Free Xavier Cold (Hard Knocks #2) by Michelle A. Valentine Page B

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.

Chapter 9
Anna
    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.
    “You said that we couldn’t afford to do that.”
    “I’ll figure it out.”
    “Well if you won’t stay at my aunts, then we’re staying here. It’s the logical thing to do.”
    Xavier pushes himself up and rolls his shoulders back. The thin material of his black button-up shirt strains against his biceps. All of his clothes seem to fit extra tight, probably due to his sheer size, but it looks good on him because his body is so defined.
    “Did you forget what just happened here?” he asks.
    “No, of course not.”
    He sets his eyes on me. “Then, you know why we need to go.”
    No matter how badly he wants to leave this place, Xavier needs to realize that staying in a hotel for three straight months will hit his bank account hard, and we can’t do that—unless he thinks we won’t be safe.
    “Will those guys hurt us if we stay here?”
    Xavier’s blue eyes darken. “They’ll never touch you.”
    I stare into his eyes, knowing he means that. He’s proven time and time again that he would never allow anyone to hurt me, so I’m not afraid for my own well-being, only his.
    I take a step toward him to close the distance between us. “Will they hurt you?”
    “No. I’m too valuable to them. They think I’m a walking ATM. They might threaten me, but they know, if something happens to me, the cops would be all over them.”
    “Then, we should stay. I’m not afraid, as long as I