Chapter 53 53
Maisie's Pov
Roman took a bite out of the chicken risotto I made for him and slapped Xavier's hand when he tried to snag a piece.
“Stingy bitch,” Xavier muttered under his breath.
“I don't share.” Roman huffed and he meant it in every sense of the word.
“Sure” Xavier tuts, seeming disgusted for reasons beyond me.
I took that as my cue and started towards them.
After the testing room, we went to the conference room to discuss the way forward. And that's when we were served lunch. It was my idea. When I passed Roman the Tupperware containing the food, he smiled as if to say ‘I love you.’ I noticed he didn't eat much this morning and figured he could eat something.
“You didn't make lunch for me, Chloe.” Xavier pouted his lips at me.
Normally, I would grimace and bark a retort but since we were in Phase 3 of our plan, I faked a blush.
“You're lucky I made two.” I left him a plate, not forgetting to stroke his arm.
On my way to her seat, I made a face and Emma mouthed something lewd to me and Xavier. I nearly hurled my spoon at him. Clyde, on the other hand, didn't seem amused at all. The more Xavier spoke, the more he showed disgust or any sort of hostility.
Right now, we were in the conference hall with the investors and board members to discuss the way forward.
The Healer's Project had finally crossed the line from INTERESTING SCIENCE to POTENTIALLY LIFE-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY, and everyone knew it. Even me.
“The detection speed is still slower than we'd like,” Clyde said, tapping the screen where graphs danced like they were showing off. “But that's fixable. The accuracy rate is impressive.”
Impressive translated to “we're about to make an insane amount of money”.
Roman nodded. “Marketing will matter just as much. Celebrities, social media campaigns, digital ads. We’d need visibility.”
Another translation which meant “pretty faces sellsmiracles better than data ever will.”
Emma cleared her throat. “What if we make the wristband personal? Give it a face, you know. Someone people can easily connect to.”
Ah, there it is.
I leaned back in my chair, already uncomfortable. I hated when rooms got this quiet. Quiet meant someone was about to volunteer someone else. Xavier smiled first. It was the kind of smile that arrived before his eyes did.
“I think the face of the Healer should be someone the public already recognizes,” he said smoothly. “Someone successful. Someone aspirational... I'd be happy to take that role.”
Of course, you would.
My wolf rolled her eyes so hard I worried she might sprain something.
Clyde didn't even blink before responding. “Actually I think Chloe would be perfect.”
The air shifted.
I swear I heard Xavier's ego crack.
“Chloe?” Xavier repeated, still smiling, which honestly made it worse.
“Yes,” Clyde continued. “She's a fresh face. She's beautiful, relatable, and she has a great personality. People trust that.”
When all eyes turned to me, I decided to whip out my Oscar-worthy acting skills. I gave them a blinding smile.
A dark skinned woman in a powerful red suit nodded. “I agree.”
It was Roman's turn to chime in and I must say his acting took me by surprise.
He grimaced. “Are you sure? Shouldn't we choose a face the people already know and are familiar with? I mean… she's beautiful and all but… not everyone knows her.”
Clyde cut in. “No, you're wrong. Chloe worked day and night to see that the demonstration from earlier was successful and it was. Healer should be represented by someone who understands it and it's Chloe.”
There were a few nods and satisfied murmurs from the investors sitting beside us. Everyone was agreeing with Clyde.
Roman sank into his chair and pretended he was pissed. He whispered something to Xavier who frowned.
I looked at Xavier again. He wasn't looking at me. This time, his jaw tightened for half a second before his lips curled into a wide fake smile.
“Chloe it is, then,” he said graciously.
“An excellent choice.”
Congratulations flew around the room and I smiled. I am nothing if not socially trained to participate in moments that make me happy.
Xavier clapped last and he did very slowly.
After the meeting, the investors and other parties filtered out of the conference room in clusters, laughing, talking and planning the campaign.
I stayed behind to gather my things. Clyde and Emma were already deep in discussion near the door. Xavier lingered by the table, checking his phone like nothing in the world had just brushed his pride. Then Roman appeared beside me. He leaned in and kissed me or tried to. I turned just in time and his lips brushed my cheek instead.
