Xaden skips the small talk.
“Ryan Rutherford is a coward,” he says. “A bully. A jerk.”
My breath stutters.
“And it’s always possible I heard wrong,” Steve offers. “Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure someone named Bryan Butterford is looking for properties. An easy mistake to make.”
I manage a weak smile. I don’t really know these people and they don’t really know me—yet they’re standing around me like a human shield.
“I know he’s been giving you hell,” Xaden continues. He has crossed hisarms. “I’m sorry you’ve been through all that. Baywood doesn’t take kindly to people like him.”
“Yeah, little dude.” Steve glances at Xaden and mimics his pose. “No one should be bullied.”
I feel oddly touched, the roaring in my ears finally beginning to fade.
“I’m sure we’re able to convince him to house-hunt elsewhere,” Xaden concludes.
He sounds so certain. Authoritative.
To my surprise, I actually believe him. Not because he’s an agent—but because I know Caspian trusts him. And there’s no one in this world I trust more than Caspian.
I take a deep breath.
I know he’s on his way to me.
CHAPTER 65 – CASPIAN
I park in front of Cole’s house, trying to unclench my jaw and relax my shoulders.
I’m so tense I’d make even a seasoned chiropractor quit and find a new career. The entire drive from the hospital, I’ve been berating myself. I shouldn’t have left him. How could I have been so careless? He’s been through a lot. Too much.
We had sex last night—the most significant night of my life, and very likely his too—and what did I do?
I left him alone to navigate the Baywood gossip mill.
I’m a monster.
Opening the door, I’m hit with the mouth-watering scent of garlic and tomato.
Antonio is at Cole’s stove, looking… fine. Absolutely fine.
Noah is at the table, coloring and popping cherry tomatoes into his mouth like candy.
Cole is sitting in Xaden’s lap, one arm slung around his neck, both of them watching Antonio cook with quiet interest.
Okay.
This doesn’t look like the catastrophe my imagination suggested. This looks like a domestic fever dream.
Antonio turns, and his whole face lights up.
He sets the wooden spoon aside and practically runs into my arms. He wraps himself around me and buries his face into the crook of my neck.
“For the record, I was not panicking.”
I kiss him until Noah’s giggling reminds me we have an audience.
“No one has implied that you were.”
