Chapter 7

So this is it. I’m going on a date with Xavier. I can’t say I expected this, but I guess it was bound to happen. I’ve already picked out a dress and shoes to wear but I’m nervous about tonight, for what reason? … I don’t really know. I think I’m just overreacting.

I shake the worry from my mind and I start to get dressed. I decide to put on a tight red dress and red heels with a ribbon that I have to tie at the back. When I’m ready, I fix my hair and I go downstairs where I find Xavier waiting by the door for me.

“Look at you.” He says.

“You don’t look too bad yourself.” I comment.

He walks up to me and grabs my hands. His hands are big yet soft against mine. He rubs my hand with his thumb and then slips them from mine.

“Could you tie these?” I ask, turning around, leaning on the wall for support.

He gets down to tie the ribbons around my ankles. When he rises, he looks me up and down and turns toward the door to get on his phone. Minutes later, he guides me to the car and helps me into the passenger seat and then he goes to the other side and starts the drive to the restaurant.

“Why don’t you get a chauffeur or something to drive you around? You have the money to do it.” I ask curiously.

“I’ve never felt the need to. I’ve got a license for a reason. Some people feel entitled when they have big money like I do, and I’m not one of those people.” He replies.

“Oh.” I say. Then a thought occurs to me. “Xavier?” I call out.

“Yes?” he replies.

I hesitate, fidgeting with my fingers. “Nevermind.” I say, pushing away the thought.

I was going to ask if I could see my family. My brothers and mother specifically. I don’t know why, but I had a feeling he’d say no. To keep myself from missing them too much, I’ve pushed them out of my head, but no matter how hard I try, they come back, and I can’t help but miss them more.

He shakes it off and finishes the drive to the restaurant. We sit down and we pick up our menus and we order our food. Xavier puts down his menu and looks me up and down.

“What’s the matter?” I ask, looking him up and down.

“Nothing. I just uh, ahem, I can’t really concentrate on anything right now.”

“Why not?” I ask, fluttering my eyelashes at him.

“Jesus.” He says, looking away for a second. “So uh .. how old are you? You have to be young to be a first year at a university.” He asks, changing the subject.

“I’m 19, turning 20.” I respond. “What about you?” I add.

“I’m 24.” He responds.

“Only a five year age gap.” I say, sipping my drink.

“At the party, I noticed you had siblings.” He says, raising an eyebrow. “What’s that like?”

“In all honesty, it isn’t bad. My brothers are my life, I actually love them more than life. They’ve taken multiple beatings from my father for me and I can’t imagine my life without them. They’re my everything.” I say, smiling in thought.

“Do you want to see them?” he asks me, taking a sip out of his drink.

My eyes widen. “You’re serious?” I ask, trying not to cry.

“You speak like you can’t live without them. What kind of husband would I be to not allow you visitation?” he says calmly.

“Um … yeah. Yes, thank you.” I say with wide eyes.

“I’ll take you tomorrow. It’ll be late by the time we get back home.’’

“Thank you so much.” I say again.

He analyzes me with a calm expression on his face, narrowing his eyes at me.

“Why do you do that?” I ask, messing with the straw in my cup.

“Do what?” he asks, looking away.

“That thing where you look me over like you’re unsure about me, then you look away before I can catch you.” I say, waiting for an answer.

He sighs and sits back in his chair, avoiding the question. I sit up straight and I wait for my food, seeing his reaction to my question. We eat and change the subject and we end up laughing and talking the whole time.

When we leave, we sit in the car and Xavier sits back for a second, looking me over again. I look over at him with a small smile and his eyes fixate on my lips. My breathing speeds up as my eyes go to his lips and he starts to lean in slowly.

I close my eyes, ready for something to happen … then nothing. I open my eyes and he pulls away and starts the car, starting the drive home.

When we get home, he closes the door behind us and Daxine greets us. Axel hasn’t said a thing to me ever since Xavier put him in his place.

“Welcome home. You two look ravishing.” She says, hugging me and Xavier.

“Thank you, Daxine.” I say, hugging her back.

“Where’s Father?” Xavier asks.

“In his office. He should be coming out by now.” Daxine says.

“You can go to your room. We’re not joining them for dinner.” Xavier says, making my head shoot up.

I look from Xavier to Daxine and I slowly nod my head respectfully. “Okay.” I say as I turn to go upstairs.

Why’s he acting like that? I mean, all day were good, talking, laughing, getting to know each other , then as soon as we get from dinner, he’s cold and closed off. Although he didn’t share anything about himself and he was acting weird most of the time, I thought we were getting somewhere.

But I guess not.

As I undress and step inside the shower, I think to myself and I go over everything that’s happened today. Was it something I did? No. It’s just something about him.

I guess that even though I’m gonna be marrying this man, possibly having his children, and spending the rest of my life with him, I’ll never be able to crack this shell he has on. I’ll never see the vulnerable, guard down Xavier that I thought I’d see by the end of the night, no matter how hard I try.

It was dumb to think we could get anywhere really. But he’s the coldest, most ruthless mafia king in the world. What the hell was I expecting from him?

Love? That’s one thing I know he’s not capable of.

I see it now.