Burning Your Lies (King and Queen Duet #2)

29

Xavier

It’s been three weeks since our last court date. Savannah surrendered her passport as instructed and has had Elise two nights a week. That seems to have kept her content because her side of the table has been radio silent. I would be ignorant and senseless to relax because she still has the diamond. Not for long.

I have enjoyed my solitary nights with Brynn. It’s usually filled with food and then sex; the type of sex I like and Brynn has learned to enjoy. Her filthy whispers have her blushing and my cock hardening. This past weekend is a perfect example of that.

The mini getaway with Brynn was more fun than I could have expected. The lack of signal in the cabins gave me the opportunity to really learn everything about Brynn; the parts of her background checks can’t tell me. I laughed more than I ever do and I realised just how splendid Brynn truly is. My time with her has been overshadowed by Savannah’s cold presence for too long.

That will soon come to an end.

“Is it selfish that I want you all to myself already?”

I pull her into a kiss.

“I want that too,”

I mumble against her lips. I hold her against me until the lift doors open to my floor.

With such power and authority, one grows accustomed to constant attention. When I walk into a room, my presence demands the attention of everyone present. But this morning feels different. It’s not a look of respect or awe in their eyes. Its side glances and hushed whispers. Brynn notices it too and steps closer to me.

Savannah is smiling at me when I enter the office and head for my desk.

“Good morning, Mr Rivers.”

“Someone’s in a chipper mood,” I remark.

She lets out a sigh.

“You know, you’d think being hounded by the paparazzi would really dampen my mood. But I’m in high spirits today.”

“What paparazzi?”

Brynn asks.

Savannah packs away Elise’s toys before pulling her onto her lap.

“Did you not see them on the way in?”

The knowing gleam in her eyes has my senses on high alert.

“We came through the basement,” I say.

She kisses the top of Elise’s head before passing her to Brynn.

“I trust you both enjoyed yourselves?”

Brynn offers a polite smile.

“It was lovely. I hope you had a restful weekend.”

Savannah laughs.

“Oh, I had a great time. We did some shopping. We played some games. She helped Hux cook some delicious food.”

If Brynn wasn’t here, I would ask her what the bitch smile on her face is about.

“Sounds nice,”

I say instead.

She lets out an exaggerated sigh.

“And then last night I watched some TV. Did you watch any TV while you were there?”

“There was no signal. We ate some dinner before we…”

Brynn blushes and then clears her throat.

“We had a quiet night in.”

I wink at her.

“Nothing about it was quiet.”

Savannah stands up with her laptop in her hand.

“In that case, I have something to show you.”

She’s talking to me, but doesn’t wait as she sways her hips towards the boardroom.

I don’t want to go, but she knows I can’t hold myself back. Brynn follows behind me with Elise running alongside her. I stay silent as Savannah connects her laptop to the large screen.

“What is this?”

Savannah laughs.

“I would like to personally show you a video, Mr Rivers. I’d recommend taking a seat. This is going to knock your socks off.”

My eyes don’t move from her smug grin until the video plays. It takes a few seconds to recognise the face, not that it matters; the big bold headline announces who the woman is. My eyes widen as I read the words again and again.

EXCLUSIVE:

CEO XAVIER RIVERS ACCUSED OF MURDER.

Blindly, I grab the remote and turn the volume up.

Scottie’s determined expression is overshadowed by her hopelessness. Regardless, she directly addresses the camera.

“My sister was in love with that monster. But we all saw what she couldn’t. My parents begged her to leave him. He was an obsessed stalker. She wasn’t ever allowed to be without him, and if she managed to escape him for a few hours, he would track her down. My sister was full of life and she was so smart.”

She cries.

“Needing an escape from that toxic relationship, she found a job abroad. She went to end their relationship, and we never heard from her again. There is no proof she ever boarded that flight. The man who has dedicated his life to building iron walls of protection around him is the last person to ever see and speak to her alive. He thinks all that security will protect him from justice. But we will not stop until we find out what really happened to my sister.”

The interviewer hands her a tissue and waits for her to collect herself before she continues.

“If you believe he is dangerous, why have you come forward with this story after so many years have passed?”

