Xavier Cold (Hard Knocks #2) (8 page)

I follow Carl through the diner and eventually out the back door to the parking lot where an old dark blue Cutlass is sitting under the streetlight. He walks over to it, and then he manually unlocks the passenger door and opens it. I haven’t been in a car that didn’t have automatic locks before.

I slip into the seat, and I am instantly surprised by how well kept the vehicle is. While it’s dated, it still appears to be brand-new.

I run my hand along the dashboard as Carl gets behind the wheel. “This car is in great shape. What year is it?”

“Nineteen eighty-eight. It’s a classic, like me.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

I laugh as he pulls out of the parking lot and onto the main road. The song playing on the radio reminds me of those old R&B songs that Father used to play before he turned his life over to Jesus. I haven’t heard this kind of music since then. When Father decided to give his life over to the Lord, he banished all music in our house, except for secular songs, so my exposure to anything other than that is limited.

I tap my finger along to the beat as Carl hums the tune.

Eventually, he clears his throat and asks, “Where are you from exactly, Anna?”

“Portland,” I answer easily. “Born and raised.”

He nods with a thoughtful expression on his face. “How’d you end up here in Detroit with X?”

“Oh, um . . . I have family who live here, and I met Xavier on the plane ride from home to here when I moved.”

“So, you don’t know much about the neighborhood you’re staying in?”

I pick at the chipping nail polish on my fingernails. “Not really—only that my cousin says it’s not the best area.”

“She’s right. At one time, it was a decent street to live on, but it’s overrun with thugs now, so be careful when you are there alone. People will come right up to your front door and beg you for money, so they can get high. Drugs are bad over there, thanks to Bishop and his crew down on the Block.”

The name catches my attention. “Nettie mentioned that name before and told Xavier he’d better stay away from him.”

“X would do good to heed her warning. Bishop was a small-time dealer who had kids working for him, but now, he runs things. Nothing goes on in that neighborhood that Bishop doesn’t know about, so it won’t be long before he comes sniffing around X, trying to get him mixed up in some crazy deal.”

Since Xavier doesn’t give me much information about himself, the only way I’ve learned about him is through Nettie and Carl, and Carl doesn’t seem to mind spilling all kinds of details about Xavier’s past. This might be a good time to poke around a little more.

“I know Xavier lived on the streets for a while, and Nettie said he ran with a gang for a bit. Was it Bishop’s?”

Carl nods. “Yeah, it was, but X was only involved with him for a couple of years. When he tried to go straight, Bishop kicked him back on the streets with no money. That’s when he robbed us.” He chuckles, like remembering the time he took Xavier down greatly amuses him. “Nettie took him in and gave him a bed in the stockroom, and the boy actually turned himself around. Studied and got his GED. Then, he started working out at Tough’s Gym with his buddy, Cole. It’s a wrestling gym, and Xavier took a shine to it. As you know, the boy went legit and entered the wrestling circuit, and the rest is history.”

I sit in silence and ingest all the information Carl just laid on me. That’s the most knowledge about Xavier’s past I’ve ever been given in one sitting. “Wow. I didn’t know all that.”

Carl adjusts his body in the seat. “I’m not surprised. X never was one to flap his gums too much. That kid has always kept to himself. It took Nettie years to really get to know him.”

“They seem close.”

“They are,” he confirms as he turns the corner. He drives down the street to Xavier’s house.

The lights are on, and when Carl parks in front of the house, I spot Xavier sitting on the front porch steps, like he’s waiting on me.

I cradle the boxes of food in my hands. “Thanks for the ride.”

Xavier’s outside my door, opening it, before I even have a chance to make a move for the door handle.

“Anytime,” Carl replies as I step out of the car.

Xavier leans down, so he can see inside. “Thanks for bringing her back.”

Carl pokes his head out, so he can see Xavier’s face. “No problem, brother. You need anything else, you be sure to let us know.”

“Will do,” he says before shutting the door. He shoves his hands deep into his front pockets while the Cutlass drives off.

We stand alone on the dark sidewalk, neither of us saying a word.

“Look, Anna. I, um . . . shit. I’ve been sitting here on this porch, thinking of ways to tell you how sorry I am, but none of the apologies I came up with in my head sounded good enough for how I left you. What I did . . . it was beyond fucked up. I left you stranded because I couldn’t control my temper. There are times, like tonight, when I almost convince myself that I should let you go because I’ll never be a good enough man for you. You deserve so much better than me.”

