Page 53 of Guarded from Danger

He rests his chin on my head, his breath ruffling my hair. “Ten years ago, she asked me a third time. Begged me, really. I was hesitant, but… she’s family. Even though she was a terrible mother, I felt… obligated. Can you believe that? She was never there for me. Ever. While my dad was in prison, she was hooking up with whatever boyfriend could score her drugs.”

“Oh, Xavier.”

“From when I was a little kid, I had to do everything myself. Figure out how to eat, find clothes, pay for school expenses… I had a job when I was eleven, mowing lawns and shoveling driveways. And I hid the money so she wouldn’t steal it.”

Tears burn behind my eyes. Xavier never told me just how bad it was.

“I tried to sleep over at my friends’ houses as much as I could,” Xavier continues. “And I did sports, clubs, anything that would get me away from the dilapidated shack she called a house.” He stops. “I’m not complaining?—”

“You should. That’s neglect, Xavier. It’s not right.”

“No, it wasn’t. But it made me into a stronger person. I learned to take care of myself. And it set me on a path I’ll always be thankful for. The Army. Special Forces. My team. Blade and Arrow. You.”

“Xavier—”

“So I told her no this time. Definitively.” He moves his head so he can meet my gaze. “First she begged. Reasoned. And finally, she devolved to name-calling. Telling me I was a terrible person. That if she died from an overdose, it would be my fault.”

I gasp. “No.No. That’s not true. Not even for a second.”

“Rationally, I know. She would just spend it on drugs. I know that.” Pain shadows his features. “But it still makes me feel like a bad person.”

Tears trickle down my cheeks. “You’re not. God, Xavier. You’re the best person I know. The kindest, the most thoughtful… you’re sweet and smart and brave and you risked your life for your country. Over and over again. You areincredible.”

“Lucy…” He swallows hard. “That you would say that?—”

“It’s true.” I grab his hands and look at him fiercely. “I feel so lucky to have met you. Everyone loves you. Your team. All the people you served with. Do you see the respect they have for you? How much they trust you? They aren’t all wrong.”

“Sunshine…”

“And I love you. Most of all. I love you, Xavier. And trust me when I say you are anamazingperson.”

“You are.” Xavier’s voice goes thick. “You’re the amazing one, Luce.” He hugs me, pressing his lips to the top of my head. “I love you so damn much.”

I bury my face in his neck, breathing in his familiar scent—woodsy with a hint of citrus and pine, along with this indescribable aroma that’s distinctly him. As his arms tighten around me, a wave of protectiveness comes over me, more intense than anything I’ve felt before.

And with it, anger and disbelief.

How could he ever think he’s a bad person?

How could anyone?

How could his parents treat Xavier like that?

My jaw sets as I vow to myself,I won’t let them hurt him again.I might not be able to protect Xavier physically, but I can protect his heart. I can reassure him that he’s a good person over and over until he believes it.

And while I’ve never been a confrontational person, if his mother or father try to mess with Xavier again, I won’t hesitate to step in. To say the hard things so Xavier doesn’t have to.

“Lucy…” He cups my nape, tilting my head back to meet his gaze. His eyes glint with gold and amber in the mid-morning sun, so filled with love I can barely stand it. “I wish I could say how much I love you. But words aren’t enough.”

“It’s okay.” I lean closer, so our lips are only a breath away. “I know how much you love me. Because I feel the same way.”

Then we kiss. First it’s tender, like a comforting caress. An unspoken message to let Xavier know that I’m here. That I support him. That I believe in him.

His fingers tunnel through my hair as our kiss changes, shifting from gentle to needy. Our tongues move together in a sensual rhythm, stroking and teasing. During sipped breaths, we take turns nipping and sucking at each other’s lips, a perfect duality of pleasure mixed with a tiny sting of pain.

As we keep kissing, my core clenches, demanding to be filled. Heat builds at the apex of my thighs, and I can feel myself opening for him. My hips thrust restlessly, my body instinctively searching for relief.

God. Thisneed. I want to feel Xavier inside me so badly.

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