Chapter Twelve-Xander
1788 Words
Four months.
That was how long Cairo had been back.
Four months since he had walked into Harris Holdings and changed the atmosphere of the entire building simply by existing.
Four months since he had become my responsibility.
And four months since I had finally gotten what I had wanted for years.
Cairo was close.
Every day.
Within reach.
I saw him almost every day.
I knew his schedule.
I knew when he arrived.
I knew when he left.
I knew what meetings he had.
I knew what projects he was working on.
And, yes, I knew what he was wearing.
That last part still mattered.
It probably always would.
But there was something else that mattered even more.
Cairo was good.
Very good.
I sat behind my desk, looking through the latest quarterly reports from Harris Holdings, and couldn’t help the small smile that touched my mouth.
The boy had grown.
Not literally.
Cairo was still the same beautiful, delicate-looking man who could walk into a room and make people stare.
But professionally?
He had become someone else entirely.
Milan had taught him well.
He had brought back strategies, connections, and ideas that had already earned Harris Holdings several impressive deals.
He had secured an investor during his first week.
He had negotiated another major partnership a few weeks later.
And now he was leading projects I wouldn’t have expected him to touch when he first returned.
I was proud of him.
Extremely proud.
But Cairo was stubborn.
Painfully stubborn.
The kind of stubbornness that made me want to pull my hair out.
He still thought being twenty-seven meant he could do whatever he wanted.
It didn’t.
Not when it concerned his safety.
Not when it concerned where he went.
And definitely not when it concerned what he wore.
The club incident had never left my mind.
I doubted it ever would.
So yes, Cairo still asked me before going anywhere.
Sometimes I said no.
Most of the time, I said yes.
Especially when he started with that voice.
“Xander, please.”
“I’m twenty-seven.”
“It’s just lunch.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“I won’t stay long.”
He had learned exactly how to negotiate with me.
And I had learned exactly how to give in without letting him know he had won.
It was an arrangement.
An unusual one.
But it worked.
Mostly.
⸻
It was Friday night.
The office was almost empty.
I’d spent the entire evening buried in meetings and reports.
My last assistant had already gone home hours ago.
The building was quiet.
I was still working.
Then my phone rang.
I looked at the screen.
Cairo.
I immediately answered.
“What do you want?”
Silence.
Then—
“Um… Xander.”
I leaned back.
There it was.
The um.
The hesitation.
The soft voice.
He wanted something.
“No.”
A pause.
“But you haven’t even asked me yet.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Because you only sound like that when you want something.”
He went quiet.
Then:
“Xander, please.”
I closed my eyes.
“Cairo.”
“Please.”
“Fine.”
I sighed.
“What do you want?”
“Caleb and I…”
“You’re going where?”
“We’re going to a club.”
“No.”
The answer came automatically.
“No.”
“But—”
“No.”
“It’s important.”
I stared at my desk.
“What exactly is important about going to a club?”
Silence.
“Please?”
“No.”
“Xander…”
“I said no.”
Another pause.
Then he tried something new.
“I’ll listen to you more.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll give up five of my clothes.”
I almost smiled.
He was negotiating with his wardrobe.
“Which clothes?”
“The ones you don’t like.”
“Interesting.”
“They make me look naked, remember?”
That almost got a laugh out of me.
Almost.
“You really are trying to bribe me with clothes.”
“They’re expensive.”
“I know.”
“You hate them.”
“I do.”
“So?”
I sighed.
“When are you going?”
“I just called to ask you first.”
“When?”
“Eleven.”
I looked at the clock.
“You’re calling me at ten-thirty to tell me you’re leaving at eleven?”
“Well…”
“You already made the decision.”
“No.”
“Cairo.”
“I wanted permission.”
I rubbed my forehead.
He was impossible.
“Fine.”
His voice immediately brightened.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
“But Caleb picks you up.”
“I can drive.”
“No.”
“My driver—”
“No.”
“Then Caleb.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll pick you up when you’re done.”
There was silence.
“And you’re coming home with me.”
“Xander…”
“That’s the arrangement.”
“Do I have to?”
“Yes.”
“Can I go home instead?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re staying the weekend.”
Another silence.
“Fine.”
“Good.”
“And send me a picture before you leave.”
“Of what?”
“What you’re wearing.”
“Xander…”
“No revealing clothes.”
“Fine.”
“And Cairo?”
“Yes?”
“I want to see the picture before you leave.”
He sighed.
“Okay.”
I ended the call.
I stared at my phone.
