Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 705

Chapter 705

The jerk was messing with me.

Refusing to let him win, I kept chewing, swallowing with dramatic flair.

Then, smirking, I raised a hand and used one finger to tip his chin up. Leaning in close, I murmured, "I've already done that with you-does it really matter?"

Xander's eyes darkened, but before he could react, I pulled back, spun around, and dodged toward the bathroom to wash my hands.

He'd ruined a perfectly good meal with that jab

Even so, it wasn't the same kind of sour feeling got when dealing with Wayne. Thinking of Wayne brought back the memory of his behavior last night, and I felt a wave of disgust creep over me. Things between us

were o

to be painfully awkward now. I couldn't keep using him for information either; the risk of him flipping the game on me was too high. If I kept pushing, I'd lose control before I could get what I needed.

And then there was Xander. Wayne wouldn't just let him off the hook-not after last night. Xander had disrupted his plans and bruised his ego. Confrontation wasn't Wayne's style, but retaliation? That was inevitable.

By the time I finished washing up, Xander had already set the table. The cream soup was poured, steaming gently beside an array of dishes. "Where are you going after this?" I asked casually, taking a sip of the soup.

"Why? Do you need something?" Xander replied, eating his breakfast.

was so composed, so unbothered. Even when I'd been poking at him earlier in the kitchen, he

down. "I'm just worried Wayne won't let you off the hook after what you pulled last night." Xander slid a small dish closer to

waiting for him to make his

happened, he still wouldn't have let me

away. Wayne would've come for him eventually. Last night just

getting his hands dirty," I

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Chapter 205

and letting others do the work." Xander didn't respond immediately, but

staring at?" I asked,

said, "I'll

his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen

or

a beat,

call here," I

risking himself, I wasn't about to let him make another mistake that could put him in danger. Xander held my gaze for a

through, casual but laced with

place. Having breakfast," Xander

bad! You're

cold fast. "Xander, do you have any idea whose woman she is? Are you tired of living comfortably?" "And yet, you didn't object

all, Xander's involvement with me-his entire presence in my life was all part of Cole's plan.