Filed to story: Sold to The Possessive Mafia Boss Book (Xavier & Jane) Free Online >>
My heart skips a beat, a cold dread settling over me. “What are you talking about?” I manage to say, my voice barely a whisper.
“He’s using you, Jane. He hired those debt collectors to come to our house. It gave him an excuse to save you, be the knight in shining armor.”
“That’s not true.” But a part of me is already wondering if Dad might be right.
“Think about it. They show up ten seconds before he did, right? Then the place happens to burn down so you’re living with him and he suddenly proposes marriage? A billionaire who could have anyone he wants and he picks you? Does any of that seem likely?”
“He loves me.”
He laughs coldly. “Be real. He’s using you to get to me. I’ve got intel on him that could put him away for the rest of his life. You’re just a pawn in his game, sweetheart. He doesn’t care about you, not really. You can’t tell me you think he cares about you. You’re fat, unemployed, and fucking useless.”
I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut, the words knocking the air from my lungs.
Part of me wants to shout, to deny his claims and defend the man I’ve come to love more than life itself. But fear roots me to the spot, a niggling doubt worming its way into my thoughts.
Could it be true? Is my happiness, our happiness, just a façade?
Dad continues talking. “He’s dangerous, Jane. You let on that you’ve spoken to me and he’ll torture you to find out where I am.”
I’m stunned into silence, the phone heavy in my hand. The realization that I’m being manipulated, either by Xavier or by my own father, is a bitter pill to swallow.
The two men in my life, each with their own agendas, and here I am, caught in the crossfire, a mere pawn in some dangerous game.
“What do you want from me?” I ask, my voice faint.
“Garibaldi has set up a meeting in two day’s time. Make sure Xavier attends alone. Garibaldi will do the rest.”
“What’s he going to do?”
“Your husband’s evil, Jane. He’s the devil. You’ve no idea the sick things he’s done in his life, killed his sister, killed his father, killed so many innocent people, all for power.
“He doesn’t care about another living soul, he’s just good at faking being human. Listen, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you again soon.”
As Xavier rows us gently across the lake at Versailles, the tranquility of our surroundings does little to soothe the tumult in my heart.
His muscles move with each stroke, is a symbol of the security I’ve always felt in his presence. But now, that security is tainted with doubt, my father’s words echoing in my mind like a persistent, dark whisper.
The water’s surface is smooth as glass, reflecting the grandeur of the palace and the azure sky above. I force a smile, engaging in light conversation, clinging to the normalcy of this moment.
Xavier seems oblivious to the change in me, his laughter and stories filling the air between us. He knows about my father but chose not to tell me. Is this just part of his manipulation?
As we approach the shore, my heart races, not just from the fear of what my future holds, but from the immediate challenge of maintaining my composure.
I step out of the boat, my movements clumsy with anxiety. My foot catches on the edge, and suddenly I’m falling, the world tilting dangerously.
The pain is sharp as my knee scrapes against the rough ground. Blood beads on the surface, a bright red against my pale skin, and for a moment, I’m overwhelmed.
The shock of the fall, the sight of my own blood, it all compounds the fear and doubt that’s been simmering inside me. I burst into uncontrollable tears.
Xavier is at my side in an instant, his concern palpable. He examines my knee with gentle hands, his brow furrowed. “We need to get this cleaned up,” he says, the worry in his voice clear. “Let’s go to the hospital, just to be safe.”
I want to protest, to say it’s nothing, just a scrape, but the truth is, I’m grateful for the distraction. The concern for my physical well-being gives me a reprieve from the turmoil of my thoughts, a legitimate reason for the distress I can no longer hide.
As we make our way to the hospital, I lean on Xavier, both physically and emotionally, the reality of our situation settling heavily on my shoulders.
This man, who my father claims is using me in a dangerous game, shows nothing but care and concern for me. The dichotomy between the Xavier I know and love and the one painted by my father’s words is jarring.
The trip to the hospital blurs into a series of antiseptic smells and sterile hallways, but through it all, Xavier is a constant presence by my side.
Yet, beneath the comfort his touch brings, the seed of doubt planted by my father’s call continues to grow. I want him to hold me but who is he? My husband or a monster? I know what he’s capable of, I’ve seen him kill already.
As he fusses over the paperwork, his brow creased in concern, I’m torn between the warmth his worry kindles in my heart and the cold dread seeded by my father’s words. The contradiction is maddening, leaving me feeling stranded at a crossroads of trust and suspicion.
“I’m fine, really,” I attempt to reassure him, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. They’re a lie, a facade I maintain because the alternative—confronting him with my fears, accusing him of betrayal—is too harrowing to contemplate. The idea that he might be using me claws at me with sharp, insidious fingers.
What if my father is right? The thought is a poison, tainting every memory, every tender moment shared with Xavier.
It turns the affection I see in his eyes into potential deceit, his protectiveness into manipulation. I’m caught in a web of doubt, every thread pulling tighter the more I struggle against it.
Xavier notices my distant gaze, his hand finding mine with a tenderness that fractures my resolve. “Is everything okay?” he asks, his voice laced with an undertone of worry that suggests he senses the tumult within me.
I’m at the edge, teetering between confession and silence. The words hover on my lips, the questions, the doubts, the fears. But I swallow them down, locking them away.
“I’m just tired,” I lie, the cowardice of the evasion stinging bitterly. The truth is, I’m terrified—terrified of the answers he might give, terrified of shattering the fragile peace we’ve built.
He nods, accepting my explanation too easily, and I hate myself for it. I hate the doubt that’s taken root in my heart, the fear that’s caged my voice.