Xavier Lockwood
1224 Words
Maya's POV
My fingers tightened around the shopping bag.
He smiled. "Come on."
His smile faded when I didn't move. Without another word, he reached for my wrist.
I jerked back. "Don't touch me."
His hand closed around my arm anyway.
"Hey!" I twisted hard, trying to pull free. "Let me go!" I shoved at his chest with my free hand.
It doesn't help. It was like trying to move a brick wall.
"Let me go!" My voice rose above the traffic. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
A few people on the sidewalk slowed down but nobody stepped in to help. The men in black suits were enough to answer any questions they might have had.
"This is k********g!" I shouted. "Do you hear me? You're committing a crime!"
"k********g?" He glanced at me. "That's a strong word coming from someone who emptied my wallet.”
My mouth snapped shut. "..."
"That's what I thought."
"Oh, screw you." I tried wrenching my arm free again.
One of his arms slid around my waist. The ground disappeared beneath my feet.
"What…"
He hoisted me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" I hit his back with both of my fists. "Put me down!"
I threw another punch at his back. "You arrogant…."
Thump.
"You k********g…"
Thump.
"Asshole!"
He chuckled. "Language, kitten.”
I kept hitting him but not once did he slow down. He kept walking toward the sports car while my protests echoed across the street.
"You hear me?" I snapped. "Put me down!"
"You know..." he said as I kept struggling, "this would've looked a lot more romantic if you weren't trying to kick me.”
I kicked my legs again, one of my heels slipped off and landed somewhere behind us.
"Great!" I groaned. "Now you've stolen my shoe too!"
"You can keep fighting if it makes you feel better." His grip didn't loosen. "You're still getting in the car.”
“I hate you.” I growled.
"We've only known each other for less than twenty-four hours. You're moving a little fast, don't you think?.” He chuckled again.
He opened the passenger door without setting me down.
Then, with one smooth movement, he lowered me onto the leather seat.
I lunged for the open door but his hand caught it first. The door swung shut with a solid click and the lock dropped.
I grabbed the handle. "You've got five seconds to unlock this door." I screamed.
He unhurriedly walked around the front of the car. I leaned across the console, reaching for the driver's door just as he opened it from outside. He slid into the seat beside me.
Before I could move again, he reached across me.
"What are you…." I stiffened.
Click….The seatbelt locked across my chest.
He pulled it once to make sure it had caught, then settled back in his seat.
I glared at him. "Are you done?"
"I haven't even started.” He clicked his own seatbelt into place.
I grabbed the door handle again. "You've got one last chance," I snapped. "Open this door."
He didn't even look at me. Instead, he pressed the start button. The engine came to life with a deep, expensive growl.
Outside, the SUVs rolled into position behind us.
I looked from the side mirror to him. "You’re insane."
He rested one hand on the steering wheel. "I've been called worse."
I let out a frustrated sound and reached for the door again, yanking the handle harder this time.
"Are you done?" He turned to me.
"No." I said through gritted teeth.
Before I could pull the handle again, his hand came up, firmly catching my chin. "Stop making a scene, kitten." He let me go, turning back to the windshield.
I stared out the window for a second, trying to steady my breathing.
"You really thought you could steal from me..." The corner of his mouth lifted. "...and disappear?"
“I would've,” I shot back, folding my arms. “ If you hadn't chased me halfway across the city.”
A small smile crossed his face. “You've got confidence, I'll give you that…but I guess it's only fair you know whose watch you're carrying."
He looked at me for a moment. “I'm Xavier…” He paused. "Xavier Lockwood."
The name tugged at something in the back of my mind. Lockwood… I'd heard it before. Somewhere.
I frowned, searching for it. Then it hit me…..The Lockwood family. The mafia empire that people only ever spoke about in lowered voices.
No...My eyes snapped toward him. No way.
His eyes met mine, and the corner of his mouth lifted just enough for me to know he'd seen the moment recognition set in.
"So," he said, "you have heard of me."
It wasn't a question, I'm sure he already knew the answer.
I turned back to him, searching his face."You...You're the Xavier Lockwood."
"Now we're properly introduced…..”
-----
A pair of tall black gates swung open before we reached them.
The car rolled through. Only then did I notice the SUVs were gone. I hadn't even noticed when they'd peeled away.
The sports car came to a stop in front of a huge villa.
Xavier stepped out first. I quickly grabbed the door handle, pulling at it.
He opened my door from the outside. "Don't even think about it," he said.
"If you're expecting me to walk in there willingly," I frowned, "you're going to be disappointed."
"You're making this unnecessarily difficult for yourself." He signed. "I was hoping you'd make this easy.”
"I was hoping you'd hit your head on the way here."
The moment my feet touched the ground, I took off. I made it exactly three steps till his hand closed around my wrist.
"Hey!" I yanked against his grip but it didn't make a difference.
Before I could pull away again, he steered me toward the front door.
The doors opened before we reached them. A few members of the staff lowered their heads as Xavier walked in.
I looked from one face to another. Nobody was going to help me…Fantastic.
"Would you stop dragging me around?” I twisted my arm, trying to pull free.
He steered me upstairs before I could try anything else.
We stopped outside a bedroom, he pushed the door open, revealing a really huge room.
I looked at him. "I'm not staying here."
“Technically….” He leans against the door, looking around the room. "...you're already here.”
"For how long?"
"We'll figure that out."
I breathed out. "I'll return your money.”
He chuckled. "You think I care about the
cash?”
"So why am I here?" My brows furrowed.
He met my eyes. "Because I don't want you anywhere else."
Before I could make sense of what he meant, he stepped back into the hallway.
"Wait…"
The door closed anyways, the click of the lock, echoing in the room.
I hit the door with the palm of my hand. "Xavier!"
"I'll give your stupid money back!” I growled. "You can't keep me here!"
I rested my forehead against the door, letting out a long breath. "...Nice one, Maya."
Luna's voice slipped into my head…."One day you're going to steal from the wrong person."
- Writer
