“Babe?” Xavier tried to find the words to dissuade her, but she kept peppering his face with feather-light caresses with her lips. Unable to resist her tender seduction, he gave in and captured her lips with his. He twirled his tongue around hers and deepened the kiss. He clutched her against him more tightly, pulling her deeper into his embrace.
Cassandra passionately ground her hips against his hardness and sucked on his tongue. Gripping the globes of her ass, he ground his hips up into her, matching the provocative roll of her hips.
She trembled violently in response.
Xavier released her lips, flipped her onto her back, and left a trail of tender kisses down her body. He lowered his head between her legs. “I can’t take you again,” he murmured, “but I’m going to taste you.”
She moaned in anticipation, remembering his possession from the night before. His lips closed around her throbbing clit. She moaned deep in her throat, rubbing her mons against his face.
Xavier covered her left breast with a rough palm, squeezing the round globe and pinching the pebbled nipple between his fingers. He simultaneously licked the engorged flesh of her clit with a broad tongue.
She cried out.
“Sweet ambrosia,” he murmured appreciatively. He licked her again before sucking the bud into his mouth.
“Oh God,” she wailed over and over again until she was almost hoarse as he devoured her with his tongue and lips, sometimes teasing her with tiny nibbles of his teeth. The embers of desire riding low in her belly exploded and caught flames.
He thrust a finger into her glistening snatch and kept up the assault on her clit.
She bucked wildly under him as her juices flowed onto his tongue and hand.
He slid a second finger into her heat.
Every nerve ending combusted and she disintegrated into a liquefying orgasm.
Xavier rolled to his back and pulled her into his arms, holding her until she quieted down. He stood and then held her high against his chest as he walked with her into the bathroom. The room was elegantly fitted with Italian tiles, ivory porcelain sink, bathtub and toilet, and chrome fittings. It was a large airy room, and he was easily able to move around with her held against him.
Letting her slide down his body, he placed her on her feet to stand in front of him. He wrapped his massive arms around her and rested his forehead against hers, gazing down at her with feverish admiration.
Still feeling the after-effects of his loving, her limbs were unsteady and weak. She leaned into his hard frame and held his molten gaze.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, Cass,” he murmured, his onyx eyes glistening as though they were heated marble.
Cassandra clung to him. With the aftershocks of her orgasm still causing her to quiver low in her hips, the added punch of his overwhelming virility made her clit pulse insistently. She was almost comatose from the emotional overload of the night, but still her nerve endings quivered with awareness.
Holding her against him, Xavier stepped into the shower and adjusted the faucet, trying to bring the water to the right temperature. She helplessly devoured his sculptured physique. The muscles in his back rippled with each movement he made, and his buttocks were masculine perfection, chiseled and hard like the rest of him. His dark skin was marred with vicious cuts and raised skin, evidence of past injuries.
Once the water was heated to his satisfaction, Xavier pulled her into the shower with him. He bathed her gently, washing every inch of her with liquid soap and a soft washcloth before doing the same with himself. He never allowed her to lift a finger to assist. Once they were both clean, he dried her with a huge fluffy towel and took his time dressing her.
Cassandra wanted to cry, overwhelmed by his tender treatment of her. She knew she would always remember this night of loving. Xavier was a man above men.
Chapter Twelve
“I’m taking you home tonight, but you’re packing your bags and staying with me after this,” Xavier told her as he closed the passenger side door behind her.
“Well, you know that’s not going to happen,” Cassandra said tiredly. Her eyes were already closing, her lashes lowered half-mast, dopey with sleep.
“Listen to me, Cassandra.” Xavier slipped into the driver’s seat and turned on the ignition. “This guy Qin will keep coming after me now. He’s pissed that I got the better of him, and he won’t rest until I’m dead. Not to mention he seemed to have been after you before I even entered the scene. We need to tread carefully.”
“Okay, X.” Cassandra yawned, her voice slurred with sleep.
“You’re my world now, and I can’t let anything happen to you.”
Cassandra’s soft snores filled the cabin of the car.
Xavier knew he would have to explain things to her again when she woke up. There was no way he was going to allow her out of his sight with an asshole like Qin on the warpath. He was just going to have to keep her safe, despite her objections.
When he brought the Land Rover to a stop outside her home a few minutes later, Cassandra was sound asleep. He was tempted to turn around and drive her back to his apartment.
After surveying their surroundings, Xavier slowly climbed out of the car and made his way to the passenger side door. He gently shook her awake and helped her to the front door amid her soft protests and her staggered treads along the way.
Monique opened the door for them without him having to knock.
“What did you do to her?” Monique hissed. “You’d better not have given her any alcohol or drugs!”
Xavier ignored her ranting and started up the stairs with a barely conscious Cassandra.
“It’s almost three in the morning. Why are you just bringing her home? Do you know how young she is?” Monique shrieked.
“Shh, Moni.” Cassandra opened her eyes and stared her sister down. “Give it a rest. X is mine.”
“Girl, what you know about a man being yours? You still got milk around your mouth,” Monique said scornfully. She continued glaring at them and seemed more like a pissed-off parent than a concerned sibling.
