Xavier (Sugar Baby 2) ✔️

twenty-seventh: lies

Warm. Secure. Home.

I lay silently after I woke up. I kept my eyes shut, listening to Gray talking softly on the phone. My woozy brain was too inebriated to understand his words, but I couldn't care less. My body still throbbed faintly from the assaults, but I was happy that he remained still. Embracing me just like he had when I had fallen asleep. He hung up the call and encircled his arm around my waist again, pulling me close. I could feel his heart beating assuredly in his chest.  I could feel his warm breath on my ear, tickling me. It was bliss. 

I reached for his hand and held it close to my heart. "Goodmorning."

He nipped my ear playfully. "I missed this."

I turned to face him, burying my face in his neck and breathing his musky scent deeply. My heart lurched at the intoxicating fragrance. "I missed you."

He held my close and despite the nagging question in my mind, I remained quiet. I wasn't going to ask him yet what would happen to our future. Would we both move countries like he initially wanted? Or would it be a long distance for a couple of years till I could get a job and move with him? 

"How are you feeling, love?" he asked, his voice muffled against my shoulder. "How's your ache?"

My heart wrenched in the familiar beautiful pain when he called me like that. I smiled like an idiot and whispered in response. "You're here."

He laughed quietly. "That's not an answer, baby."

"It is."

He kissed the spot below my ear as I shivered slightly in pleasure. I loved how he kept touching me like he couldn't get enough. He stroked my hair gently before speaking. "I ran a background check on Kingsley," I froze, my senses suddenly alert. He continued in a measured voice. "Or I should say...Marley. Darius Marley."

My blood froze and I gazed up at him, my brain working furiously. "Marley...but he-"

He sighed and chewed on his bottom lip. "Yep, that's what we all knew, but turns out we were wrong."

I was quiet. I remember hearing about a  certain Marley back when I had just entered the department. He had been another agent but had succumbed to his injuries from one of his missions. There was a lot of unrest about the safety of the agents after that. I felt my stomach twist uncomfortably. How had I fallen into his trap so easily?

"So...he's not dead. He...faked everything."

Gray nodded. "Someone helped him cover up though. He was technically still with the law, so maybe someone took pity on him. Black told me ages ago that he had gone rogue. I don't know who did it, but it might just have been an attempt to save his ass from prosecution. He...got involved in some shady shit later on."

 "What kind of shady shit?" I nuzzled against his neck and spoke softly.

"I'm not entirely sure, but from what I could find out, he was caught trying to operate on a dead body."

My stomach clenched uncomfortably. "So he's absolutely batshit crazy," I shook my head. "Where does Reznick fit into all of this though?" the mention of it sent a flare of anger through me. "He seems to be a part of this, or else Caleb would have no idea how to get me when I was in the car."

He sighed. "You're right. I think it might be one of those instances where Reznick and Atkinson have collaborated again."

I traced a finger on his chest, my mind wandering. If that was the case, was it possible that Scarlett was aware? I hoped and prayed that she wasn't. "I...think I know how we might get our answers," I leaned back to look at him. "I found the papers in his room. We could try to find them again. Of course...he could have moved them."

Gray clenched his jaw, thinking hard. "I don't think he would have moved them.  His place his far off and-" his eyes widened. "This...Victor. Do you think he could have them?"

"Could be," I replied. "But..he spent most of his time at the hospital so it's unlikely. There seemed to be a lot of those papers and I don't think he was actually hiding it."

We fell into silence again as I began. "That...place where I went. He might keep them there," I shuddered slightly at the memory of the last time that I had been at the hospital. "I could try to get in. But...we have no way of knowing how many people are involved in whatever this is. Cal-" I shook my head. "Darius was really friendly with a lot of people there."

Something in my brain clicked and I sat up straight, breathless. "Gray...you said he was caught trying to operate on corpses?"

He nodded, listening earnestly. My stomach turned sickly. "When.. I followed him, the stench was really putrid. Has it...does it have something to do with it?"

He made a disgusted face. "There possibility. And...that Victor guy, is also in on this?" He shook his head. "So, he basically has no motive and just does this for the...heck of it?"

I was quiet, biting the tip of my thumb as I gazed unseeing at him. "I...don't think so," I shook my head, my voice surer as I went on. "He's...intelligent. I don't think he would be going into something if it wasn't personally benefitting him."

I couldn't believe how blinded I had been by my infatuation. He was hot, sexy, lethally intelligent and manipulative. I remember how confident he had been, how perfectly understanding and sympathetic while approaching me. Was getting close to me part of whatever twisted agenda he had since the beginning? How had I been so damn blindsided?

He was quiet for a while, gazing at me intently. "You...seem to know  a lot about him."

My stomach turned guiltily. This time, he was perfectly entitled to his jealousy. I leaned over him and kissed his jaw, pressing my almost naked body into his. "I'm sorry, baby. I love you."

He sighed, stroking my hair. I knew we had a lot to sort out before we truly moved on. I leaned back and played with his hair, biting my lip nervously. "You're allowed to yell at me, Gray."

He remained quiet, his eyes finally meeting mine as my entire world disappeared in the breathtaking emerald.  "I don't want to yell at you, Xaby," he said softly, his eyes tender. "I just need you to understand something, because I think I may not have been clear before."

I nodded, my stomach clenching nervously. "And you won't speak till I finished talking, alright?" 

