Page 51 of Xavier

Xavier claimed her lips, pushed past her teeth and swept her tongue in a desperate desire to lose himself in her.

He’d nearly lost his mind when the men had leaped out of the shadows and grabbed Lissette. If not for his training, he’d have gone after her and probably would have been shot before he’d moved a single foot.

Now, he couldn’t get enough of her, couldn’t stop kissing her. Wouldn’t let her go for fear of losing her to his incompetence.

A loud bang shook the truck.

Xavier jerked back and looked out, expecting another attack.

A tall, lanky man dressed in a deputy’s uniform frowned at them from the front of the truck. “Get a room, will ya?”

Xavier sank back into the driver’s seat, started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.

“I owe you dinner,” Lissette said from the passenger seat, her face turned away from Xavier, but clearly visible in her reflection in the side window.

“I’d like to go to the boarding house to change into clothes that don’t have as much glass in them. Would you be all right waiting for me in my room?”

She nodded. “Yes.” Lissette didn’t turn his direction. Her hand rose, her fingers touching her lips. For the few minutes it took to reach the boarding house, she remained silent, her gaze focusing on the road in front of them.

After parking in the boarding house parking lot, Xavier hurried around to help her down from her seat.

When she didn’t move, he frowned up at her. “Are you all right? I’d apologize for kissing you, but...” He shook his head. “I can’t.”

She gave a brief smile that faded into a faraway glance out the windshield. “No. It’s okay. No, it was better than okay. In fact, I was the one who initiated that kiss. I should apologize to you. You might not have even wanted me to do that. I mean, I’m a convicted felon, after all.”

“We all have our crosses to bear,” he said.

She stared down at him, her brow creasing. “Aren’t you afraid, like everyone else, that I’ll try to kill you?”

He shook his head. “If you killed me, it would be a blessing,” he murmured. Louder, he said, “No.”

“Aren’t you afraid to die?” she asked.

Not ready to delve into deeper thoughts and conversations, he gripped her waist and eased her from her seat, letting her slide down his body ever so slowly.

When her feet touched the ground, he tipped her chin upward and smiled down into her eyes. “I’m not afraid you’ll kill me,” he said. “I’m afraid I’ll die if you disappear without me.”

Her brow twisted into a fierce frown. “You’re the one leaving, not me.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “That’s not the issue,” he whispered against her lips.

“Then what is?” she demanded.

He pulled her close. “I’m afraid you’ll disappear because I wasn’t vigilant and didn’t do my job. Whether you like it or not, you’re a target, sweetheart. I’m afraid I won’t be enough to keep you safe.”

“It’s not your responsibility to keep me safe,” she said. “The choices I made in the past are what determine my future.”

“You’re wrong, Lissette,” he said. “The choices you make now determine your future.”

“You obviously don’t know the rules of the New Orleans Mafia.” Lissette curled her fingers into his shirt as if clinging to his strength. “Once you commit, there’s no going back. If you turn on them, they’ll turn on you and come after you. They won’t stop until you’re dead.”

Xavier tipped her chin up. “You don’t have to face this alone. I’m here. I’m with you.”

“Today is almost over. That means you’re only here protecting me for five more days.” She stared up into his eyes. “After that, then what?”

Xavier drew in a breath and let it out slowly. Lissette was right. He was due to leave. If they didn’t resolve her problems before he left, she’d be on her own to solve them.

Gathering her close, he rested his chin on top of her head. “I don’t know what will happen in the future. I just know we need to resolve the issues now, before the future overwhelms us.”