Chapter 6 – Xavier
Two days later wasthe earliest I could get into Andrew’s office. According to his secretary, I didn’t need an appointment, on Andrew’s orders. Because he’d traveled to one of the smaller towns for a meeting, I had to wait. While Wilkes followed up on leads he’d picked up from the security team at Blackhall, I drove to Andrew’s office.
“Good afternoon,” I greeted the sprightly woman who didn’t bother hiding her open admiration.
Her smile lascivious, she skirted her desk and with the tip of her pencil rolling over her teeth, flirted. “I’ve heard stories about you, Mr. Sinclair. Some girls describe you as fifty shades of silver. I wouldn’t mind an exclusive interview.” She winked.
My brow shot up, my chuckle low. She was a pretty woman in her mid-thirties and married to a respectable man I knew only by business association. “Trust me, girl, my interviews include much more led than a pencil tip that some would find daunting.”
Visibly swallowing, she blushed, hungry brown eyes roving over my three-piece suit once more.
“Andrew?” I reminded, before she further embarrassed herself.
“Yes, of course,” she replied with a nervous laugh, proceeding me into Andrew’s office.
“Xavier.” Andrew came around his desk as his secretary walked out. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
I accepted his handshake with a small smile, aware the pending discussion could go either way. For his sake, I hoped it was in my favor. His behavior with the girl left a sour taste in my mouth, something I didn’t think mouthwash was likely to rinse. “Needed to run something past you.”
“Oh.” He frowned. “Must be serious if you couldn’t pick up the phone. Sit.” He gestured to the leather chair on the opposite side of his. “Drink?”
“I won’t be long.” I sat, forcing calm into my rigid muscles, and waited until he took his seat. “At the party the other night, there was a young girl—”
“Christ, Xavier, there were plenty of young girls there.” He chuckled.
I reined in my impatience and leveled him with a look I reserved for an arrogant prat like him. Over the time we’d worked together, he knew I wasn’t a man to piss off. Immediately, he sobered and waited for me to continue.
“That girl was dressed in full black, like one of the waitresses. Only, she didn’t behave like one. If I had to describe her actions, I’d say she was intrigued and scared by the acts on stage until that final moment when panic kicked in.” I waited for him to deny knowing her.
His eyes brightened momentarily, and I wasn’t sure if it was with recognition or pleasure. “Yes, I remember the girl.” I tensed, waiting. “Why the interest?” he asked instead.
I had two ways of playing this, the truth which could put the girl in danger if he knew her well enough, or lie that I wanted to fuck. I went with the latter. “My cock’s developed a new appetite.”
He roared with laughter, and I offered a fake smile. “Never thought I’d see the day when you decided to move over to the dark side, old friend.”
My fists, resting on my thighs and hidden from view, tightened into white-knuckled balls. “I’ve heard of your penchant for the younger ones, Andrew.” My smile cold, I played into his obsession with himself. “Now, about the girl.”
“Forget about her.” He waved it aside with a flick of his hand, glancing at his laptop screen. “I have much better pros—”
His audacity sent my pulse racing. “I wanther.” Steel lined my tone, and his eyes jerked back to me.
Two seconds more, his startled expression did a three-sixty into a smile I knew well. “Forget you saw her, Xavier.” My temper hadn’t fazed him.
“You’d do well remembering how you got into that chair, Andrew.” My brow shot up, challenging him to argue the point. He knew I had him by the balls, having pulled plenty of strings to get him elected mayor. In return, all he had to do was never go against a Sinclair.
He leaned back in his chair and patted the sides of his thinning hair, a nervous habit he’d developed since high school. “Why her, Xavier? You can have a million other girls—”
“If you want my support for the rest of your term, you’ll reconsider your next words.” My patience waned, dropping my voice to a tight whisper. “Think hard, Andrew. Is defying my request what you truly want?”
His back against a wall, he sighed. “All I know is that she belongs to the woman that catered the function. The girl’s soiled goods, though.”