I nodded again, my heart beating faster.  I was entranced by his intense gaze when he spoke. "I'm terrified of losing you, Xavier," his eyes swum with a sadness that made my heart ache. "I know you're not Victoria. And I love you like I never loved her. Which terrifies me even more," He caressed my cheek gently as I melted into his touch. "And...I don't show it because I don't want to be over-possessive or paranoid...but I get jealous really easily."

I bit my lip, almost on the verge of speaking but kept my silence. "And I'm insecure and I keep thinking that I'll fuck things up between us and in a bid to not fuck things over I fuck them up even more," he sighed, his eyes pained. "I...I was being selfish, Xaby. I should have asked you before. But...the idea of marrying you got me so excited that every other thought just took a back seat. I'm sorry, love," he tenderly caressed my face. "I'm so sorry I made you feel small. I'm so sorry I made you go through this hell alone. I love you so much, Xavier."

"I love you too, Gray," I whispered, kissing the tip of his nose. My heart was wrenching in a beautiful pain. "So much."

I placed my head on his shoulder as he pulled me in instinctively. I listened to his quiet heartbeat and shut my eyes in bliss. "Let's...move. After this is done."

He stroked my back gently, kissing the top of my head. "In due time, love."

I shut my eyes and breathed in his scent, my stomach clenching in longing. "I think I'll try to find some evidence and hopefully have some back up here before we can ambush him."

We were silent again before I spoke. "I'm going to the hospital in a while. Gonna see how Jem's doing. Come with me," I glanced up at him. "Also, we should go check Caleb's room just in-" I bit my tongue. I was used to calling Darius by his alias. "Try to look for something. "

He shifted slightly as he checked his wristwatch. "It's ten, most people should be in their classes"

I snuggled into his chest, my voice muffled when I spoke. "Are you sure you being here is alright?"

He chuckled softly. "Sure. Just gotta pretend like I belong."

"Hm...news flash, Shelby," I grinned against him. "Our university doesn't offer ultra-hot police officers as room delivery."

He chuckled quietly. "Ultra hot, huh?"

"Yes."

"Hm...it does offer irresistibly sexy ex-agents though."

"Yes. One of them is currently almost naked in your arms. I can't believe you're not taking advantage of that."

I kissed his jaw and hovered over him. I leaned closer and kissed him deeply, my tongue wading eagerly into his mouth. I was rooted, gravity released me. He was my sole anchor. His hands travelled down my back and slipped inside my underwear, squeezing possessively. I bit his lip. "All yours, daddy."

He smirked against my lips. "I know."

Our mouths found each other again, moving fervently. I knotted my fingers in his hair, kissing him hungrily. All my pain, all my fear, all my exhaustion melting away against him. "Gray...Gray..." I whispered. "Fuck me."

As if on command, he removed my underwear so I  was naked and pulled me flush against him. I reached for his shirt, desperately taking it off him. I pushed him down so he was lying flat on his back and straddled him, my breath catching at the sight of his familiar, sexy torso. Desire clawed at my insides as I reached for his jeans and took them off him, leaving him naked. I grinded against him, my hunger ravaging me in a catastrophic fire. "Gray...fuck. I missed you so bad."

I kissed him tenderly. Lovingly. Like an unsaid apology for everything that had happened. Like a silent thanks that he was back with me. The days without him had been hellish, and I had been charred in the inferno. But he was here, I knew I would be alright.

We remained naked, our bodies writhing in passion for hours.  Unable to get enough of each other. Even as he pushed me off the edge of paradise again and again and again. I was quivering with exquisite, heavenly pleasure. The feeling of his lips on my skin somehow magnified. More electrified than ever before. His movements were rough, almost punishing. And I gave in to him. 

I lay on his chest long after we were exhausted, tracing my finger on his feverish skin still flushed in the aftermath of his climax. We were quiet for long time. I listened silently to his heartbeat, my own syncing with it.

"Gray..." I whispered, my stomach clenching in anticipation. "Can I look at the ring?"

His breath hitched and he sighed softly. "I don't have it right now, Xaby."

"Okay," I whispered, my cheeks flaming. "Do you really think that's why I brought up the topic? So I could see the ring?"

He was quiet. He stroked my back gently. "It's too soon for you, love. It's alright. I'll wait."

My throat choked up suddenly. He didn't sound angry. I was relieved about that. I leaned over him, knotting my fingers in his hair. "I'm sorry I flipped out. I...I had no idea you were planning to propose."

He caressed my face, his gaze intense. "I just..wanted you to know that I was serious about you. That...I never ever planned to leave you, Xavier."

I was quiet, stroking his bottom lip as he bit my finger playfully, making me chuckle. "I'm not moving anywhere without you," he whispered as my heart hammered in my chest. "We've fought too hard and far too long," he kissed my forehead, melting my heart with the simple gesture. "We'll figure something out."

I nodded and kissed him tenderly. I felt content. Like the universe must be enthralled with me to send Grayson Shelby to me. 

"Okay," I nodded fervently, biting my lip. "I...would probably have gone with you at the end you know...it was all big talk."

He laughed. "No, love. You were right. But it's okay, I'll work on that. I just don't want to lose you, plus-" he grinned, his eyes shining. "I think we have a certain rogue spy to catch anyway."

I nuzzled his nose with mine, adrenaline rushing through me at the prospect of getting back at Darius. "Back to business, Shelby."