Strange Love

Xavier glared from under his own mask as he passed by the man he'd just watched Joslyn with only moments ago. {Was this just some random guy making a move on her?... Or is it someone she already knew?} He thought back from earlier that morning. She had been acting perfectly normal... until that guy walked in, then shortly after that she'd walked out with him fast on her heels. He tried to see into the face of the man as he passed. No doubt it was the same man, but he wouldn't meet Xavier's eyes, instead, he nodded as he continued forward watching his every step intently. Xavier's smoldering gaze moved from the other man to where Jos stood at the top of the stairs. Her tiny mask did very little to cover her eyes. He could easily see them squeezed tightly shut underneath. She seemed troubled. {Understandable...} he thought thinking back to earlier as he made his way up the stairs toward her. She had seemed so upset when he stepped out into the hall earlier. {What a dumbass. It hadn't even occurred to me that he could have been the reason... instead, the smug bastard just set there smiling and promising to take care of her...} He gripped the glass tighter until the stem finally snapped in his hands. He let it drop over the railing as he continued onward.

Jos held her phone tightly against her chest as she forced her eyes as tightly closed as she could bear. {What a mess this has all ended up being...} She thought as she struggled to process all that Arei had told her tonight. Her emotions were everywhere and she wished for nothing more than to vanish into the vast ocean surrounding them. A movement off to her side caused her eyes to jerk open. Shock flitted across her face as she quickly identified the profile of the man leaning against the railing beside her. "Xavier?" She asked on a whisper.

He turned his head up toward her, still leaned against the railing with his elbows. "There are so many people here tonight." He said before pushing up from the railing and turning full-bodied toward her. He rubbed his large hands down the length of her arms. "Are you alright? You look troubled." He asked trying to probe answers from her while maintaining his usual calm facade.

She nodded her head. "Yes..." She looked away. "I guess I'm still a little tired from earlier." Her glistening eyes turned back toward him. "How long do we have to say here?"

He smiled a genuine smile as he closed the space between them. He wrapped both arms around her much like he'd seen the other man do just minutes ago. "You look so beautiful tonight. It would be a waste to not show it off a bit before we leave." He glanced down into her large troubled aqua eyes. "But if you're still feeling unwell, I'm sure there will be no problem with us cutting out soon." A cold half-smile spread across his face as he added. "After all the negotiations are finished and we already had the opening toasts before you got here." The half-smile faded and his brows furrowed quizzically. "What took so long, was the driver late?"

She cocked her head to the side wondering why he seemed so cold and distant all of a sudden. Was it just in her mind, because of what Arei had told her only minutes ago? "Um no, but the delivery guy for the gown must have been."

His smile warmed, "Well you were definitely worth the wait. You look stunning!" He took her hands, "Come, let me introduce you to some people."

She let Xavier lead her into the room downstairs where Arei indicated earlier. He began introducing her to people straight away as she greeted and exchanged pleasantry as if on autopilot unable to give any single person her full attention. Her mind continued to play off what Arei had said. {'Several of these very faces were there that day'} but there was no way to really recognize any of them. Everyone in the room wore elaborate masks. All the men seemed to be dressed in tailored tuxedos and the women were in ball gowns all in similar colors and styles. Her eyes darted around the room taking in the decor for the first time. It too seemed to stick to the strict color pallet of blacks and golds with an extra dab of crimson here and there.

"She's a beautiful vessel, isn't she." The man prattled on as Xavier watched carefully as Joslyn's vailed eyes traveled around the room. He smiled when her eyes seemed to land on a rear door leading out onto a private balcony overlooking the water.

"Would you like to step out there?" He asked leaning down to whisper by her ear.

Jos's eyes shot up to meet Xavier's. "Could we?" She asked.