“I'm proud of you,” he said softly.
I stared straight ahead. Didn't smile. Didn't lean into him or even say ‘thank you.’
He waited but I didn't give him anything. It hurt me to ignore him, to not kiss him back on the lips, to not hug him and smile. But we were doing this for the plan. Personal feelings had no place in this. When Roman saw that I wasn't staring at anything, he left.
By the time work hours ended, my head hurt.
I was halfway to the parking lot when a familiar car pulled up beside me.
The deep, rich voice brushed my skin like black velvet and stopped me in my tracks. A shiver chased its wake, born of equal parts pleasure and warning.
I recognized that voice.
I turned my head, my gaze traveling over powerful tires and the sleek, distinctive lines of the black McLaren pulled up beside me before it reached the rolled-down passenger window and the owner in question.
Squinty green eyes. Long, frizzy brown hair tied in a messy bun. With a smile on his face.
Xavier.
What was he doing here? Didn't he leave with Roman?
I inhaled a small breath. Released. And smiled.
“Alpha Xavier.” I forced my tone to be polite.
Xavier’s eyes grazed the bag on my arm before they met mine again.
“It’s really dark. You shouldn't be walking alone.” His observation was even drier than his stare.
I shrugged. “It’s not that bad. The Pack House is only twenty minutes away.”
“My conscience wouldn't let me.” Xavier rested his forearm on the steering wheel. “I’ll give you a ride.”
I shook my head. The thought of sitting in a confined space with Xavier, even for a few minutes, would give me hives.
I shook my head again. “I’m okay. I’m sure you have better things to do than chauffeur me around, and walking clears my head so —”
The soft click of a door unlocking interrupted me.
Xavier got out of the car and stood in front of me. “Let me take you home, Chloe.”
I hesitated. Every sensible instinct I owned whispered no, but exhaustion won.
“Okay.” I said.
Inside the car, the silence pressed down on me till Xavier broke it.
“You seemed off earlier,” he said, taking a few seconds to look at me before focusing back on the road. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” I nodded.
“Are you sure?” He pushed.
I exhaled sharply and figured now was a good time to act.
I looked away from the window and faced him. “Jason usually picked me up. He didn't show up.”
I hated crying in front of men, especially men like Xavier but I had to get his attention. The tears came fast and hot.
“He didn't even call or say anything about not showing up.” My voice cracked and that did it.
Xavier pulled over immediately. Before I could protest, he was out of the car, opening the door, and pulling me into his arms.
I froze.
His hug wasn't warm like Roman's. It was firm, practiced even. Even when it seemed like he was trying to comfort me, it felt like a performance. The man didn't know empathy. It was crazy how I didn't notice this before.
I hugged him back. Why? Refusing to wasn't part of the plan. And yes, my skin crawled.
“Jason doesn't deserve you,” Xavier murmured against my hair. “You don't even realize what an asshole he is.”
I pulled back. “He's not an asshole.” And I meant that in every sense of the word.
Xavier scoffed. “Any man who doesn't know how to treat a woman properly is an asshole.”
I almost laughed at the irony. Almost.
“I'll take care of you,” he added. “You won't have to feel like this with me.”
I looked away. Something in his tone made my stomach twist.
“What's wrong?” He asked gently.
I hesitated, then said it anyway. “I heard a rumour about how you treated your ex-wife before you left her for your childhood sweetheart. Her name was Maisie, I think.”
Xavier's face went blank completely. Then almost immediately the smile returned.
“That's not true,” he said. “Maisie was… unstable. She … killed our daughter. She killed our little girl.”
My heart clenched. What the hell? How dare he say that?
He continued. “I stayed as long as I could but you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved.” Then, he took my hand. “I love you, Chloe.”
The words wrapped around me like silk and I smiled. This was almost too easy.
“I love you too.” I lied. Then I hugged him again.
“Thank you for loving me, Chloe.” His arms tightened around me.
I grinned. “No, thank you.”