Chapter 25 XADEN
Chapter 25
XADEN
Mafia what?
“Sloane, you need to stop reading books.” I muffled, using my index finger to tap her head. “Do I look like I work in the Mafia?” I asked.
She pouted, eye squinted, “Who knows, I haven't seen you in five years, a lot could have changed.” She shrugged, “And with that monstrous tattoo on your back, I won’t be surprised.”
Monstrous? Tattoo?
“Do you hate it?” I asked, unable to hold back, “The tattoo, do you hate it?”
Her eyes flickered in awe, brows arched as she scanned my face with this look on her face, “Do you want the truth?” she asked, her voice so serious that my throat bobbed and I braced myself for what she was about to say.
But what if she hates it? What if she thinks I look like a gangster with the tattoo plastered on my back? What if…
“It’s dangerously… hot.” she cut off my thoughts, her voice a little lower than normal, her cheeks burning, making the surface red, she was looking at anything but my face. “It’s very nice, I don’t hate it.” she pouted, still not looking at my face.
She doesn't hate it.
She doesn't hate it.
She doesn't hate it.
I found myself repeating the same word over and over and before I knew it, I was smiling and grinning like a fucking teenager in love.
“Okay.” I muffled, “Have you had lunch?” I asked.
She shook her head, “I left school angrily. I was too pissed off to eat.”
Oh right… Professor Hanson.
His name once again, made my sense of reason snap.
Who the hell does he think he is, shading my woman?
While I might not be a Mafia Boss, I do have my ways to make people regret their actions. Mafia Boss has its perks but being a Billionaire also has its perks.
“By the way, promise me you’re not going to do anything to Hanson.” Her voice yanked me out of my thoughts, like she could read my mind.
“I’m sorry but I can’t promise that.”
“I want to prove to him that he is wrong by myself with my scores and brain and designs,” she muttered.
“Sloane, that man sounded like a misogynist. No matter what you do, they already have their…”
“So are you saying that I won’t be able to call him out on his bullshit?” she sneered, glaring at me.
I slammed my eyes shut, “Fine, prove yourself but if he harasses you one more time, I’m taking matters into my hands.” I blurted and moved away before she could sweet-talk me into not doing anything.
I heard her mumble but I have no intention of giving her a listening ear.
“Oh what’s in the box?” she asked.
I halted and turned around, eyes on the box I had brought in with me, “They are yours.” I said.
“Mine? But I didn't order anything.”
“I did.”
“What did you order?” she asked.
“Everything you need to work on your pottery while you are here,” I answered, picking up one of my last paintings.
Silence.
“The others one would arrive in about two weeks, they are imported so it will take a while. Go on and check the box, if I miss anything, let me know so I can order it in.”
Silence.
“Sloane, can you come check out this painting, I think something is missing and I can’t figure it out.”
Silence.
Huh?
I turned to find her standing behind me, fidgeting with her hands, her throat bobbed.
“Sloane?” I called, softly, hands on my cheek, I bent to her height, eyes staring into hers. Concern flows through me. She was fine a few minutes ago. Did I say something? Did I do something? “Sloane, are you okay?”
“Why are you doing this?” she muffled, her eyes not leaving mine, showing me something similar to pain. Her shaking voice broke something in me.
Right. We might be friends but that doesn't erase what I did to her five years ago. It doesn't erase the fact that I left her, even if I did it to protect her, I still left her.
My lips parted, and words hung in my throat.
I want to say because I like you. Because I want to try again. Because I can’t like anyone but you. Because I want to make up for the five years I ruined. Because you’re the only woman for me and I want to do anything and everything to make you happy. Because… because I really… really like you.
But will she accept it?
Will she give me a chance to like her again after I had broken her once?
“Xaden?” her soft, low voice reached out to me again, looking at me with those longing broken eyes.
For the last five years, I have had to make tough decisions, tough decisions that I was ready to bear whatever consequences that came with them. I faced people, many people. I made calls that were enough to take my life. But never did I stutter, I flinched, I didn't break down halfway. With my head held up high, I made those calls and faced those people.
But here I am in front of the woman I like and the thought of her telling me no, the thought of her saying nothing could ever happen between us again, the thought of her pulling away from my touch scares me so much that I want to run under a rock right now.
My heart is beating so fast that I can hear it.
“Is this because of the blackmail? Are you doing this because of the video I have against you? Is that why you are doing all this?” she asked.
Once again my lips parted, I wanted to refute because saying yes would make me seem like a coward, like a pussy but I couldn't say shit. I just stood in front of her, my hands still cupping her warm cheeks.
Her lips curled deeper, “Then, can I ask you to buy something ridiculously expensive?” she wiggled her brows.
Huh?
“Huh?”
“You said I could ask for anything that isn’t in the box.” The way she smiled was so beautiful that I lost my sense of reasoning, “so… I want this.” she pointed to an item on her phone. It’s used for pottery but it’s extremely expensive. Not that I would feel it if such an amount left my bank account but… Damn, she is a swindler.
“Sloane?”
“What? Come on, just get one… hmm… pretty please.” she pouted, leaning into my palm which was still resting on her cheeks.
“Fine!” I rolled my eyes.
“Yes! You are the best.” she leaned forward and pressed a warm kiss on my cheek.
Huh?