Burning Your Lies (King and Queen Duet #2)

12

Savannah

My pencil skirt and blazer remind me of my first day at XR Securities. I get in early to have a much-needed gossip catch up with Francesca. She doesn’t mention my disappearance, and for that I’m grateful. It feels like the normal days before I was thrown into a twisted game of chess with a psychopath.

“Any advice on keeping Xavier happy?”

“He’s really easy, honestly.”

She looks past me at Huxley typing away with a stern expression.

“Much easier than him.”

Huxley must feel our stares because he looks up. His brow arches at me and I shoot him a smile. Looking at Francesca again, I try to reassure her.

“He’s bark is bigger than his bite. You’ll be fine.”

I wave her goodbye and head for Xavier’s office.

“Reporting for duty, boss.”

His eyes seem extra blue today.

“Good morning, Savannah. I hope you are well.”

I settle into the seat opposite him.

“Ready and raring to get back to work. What is the first order of business?”

His chin juts towards the new desk on the opposite side of the room.

“You can spend the morning setting up your desk and completing some online training.”

My eyes move from the white desk to his amused expression.

“I thought I get my own area? Francesca always had one.”

“I think I’d much prefer having my PA in the same room. It makes it much easier to communicate with her.”

Bullshit. He used to call Francesca when he needed her, and she’d come running. This is because he doesn’t trust me.

“Why are you doing this?”

I ask, with a softness he doesn’t deserve.

“Are you trying to come between me and Hux? Is this because I chose him?”

He looks surprised.

“I believe I’m the one that ended things.”

I roll my eyes at him.

“No. You sent me to an insane asylum.”

“I’d hardly call it an asylum.”

My icy gaze meets his amused one.

“No. You’d call it prison.”

Remembering the plan, I shake my head and plaster a smile on.

“It’s fine. We can work in the same room. It’s not like we’re holding onto the past.”

He hums in agreement.

“Very true.”

“How is Elise? I hope I can see her soon.”

Xavier leans back in his seat and observes me.

“You’re most welcome to visit her at home.”

Goosebumps rise on my skin at the thought of that house. For a moment, Xavier and I are sitting at that sixteen-seater table, surrounded by red roses, a game of chess ongoing and a look of evil on his face. I shake my head.

“I’d rather be able to take her out. Do something fun with her.”

When he leans forward, I, on instinct, lean back.

“Sounds like someone is still holding onto the past.”

Looking down, I find the confidence I need.

“I learned my lesson, Xavier. I just want to forget everything. All the things we did, all the things we said… I just want to forget. So, this needs to work. I want a normal life; married to Hux and time with Elise. I don’t care about anything else. Can we do that?”

The burn of his stare doesn’t waver from my face. Then, he offers a handshake.

“A truce, Mrs Ray-Hayes.”

I slide my hand into his. “A truce.”

“He’s been sulking all day,”

Francesca complains.

“Please pay a visit to your husband.”

I flick through the pages to make sure they’re all there.

“Xavier’s kept me busy. I’ll stop by later. He’s not being too hard on you, is he? Because if he is, I’ll spank him later,” I wink.

She pretends to gag.

“I do not want that image in my head, thank you. He’s been fine. He’s hardly said two words to me.”

“Trust me, appreciate it while it lasts because soon he will have you running to the other side of London for nonsense.”

“How’s things with Xavier?”

I shrug.

“Fine. Normal. It’s not so bad.”

“I told you,”

she gloats as I walk away.

As I enter the office, I stop in my tracks. First it’s because of the red-head laughing with Xavier. Then it’s because Elise is running towards me. I break out of my surprise and stoop to squeeze her tight.

“Hi, baby.”

She holds up her banana.

“Banana! Yummy!”

She takes a bite out of the fruit.

“Can I have some? I’m very hungry.”

A gentle giggle is followed by her shoving the fruit in my face. “Yummy?”

I rub my belly.

“Very yummy. Do you want to see something?”

I whisper. Her eyes light up as we walk towards my desk. Settling in my chair, I pull her onto my lap and pick up the photo frame.

