Page 99 of Xander

Henry was still typing. I could picture him in his office, surrounded by all that darker, forbidding-looking furniture, made darker and more forbidding still by the drapes he never opened.

Henry: Alexandros shouldn’t have taken you away in your fragile emotional state, but I understand why he did. He’s always had a black-and-white sense of fairness, and the way I treated you, Jordan, was reprehensible. But both of you have also done me wrong.

The use of Xander’s full name gave me pause. I hadn’t seen it used in a very long time.

So, this was his apology? If it was an apology at all, Henry still hadn’t said “sorry,” and it felt rehearsed rather than genuine. I could easily imagine him practicing it, getting each word exactly right—perhaps with his secretary.

I swallowed back the bitterness, even as my bruised cheek and the side of my body ached anew at the memory of his impromptu beating.

Nonetheless, I needed to do some damage control. I might hate Xander right now, but first and foremost, I was a professional and his PR representative. I knew Xander wouldn’t back down against his father. If I didn’t stop this madness, he would destroy himself trying to take his father down.

And I didn’t want to be the reason his career was destroyed.

Me: So just because Xander protected me, he deserves what you’re doing to him? He is your son. And you’re destroying his future. So I ask you again, Henry, what do I need to do to make this stop?

His response was slower this time. I wondered if this was because we were deviating from his script.

Henry: Can I see you?

Can I… The request for permission was odd.

Me: I don’t think that’s a good idea. Tell me what you want, and I’ll see if I can make it happen.

Henry: I only negotiate face to face, Jordan, as you well know.

Three dots floated, then disappeared.

Henry: Xander and Jasper are my only children, and neither of them wants anything to do with me. I’m the one losing the only family I have left. The least you can give me is a face-to-face meeting.

I stopped pacing, floored. This was the first time Henry had been vulnerable. Hearing this from him now was like learning that a cactus could cry. But empathy was wasted on a man like Henry.

Me: If your sons want nothing to do with you, that’s your own doing.

It surprised me how painless it was to say my blunt truth. For so many years, everything had felt muddled, mired down in emotions I couldn’t be bothered to untangle. But now, those waters had cleared, and the reality had never felt so chillingly transparent.

As angry as I was with Xander, a part of me also felt sorry for him. Any man would be fucked up if they were raised by such a father.

Henry was the reason behind Xander’s fucked-up sense of normalcy in a relationship. Henry was the reason Xander was acting like his own worst enemy. Henry was the reason Xander locked me up in this bedroom.

Henry: That’s why I want to meet. I want to make amends. Let’s discuss ways to solve this before it gets any uglier. I can have both the article and the photo pulled.

Having the photo pulled would be huge for Xander and the whole team. I was surprised I’d come to care for all the guys in such a short time. They had vowed to protect me and have Xander’s back; I didn’t want them suffering because of that.

Me: Stop dancing around the problem. Instead of insulting us both, why don’t you tell me what your terms are?

Henry capitulated so quickly that it made me suspect his initial resistance had been a test. He was waiting me out as if I were one of his investors.

Henry: If you return home, I’ll call off the press. You can work your magic to fix all our reputations, and I’ll find a way to put this ugly mess behind us. This can all go away tomorrow. All you have to do is come home.

It was the deal I expected him to offer, one I knew Xander would never accept. My heart twisted in my chest at the thought of leaving him behind. I didn’t love Henry; he was a monster. I could never go back to him after what he had done. But I couldn’t reveal my cards just yet. Not until I found another way out of this mess.

When I woke up the next morning, someone had left a tray of breakfast on the office desk. I picked at the food and wasn’t surprised when the television automatically turned on for Xander’s game.

I kept reminding myself that I hated him even as he kept dedicating goal after goal to me. By the last dedication, much to my chagrin, a blush crept up my neck. This time, I hated myself for being such a weak woman.

Huffing with frustration, I spent the rest of the day calling various companies willing to provide the team with free gear. I smiled with satisfaction when one of them took my bait and understood why Xander hadn’t confiscated my phone. I would’ve gone out of my mind if I couldn’t work.

In the world of lunacy, this gesture was oddly sweet.