He smiled. "Yes of course." He turned to make excuses to the man who was still going on and on about his own boat now. He led her across the room and easily opened the large glass double doors leading out. "After you," he said guiding her through by her hand as he continued to hold the door. Once she was through he followed closing the doors behind him. followed her over to a small patio sofa off to the left of the doors out of sight of those inside the room. He sat down beside her removing the mask and loosening the tie around his neck. He sat back with a heavy sigh as he pulled her against his chest. He pulled the ribbon of her mask, setting it with his once it was freed. "I've always hated these things." He said unbuttoning the top three buttons of his tux before pulling her more snuggly into his grasp. "You though... You look like some sort of goddess in that dress tonight." He pulled the pins from her hair causing it to fall down around her shoulders. "The contrast of the dresses dark, warm colors against the soft, pale skin and hair is simply breathtaking." He bushed the hair back from one shoulder and leaned forward to place a kiss there where he knew the nasty brand of the wolf remained. He ran one hand up the thin, lacy material of her waist until it brushed against the underside of her breast.

Jos's eyes shot open wide as he cupped her breast in his large hand. She sat up quickly and turned to stare back at him. He had one leg propped up on the sofa still behind her, his messy shirt and undone tie gave him a sexy disheveled appearance, and his brilliant emerald eyes sparkled with mischief and desire. She stuttered as she tried to think of a way to get out of this suddenly awkward situation as the understanding of his wants settled into her foggy brain. "I... we shouldn't... here..." she looked around the public area.

Xavier sent her a sly smile as he sat up. voices from the balcony above them only emphasizing the lack of privacy. "You're right." He said simply. As he pushed up from the sofa he grabbed their discarded items: their masks, his tie... her phone... and slid them all down by his side. He stalked over to her following as she backed up against the rail, seeing exactly how different she was going to act in this moment. He leaned down a placed a kiss to her lips. Nothing new, nothing he hadn't done a hundred times; but this time she turned her head away and pushed past him before his lips had fully left hers.

"I... have to use the restroom first... but after I'm finished can we go back to the villa?" Jos asked eager to get him alone, say her peace, and head back home.

Xavier arched an eyebrow but still smiled easily down at her, "Sure." He grabbed a lock of hair that had been blown across her shoulder by the breeze and gently caressed it between his fingers. "If that's what you want. The restrooms are directly through those doors on the right." His sly eyes twinkled back at her as he released it and watched as she walked back inside. As soon as she was out of sight he turned toward the railing of the balcony and lifted the phone. He slid his finger across the screen as he'd seen her do several times and began strolling through the phone. The first number in her contact was now Areion. He could feel his anger rise. He then flipped over to the unread text that sat in her messages. He could feel the recently digested blood in his stomach begin to boil when he looked at the icon for the sender of the message. Russ... and no doubt Joslyn had taken the picture recently after they had made love. He laid against her naked stomach, blocking her private parts with his large bare chest, a lazy just fucked smile spread across his boyish face. He scrolled through the message of the wolf admitting to his wrongdoings, devoting his heart to her, and declaring his determination for getting her back and living out the rest of a long life with her. Xavier was on the verge of hurling when another message came through. This new one was from Raven.

[Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner, Isha just left. Come to find out Russ was right to suspect your boy X. Looks like he and his brother have been up to some pretty shady shit. Russ called right before I texted you. He's with Shell and you wouldn't believe the things she's been through. Ol boi was holding her hostage in a cage, a fucking cage! anyways she's safe with Rin now. Call me as soon as you can alright girl? I'm worried for you.}

"Fuck!" Xavier shouted. Without thinking he pulled his arm back as far as he could and launched the phone into the air. It landed with a small splash several feet from the boat. He ran his hands through his hair before turning back toward the doors. He made his through the crowded room more determined than ever to find Joslyn and drag her back to the villa with him AND to call his dumbass brother! He watched as Jos emerged from the bathroom trying to make it around several women who had apparently decided to start a conversation there. He clasped her elbow and led her toward the exit. "This way," he said. When he heard the irritation evident in his own voice he added. "I swear they just add more and more people to the guest lists every year." He shook his head when she glanced up at him not having to pretend too hard that the crowds were the cause of his bad mood. He pulled her tighter against him as they made their way through the hoards of people spread out over the deck as he fought through them.

