“What?!” The roar in his voice is unmistakable, and I jump.
Instantly, he’s on his feet and although I grab his wrist, attempting to calm him down, it’s no use. I see the rage building in his eyes. “Please, calm down. Is there anyway we can get out of this?”
“You told them no, right?”
My mouth instantly goes dry. “I couldn’t.”
Pain flickers across his face. “Couldn’t, or wouldn’t?”
“Xavier…how…? I didn’t…do you think I want Rex?” I ask, flabbergasted that he could ever think that about me.
“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been used by a woman, just to get ahead around here.” The coldness in his voice is unmistakable.
“Whether you believe it or not, I mean it when I tell you that I love you. I love you so much that it kills me to even think about being away from you. That’s why I agreed. Vicky told me that if I didn’t I would be fired and banned from coming backstage with you.” My voice shakes as my emotions threaten to get the best of me.
Xavier runs his hand through his hair. “This is horse shit!”
Before I can say anything else he darts out of the room.
By the time I get to the door, the hallway is empty. I head to the right and search every single room. After about ten minutes of searching I turn around and head in the opposite direction.
Five minutes later I find myself back at the catering room. I glance inside and start to turn away when out of the corner of my eyes I spot Xavier, only he isn’t alone.
Xavier stands beside the wall while Deena leans against it. My stomach clenches as I take in their seemingly intimate stance with one another.
Deena peers over Xavier’s shoulder and notices me standing there watching. To add salt in the wound she runs her hand down his bicep.
Xavier’s eyes widen as soon as he spots me.
Before I can stop myself, I storm over there and fling Deena’s hand off of him. “Keep your filthy slut fingers off of him!”
Deena raises her hands in surrender. “I’m not fighting you. I’m with the next champion now. You can have X for all I care.”
“Then remember that, and stay the hell away from him,” I say through gritted teeth. “Leave.”
Deena’s stare meets the challenge in my eyes. Finally, she huffs and then practically runs out of the room without a fight.
I’ve never been jealous like this before. I guess I don’t share well either.
I begin backing away from him, and he reaches for me, but I quickly swat his hand away.
“Anna! Wait!”
I don’t want to hear his explanation. I know what I saw.
I storm down the hall toward the exit, but he catches my wrist and spins me to face him before I can make it outside.
“Leave me alone, Xavier!” I order.
“No,” he says sternly.
“How could you?”
Xavier catches me in his arms, halting my escape.
“Leave me alone,” I demand again and shove against his chest.
His jaw muscle flexes beneath his skin as he attempts to hide the emotion in his face. “Don’t you see that I can’t?”
“Why?” I plead.
Can’t he see I just need to get away?
I can’t deal with him…this…the entire situation.
He grips my shoulders, and his gaze locks with mine. “You’re the one, Anna. The dream I’ve always been chasing. You make me feel whole. I’m addicted to your light. Please—” There’s a noticeable break in his voice. “Please, don’t take that away from me. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You give me hope that I can be a better man, because I see myself through your eyes. Give me a chance to be that man.”
I close my eyes and allow the tears to streak down my cheeks. “You promised, no other women…just you and me.”
Thick fingers slide under my chin and tilt my face up. His magnetic blue eyes hold mine. “I didn’t break that promise. There’s no one else. I swear to God, it wasn’t what it looked like. No other woman holds me like you do. You’re it for me.”
Every fiber in my being wants to believe that what he’s saying is the truth.
“You swear?”
“On my fucking life,” he whispers. “I went to talk to Deena because I was trying to con her into asking Rex to put an end to the storyline. I won’t allow him to touch you. It’s not in me. I won’t be able to hold back.”
“I love you,” I say so softly that I barely hear my own voice.
He cradles my face in his hands and rests his forehead against mine.
“Anna…” Xavier’s warm breath falls across my lips.
The moment our lips meet everything else fades away. There’s only me and him—no one else in this entire, crazy world. Even if he can’t bring himself to tell me he loves me back yet, I know he does. I can feel it in his kiss.
And I’ll wait patiently until he’s ready.
21
Anna
Standing behind the curtain while Rex’s entrance music plays throughout the arena turns my stomach. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but I know it’s not going to be good.
Xavier pours half a bottle of water over the top of his head to help keep him cool during his match. Water soaks his trademark tank top and speckles his camouflage pants.
Rex approaches us to get to the stage with a smirk on his face.
I squeeze Xavier’s hand in mine and wrap my other hand around his wrist. It won’t keep him from attacking Rex if he really wants, but I hope my presence is a reminder for him to keep a cool head because his job depends on it.
Rex grabs the back fabric, ready to head out to start the show, and says, “See you out there, Princess.”
“Screw you!” I retort.
Xavier tenses and I tighten my grip as Rex laughs and winks at us before disappearing into the arena.
My heart pounds in my chest. This is going to be worse than I thought. I have to stop this.
“Please, Xavier. Don’t go out there,” I beg.
“Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll be fine,” Xavier says with a growl.
“You’re not going out there like this. Forget what he said—he’s not worth it!” I plead with him, attempting to calm him down.
He shakes his head and water drips from the tips of his hair onto his bare shoulders. “When are you going to finally hear me? You’re everything to me. I’d trade my very soul to protect you, because you’re worth it. I’ll never let anyone hurt you, ever, and no one is going to take you away from me. No. One.”
My heart squeezes in my chest. I can’t remember the last time anyone has ever cared about me this much. He’s trying to save me, I know, but all I worry about is saving him from himself—his own self-destruction. I run my fingers along his scruffy cheek. “Please, don’t do this. Don’t throw everything away for me.”
He flexes his jaw while pure intensity shines in his blue eyes. “I have to. This ends now, Anna.”
His trademark entrance song, X Gon’ Give It To Ya, blares throughout the arena and my breath catches. Xavier’s temper is uncontrollable. Pushing him into the ring with Rex now will not end well. This could ruin everything he’s worked for. I have to try and stop him. I refuse to be the cause of his undoing.
“Please. Don’t.”
I know it’s a lame attempt, but just begging him to not do anything stupid is the only thing I can think of. It’s not like I can overpower him and force him to stay with me.
He cradles my face in his large hands. “It’s too late. The show has to go on—you know that. I want you to stay back here. I won’t be able to focus on him if I know he can get to you.”