After it felt like I’d been waiting forever, I slipped out of bed, stepped to the sliding door, and cracked it open. I couldn’t hear anything at first except the roar of the waves. I focused more intently and finally heard a low voice. It could’ve been X, but I wasn’t sure, and I couldn’t make out the words.
Was he all right? I’d told him I would stay there, but I couldn’t sleep. My skin felt tight and my insides jittery as I thought of all the things that could have happened to him. I needed to know he was okay. Let him be furious at me for coming after him. I didn’t care.
I pulled on the robe that lay over a chair, the one he’d worn earlier that day.
I considered bringing a weapon, but honestly what was I going to do with one? Anyone who was sent after X was going to be way stronger than me. Still, I supposed it was better to be armed in some way, so I picked up one of my heavy combat boots. Holding the shoe, I stepped out onto the balcony. A black cat was sleeping on the railing, but it jumped down and swished off, looking annoyed.
I couldn’t see anyone, but I still heard the low murmur of a voice. Cautiously, I proceeded down the steps.
When I reached the bottom and stepped out onto the pool deck, I saw X pacing along the far edge of the pool. My view of him had been blocked from the balcony. It was his voice I’d heard. He must be on the phone with someone.
I tried to stay quiet, not wanting him to notice me. If I quickly returned to the room, he’d never know I’d left. I took a step backward, reluctant to take my eyes off him, and banged my elbow on the edge of the railing. I muffled my cry, but not well enough.
X whirled around, his gun aimed right at my chest.
“It’s me!” I yelled.
He dropped his arm to his side. “I need to go now.”
At first, I was confused. Where did he need to go? He couldn’t leave me here. Then I realized he was speaking to whoever he’d been talking to when I stepped outside.
A few seconds later, he was striding toward me.
He was angry. I should’ve stayed in the room. Did I genuinely think I could defend myself against a threat that had incapacitated X? Without a computer, I was useless in a fight.
“What the hell are you doing out here? I told you not to leave my room.”
“You seemed agitated when you left, and I kept waiting, but you didn’t come back. I thought something might have happened to you.”
“You could’ve called security and had them check on me.”
That hadn’t even occurred to me. “I was restless.”
“Don’t you normally spend ninety-nine percent of your time in your small apartment?”
“It’s not that small, and that’s beside the point. You make me nervous.”
“I make you…” He ran a hand over his hair looking thoroughly exasperated. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
“What I… No, I guess I don’t.”
“You’re…”
He looked angry but also nervous again. “I’m what?”
He shook his head. “You disobeyed me.”
“I…” The way he was looking at me with heat and frustration in his eyes, like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to fuck me or kill me, made me hard as steel.
“Don’t deny it. I told you to stay inside.
I swallowed hard as I thought about how scared I’d been, not for myself but for X. My heart slammed against my chest. “I was worried about you.”
“What if JW had sent someone else or come himself? You could have been hurt or killed.”
“You’re the only person that’s pointed a gun at me.”
He gripped my shoulders and shook me lightly. “Don’t joke about this. I have to keep you safe.”
I realized that what I’d taken for anger was at least partly fear. “I couldn’t sleep, and I couldn’t stand the thought that you might be out here hurt.”
“Even if I was, this is what I do, Emilio. I save people. I walk into things other people would run from.”
“You also raise money for good causes and support your sister and employ a lot of people.”
He stared at me, breathing hard. There was something in his eyes, some intensity that hadn’t been there before. My breath caught, and my body heated. “X?”
He grunted. “I’m not a superhero. I’m just a man.” He gripped the lapels of my robe and pushed them apart. “A man who wants to do filthy things to you.”
“Do them. Do all of them.”
“I expect you to obey me when I give you a command.” He shoved his hands into my briefs and pushed them over my hips and down my thighs until they fell to the ground. He growled as he sank to his knees. My hands slid into his hair. “Here? But I thought…”