Xander King BoxSet

by Bradley Wright

  Through their sniffles of fear and elation, they nodded their heads. They could see the kindness in Xander’s eyes. They could hear the steadiness in his voice. They knew he could help them. Hope returned to their faces.

  “I know you can be. You’ve been so strong this entire time. I have to go now, but I promise you . . . Look at me. I promise you, the police will be here for you within a half an hour. Can you all stay hidden down here for me?” he asked them as he wiped away one girl’s tears.

  The little blonde spoke up. “You promise you won’t leave us down here with them?”

  Xander got down on his knee, eye level. “I promise, sweetheart. Pinky promise.” He held out his pinky. She stared at it for a moment, then hooked it with hers, and the other girls wove theirs in as well. “I just need you girls, no matter what you hear upstairs, to stay down here and stay quiet. Can you do that for me?”

  They nodded. Xander broke the pinky huddle, took off his right glove, and removed his watch. He made a few clicks with his finger and set the timer for thirty minutes and handed it to the girl.

  “By the time this gets to zero, you all will be on your way back home to your families. Okay?”

  “O-Okay.” The blonde girl took the watch and once again threw her arms around Xander’s neck and squeezed with all her might. Xander gathered the other three girls and gave them all a reassuring hug.

  “Thirty minutes,” he told them. They wiped their tears and nodded their heads. Xander turned toward the stairs, and with a deep breath he refocused on what had once been just another target but now was revenge.

  Three minutes.

  As he carefully ascended the dark stairs, he formulated a plan. He knew at full speed it would take him exactly 40.5 seconds to get from the mansion to where Kyle would be waiting to pick him up. Two-tenths of a mile, 352 strides, 1.15 seconds per ten strides—40.5 seconds. This is the kind of subconscious math a professional does while thinking of his next move.

  For an ex–Special Ops soldier, it is second nature.

  He slowly opened the basement door, doing his best not to make any sort of sound as he peered around the frame into the foyer. The music was still playing, some sort of shit Mexican crooner, and the girl continued to laugh nervously in a nearby room. After finding the girls in the basement, he knew now why the girl in the next room seemed nervous. He followed the sounds and walked along the far wall of the foyer until he came to an opening that led to the occupied room. Xander inched his head around the door frame until his eyes found a young girl in a tight royal-blue cocktail dress. She couldn't have been a day over fifteen; her curves had yet to blossom. Her profile was leaning against a dark oak bar. She was talking to a man as he sat on a bar stool in front of her. Xander leaned his head out just a little farther.

  She was talking to Miguel Juarez.

  Juarez was wearing a douchey dark-colored suit with thick white pinstripes over a white button-down shirt. An extra-douchey purple fedora complete with a white feather—an actual feather cap—and an “I’m a pretentious prick” flowered pocket square, overfluffed, jutted from his lapel. There could be a thousand reasons Xander didn’t like this guy, but all the reason he needed was watching his left hand rub all over the captive girl as he sipped from a bottle of beer.

  She continued to be polite and gently remove his hand from her ass, but Juarez kept on. Xander quieted the rage growing inside of him.

  Two minutes.

  Juarez sat exactly twenty feet from Xander and ten feet from the same wall-size window that a moment ago he had noticed was situated directly under the master bedroom balcony. That window now revealed the reflection of a security guard standing just on the other side of the same wall Xander currently peered around. Xander pulled his head back and checked his phone. He had a text message from Sam.

  A friend at the CIA tapped into a satellite that has an infrared signal. He said the satellite showed what looked to be five people inside the house and what looked to be two outside. Remember, if YOU are inside you must subtract one.

  Xander received the message when he was in the basement, so he knew he wasn’t one of the five. With the two he tied up in the bedroom upstairs and three in the room adjacent to him, that left only two other men on site and they were guarding the front door.

  In order to protect the girls in the basement, except for the couple he had already subdued in the bedroom, they all would have to die.

