Page 53 of The Keeper

I took my time sipping the beer. “For fuck’s sake, mate, you went right for the jugular.”

“Well, you’re still going to him so that’s a victory.” Bennet regarded me with a thoughtful expression. “He’s not your average therapist. You need someone like him.”

“Yeah, I know,” I scowled.

“Come on. It can’t be that bad.”

The cold beer soothed some of the tightness grabbing hold of my throat.

“He’s fine it’s—“ I caught myself before saying her name.

“It’s what?” Bennet’s concern made me uncomfortable. He meant well. He always meant well but I’d pretty much reached my limit.

I shrugged. “No distractions, you know?”

“What’s going on with you and the redhead from the Legends?”

Prick.

Leaning my head back, I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands. “You’re full of questions today Bennet.”

“C’mon. I’m not daft. I saw you with her at the pub the other night. And then at the event on Saturday. And we all saw what happened today, Maddox. I know how you are.”

“And how am I?” I glared at him. “No different than you, I suspect.”

He sighed. “Look, you’re a grown man. I’m not about to lecture you on anything. But I know what happens when things fall apart—“

“Can’t have something fall apart that doesn’t exist,” I interrupted, annoyed at the direction this was going. “We’ve spent some time together. That’s all. She’s leaving the day after tomorrow anyway.”

“There’s something different about you when she’s around.” He leaned forward. “I thought I saw it the other night but today confirmed it. The press conference. Did something happen before it started? Before you made a big show with her at the elevator?”

“Maybe.” I rubbed a finger on my eyelid to stop it from twitching.

“You’re impulsive, Xavier. You’re in control most of the time but she’s shaken you in some way.” He shifted in the chair, resting his forearms on his thighs.

“We’re not teenagers anymore. I don’t need lessons from you.”

“We’re well beyond lessons, mate. You’ve been adamant about having,” he made quotes, “normal relationships since you broke it off with—“

“I’m aware,” I snapped.

The silence between us stretched for a minute. The more Bennet brought up or alluded to my past mistakes, the more I wanted to be left alone.

“She wasn’t right for you. That doesn’t mean you won’t find the one who is. And if it’s Victoria, then,” his voiced trailed as he shrugged.

I reclined on my elbow, flexing and clenching my hand. He’s not wrong. The side of me I buried all those years ago is coming back to life. I just have to be sure this time.

Bennet smiled and the warmth behind it touched his eyes. “You really do like her, don’t you?”

My hand flexed and clenched. Flexed and clenched.

“A toast.” Cade raised his glass, motioning for us to do the same. “To the Legends and Royals gathered here tonight,” he paused, waggling his eyebrows, “See what I did there?”

Victoria tried unsuccessfully to muffle a laugh. I reached under the table and grabbed her thigh. It stilled her, but also provided me with one hell of a sensuous glance. I kept my hand on her thigh for two reasons: one, because I liked it there and two — my earlier conversation with Bennet notwithstanding— I wanted to see how far this could go.

The lighting in this restaurant was dim enough for me to stretch her limits in public without attracting too much attention. Most important, the dress she wore was so bloody hot, I couldn’t keep my hands off her if my life depended on it.

“As I was saying,” Cade continued, undeterred by the not-so-subtle eye roll from Bennet, “a toast to all of us lads and the beautiful women who agreed to suffer through this dinner with us.”

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