“We tried to raise our concerns when she first disappeared, but he silenced us. But we cannot afford to be silent anymore. The world needs to open their eyes and see this man for what he truly is. He is not untouchable. He is not larger than the law. He cannot dispute the fact that he dated Caitlyn and was then the last person to ever see her. He cannot pretend she never existed.”

The camera pans to the interviewer.

“This exclusive story comes only a few months after allegations of cheating arose when the CEO and his surrogate were seen in a heated argument. People were quick to speculate if the business tycoon cheated on his late wife, Emery Rivers, with surrogate Savannah Hayes. It seems Xavier Rivers has a tumultuous relationship with women. But is he capable of murder?”

“Turn it off,”

I grit out.

“But she has so much more to say,”

Savannah chides.

“I’ll send you a copy. Perhaps, like me, it will help you sleep like a baby.”

I’m going to fucking kill her.

“Xavier?”

Brynn looks at me like she’s seen a ghost.

“What is she talking about?”

My lip quivers with rage.

“Take Elise and go home. I need to handle this.”

“But…”

She looks at Savannah.

“That’s not true, right?”

Savannah laughs.

“I guess we’ll find out.”

She holds the door open for Brynn, giving Elise a kiss before they leave. She closes the door and grins at me.

“As I said, I had a wonderful night.”

“This was you,” I spit.

“Oh, I’m not denying that. God. It felt so good watching the life leave your face. What are you going to do now, Xavier? The entire country is running with this story. It doesn’t matter how hard you try to contain it, copies of her live interview are all over social media. I collected five big papers that have this as front page news. I’m going to have them framed.”

In three long strides, I am standing in front of her.

“I’m going to kill you,”

I promise.

“I’m going to make it so slow and torturous that you’ll be begging me for clemency the way poor little Elliot did.”

She closes her eyes and lets out a sensual moan.

“Sounds like a date.”

“You’re insane. Do you think any of this is going to stick? I am Xavier Rivers. One click of my fingers and this will all go away.”

All I have to do is fake documents and images of Caitlyn leaving the country and living abroad. I can easily do that. I will create a few messages between me and Caitlyn dated a few years ago to show we ended things on a positive note.

A fake yawn passes her lips.

“Yeah, yeah. But how many times can you defend yourself against the same thing? What happens if I stand in front of the paparazzi camped outside and tell them all you did to me?”

“You’re a proved crazy bitch. Once the media gets a whiff that you were sectioned, you’ll be discredited.”

She pretends to think about it.

“Not unless I hand over the diamond to the police. I think with all these allegations, they’ll definitely follow any lead I give them.”

I step closer, the urge to strangle her getting harder to ignore the longer I’m in the room with her.

“I’ll make it all go away,”

I whisper.

“Everything you put in front of them, every person in your life, I will make it all disappear.”

She remains unfazed by the threat in my eyes.

“And what about the others?”

she whispers back.

“How many people will you kill? Because you can’t kill us all. The second someone else connected to you vanishes, all fingers will point at you.”

She closes the distance between us. Her haughty tone leaves a chill down my spine.

“Can you see it, Xavier? Can you feel the burn of the world shooting their accusatory gazes at you?”

This is what she wanted. This was her way of protecting the lives of everyone she loves, because she’s right. Wiping anyone else out will only lead them to me. She did everything right and I couldn’t see it. This wasn’t about justice. This was about her protection.

“One by one, they’re all going to stand in front of the world and accuse you of the same thing. I am going to show the world the monster that came out when you killed your mother. And when the world finds out that your father was the same piece of shit you are—”

My hand around her neck has her choking on her words.

“You shut your mouth about my father.”

She claws at my hands, and I realise how easy it would be to end this game right here. Her eyes glance behind me and I snap back to reality where a small crowd is forming outside the glass office. She rubs her neck when I release her.

“Thank you.”

“What for?”

“For accepting my resignation. Effective immediately. I hope you were satisfied with my service, Mr Rivers.”

Grabbing her arm, I stare at her.

“You’re not resigning. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

She stares at where our bodies are joined.

“As my last act as your PA, I arranged a meeting with your lawyers for this afternoon.”

She pulls out of my hold.

“God knows you’re going to need them to get you out of this hell.”