Chapter 50 The Ride
Anna’s POV
"Yes," Eve said, "and why are you looking at me like you’ve seen a ghost?” she asked, slightly amused. “Xavier wants you downstairs.”
My stomach tightened instantly. “Did he say why?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. He just asked that I call you and Lucas.” Then her eyes narrowed slightly. “What happened?”
I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself.
“Xavier knows where Zack is,” I said. “Lucas told me I can’t come, and now you’re saying Xavier wants me downstairs?”
Eve tilted her head, like she was putting pieces together.
“Well,” she said calmly, “there’s only one way to find out.” Then she smirked lightly. “At least there’s nothing to be scared of. Xavier is now your fiancé.”
I rolled my eyes immediately. “Don’t patronize me,” I muttered.
She chuckled as we started walking out of the room. “I’m serious,” she said. “I’m genuinely happy for you.”
I scoffed. “On the contrary,” I replied, glancing at her, “I wish it was you he decided to marry, not me.”
Eve didn’t respond. That alone made me glance at her again. Her face had gone neutral.
We continued downstairs in silence, but the moment we stepped into the main hall.
I froze. The entire atmosphere had changed.
The bright lights from earlier were gone.
Now everything was drenched in dim red lighting, casting shadows across bodies—bare bodies.
My breath caught.
People were naked, not just a few, almost all of them. Some wore masks, some didn’t.
Bodies tangled together like it was the most normal thing in the world and Moans filled the air.
My heart started racing, not out of desire—but shock.
I couldn’t move, couldn’t even process what I was seeing.
Eve grabbed my wrist and pulled me back slightly. “Come,” she muttered, dragging me away from the full view.
We stepped to the side, away from the open display, and she turned to look at me.
“That your first time seeing something like that?" she asked, a small smile playing on her lips.
I nodded slowly. Still trying to breathe properly.
She studied my face for a second, then asked, “Have you ever had sex before?”
I blinked. The question caught me off guard. “No,” I said.
Her eyes widened. She opened her mouth to say something— But stopped.
Because I followed her gaze and saw Xavier, Lucas and several men standing with them.
Lucas noticed me first. His brows furrowed immediately as he walked closer. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
I opened my mouth… but nothing came out. I didn’t know what to say. So I turned to Xavier.
He was watching me.
Then after a few seconds, he spoke.
“I called for her.”
Lucas frowned instantly. “Boss, we shouldn’t take her,” he said quickly. “It’s dangerous—”
Xavier smiled, that same dangerous smile. “Anna has proven she can handle danger effortlessly,” he said. “So she’s coming along.”
My heart skipped.
Lucas looked like he wanted to argue more. I could see it in his eyes. But he didn’t. He swallowed it.
Xavier turned to Eve. “Go inside. Keep your eyes on the party.”
Eve bowed slightly. “Yes.” Then she walked away without another word.
Lucas stepped forward and opened the back door of the Range Rover parked outside. “Get in,” he said.
I didn’t hesitate. I stepped in and sat down.
Lucas got in beside me. Then the other door opened— And Xavier entered.
My breath hitched. I was sitting between them. Lucas on one side. Xavier on the other.
The space suddenly felt too small.
The door shut, the engine started. And we drove off.
Silence filled the car almost immediately.
Lucas must have noticed how tense I was, because his hand slipped into mine subtly—hidden, like he didn’t want Xavier to see.
But instead of calming me… It made everything worse. Because now I was aware of both of them.
Lucas broke the silence.“Boss,” he said, “Anna told me about your announcement… about marrying her.”
I held my breath.
Xavier didn’t hesitate.“She’s telling the truth,” he said. “I will marry her.”
Lucas’s jaw tightened. “As your second in command,” he said carefully, “I think it’s advisable I know why you intend to marry her.”
I felt the tension spike instantly. I wasn’t expecting him to say that.
Xavier didn’t respond.
Lucas pressed. “Boss?”
I braced myself, expecting Xavier to snap.
But he didn’t. Instead, he turned slowly toward Lucas.
“I’m marrying Anna out of boredom,” he said.
My heart skipped. Boredom?
His fingers suddenly brushed against my thigh. “As for her…” he continued, his voice lower now, “she interests me. She’s a puzzle I want to understand.”
My throat went dry. I stayed quiet.
It felt safer that way.
Lucas didn’t. “That’s unlike you,” he said. “Marry a common girl? A slave? Selling her off for profit makes more sense than this.”
The air shifted instantly.
Xavier raised a brow, his hand moved to my hair, playing with a strand casually. “I am the Don, Lucas,” he said calmly. “I can decide to marry the dead if I see it fit."
I do not want to hear another word concerning my marriage to Anna," he added.
Lucas swallowed, but he didn’t look away. Their eyes locked. Tension crackling between them.
And before I could stop myself— I spoke. “I haven’t decided if I want to marry you or not.”
Both of them turned to me instantly.
I avoided their eyes. Focused on the driver. Anywhere but them.
Then Xavier’s hand gripped my chin. He turned my face toward him. “Tell me something, Anna,” he said quietly.
My heart pounded.
“Would you rather marry Lucas instead?”