunt in pain. He stands up and puts his hands out to me. I look up at him and I take his hands as he lifts me up.
“Are you okay? Well no shit, but … “ he cuts himself off looking at me with worried eyes.
“I’m fine.” I say back, limping over to Anthony.
“I just got off the phone with some people who’re gonna get your father. We can discuss funeral arrangements later if that’s okay with you.” He says, helping me over to Anthony.
“That’s fine.” I reply, paying more attention to Anthony.
“I don’t have everything I need here.” Mom says.
“Could they come home with us? Please?” I ask Xavier.
“That’s a risk. You should know that better than anyone. My family is too powerful just to risk any family secrets getting out.” Xavier says to me.
“Xavier, we’re a family. My brother has a risk of bleeding out right now, and you, more than anybody, know how much I love him. Both of them.”
He looks away and back at me, sighing. “Fine. Fine. Let’s go.”
“Okay. I’m driving.” I say, limping to the car.
“Says who?” he says back, his eyebrow arched.
“Me.” I say.
“Nice try. You’re injured. Passenger seat.” He says, picking me up and taking me to the passenger seat. He gets in the car and starts the drive home, mom and the boys following behind.
When we arrive home, everyone hurries in.
“Bring him to my room, Mom.” I say, guiding her upstairs with Anthony. I get a first aid kit as mom sits Anthony on the bed. I walk back over to him and I remove the shirt mom has over the stab wound. “It’s pretty deep. I know how much you hate needles but I have to stitch it, Anthony.” I say. He nods his head, beads of sweat dripping down his face.
I thread the needle and Anthony sits through the stitching like a champ, laughing and talking through it all.
After I’m finished patching him up, I bring him downstairs and I hug both my brothers goodbye.
“I love you, Anthony. I love you Patrick. You two don’t give mom a hard time. Enough happened tonight. Me and Xavier will talk about funeral arrangements tonight and I’ll let you know when we’ll gather for it. You guys get home safe.” I say. “I love you mom.” I add.
“I love you more honey.”
She hugs and kisses me, then they all leave, leaving me and Xavier alone in the lobby.
“Where’s this gonna take place?” I ask.
“Go to my room. We’re gonna take care of your leg and then we can start on arrangements. I’ll help you up.” He offers.
He puts his hand onto my back and around my hips, and he helps me up the stairs and onto his bed, then he leaves for a minute and comes back. He takes the piece of his shirt off my thigh and looks at the cut.
“It’s not bad. I just have to clean it up a bit, patch it up and let it heal.” He says, grabbing everything he needs. As he cleans my thigh, it’s awkwardly quiet.
All of a sudden, I get the urge to speak up.
“Xavier, can we stop with this?” I ask.
“With what?” he says back.
“This. This silent treatment. I know shit was bad earlier but that’s only because I feel like I’m getting mixed signals from you.” I admit.
“What do you mean, mixed signals? I’m confused.”
“One minute, you look at me like I’m your whole world, like I’m everything you want, and then the next, you’re giving me the cold shoulder. You talk to me like I’m a stranger, you can’t even look at me. When you looked at me like that last night, I felt like you were unsure, like you were debating on if I was actually what you wanted. At dinner we talked and we laughed and we got close, not very, but close, then it all went back as soon as we got in the car. Tell me what’s wrong with you, Xavier. I don’t want to beg but if that’s what it takes, I’m gonna do it.” I say, tears building in my eyes.
He’s completely stopped what he’s doing.
“You’re right. I am unsure.” He says suddenly.
“Well talk to me.” I say.
“If I’m being honest … it’s been me the whole time. I’ve been keeping us where we are now. And the reason’s because … I felt like doing that would protect me.”
“What do you mean?” I say, wanting to know more.
“When you walked into my life, I knew you were capable of loving me, even given how cold and vicious I may seem to everyone else. I just didn’t want to accept it. And when you showed me what I thought you were capable of … I was scared. I didn’t want your love for me to be fake. I wanted it to be real. I wanted you to be what I knew you were-a loving, caring, genuine person. The truth is, I want to love you …. I just … don’t know how.”
His words hit me like a breath of fresh air. This is the most I’ve gotten out of him since I first came here.
