Chasing Redemption (Book 2 of Chasing Series)

Fifteen | The aftermath

To no surprise at all, I wake with a terrible hangover.

The room is slowly filling with sunlight. It seeps in through the moth-eaten curtains, filling the room with pockets of luminance.

The door cracks open slowly, revealing a timid Sof as she holds a steaming mug. "I didn't want to wake you if you were still sleeping."

"It's okay," I croak. "I'm definitely not going back to sleep."

Flashes of last night begin to piece together. I try my best not to cringe when I remember how my pants and leather jacket ended up folded to the side of me.

Oh god. What have I done?

"Do you want to explain why you're grimacing like you're in physical pain?" Sof asks, sitting beside me.

"Not really," I grumble.

"Would it have something to do with how fast Xavier left this room last night? Or the fact he decided to go for a drive at one in the morning randomly?"

Shit. She's good.

"He left at one? Hadn't he been drinking?"

"Probably," Sof shrugs, like it's a totally normal occurrence. Honestly, it probably is for him.

"Don't change the subject. Did something...happen between you two?"

I close my eyes, taking a sip of the coffee as I draw out my response.

"Shit," she whispers, before I even answer. "Did you sleep together?"

"God no," I say quickly. "We just—I kissed him. Then I called him...Brax."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

We lapse into a long silence, neither of us sure how to resolve this issue. It was a very awkward situation for everyone.

"What do I even say to him?" I sigh.

"You were pretty drunk. He might not even expect you to remember."

I almost consider pretending I don't remember at all, but lying hasn't gotten me anywhere good.

"Do you think he'll bring it up?" I ask.

"I'm not sure but they've been discussing something all morning. I've heard them saying you're name too."

I try to pretend that I'm not curious. It's probably only about extending their stupid watch over me.

A faint knock comes from the door and I draw my eyes towards it as Xavier enters. My stomach drops as I watch him close it, unable to meet my stare.

"I'll give you guys a minute," Sof mumbles.

I curse her under my breath, unsure that I really want to be in a room alone with him right now. The silence is deafening.

Once she's gone, Xavier leans back against the frame, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Marco and I have been thinking," he begins. "There's a old cabin that belongs to my family about two hours from here. We don't use it often but it's still in decent shape."

"Okay?"

"We think it'd be better if you stayed up there for a while."

I snort, rolling my eyes as I lay back down.

"Yeah, right. No."

"I'm being serious."

"And so am I," I snap. "I think I've been pretty patient with you. There is only so much I'm going to give up. You expect me to tell work that I just can't come anymore?"

"I'll handle that."

"No you fucking won't," I growl. "I'm sick of you thinking you can just insert yourself into everything. You know I haven't even see my friends in—"

"I honestly don't give a fuck, so don't waste your breath," he replies, cooly.

His harsh tone is enough to shut me up momentarily. He suddenly sounds exactly like Marco and I don't like it.

"I'm not going to some desolate cabin so you can spend how ever long to kill someone," I spit.

"It wasn't a question. You're going."

"Is this punishment because I kissed you? Or is it because I called you by his name? Did it hurt your massive ego?" I say, pouting sarcastically.

"I'm so so sorry I upset you, Xavier."

"Fuck you," he snaps, striding towards me until he's towering beside the bed. "You don't know what you're talking about."

I move to sit up, eyeing him. "Don't I?"

His breathing increases as he steps towards me, suddenly gripping my jaw. "You're going to the fucking cabin whether you like it or not. It's for your own good."

"Sure it is."

"Have you ever thought that maybe I'm doing this all for you?"

"No. You're doing it for Brax."

He stares at me for a second as though he's willing me to see something. Something passes across his face before he becomes void of emotion.

He steps back from me, letting go of my jaw. "You're leaving at the end of the week. I will force you into the boot of my car if I have to."

"I'm fucking not, Xavier."

"You know you'll give into me eventually, detective. You always do."

My stomach coils in distaste. "I hate you."

"I'm the fucking one who has kept you alive! You don't see Brax here do you?"

I lunge from the bed, ripping off the duvet as I go. "Because he's dead, asshole! And I didn't ask you to protect me! I didn't ask for any of this. I wanted out and you dragged me back in. You always drag me back in.

"I wish I'd never met you. You've ruined my entire life. Everything. It's all fucked because of you."

He laughs wickedly. "You can't truly expect me to believe that, can you? Before we met you, you already had fucked up family issues. Your daddy is a killer, remember? He—"

My palm slaps against the skin of his cheek before I can think twice. I'm shaking violently, the anger coiling off me in waves.

"Don't you ever talk about them again," I say, low. "You have no right."

He stands in silence for a moment, staring off to the side. I see his skin already beginning to turn a slight shade of pink.

"Don't go blaming me for your own damage. I didn't drag you into this family. I didn't ask for you to become a part of this," he says, still unable to look at me.

I step away, unable to even look at him anymore. "I want you to leave."

"Your standing in my bedroom, sweetheart."

"Then I'll happily fucking leave," I state, palms up.

He's blocking the doorway with his tall frame. There's no way I can get past him and he knows it.

"You will be leaving for the cabin at the end of the week. Don't bother fighting me on that."

He shuts the door in my face for the millionth time, leaving me locked inside a room I so desperately want to escape.