Xander shook his head. “And I can’t risk breaking that trust. Last night was a one-time thing. I’m too old for her. I’ve done my best.”
“That’s bullshit, Xander. You’re scared. You read her so well, you know when she needs a firmer hand when she needs discipline, and I’m still working on that. You give the boundaries that she craves.”
“You’ll figure it out, Marrock. You’re a smart guy,” Xander said.
Logan crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “So, what was your plan? To leave us in the middle of the morning? Without saying goodbye?”
“I had hoped to be out before you two had woken up. I was going to send a text or an email or something.”
“Fuckin coward,” Logan muttered.
“Never said I wasn’t,” Xander replied evenly. “Now that Harper is safe—”
“Are you sure? We haven’t tracked down who was looking for her yet.”
“Erik’s on it. I’ll find out who from her family is after her and keep her safe.”
“How, if you’re going to leave? You know I can’t be a part of Axis Management, right? You can’t just expect us all to go back to normal. If you care for her, Xander, you got to give it a chance, us a chance.”
Xander’s throat muscles clenched, and he stared at Logan. “If you want to walk away from Axis Management and leave Team Stealth, I get it. I’ll make sure there is a security detail on her at least until her family is caught.”
“What do you mean, my family?” Harper came around the corner of the kitchen, leaning on the wall. “They’re looking for me?”
Her face was ashen, and Xander mentally kicked himself. Logan ran to her and held her. “Kitten, we’ll figure this out.”
“Xander, you knew someone was looking for me and didn’t tell me? How could you?”
“Angel, I was keeping you safe. I thought someone from your past was looking for you before we realized it was Theo Densen, getting back at me through you and I am so, so sorry for that. I’ve kept you safe for years, Harper and I will never stop looking out for you.”
Harper hid her face in Logan’s chest and shook her head. “You were just going to leave me to wake up to find you gone? And then what, expect me to answer your phones on Monday? You say I mean the world to you, but here you are treating me as if I am only your assistant.”
He stalked towards her and peered into those eyes. “You have always been more to me than an assistant and you know it. I am sorry I can’t be what you want me to be.”
She gasped and he flinched, seeing the hurt in her eyes.
“Xander, you told me I was strong.”
“Harper, you are the strongest I know.”
“But I believed that because I saw how strong you are, even though your anxiety gets the best of you, and you had your past and Olivia. You care so much about the people you surround yourself with, but now Xander you are being, something! I don’t know! You’re choosing to ignore what happened last night. It was the best night of my life, because of both of you.” Harper slipped her hand in Logan’s. Reached out for his. “Stay and work it out with us.”
Goddess knew he wanted to.
But he couldn’t.
He had to go and do what he could to take care of them both.
He strode out of the kitchen, his heart trying to beat its way out of his chest. It was better if he locked himself away, and gave them time to decompress. Give him time too, because his heart couldn’t take being around the two people he loved most.
In his bedroom, he paced, trying to calm himself. He clicked open his laptop, lost himself in the updates from the Tech Team and before he knew it, an hour had passed. Knowing the coast was clear and hating himself for being the coward Logan had called him, he called Carli to pick up him. He couldn’t be with the girl he wanted to be with, but he could help make sure her future was bright and she was taken care of.
***
“So, it’s going to take longer than you like.” Alicia Doyle adjusted her glasses and peered over her iPad screen.
“How long?” Xander asked their top lawyer.
“Four months at a minimum. You’ll have control of SolCan and Martin Industries by the spring.”