  Xander turned from the wall back into the foyer and bolted back up the stairs to the second floor. He unholstered a silenced pistol as he walked down the hallway, turned toward the foyer, and fired two shots, severing the decorative chain attached to the massive chandelier. The extravagant fixture dropped from the ceiling and shattered in an amazing crash on the floor. The two guards at the front door rushed in from outside, and Xander promptly put bullets in both of the men’s chest and neck areas, then moved along the railing above them. When he opened the bedroom door, he broke into a full sprint. He streaked past the two people he had previously tied to the bed and continued running outside through the open sliding door onto the balcony—grabbing the comforter he had tied to the railing earlier with his left hand and without hesitation leaping off the balcony. His momentum carried him out toward the backyard; then it began to swing him back toward the large wall-size window below. With the comforter in one hand and a pistol in the other, he swung toward the great room window and squeezed off four shots that rocketed through the glass—two shots hit the security guard as he went to check on the commotion from the chandelier, and two more shots met their target: one in the back and one through the back of the distracted Miguel Juarez's head. Just above that hideous snake tattoo.

  Target eliminated.

  By the time the police showed up after receiving Sam’s anonymous tip, Xander and Kyle would already be well on their way to the launch party.

  4

  Xander Meets His Match

  Xander’s long time friend Kyle Hamilton was the very definition of a player. It was just too easy for him. Six feet two inches tall, dark hair, and a chiseled jaw that matched his chiseled physique. While his physical attributes were important to his playboy triumphs, it was his stark-raving fun personality that won everyone over. Especially Xander. Without Kyle pulling Xander out of his shell, he easily could have become an introvert. Kyle was the exact opposite of the other constant in Xander’s life, Sam. The two of them were oil and water. As far left as Kyle’s wild side could bring Xander, Sam’s far-right, staunch, and by-the-book side could pull him right back to the middle. They really balanced him. As Kyle walked toward Xander, drinks in hand, he sure was happy to have the wild one with him right now. He needed to blow off some steam, to clear from his mind what he had just been through.

  Kyle approached, a hop to his step and a smile on his face.

  “Cheers, to an amazing weekend and to saving lives,” he said as he clanked his whiskey glass forcefully against Xander’s.

  “Cheers,” Xander replied.

  Kyle smiled and took a sip of his whiskey. The room was filled with people dying to talk to Alexander King, founder and proprietor of the reason they were all there at the swanky rooftop San Diego bar—the California launch of King’s Ransom barrel-aged Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey.

  “I really appreciate you letting me be a part of this,” Kyle told Xander.

  “Let you? I couldn't do this without you. Thanks for picking up my slack lately. My head has been on the horses.”

  "I mean, the Kentucky Derby. Wow. What a dream come true. You have to be out of your mind excited for tomorrow.”

  "I am excited. Win or lose, it's going to be a hell of a fun day,” Xander said.

  “Launching your own whiskey brand in California tonight, then a horse in the Kentucky Derby tomorrow. X, your dad would have been so proud—”

  "Ladies and gentlemen, if I could please have your attention for a moment," a man from the makeshift DJ stage in the corner of the room announced through the s
peakers. “My name is Jeremy Harrison with Southern Wine and Spirits. We have the distinct pleasure of introducing you tonight to the best bourbon whiskey on the planet, earning Wine Spectator Magazine's first one-hundred-point whiskey grade, and for the first time in California—King's Ransom bourbon!” The man motioned for two beautiful young women in tight white cocktail dresses. They stood, each holding the end of a rope, on opposite sides of a large white silk banner spanning at least ten feet wide and eight feet tall bearing the name of the bourbon brand in large black letters with a regal crown and crest surrounding it. On Jeremy’s cue, they each gave the rope a tug, and as the banner dropped to the floor it revealed a magnificent wall of King's Ransom bourbon bottles. They were arranged on multilevel shelves all wrapping around a large ice sculpture of a king’s crown in the middle of the wall.

  "It never gets old!" Kyle slapped Xander on the shoulder, unable to withhold his excitement.

