Chapter 9

I decline Xavier’s call for the seventeenth’s time today and try my hardest to focus on my work, but every few minutes, I’m reminded of last night. What was I thinking, kissing Xavier Kingston? I must’ve momentarily lost my mind. My phone rings again, and I turn it off altogether. I stole one of his cars last night and drove it home, but my driver returned it this morning, so there’s absolutely no reason for me to speak to him.

I sigh and bury my face in my hands, my heart heavy. When he told me that he isn’t romantically involved with anyone, I believed him. For years, I genuinely believed that he might be crafty with words, but he never lied to me, and I should’ve known better. He’s a deceitful, dishonorable liar, and I’m nothing but a gullible fool.

This is exactly why I’ve stayed away from him for years, why I distanced myself after that very first kiss. I’ve never been the kind of person that’d knowingly hurt another woman, and in any case, I’m not after a cheap fling. I’ve always wanted more than that.

My chest aches as I think about my five older brothers and my sisters-in-law, each of them uniquely perfect for their spouse. I want that. I want the kind of intimacy they have, where one person always knows what the other is thinking, without any words being exchanged at all. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted my own happily ever after, and getting involved with Xavier Kingston is a surefire way to ensure I’ll never have it.

My gaze drifts to the window as I begin to wonder when it’ll be my turn. Just like my siblings, I’ll end up in a marriage arranged by my grandmother, and I can’t help but wonder… will the man she chooses for me captivate me? Would he be able to finally make me stop thinking about Xavier Kingston?

“Sierra?” Claire says, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look up to find my sweet assistant hovering by the door, looking nervous. “There’s a Mr. Graham Thorne here to see you. I told him that your schedule is packed, but he insisted that I let you know he’s here.”

I smile involuntarily and nod. “Let him in,” I tell her. “He’s a friend, Claire. Please add him to my approved visitor list.”

Her shoulders sag in relief, and she smiles sweetly. Claire has been with me for so many years, but she’s still exactly the same person she was when I first hired her. Honest, hardworking, and loyal. She’s one of my best paid employees and one of the people I depend on most, but she’s never let it get to her head. I doubt she realizes just how rare it is to meet people like her, who are truly earnest. Unlike Xavier damn Kingston.

“Sierra!” Graham says as he walks into my office wearing the biggest smile.

I rise to my feet and walk around my desk to hug him, my mood instantly lifted. He squeezes me tightly before letting go, and I grin up at him. “What brings you here? I wasn’t expecting you!”

“It’s work, I’m afraid,” he tells me, holding up his briefcase. “My parents insist that I work with you. Apparently, you’ve become quite the industry titan.”

I raise a brow, intrigued, and he hands me a folder detailing a development plan for a shopping mall that’s been on my radar for a while. “You think we should jointly acquire and develop this?” I ask, holding up the folder. “I guess if we work together, we could make it work, but you should know that this is a plot of land that⁠—”

“—that Xavier Kingston has his eye on. I know.” Graham smiles at me. “If you wanted to, I reckon you could win this bid all by yourself, but it’s a high-risk acquisition since the area hasn’t been developed yet.”

I nod as I begin to mentally run the numbers. “I’m not sure…” I murmur. I wouldn’t even have considered it at all if it hadn’t been Graham asking me. He’s always been sensible, and from what I understand, he’s grown his family’s overseas holdings at a higher rate than anyone thought possible. I have no doubt he’ll do amazing things here too, now that he’s back home. I don’t stand to lose much by working with him, but this specific project… it’s not one I’m sure I want to get involved in, considering how badly Xavier wants it.

“I think you should let me take you out for dinner so I can ply you with good food and drinks as I make my case.”

I chuckle as I grab my purse. “You had me at food,” I admit. “Besides, I’ve been meaning to call you so we could catch up properly, and I’d much prefer to do that in person.”

“Perfect, because I’ve been wanting to go to The Renegade.”

I miss a step, and Graham wraps his arm around my waist. “What?” I ask, my voice strained.

“The Renegade,” Graham repeats, frowning.

I nod slowly and gesture toward my door, uncertain whether I should make an excuse. The last thing I want to do today is visit Xavier’s best-known restaurant, one he often frequents himself, but I don’t want to try to explain myself. Besides, I might never admit it, but the food is really great. They have every single one of my favorite dishes on the menu, and each of them is done to perfection.

“You’re practically buzzing with excitement,” I say as Graham and I walk into the restaurant. He hasn’t stopped talking about all the things he wants to try from the moment we left my office, and I’m starting to suspect that going out for dinner was his main objective. It’s such a Graham thing to do. He’s always been such a foodie, and he was the one who introduced me to some of my favorite dishes that I might never have tried otherwise.

“Welcome to The Renegade,” one of the servers says, a big smile on her face.

I smile back at her apologetically and glance at her name tag. “We don’t have a reservation, Jane, but we were hoping you’d have a table for two available for us?”

Her smile slips a little, her eyes widening. “Ms. Windsor?” she asks, her tone uncertain.

“Wow, you’re famous, huh?” Graham murmurs, knocking his shoulder against mine. I can’t help but blush and shake my head. I’m not at all well-known, unlike Raven, who is both a designer and a supermodel, or even my other sister-in-law, Faye, who is a famous concert pianist. Just like the rest of my family, I’m frequently featured in both business and gossip magazines, but not to the extent that I’d be recognized at a restaurant.

Jane clears her throat and smiles brightly. “Please, allow me to lead you to your table,” she says, and I nod, a little confused by her reaction to me.

“Definitely famous,” Graham whispers when she leads us to a secluded table by the window, overlooking the city.

It isn’t the view I’m looking at, though. How could I, when Xavier Kingston sits at the table next to ours, Valeria seated in front of him, his hand covering hers over the table? He laughs at something she says, and I tear my eyes off him, my hatred for him burning hotter than ever before.