I hate it when he does this—bashes himself. It’s like he doesn’t understand how I see him through my eyes.

I reach up and place the palm of my hand on his cheek. “Don’t ever doubt that you’re a good man. Since I’ve known you, all you’ve wanted to do is protect me, even in the messed up ways when you take things overboard with all the fighting. How could I ever fault you for that?”

He closes his eyes, like my touch causes him physical pain. “I’m trying so hard, Anna. I really am, but I don’t think I’ll ever get things right.”

I chew the inside of my lower lip. “Do you love me?”

“With every inch of my soul,” he answers without hesitation.

I smile up at him. “Then, you’re doing it right. Everything else is fixable. You just have to stop lashing out all the time.”

His face is a mixture of relief and sadness. “That’s the hardest part. I don’t know if I can control this rage inside me. There has to be a man who’s more deserving of you, and I’m afraid that, someday, he’s going to swoop in and steal you away from me.”

I train my gaze firmly on his. “That’s never going to happen, which is why you need to trust me. Have faith in me that I’m going to do right by you.”

Xavier presses his forehead against mine. “I’ll try.”

I shake my head. “There’s no trying on this one, Xavier. Without trust, a relationship has nothing. I don’t want us to fall apart because we keep having the same damn fight all the time.”

“You’re right. I will work on that. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you in my life.”

He leans in to kiss me, but the sound of a motor closing in behind me rips his attention away. He narrows his eyes, and I turn around in time to spot a black Escalade whipping into the driveway.

Xavier tugs me behind him. “If something happens, run inside, lock the door, and call the cops.”

“Who—”

The passenger door pops open, cutting me off, as a short black guy wearing all black clothes and a bandanna wrapped around his head hops out of the Escalade.

The guy looks close to Xavier’s age, but the top of his head is bald, like he shaves it down to the skin. The menacing snarl on his face reminds me of the one Xavier does when he makes men shake in fear of him. That expression must be one that’s learned easily around this area. Even though he’s barely taller than me, I sure as hell wouldn’t want to meet this guy in a dark alley.

Two other men flank the short man’s sides—both of them taller than the man who is clearly the leader of the group and as intimidating as Xavier.

Xavier rolls his shoulders. “What are you doing here, Kai?”

Kai lifts his chin, and if he’s scared of Xavier, he’s not showing it. “You think you can just roll back into the Block, and I wouldn’t hear about it? Shit don’t work like that here, X. There ain’t nothing secret round here. You know that.”

Xavier lifts his chin. “Yeah, so? What are you going to do about it?”

My mouth gapes open, and my heart bangs against my rib cage, as I fear for Xavier’s and my safety. Since we’ve set foot in this neighborhood, I’ve been warned about how dangerous it is down here. Now, I’m thinking maybe I should’ve heeded Quinn’s warning and left this place with her.

Xavier stares down at Kai, and just as I’m preparing myself for the battle of the century, a huge smile breaks over Kai’s face, and he steps toward Xavier with his hand up in a greeting.

“Damn. Same ole, X. Haven’t lost your edge.”

Xavier reaches up and locks hands with Kai as he leans in for one of those chest-bump hugs. “How you been, man?”

Kai pulls back and lifts one shoulder in a noncommittal shrug. “Ah, you know, same ole. Hustlin’, making shit happen.”

Xavier nods. “I heard. Bishop’s running things now? What happened to Tiny?”

A devious grin crosses Kai’s face, and one of the guys beside him chuckles darkly.

“Tiny went on a . . .
permanent
vacation,” Kai says.

Xavier doesn’t even flinch at this man’s admission, but all my blood drains down into my toes.

Holy shit.

These are legitimate thugs—the kind authors write stories about, the kind who are ruthless and will kill on a dime and then laugh about it. And Xavier seems at ease with them.

It makes me really wonder about his past. He told me once, he should be in jail for some of the things he’s done, and now, after meeting Kai, it’s scary to know he was serious.

Now, I see why Nettie was freaking out about Xavier meeting back up with this Bishop person.

“Fuck, enough about all that. What about you, man? We’ve all seen you on TV, getting famous and shit. We know you have to be fucking rollin’ now.”

