Page 47 of Burning Your Lies

“I used to lift weights at home.”

My sob comes out strangled. I cover my mouth to contain them, knowing he feeds off my pain. But my tears still fall. “She was seventeen. She had her whole life in front of her. How could you…” I try to back away from him, but my back hits the dresser.

Xavier calmly walks over to me and traps me between his body and the furniture. “She made a mockery of my love.”

“She was a child,” I cry. “She made amistake.”

His face holds no emotion except contempt. “Was it a childish mistake whenyoucheated on me? I would have given you the world!” he roars. His fingers run down the side of my face and when he speaks, it’s much softer. “I loved yousomuch.” For a moment, I see the softness in his eyes I once believed. Xavier has looked at me like that too many times and I fell for it.

“What did you do to her?”

He doesn’t step away from me. “She denied her infidelity. She tried to walk out of the room and my life. I was blinded by heartbreak and smacked her over the head with a dumbbell. I just wanted to stop her from leaving.” He leans forward until his nose runs along my neck. “Why are you so desperate to leave me, Savannah?”

I turn my head away. “We both know what you are. And what you’re capable of.”

He holds my head, so I’m forced to look at him. The look in his eyesburnsme. “I love you,” he whispers. “So fucking much. I can’t get you out of my head.” One hand holds my arms above my head while the other runs down the length of my body. “I know you want me.”

I struggle against him as he layers kisses over my exposed skin. “Let go of me.”

His hold tightens. “I see the way you look at me. I’ve always seen you Savannah.” His erection presses against my hip. “Can you feel what you do to me?”

Xavier isn’t aroused by me. He’s turned on from reliving his crimes. Being back here gives him the thrill he chases, and it makes me feel sick. It’s probably why he maintains this empty house.

“I don’t want you.”

Both his hands hold my face. “I’ll stop all this. I will let you burn it to the ground; diamonds and all. Just love me. I want you so fucking bad.” His head drops and his lips are all over my neck. “Let me love you,” he begs.

I try to push him away, but he doesn’t move. “I’m married.”

“So was I. And I chose you. I killed my wife, just so I could have you.”

Grabbing his jaw stops his kisses. “You killed her because she figured out why you loved those diamonds so fucking much.”

It’s like he never heard me. “Ray will never know. It can be our dirty little secret. Is that what you need? You need the thrill of sneaking around, secrets and lies?”

Snapping out of my weak state, I scoff at him. “I’ve had enough of your lies. I’m ready to go home now. To myhusband.”

Xavier steps away from me as if I burned him. “He will never love you like me. He will never protect you like me. He will neverfuckyou like me. I am ready to give it all up, Savannah.Everything.We can leave this country with Elise and live a happily ever after. I’ll forget everything my father taught me about diamonds and building a collection as large as his. We can be happy.”

It’s almost ironic that he sent me away for being delusional when he’s looking at me like that. He truly believes this fantasy he’s created.

“I’d rather bealive.”

I shut the door behind me. I know Huxley’s going to be upset I came home later than I promised, but this nugget of information was worth it. “Hux? You’ll never believe it.” I join him in the kitchen. “Xavier practically admitted to his father killing women and turning them into diamonds. So, we should look at the women he was associated with and see if they disappeared. It should strengthen our case and show a pattern with the Rivers men.” I furrow my eyebrows. “Hux?”

He’s leaning against the countertop with his head down. “You’re late.”

I shrug my coat off. “I know, but did you hear me? We have more to work with now. He admitted to Sara, too. He even showed me where he killed her andhow. She was seventeen when they met, so that should make finding her easier now.” When he doesn’t look up at me, I sigh. I thread my fingers through his hair. “You’re angry, I know. But this wasn’t an opportunity I could pass up on.”

“Glad to know you’d much rather spend your time with Xavier than me.”

“That’s not true. And look, I came home. I certainly would rather be here, so I can do this.” With a playful smile, my hand reached into his trousers. I grab his length and tease him. “Not in the mood to play, sunshine?”

Huxley doesn’t even flinch. “You want to play?”

I kiss his neck. “Always.”

He picks me up and places me on the counter. He hitches my dress up and pushes my underwear to the side. His trousers are pulled down enough to free himself. “Keep those legs spread.”He spits into his hand and strokes himself until he’s hard enough to slam into me.

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