  Xander just sat back with a smile as he took in the moment. It wasn’t lost on him how fortunate he was. He watched as the gathered group of Southern California VIPs cheered and held up their glasses in honor of Xander and Kyle’s young company, and he couldn't help but laugh at Kyle as he watched him do a happy dance. The venue Kyle had chosen for the event was breathtaking. Sitting thirty stories above downtown San Diego, this half-open-air, half-covered ballroom gave way to views all the way to San Diego Bay. Petco Park—home of the Padres—sat just below them, and strategically placed fire pits all around the moonlight-drenched room helped alleviate the nip in the cool night air. Xander looked around the venue as he leaned against the outside bar. Everyone was having a great time, and as their focus was still on the bottle display, he looked to his left, toward the rail that overlooked the buildings of downtown. There he saw something more beautiful than any of the sights San Diego offered just beyond that rail.

  "I'll be right back,” Xander said to Kyle as he started his walk toward her.

  "But they are getting ready to call you up,” Kyle tried to tell Xander, but his words never hit their target. Xander was on a mission.

  As Xander walked over to her, the first thing he noticed was the way she smiled. It was a smile bright enough to melt the ice sculpture by the bottle display. Her light-brown hair fell down well below her shoulders in the back, and in the front, it loosely curled down around her sun-kissed face.

  Her oddly familiar sun-kissed face.

  She wasn't very tall, wasn't overdone, either. This was a formal event, but she wore a basic white cotton sundress that did nothing but enable her slender and undeniably sexy body to shine. She laughed with a girlfriend as he approached, and her smile continued to light up the entire room.

  Xander pulled up short of where she stood and turned back toward the event to gather himself for a moment. Where had he seen her before? He didn’t really know anyone in San Diego yet. The crowd was still focused on Jeremy with his microphone at the DJ stand. Words were coming out of his mouth, but nothing was reaching Xander's ears. He was busy trying to place how he knew this woman.

  He downed the rest of his whiskey and pulled another glass from the tray of a passing waitress. As the gentle burn of the alcohol slid down his throat, he straightened his blazer and turned back to her. As soon as he did, they locked eyes and immediately her familiarity was no longer a mystery.

  Natalie Rockwell.

  This is going to be fun.

  “Excuse me, Miss.” Xander gave Natalie a smile. “I noticed the two of you were having a lot more fun than everyone else at this party. I’m a little jealous, what’s your secret?”

  Natalie returned his smile. “A great sense of humor and some delicious whiskey.”

  “Two of my favorite things.”

  “Is that right, Mr. . . . ?”

  “King. My friends call me Xander.”

  Natalie raised a playful eyebrow. “So, we’re friends now, are we?”

  Xander smiled and played back at her. “Whoa, slow down. I don’t even know your name yet.”

  “Okay,” Natalie said. She turned and wrinkled her nose at her friend, then looked back at Xander. “In that case, this is Annie, and my name is Natalie.”

  Xander shook Annie’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Annie.” Then he reached his hand for Natalie’s. “Nice to meet you, Natalie.” Their eye contact lasted longer than it should have, both sensing each other’s attraction.

  Annie interrupted, “So, are we all friends now? Because I saw you over there with that tall gentlemen, and I know I wouldn’t mind being his friend.”

  Natalie playfully slapped Annie on the arm.

  Xander glanced at Kyle, then turned back to Annie. “Well, aren’t you forward? You and Kyle will get along just fine.”

  “So, you seem like a gentleman, Mr. King.” Natalie turned up the wattage on her smile. “How is it that you came to be at one of these lame liquor parties? Your friend drag you here like mine did?”

  Her smile was all the more dazzling the closer he stood. It was strange how just because he had seen her on the silver screen a dozen times that he felt as if he already knew her. Before he could explain that it just so happened that this was his lame liquor party, the MC interrupted their conversation and made an announcement.

  "And now, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce the founder of King's Ransom bourbon, Mr. Alexander King!" Jeremy announced from the booth. As the mini spotlight moved onto Xander and the crowd all turned his way, he looked Natalie in the eye as he pointed in the air.

  "That is how I came to be here."