The muscles in Xavier’s back tense beneath my touch, and I can tell he doesn’t like where this is heading.

“Nah, man. I don’t make as much as you all think,” Xavier says.

Kai tilts his head. “Now, see, that’s not what Bishop found out. According to last year’s tax return he had pulled on you, you’ve got some money.”

I peek up at Xavier’s face, and see his jaw muscle flex. “That’s all gone. You think I’d be staying here if I had money?”

Kai suspiciously eyes Xavier and then flicks his gaze to the house before looking back to Xavier. “You could be telling the truth . . . but maybe you’re just trying to fuck with me. Either way, Bishop wants to see you. He wants to talk business.”

Xavier shakes his head. “Not interested.”

Kai jerks his head back, and his eyes widen. “Not interested? You do realize that you’re refusing Bishop.”

“I don’t give a fuck who it is. I’m not fucking getting mixed up in the shit that goes down around here.”

“Don’t be fucking stupid, X. I’m telling you, as a friend, get in this fucking car right now. Don’t make me put you in there.”

“We both know that will never happen. Don’t try me, Kai.”

Instead of backing down, Kai takes a step, closing the space between himself and Xavier. “You’ve been out of the hood for too long. Maybe you need to be reminded about how things work.”

Xavier’s fingers flex at his sides, like he’s readying himself for a fight. “Fucking try it.”

Kai stares up at him and smiles, causing my breath to catch.

“Go in the house, Anna,” Xavier orders.

Kai’s eyes snap to me and then flit between me and Xavier. It’s like he’s just noticing me for the first time. “That your girl, X? She’s fine. Maybe Bishop needs to meet her, too. What do you say?”

“Lay one fucking finger on her—”

“And you’ll, what? Kill me?” Kai smirks. “We both know you don’t have the stomach for that. Words are only a threat when someone will actually carry things out.”

A primal growl rips up from Xavier’s throat as he draws back his fist to crush every bone in Kai’s face, but before he can make contact, all three of the men rush toward him at the same time. Xavier struggles against them and lands a solid right hook into a guy’s face, causing him to stumble back in a daze.

The other two struggle against Xavier, and they are having a hard time restraining him.

“Get the girl,” Kai orders the man who is still shaking his head, attempting to get his bearings.

“No!” Xavier roars. Then, he blasts the next goon in the face.

Kai, realizing Xavier is free, takes a step back.

Blood trickles down Xavier’s face from a cut above his left eye, but he doesn’t seem to bother him. “Anna! Get in the house.”

“I won’t leave you!” I cry.

“Get in the fucking house.”

I stand there, frozen. There’s no way I’m leaving him out here, alone with these guys. I might not be strong, but I will help him anyway I can.

Kai laughs. “You’ve lost your touch, X. Seems you can’t even control your bitch.”

Without warning, X delivers a hard fist into Kai’s face, causing his head to whip to the side.

Kai traces his lips with his fingers and then spits a mouthful of blood onto the ground. “Is that how it is now?”

Xavier nods while his chest heaves. If looks could kill, Kai would already be in a body bag.

Kai steps around the front of the truck. “This isn’t over, X.”

Xavier allows the men to throw around their promises of retribution and doesn’t make a move to attack them. Rather, he stands firm in full-on protection mode until the men lock themselves inside the Escalade and drive away.

A
drenaline is still flowing through every inch of my body. “What in the hell was that all about?”

Xavier swallows hard. “Old friends.”

I crinkle my eyebrows inward. “Those were your
friends
? My God, Xavier, I would hate to see your enemies.”

“This was a mistake, coming back here. We should leave.” He starts toward the back of the house.

“We can do that. Quinn and Aunt Dee will let us stay there,” I remind him as the loose sections of blacktop on the driveway crunch beneath the soles of my shoes.

He sighs as he walks over to his bike that’s parked next to the back porch. “We can’t do that either. We’ll go to a hotel.”

I’m still holding the Styrofoam containers from Nettie in my hands as he bends down to chain the bike to a post that’s sunk into the ground as part of the porch’s foundation. The material of his dark jeans stretches perfectly over his sexy ass, and I appreciate the view, but I refuse to allow his body to distract me. We’ve got a serious situation here.