Chapter 1 - Xavier

Xavier

“ I t’s cute that you thought this would go any other way.”

Jordan’s smug expression set off an explosion of rage within me. I squeezed the tumbler of whisky so tight I was surprised it didn’t crack in my hand.

We were seated upstairs in the VIP section of his favorite gentleman’s club, meaning we had our own private area with a scantily clad hostess tending to our every need. And I mean every need.

Pretty. Blonde. More Cade’s type than mine since she was barely twenty.

“The night is young,” I retorted, swallowing the drink.

“The Maddox arrogance. Like father, like son.”

A sardonic grin curled my lips. “One of my better qualities.”

Jordan leered at the young woman while she refilled my glass. Calling him a womanizer was too kind. He was a predator.

“Why’d you ask me out on a date, Xavier? We haven’t spoken or seen one another in years. You’ve always seemed to be the love ‘em and leave ‘em type. Not sure I’m interested. I’m a sensitive girl.”

I wanted to rip the smile off his face. He’s the last person I want to see. Unfortunately for him, and me, this was how it had to be.

I didn’t leave Victoria behind in New York to not deal with this piece of shit.

“There are a few things I need to make clear to you.”

“Clear how? Like the night you overreacted when you found Millie with me? How is she doing these days?”

Anger streaked through my veins. He regarded me pleasantly enough but the distain simmering in his eyes was unmistakable.

“We both know my actions were justified. But I’m not here to rehash the past. At least not that night.”

“Oh?” He cocked his head to the side. “Is there another blissful walk down memory lane you want to take? The time you stole my fiancée?” His eyes slid across my scar. “Bennet’s party, perhaps?”

“I think you know that story well enough,” I replied coldly. “I was thinking about the bonfire we all went to. Ring a bell?”

An oily smile tugged at his mouth. “I went to so many. You’ll have to be more specific.”

I finished the whisky and waited patiently for our hostess to refill my glass. She stood to my left, putting her directly in front of another languid stare. But she ignored Jordan’s less than subtle intentions and looked at me with come-hither eyes.

I drank the whisky immediately and covered the empty glass with my hand, signaling I was finished.

“We’re good for now,” I told her. “If you wouldn’t mind leaving us for a little while.”

She offered an emotionless smile and left the area. Jordan scowled.

“I paid to have her all night.”

“You’ll live.”

Part of me wanted to tear into Jordan about the night I was jumped at Bennet’s party. Maybe I’ll do it anyway. Might as well fire all my ammunition at once. See how indestructible he really is.

“While you try to figure out what you want to say, I noticed you’re involved with someone again. An American?”

The muscle in my jaw twitched. He straightened his cufflinks.

“None of your business,” I warned.

“So proper. When did you stop bragging—”

“I’d be very careful about what you say next.”

Another arrogant smile. The muscle in my jaw ticked faster.

“Did you know we almost became neighbors? Lovely cottage down the street from you. The owners finally put it up for sa—”

Glass shattered on the floor the second I lunged across the table and grabbed his neck. I wanted to choke the life out of him and make him beg me to stop. Stunned, he stood up, giving me the perfect opportunity to pin him against the wall.

“Big mistake, Maddox,” he rasped.

I didn’t fucking care.

“How does it feel, Jordan? How does it feel to have someone stronger than you hold your pathetic life in the palm of their hand?” I squeezed his neck tighter, turning my knuckles white. “You want to talk about Bennet’s party? Fine. Let’s talk about how you put my girlfriend’s twin sister in a chokehold after she saw your mates beat the shit out of me.”

Some of the entitled bluster drained from his eyes.

“While we’re at it, let’s talk about the night you raped her at the bonfire.”

I kneed him in the balls before he had a chance to counterstrike with his free hand. Air whooshed out of him.

“Fucking prick.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “I’ve never raped—”

Another knee to the balls.

This was fun.

“She wanted it.” Saliva dripped from his mouth with every word.