Jos caught a glimpse of Arei's worried face when his gaze landed on her and Xavier making a hasty retreat. He lipped the words 'need help?' in her direction but only nodded and continued to stare a harsh scowl marring his handsome masked face.

They were quiet as they quickly made their way across the parking lot the car Xavier had driven this morning to the meeting. As always he opened her door for her before quickly making his way around to the driver's side. Once inside he set the masks on her lap and inserted the keys into the ignition. They were alone now...

Her mind quickly went to the text message of Russ's that she hadn't read yet. She glanced up at Xavier. "I... Um... we need to talk." She said in a tiny voice.

He arched a brow at her, barely taking his eyes off the road. "We do? About what?" He asked evasively.

Her attention went to the masks in her lap. She twisted the ribbon of hers around her fingers as she spoke. "I... I've decided to go back and try to make things work with Russ." She could feel the heat his gaze on her, the anger that was bringing on that heat. "I'm sorry to keep doing this to you... but until tonight I had thought myself done with him..."

Xavier cut her off before she could stumble across more dumb shit to say. "And what changed your mind tonight?" He asked irritation evident in his voice.

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She glanced up at him from the canopy of her thick, mascaraed lashes. "An old friend said some things to me..." she focused back on her fingers that were still twisting the ribbons. "They made me realize, I've been the one pushing people away all these years... that I'm the one that never gives anyone a chance."

He let out a heavy sigh as tears streamed from her eyes. He turned into the parking lot of the villa. {So she considers that Areion guy to be an old friend? What did he say to her to have her ready to RUN back to that damn wolf kid?} He shut off the engine of the car and placed his hand lightly over her hands that were still busy fumbling with the ribbon. "I told you before I'm a very patient man." When her eyes shot up to his he added. "Though you try my patience I'm still willing to wait... as long as it takes." He said leaning forward to place a light kiss to her cheek before getting out of the car and walking around to open her door. He led her to their room and once inside he said gently, "Go get changed and comfortable I need to make some phone calls, then as soon as we are done we can order in pizza and watch movies or something. Sound good?" He asked sweetly.

Jos simply nodded, amazed at how kind he was being even after hearing her news. She watched as he took off his jacket and flung it across the small chair near the door before turning back out of the door, phone in hand. She opened her small bag to retrieve her own phone but was caught off guard when it wasn't there. She quickly made her way to the door and peeked out of it. Xaiver was only a few feet away and glanced back at her covering the phone with his hand. "Oh, I must have dropped my phone... either on the boat or in the car..." She said silently begging him with her eyes.

He nodded with understanding. "It's alright. Go back inside and get undressed. I'll check the car and if it's not there we can stop by the boat in the morning before we leave."

She smiled and nodded her head before turning back into the room and going about her business.

[How sweet you are, brother. If someone was a risk to my very being, finding her phone for her would be the last fucking thing on my mind.] Dainte growled through the phone at Xavier's ear. [Now if you don't mind I have a fucking werewolf or two to hunt down.]

"You get your shit done and don't worry about what I'm doing. I'll erase her memories as soon as we get off the phone. As for you take them both down. I don't need anyone else fucking things up." Xavier barked into the phone. He paused before adding. "Also call in a hit on that fucking fairy bitch. No loss ends this time, Dante." He quickly hung up the phone and dialed the number for a pizza delivery company before heading back inside the room. His face fell into a bright smile as he watched the fine material of her dress hit the floor leaving her full back bared to him.

Jos looked back over her shoulders shielding her front with the tee she'd just pulled from her bag. "Oh, I didn't expect you back so soon."

He dropped his cell phone onto the stand and turned back to the door making quick work of the locks and deadbolt. "I wouldn't miss you like this for the world."