Four months.
And somehow, I still knew exactly how to handle him.
⸻
An hour later, my phone buzzed.
A picture.
I opened it.
And stopped.
Cairo was wearing a rustic-gold outfit.
Long sleeves.
Soft fabric.
Elegant.
It fell perfectly against him without exposing much.
Beautiful.
Perfect.
I typed immediately.
Me: Good.
Then:
Me: Text me when you arrive.
He replied with a simple:
Cairo: Okay.
I went back to work.
I didn’t know how long I worked after that.
By the time I closed my laptop, it was after midnight.
I drove home.
Showered.
Changed.
Then waited.
My phone buzzed.
Cairo: We’re here.
I replied immediately.
Me: Where are you sitting?
Cairo: At a table.
Me: Who is with you?
Cairo: Caleb.
Me: Anyone else?
Cairo: No.
Ten minutes later:
Me: What are you doing?
Cairo: Sitting.
A few minutes.
Me: Who are you talking to?
Cairo: No one.
I looked at the clock.
Two in the morning.
Enough.
I grabbed my keys.
Me: I’m outside.
⸻
The music hit me before I even reached the main floor.
People everywhere.
Lights.
Noise.
Too many people.
Too many men.
My eyes searched the room.
Then I found him.
Cairo.
Dancing.
With Caleb.
Nobody was touching him.
But people were looking.
That was enough.
My jaw tightened.
He looked beautiful.
Of course he did.
That was the problem.
Cairo didn’t understand what he did to a room simply by walking into it.
I walked toward them.
Caleb saw me first.
His expression changed.
“Crap.”
Cairo turned.
His eyes widened.
I stopped in front of them.
“Time’s up.”
Cairo blinked.
“What?”
“We’re going.”
Caleb immediately raised his hands.
“Bro, take it easy.”
I looked at him.
He stopped talking.
Immediately.
Good.
I reached for Cairo’s bag.
“Come.”
Cairo sighed.
“Okay.”
I didn’t touch him beyond taking his bag and guiding him toward the exit.
I wasn’t going to make a scene.
I wasn’t going to embarrass him.
But I was taking him home.
⸻
The car was silent.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then I asked:
“Why were you dancing like that?”
Cairo turned toward me.
“I was having fun.”
“Do you have to have fun by dancing like that?”
He sighed.
“Xander, please don’t start.”
I glanced at him.
“It’s too late.”
“It’s two in the morning.”
“Exactly.”
“Please.”
I said nothing.
He looked tired.
I was tired.
There was no point arguing.
I drove.
Eventually, we reached my house.
⸻
Cairo changed into one of the pajamas already waiting for him.
I changed too.
When he came downstairs, he looked around.
“Where am I sleeping?”
I looked at him.
“On the bed.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“Your bed?”
“Yes.”
He hesitated.
I could already see the protest coming.
“Please don’t start.”
“But—”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
He sighed.
“Okay.”
He climbed onto the bed.
I followed.
Then I opened my arm.
“Scoot over.”
He looked at me.
Then at my arm.
Then at me again.
He hesitated.
Finally, he moved closer.
“Xander…”
“Go to sleep.”
He sighed.
“Okay.”
I wrapped my arm around him from behind.
He went still for a moment.
Then relaxed.
Within minutes, his breathing changed.
He was asleep.
I stayed awake.
Looking at him.
His face was peaceful.
His hair was slightly messy.
His body fit against mine almost perfectly.
I looked down at him.
How could someone so small cause so much trouble?
How could someone so stubborn drive me insane?
How could I have spent years watching him from a distance…
And somehow love him more now that he was close?
I tightened my arm slightly.
Not enough to wake him.
Just enough to remind myself he was there.
Cairo was home.
Not Milan.
Not somewhere across the world.
Here.
With me.
I knew what people would call me.
Obsessive.
Possessive.
Controlling.
Maybe they were right.
I wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.
But there was something they wouldn’t understand.
I didn’t just want Cairo because he was beautiful.
I didn’t want him because he was gentle.
I didn’t want him because every room became brighter when he entered it.
I wanted him because somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, he had become the person my entire world revolved around.
And that scared me more than anything.
Because I loved him.
I really loved him.
More than I knew how to explain.
I looked at the sleeping man in my arms.
“You’re impossible,” I whispered.
Cairo didn’t move.
He only breathed softly against my chest.
I closed my eyes.
For the first time that night, I felt completely calm.
He was here.
Safe.
Close.
And for tonight, that was enough.
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