“She wanted none of it.” My voice went dark and sinister. “You threatened her after she saw what you did and then a year later, you raped her. And now my girlfriend lives with the guilt from thinking it was all somehow her fault.”

Jordan struggled in my grasp, much like a mouse trying to escape a cat that’s toying with it. Then, he went limp. Not because I’d rendered him unconscious, although I really wanted to. Glaring at me, he lifted his chin in defiance.

“Those spoiled Americans? The Chase twins? That’s what this is about.” His tone dripped with vitriol. “Little tarts. What were their names? The fun one was Victoria—”

I slammed his head against the wall. “Say her name again and I’ll end you.”

“Thinking with your prick again, I see. She’s quite an attractive woman. I can see why you’d—”

“Stay away from her.”

A low, patronizing laugh vibrated through him. “Too late for that.”

My grip tightened. “You have three seconds to explain before I snap your neck.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

Heavy anticipation filled the room. I could end him with one turn of my wrist. God, I fucking wanted to.

You’ll lose her if you do.

The thing in my chest raged at the thought.

Jordan capitalized on my hesitation.

“She was very polite to me on the phone. Then again, I led her to believe I was a reporter who gave a shit about Royal City Athletic traveling to the States.”

“Stay the fuck away from her.”

“Not a chance. Don’t you know anything about that family? The dad is some shady hedge fund guy. I invested—”

“Enough.” I rammed his head into the wall again.

“You really haven’t changed at all, have you. Still the same hot-headed prat. No wonder you need therapy.”

“Fuck you.”

His strangled laugh sent a chill through me. “Millie told me how you’d choke her like this. Squeeze until she almost passed out when you shagged her. She hated that.”

A familiar wild energy coursed through my veins. For years I’d stopped it from swallowing me whole.

Not tonight.

I let go of his neck and punched him in the stomach, relishing his shocked grunt even though my hand flared in pain.

“You will listen to me now.” I grabbed his neck again, shoving him back against the wall. “Stay away from Victoria. And admit what you did to Charlotte.”

“You’re delusional,” he cackled. “I didn’t do anything to her that you didn’t do to Millie.”

“This is where your lies will come back to haunt you. We both know I never did anything to Millie. But you did. Just like you did to Charlotte.” I squeezed his neck harder. “You can’t hide behind your family name and your money forever. I don’t fucking care if it takes me fifty years. I will destroy you.”

“Not before I destroy you first.” Jordan’s voice didn’t sound as confident as before. “You’re not squeaky clean either. Taking advantage of Millie. Manipulating her so you could act out all your fucked up fantasies.”

“It wasn’t like that and you know it.”

“Oh no? What would you call it then? Coercion? Never did learn how to control your urges. Looks like Bennet wasn’t able to teach you everything.”

Another punch to the gut should shut him up. Pain burned through my hand the second it slammed into his stomach but I smiled when he gulped in a few breaths and couldn’t speak.

“Watch yourself, Maddox,” he wheezed. “You never know what can crawl out of the shadows and bring the past back to life.”

“More empty threats? Looks like you haven’t changed either.”

“Not threats. Promises.” A sinister grin pulled at his mouth. “You’re nothing. Just some pretty boy footballer who thinks he’s the anointed one.”

You’re nothing .

Never have two words filled me with more rage than those.

You’re nothing .

I squeezed his neck harder. My lips curled in distaste. “You hurt the woman I love. You’re the reason her twin isn’t alive. I’m going to enjoy torturing you wherever and whenever the opportunity arises.”

Terror flashed through Jordan’s eyes before unbridled anger emerged.

There’s no turning back now. I’ve ignited something dangerous.

“You have no idea what you’ve done,” he said in a deceptively calm tone.

“Yes I do,” I responded just as serene.

He tipped his head forward. “I know your weakness now. I’ll find her. And it’ll be more than a simple phone call next time.”

“Touch her and it’ll be my fucking pleasure to put an end to your shitty existence.”

“Try and st—”

This time when I slammed his head into the wall, I knocked him out.