“This is me and you. You were just a small baby.”

Her toothy grin melts my heart. She points at herself. “Ellie.”

She points at me. “Mummy.”

Tears brim in my eyes and I hold her tighter.

“One of your mummies. You grew in my tummy.”

She pokes it with a laugh.

“And I looked after you when you were a baby. But you’re so special,”

I whisper.

“Because you have a mummy in heaven, and she loved you so much.” At the thought of Emery, my chest caves, and my tears fall.

They don’t get far because Elise is wiping them away.

“Why you sad?”

I take her small hand in mine and kiss it.

“Because I miss her.”

And you will never experience her love.

“It’s okay,”

I smile.

“Because you look just like her. It’s why you’re so beautiful.” I push her hair out of her face and kiss her forehead. I close my eyes. I’m sorry, Emery. I’m sorry I left our daughter alone with him.

A throat clearing reminds me we are not alone.

“Savannah, I’d like you to meet Brynn. She’s my…”

He turns to her with a smile.

“Friend and temporary nanny,”

she finishes for him. She clears her throat and smiles at me.

“You’re a natural with her.”

Brynn is petite. She’s apprehensive, as if the room will consume her. Her doe eyes flicker between Xavier and me, as if she’s trying to figure out what the dynamics are between us. There is a look of hurt in her blue eyes and she purses her full lips.

“Savannah,”

I introduce myself.

“Xavier’s PA.”

Her smile is forced.

“And mother of his child.”

“Biologically, no. But in every other way that matters, yes.”

“I did not know.”

My unimpressed stare lands on Xavier.

He jumps into action, afraid his claws are slipping out of this poor woman.

“Savannah has just returned from a trip. When we met, I wasn’t sure when she was to return.”

I scoff at him.

“You don’t need to worry, Brynn. I am a happily married woman. My relationship with Xavier is strictly business and Elise. I wish you joy in your friendship with him.”

Huxley makes me jump when his arms come around me. He pulls my back flush against him and he inhales the scent in my hair.

“I missed you,”

he grumbles.

“I want to go back to the days of sex, food, sex, and sex.”

I hold his hands and laugh.

“It’s only day one, sunshine. Buckle up.”

He turns his head and eyes me suspiciously.

“You’re in a good mood.”

Stepping out of his hold, I grin.

“I had a wonderful day. Xavier and I called a truce. I got to have lunch with Elise. And I met Xavier’s newest victim.”

Huxley laughs.

“Is that right?”

I can’t help but roar with laughter.

“He must have conjured her up from a dream because she is perfect for him. And I really believe she’s in love with him.”

His laugh fades.

“She’s risking her life being in that house. Maybe we shouldn’t be laughing.”

The reality check humbles me, and I nod.

“I updated our board to include her.”

I point at the card.

“I don’t have a picture of her, so this will have to do.”

Huxley is entertained again.

“Red joker?”

I shrug.

“She’s a redhead. I also assigned us a card. King and queen of hearts.”

He frowns and pulls his card off the board.

“I don’t want to be hearts. That makes me sound soppy.”

His childlike pout makes me smile.

“I once told Xavier that I lead with my heart because life isn’t a game of chess. I stand by that. While it hurt me in the end, I cannot lose sight of why I am doing this. It’s for the women that Xavier has murdered. It’s for Elliot. It’s for Emery. It’s for Elise. It’s for myself. I cannot lose myself to this game. I cannot become heartless like him.”

He grabs my jaw and kisses me with a passion only a man in love can.

“Then let me be the heartless one, because my heart belongs to you. It’s yours, sweetheart. You are the only person in the world I will kill for. Let me slay the dragons.”

“I don’t want you to become him. That’s not a life we can live.”

“Xavier kills because he is incapable of loving someone. I kill because I am incapable of letting injustice continue. We are not the same.”

He shuffles through the deck and pins a new card to his image.

“Call me the king of spades because I’m going to hunt every single person who hurt you, and personally bury them.”