Xavier stopped outside Cassandra’s bedroom door, not caring one bit that Monique trailed behind them in obvious agitation.
“How did you know which room was hers?” Monique asked, her voice coming out as a loud shrill.
“What’s going on here?” Duane entered the hallway from his bedroom across from Cassandra’s.
“Why are y’all in my business?” Cassandra grumbled. “I’m an adult and can make my own decisions.”
“What adult? You’re a damn kid,” Duane roared. “I thought you were different from your lousy sisters!”
“Hey,” Monique protested.
“Just don’t bring another fucking baby in this house,” Duane threatened. His glare was solely for Cassandra.
Xavier pushed off the wall that he had been casually leaning against and stood inches in front of Duane. “Don’t ever talk to her like that,” he said with chilling intent.
Duane took a step back, putting some space between them.
Xavier stared down at the smaller man. “This one is mine.” He had no delusions of the effect his size and demeanor had on other men. Duane was no different; he backed down in the face of such imposing aggression. “Don’t ever fuckin’ disrespect her like that again.”
“Man, I didn’t mean anything by it. Y’all niggas go around impregnating my sisters and leaving me and my brothers to take care of them. You say you’ll take care of this one? I cool with that.”
“You still don’t get it. What this sister does or doesn’t do is none of your damn business. I’m taking her out of here tomorrow.”
“I really hope that none of you are trying to make decisions about my future without my input.” Cassandra slouched against a nearby wall next to her bedroom door and glared at them.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Xavier responded without taking his gaze from a still slightly irritated Duane. He then turned to face Cassandra and let his gaze dr
ink her in. Her pouting lips and the threatening murder in her amber gaze made him want to laugh out loud. She looked like a petulant child denied her favorite toy. Her dress hugged her body deliciously, proclaiming her all woman; she was no child. “Go to bed, Cassandra.”
“You don’t—”
“Go to bed,” Xavier demanded softly.
Cassandra harrumphed in annoyance, stood from the wall, pushed open her bedroom door, and slammed the door behind her after she entered her darkened room.
Xavier turned and held Duane’s gaze. “Do we understand each other?”
“Yeah, man, take care of ya business. Just know that Qin Wong called me tonight asking about her earlier. You may want to rethink your intentions once Qin decides he wants her. He’s a very powerful Chinese.” Duane shook his head, clearly overwhelmed, before returning to his room.
Monique stood with her arms folded and resting under her amble breasts. She glared at him. “My brothers are idiots, and my sister is too innocent to see that you’re just like all the rest. You think I don’t know you’ve probably already talked her out of her virginity? You think I don’t know that, by the end of the summer, you will be out prowling for your next conquest, your next tail. Shit, you probably already have another tail in America where you came from. Y’all bastards are all the same. Thinking that you can just screw us island girls and go on your merry way; thinking you can leave your damn seed everywhere. I have news for you, Mr. Big Bad Playa. If you hurt my little sister, I’m going to Lorena Bobbitt your ass! And they won’t be able to find your dick to sew it back on!”
“You have no argument from me, Monique. I owe you and your siblings no explanation. You care about your sister; I get it. Just know that Cassandra is my life, and I would sooner cut out my heart than hurt her.” Xavier stepped around Monique and descended the stairway. He felt Monique’s eyes boring into him, but he didn’t turn or try to alleviate her worries any further. He exited the house, walking out into the dark night, his senses fully alert to the ominous threat he felt in the air.
Chapter Thirteen
Xavier climbed into the Land Rover without letting on that he had seen the two Asian men who were observing the house from nearby bushes. The neighborhood dogs were almost in a frenzy. It was one thing he could count on in the Bahamas he noticed. It seemed that every household in the Bahamas had dogs in their yards. Cassandra had explained that these dogs were called “potcakes.” Apparently, the dogs, while not likely to hurt you, definitely alerted everyone around that someone strange was in the area. Even without that warning, Xavier would have noticed the two armed men, who didn’t seem competent enough at surveillance to shield themselves properly.
He drove about half a mile away. No one had followed him. Mudderfuckers are there for Cassandra. I knew what Qin’s play would be. Why the fuck did I let Cassandra have her way? Never again! He parked the car in a vacant dark area off the road, ensuring that it wouldn’t be easily seen by passing motorists. After checking that his gun was loaded and his knife was easily accessible, Xavier ran back to the house, moving with stealthy swiftness. All along the way, the siren of dogs barking filled the air. At least the men wouldn’t know that he was approaching because the dogs were already reacting to the Asians traversing their territory.
Xavier approached Cassandra’s house from the neighbor’s yard and almost had a set of canines sinking into his ass for his efforts. I don’t know what the hell Cassandra is talking about. Those damn dogs she calls potcakes are like fucking pitbulls! And they travel in packs!
Scaling a high wall topped with barbed wire, and cutting through a patch of thick bushes before gaining access to Cassandra’s yard, Xavier was pissed when he finally came up behind the Asians climbing through a window on the ground floor of Cassandra’s house. He briefly wondered where the family’s guard dogs were and why the house alarm didn’t go off once the window was opened. Why the hell was that window open anyway? It’s obvious these guys didn’t have to break the glass to get in.
