Chapter 7 Unveiled Threats
1042 Words
Yasmine accelerated her pace but sensed someone following her.
Panic set in, and she broke into a run, only to be caught seconds later and pulled into a searing embrace.
"Were they bothering you? Are you hurt?" Xavier's voice enveloped her from above.
"Mr. Quinlan?"
Her efforts to escape the embrace were futile against his strength. She felt utterly overpowered, reminiscent of the helplessness she'd felt the previous night.
Thankfully, Xavier released her promptly. He even ensured she was stable on her feet before scrutinizing her closely.
"I'm alright. Thank you." Yasmine managed, daring to meet his gaze.
That single look was enough to captivate her, drawing her deep into the whirlpool of his intense eyes.
Meanwhile, she felt an involuntary rush of desire, signaling her growing affection for the man before her.
Instinctively, she clenched her legs together, trying to suppress her instincts with a dose of reality.
It appeared Xavier caught her subtle gesture. His lips curved into a brief smirk before he regained his composure.
Did I see that right? Did he just smile?
"Are you scared of me?" Xavier's voice deepened. "Why? You're not frightened by the man who harmed you, yet you seem scared of me?"
"No, I'm not," Yasmine lied, diverting her eyes in guilt.
"That's a lie." His voice was deep and resonant, striking Yasmine's heart and making her tremble.
Xavier reached out, gently touching the side of her neck in a soothing gesture.
"You're forgiven, but sweetheart, don’t you lie to me just to protect other people again."
He then removed his hand from her neck and fixed Yasmine's collar.
"Looks like Logan hasn't done a good job teaching Hayden. Maybe it's time I stepped in as his uncle and gave him a proper lesson. You're his wife, and you deserve better than that."
"I’m good, thank you!" Yasmine quickly declined, eager to avoid any more involvement with Xavier. "I can handle my own problems, just like I did earlier."
"Oh? So that was how you..." Xavier's lips curved into a knowing smile.
Realizing she had slipped up again, Yasmine blushed and hurriedly slipped past him, almost running away. Xavier followed her at a measured pace, like a cat that had found an intriguing toy.
Passing the elevator, its doors abruptly opened, and a strident voice rang out. "Yasmine Yancey?!"
She turned to see a statuesque woman in a leather jacket blocking her path. And that woman raised her hand in anger.
"What have you done to my sister?!"
Xavier intercepted that hand in mid-air.
He questioned, his voice filled with menace, "Joyce Yates, who do you think you're talking to right now?"
Startled, Joyce responded, "Chief, I... I didn't know you were here."
Her gaze shifted between them as malice flickered in her eyes.
"You shameless b***h. How dare you, a married woman, flirt with Chief?!" she muttered under her breath.
"Silence! Don't forget your role as a secretary!" Xavier sharply rebuked, releasing her hand.
"Yes, Chief, sorry," Joyce said begrudgingly. She shot Yasmine a resentful glance before bowing her head.
"Chief, the state senator is ready to see you now." Willie approached, updating Xavier.
"Got it." Xavier nodded, his expression shifting to one of seriousness as he strode toward the stairs.
Joyce's face twisted with jealousy as he departed.
"I'm warning you, b***h. Keep away from Chief, or you'll regret it." She seethed at Yasmine.
Yasmine, however, merely laughed derisively. She spared one last look at the pitifully infatuated woman before turning away, not bothering to glance back.
Exhausted from a day's work and the drama courtesy of Isabella, Yasmine bid farewell to her colleague Diana, changed out of her scrubs, and stepped through the hospital's exit.
She barely made it a few steps when a sleek black Range Rover halted in front of her.
As the window smoothly descended, Xavier's chiseled features came into view.
"Mr. Quinlan?" Yasmine expressed her surprise.
"Hop in."
He beckoned with a compelling smile, and his voice was so rich and inviting.
"Oh, thanks, but there's a shuttle from the hospital." Yasmine hesitated.
"You hop in, or I'll carry you in," Xavier teased with one eyebrow arched.
The thought of such a scene, right in front of her workplace and colleagues, was unthinkable.
Reluctantly, Yasmine climbed into Xavier's vehicle.
The drive toward her residence was smooth, but her heart raced erratically.
Xavier's cologne, a blend of musk and sophistication, wrapped around her, evoking wild, untamed associations.
It reminded her of the vast migrations across the African savannah after the rains and, even more vividly, of primal mating rituals.
Stop!
Yasmine jolted back to reality. She was mortified to realize she had begun to associate Xavier with raw, unbridled desire.
Her loin flared in base and illicit fantasies about him!
Her breathing faltered, and she covered her face in dismay.
"Something wrong?" Xavier, having quietly observed her, found amusement in her clenching thighs.
"Just exhausted. I really need to get some sleep." Yasmine quickly composed herself. She firmly pressed her legs together as her damp undergarments whispered secrets of her turmoil.
"We're almost there." Xavier signaled the driver to hasten. They soon arrived in the neighborhood of Yasmine's residence.
"Thanks for the ride," she said as she began to exit, only to be abruptly pulled back.
Losing her balance, she fell onto Xavier's lap.
Thanks to his quick reflexes, he caught her waist. "Careful!"
The feel of his solid muscles beneath her sent a wave of shame through her. Her body reacted with an embarrassing yearning.
"I just wanted to mention that Logan's seventieth birthday is next week, and I've received an invite."
"Uh... welcome?" Yasmine looked up at him, awkwardly wondering if her response was too premature.
Her reaction elicited a hearty laugh from Xavier, who seemed to find her dilemma endearingly clumsy.
"Alright then, off you go." He finally released her. "Looking forward to our next meeting, Sweetie."
Yasmine quickly exited the vehicle. "See you!"
Watching the Range Rover drive off, Yasmine felt as if her legs were made of jelly. She made her way upstairs, eager for the oblivion of sleep to erase the day.
Yet, as she opened her front door, she was confronted by the sight of her husband, Hayden, waiting inside.
- Writer