“Then let me show you, Xavier. Let me help you. This is hard, believe me, I know. But I want to love you. If I’m being honest with you, and with myself ….. I think I already do. And I’m ready to accept it.”
He smiles a little and puts his head down. “I am too.” He says, giving me a small smirk. “And I’m gonna let my walls down. I’m gonna let you love me. I just hope you’ll do the same.” He says, almost pleading with me. “So I’ll ask now … Dionne Coleman, will you finally be mine?” he asks, already on one knee.
“I do.” I say, sealing my promise with a passionate kiss.
I lift off the bed and I join him on the floor, on both my knees as I kiss him, pulling him harder into me. He does the same, pushing my lower back into him, pressing our bodies together as his hand slides down to my ass, squeezing it lightly, and massaging it as he kisses me hard.
“Promise me. Till the day I die.” He says, putting up his pinky.
“You’re such a cornball.” I tease, laughing softly at him. “But I promise,” I say, hooking my pinky with his. “Till the day I die.”
He smiles and kisses me again. “And I promise not to do what I did today ever again. I’m so sorry.” He says, apologizing.
“Don’t even bring it up. Just us.” I say, keeping the thought away.
“Okay.” He agrees. “Just us.”
We kiss, yet again, and when we pull away from each other, I smile.
Finally. The mafia king is finally mine.
It’s been about 2 weeks since me and Xavier finally admitted to ourselves that we’re ready for one another and it’s honestly been good. I’ve been going to school everyday, he’s been picking me up and finally, he’s let his guard down for me. But he can switch it up, quick. One moment he’s in the car, telling me how much he loves me, then the next, he’s arguing and cursing with someone for something they said to me, then he’s cold. But that’s only out in public. When he’s alone with me, he’s vulnerable and open, and he keeps his walls down. In front of his parents, he shows them that he loves me, he’s just not as vulnerable. Still has to put on a strong, hard face for his father. Speaking of fathers, mine’s funeral is this week. I’m honestly glad he’s gone, then again, he’s my father, so there’s a sliver of me that still wants someone to call a father. That’s another time though. As me and Xavier pull up to the entrance of the university, my hand in his, he lifts my hand to his lips an
That night at dinner, Xavier sits in his spot next to me, and as we eat. Suddenly, Daxine speaks. “So you two, when’s the wedding?” she says excitedly. “About a year or two from now.” Xavier says. We agreed that we wanted a big wedding. Xavier says he wants it to be black and red themed but I want something light. We’re nothing the same which makes it all a bit more interesting. “Or two?” she says, surprised. “Yeah. We want it to be big.” Xavier says. “You always were extravagant.” Daxine says. “Dad in his office?” he asks. “Yeah. Hasn’t come out all day.” Xavier’s father has shown himself less and less every day. I think it’s because he wants to avoid Xavier in case he says something he doesn’t like. I don’t really know why, so I’m not gonna assume. It’s not really like him to hide. That’s where Xavier gets it from. After dinner, Xavier goes upstairs and gets in the shower, and I help Daxine with the dishes. When I go upstairs to Xavier’s room, I can’t find him. ‘Baby, wher
Xavier’s POV: I stand in the mirror fixing my tie while Dionne fixes her dress and checks her makeup and hair. “You ready?” I ask, watching as she takes a final look at herself in the mirror. “Yeah.” She says, turning around to walk up to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “How you feeling?” I ask. “Don’t know. This feels weird. Going to my dad’s funeral is something I never thought would happen. I knew he’d leave one day, I mean he had it coming .. but not this soon. I mean I know it sounds heartless, but in a way I’m glad he’s gone. That fear of running into him is gone and I’m happy to have that kind of relief.” “That’s not heartless. Him abusing you and your brothers, that’s heartless. He deserved what he got. I’m sorry if that makes me a monster but other people seem to already think that’s what I am.” She looks down in thought, pausing. “We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.” I say. “No. I have to be there for my mom. She hated him for the fact that he abused her ki