  Xander winked and backed away toward the stage. Natalie covered her mouth, blushing, and with an embarrassed smile she mouthed the words “I’m sorry” to him. He smiled to himself as he was caught off guard by how humble she seemed for a woman in her position. He took to the stage, shook Jeremy’s hand, and took over the microphone.

  "Thank you very much, Jeremy. And thank you all so much for being here this evening. What a beautiful place to have a party, right?” Xander gestured toward the scenery and looked around the room until he found Natalie's eyes. They were so blue he could see them sparkle all the way from the stage. The crowd gave a roar of applause in approval of the venue. So did Natalie.

  “Outstanding, isn’t it? Listen, I understand that sometimes these sorts of parties can be, well, a little lame . . .” He smiled at Natalie as she covered her face in embarrassment. “But I really appreciate you all being a part of this first step in what I know will be a successful brand here in San Diego, and the rest of the great state of California. In appreciation of your support, make sure you all get your complimentary bottle of King's Ransom before you leave. It's the least I can do for you all being so welcoming of this Kentucky boy and his bourbon.”

  The crowd showed their approval with a round of applause and several whistles and cheers. Kyle would later joke that they were only cheering Xander because of the free booze.

  Xander continued. "That being said, I need you to know that this would never be possible without my best friend and partner in this venture, Kyle Hamilton. Kyle, come on up here and tell these fine folks a little more about our baby here. Just don't tell them any of my deep dark secrets." Xander flashed Kyle a smile as he walked up to the stage. Only Kyle could know the depth of that statement. He returned the tongue-in-cheek statement with a wink as he took the microphone from Xander and gave him a hug.

  "Your secrets are safe with me,” Kyle joked. “Unless of course one of those beautiful girls in the white dresses ties me up and makes me spill my guts!”

  The crowd laughed, and Xander just shook his head and smiled at his half-crazy friend. He made his way offstage, and Natalie caught his eye, gesturing for him to meet her at the back bar. In the background, Kyle told the crowd the story of how King's Ransom had come about. Xander shook hands and exchanged hellos as he moved through the crowd. When he finally made it to the back bar, he was greeted by the most gorgeous woman he had ever laid eyes on.

  "Ugh, I feel like such a
n idiot. I didn't mean your party was lame, I just meant that most—”

  "Don't worry about it, really,” Xander interrupted. "I know what you meant."

  "So, Alexander."

  "Call me Xander."

  "So . . . Xander, a Kentucky boy without much of an accent but a whole lot of style? It’s been a while since I’ve been in the South, but isn’t that sort of a rare combination?”

  “You’d be surprised. Some of us in Kentucky actually wear shoes, you know.”

  They shared a laugh at his sarcasm, and Natalie gave him a playful punch on the arm.

  “Maybe when I bought my place out here in San Diego it knocked a little of that country out of me,” Xander finished.

  "Oh, so you moved out here?"

  "Sort of. I still have a place in Lexington."

  "Oh, I love Lexington! My dad took me there once when I was young to the horse races. Keeneland, I think it was called?"

  "You've been to Keeneland?" Xander asked.

  "You sound surprised. I haven't always lived in Hollywood, you know. I'm just a small-town girl from Tennessee at heart.”

  “Really? Makes sense."

  “What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Natalie teased.

  “Just . . . the way you are. Movie stars, at least the ones I’ve met, don't seem to have your approachable quality. It’s refreshing.”

  “So, you’ve seen my movies?” Natalie put her hand on her hip.

  “Maybe one or two.”

  Kyle busted in on their conversation at the most inopportune time. “Hey, Xander, there you are. I—Holy shit! Natalie Rockwell?”

  Xander smiled at Natalie. “I think maybe my friend has seen a couple of your movies too,” he poked fun at Kyle.

  "Nice to meet you. I’m Natalie,” she said, shaking Kyle’s hand.

  “Wow, I’m Kyle . . . I love your movies," he said to Natalie, then to Xander, “X, how are you not freaking out right now? You’ve been talking about how she is your favorite actress for years!” Kyle looked back to Natalie. “Seriously, he loves you!”