The first man was already in and the second was just climbing through when Xavier pulled him back by the waist of his pants. As soon as the Asian turned to confront him, Xavier delivered a vicious fist to the Asian’s nose, sending the man toppling to the ground. Covering his now profusely bleeding nose with his palm, the Asian screamed in pain. The animalistic sound was loud, momentarily silencing the dogs.
“Shut the fuck up,” Xavier muttered as he drove his fist to the side of the Asian’s head, hitting him unconscious and causing him to crumble to the damp grass.
The other man stuck his head back out the window to see what was happening to his friend.
Xavier pulled him out by his neck, letting him land hard to the ground six feet below. The Asian sprung agilely to his feet and immediately assumed a fight stance. In no mood to get into a martial arts fight, despite his own expertise, Xavier threw his blade, hitting the man in the middle of his forehead. The Asian crumbled to the ground, lifeless.
Xavier dragged both dead-weighted bodies to the edge of the property and handcuffed them to a nearby tree. When this other bastard wakes up and finds himself tied to his dead comrade, he’s going to shit his pants. Bitch will talk then. He took out his phone and keyed in the special code. He didn’t even want to think about the mood his boss would be in when he had to send another sweeper unit out for an additional prisoner. The paperwork alone to extradite another prisoner would piss him off.
Xavier couldn’t care less at this point. These bastards were coming after what’s mine. They’re fucking lucky I’m not killing them and leaving them on the beach for the fucking vultures.
Xavier knew he had to get more information on Qin. Since the attack at the restaurant, he hadn’t checked in with his contact on the in-depth check on the bastard that he had requested. His only knowledge was that gleaned from his brief surveillance of Qin’s operation and what Cassandra had told him. He needed more intel to bring the prick down.
The men in his custody now were obviously Chinese and had responded to his attack with Mandarin, not English. Whoever Qin was, it was apparent he had enough connections on the island to surround himself with native Chinese and didn’t bother with the locals to carry out his nefarious deeds. Let Qin wonder what the hell happened to his men.
Unfortunately for Xavier, he had yet to sense the other danger that was lurking so close. This man was losing patience on when he could complete his mission and return home. He had finally located Xavier a week ago after years of searching for him. To have his prey in sight and still not be able to get close enough to do what had to be done was frustrating. He knew that in a fair fight, it was very possible that Xavier would defeat him. He had no intention of making any fight between them fair.
***
“What the fuck do you mean you haven’t been able to reach Tai and Li?” Qin’s dark gaze drilled into his second, his Dragon Tail, Sai.
Sai stared steadily back at him and replied in Mandarin, a language they used instead of the haltered English they were often forced to speak on the island. “They were to return with the girl more than an hour ago after the American left her at the house.”
“He shouldn’t have been able to take her in the first place,” Qin foamed.
Sai bowed his head in respect and acknowledgement. “It should have been an easy extraction. Her brothers had secured the dogs and left a window open for our men. They haven’t called in since, nor have I been able to reach them.”
“I’m tired of all the fuckups! Send a team out. I want Cassandra under me by tonight.” Qin turned and went back into the bedroom. The young girl on the bed couldn’t be more than sixteen years old. He had hoped that taking this girl, who had the same skin color and hair as Cassandra, would appease his lust. Cassandra had looked so beautiful in the restaurant. She was more sassy and sexy than he remembered, only wetting his appetite to have her.
The young girl, still heavily under the influence of the aphrodisiac, stared at him with fevered lust. W
ith the picture of Cassandra still vivid in his mind and his frustration of not being able to have her, Qin fell on the young girl with a brutality that left the girl barely alive once he was done.
***
Xavier lifted a sleeping Cassandra to the makeshift bed he had made for them on the floor of her bedroom. Cassandra stirred slightly but didn’t open her eyes. Instead, she snuggled against Xavier’s chest and promptly fell back into a deep slumber.
Xavier wrapped his arms around Cassandra. After his discussion with his friend Neo Zuberia little while ago, he was now well aware of who Qin was. He didn’t fool himself into thinking he could take the bastard on by himself and hope to protect Cassandra.
Qin was a Triad. He headed one of the most powerful families based out of Hong Kong, and the fact that he was in the Bahamas made the US intelligence agencies very nervous. Given the very porous borders of the Bahamas, having direct links to North and South America, Europe, other Caribbean Islands, and now Asia, this small country had apparently become a hub for these unsavory organizations. The less than cooperative and often questionable ethics of the local authorities had made the environment in the Bahamas a virtual haven for the criminally minded.
US authorities had monitored and known of the South American and Caribbean gangs who had taken up residence on the island, but no one had anticipated the presence of the Triad. Based on what they had uncovered tonight, it was apparent that the organization here was very substantial and already embedded in the criminal network in America. Under the cover of employment for local construction jobs for two major hotel projects on the island, the Triads had managed to smuggle hundreds of their men onto the island.
Now, given the bureaucracy involved in mobilizing sufficient men to deal with the nests of the various criminal elements, Xavier had reached out to one of his long-time friends for help, even before he had known who he was up against.
Xavier: (Indestructible) Page 12