Xavier’s POV: “Xavier, what’s going on?” Dionne asks as I hurry to the car, her hand in mine. “You remember that old enemy I told you about? His name is Malcom and I think one of his goons just called with a threat. We need to get to the house before anything happens.” I say, helping her into the car. I run over to the driver’s seat and I start the car and I speed off, racing to the house. But when we get there, it’s too late. The windows are shot out and it looks like a tornado went through the house. I quickly get out, Dionne opening her door to rush to the house with me. In the darkness, only lit by the lights on inside and outside the house, I see mom and dad standing outside, looking at the damage. “What the fuck happened in five fucking minutes?!’’ I yell, looking at the house. “As soon as you hung up the phone, guns went off, shot up everything. Some things inside are broken from the bullets that entered the house, but this came out of nowhere.” Mom says, shaking her head i
I stare at my brother, anger written all over my face. Why in the hell did he come back? “Why are you here? Why’d you come back?” I ask, my blood boiling. “I missed my brother, that’s all.” Leo says. “Stop fucking with me.” I spit back. “Still got Dad’s anger I see. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed. Which begs the question of who that beautiful woman is. God, she’s a real gem-“ “And she’s my fiancé. Fuck off.” I say, defensively. “Wait. Wait she’s your fiancé?” he says, trying to hold back his laughter. “That has to be arranged because the world would have to be-nope. Even the world ending wouldn’t push you to love someone, let alone marry them.” He says, laughing. “Why the fuck are you here, Liam? You haven’t been around since you were seventeen, it’s been five years.” I say, annoyed. “Okay, fine. I got word that Malcom had come back and I just wanted to check on my brother and mother. And dad. I guess.” He says. Liam’s never tried to hide his hatred for our father. His h
Dionne’s POV: In the morning, I wake up and Xavier’s chest is pressed against my back, his face is in my hair, and his arm is wrapped around my stomach, holding me in place. I feel the sudden urge to get up and go to the bathroom, so I wiggle out of his arms and I get up and I use the bathroom, then I come back to the bed and Xavier lies awake, turning his head to look at me when I come back. “Did I wake you?” I ask, walking over to the bed. “I couldn’t smell you or feel you anymore so I woke up. So to answer your question, yes. Yes you did.” He says, yawning. “I’m sorry.” I say, kissing him good morning. Suddenly I hear Liam downstairs, laughing. “Ugh. I forgot about Liam.” I say, getting up and finding some of Xavier’s clothes to wear. “I can’t forget. The thought comes back to me every second of every hour.” He says, groaning as he gets up. He walks up to the sink where I am and he wraps his arms around me, resting his head on my shoulder. “You still tired?” I say, messing w
Xavier’s POV: I race downstairs, fuming at what I just heard. I knew Liam would try and make a move on her. God, I should’ve went with my gut and kicked him out sooner. I wanted to trust him. But trust doesn’t go far with him, obviously. “Liam!” I scream, reaching the living room where he is now. He stands up as I approach him and I grab his shirt and I throw him against the wall. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? You’re lucky I don’t break your fucking nose any further.” I say, rage taking me over. “What is the meaning of this?” my mother yells. “Why don’t you tell them, Liam. Hm? Tell them!” I scream at him. “I was only telling her the truth. Xavier’s never gonna settle, even he knows it.” Liam says with a scoff. “That’s my fucking wife you’re talking to, you bastard! And her name is Mrs. fucking Foster when you address her, and you’d better fucking remember that shit because it won’t go any further than that, do you fucking hear me? I dare you to step out of line aga
Dionne’s POV: I wake up the next day and it’s nearly 4 P.M. “Why the hell was I out so long?” I whisper, holding my head as a migraine comes in. I get up, my head hurting more as I look into the light pouring in through the blinds, and I look in the closet for one of Xavier’s sweatshirts and I slide one on, putting some sweatpants on,drowsily walking downstairs. When I walk into the living room, I hear a bunch of men laughing and talking, making my migraine worse. All I want right now is Xavier, and he’s here. I see a spot open next to Xavier, and I go to sit in it, interrupted by some dude with brown hair and brown eyes. “Come on, dude!” Xavier says, slapping him in his head. “?Muevete, Muevete!”, he adds, telling him to move in Spanish. He slides onto the floor, rubbing his head. “Damn. I get moved out of a chair because of some girl? Who is she anyway?” he says as I lie next to Xavier, resting my head on his chest. “Yeah, who’s the chick?” another guy says. “Everyone meet Dio