Xavier FINAL (Men of Steel #4) (6 page)

“Let’s hear it.” She smiled.

“Princess. The hair and makeup always perfect. I bet you have perfectly pedicured
feet and an every six week appointment at some salon in uptown. You’re probably groomed
perfectly.” I waited for a response and her eyes slowly widened. “You act all uptight
most of the time so either you’re a vanilla girl or you’re a freak in the sheets.
I assume your Dad is loving and over protective and your mother stays home making
sure there are fresh flowers on the table and dinner is served at exactly six at night.
I bet you have your pretty little outfits ironed and hanging in your dressing room
each morning. Am I close?”

“Almost. You forgot the maid and the birds that dress me every day.”

Lucky fucking bird
.

“Not far off am I?”

“Oh you’re way off. But let me have a crack at you again. All I said was you thought
you were all that. But since you dug so deep let me tell you what else I see.”

“Let’s have it.”

“Spoiled rich kid born with a silver spoon. You’re twenty?”

“Twenty three.” I nodded.

“You’re going through a phase in life that you have no clue who you would be without
your family and you don’t like it. So you decide to get passionate about this.” She
waved her hand around. “You wanna live an eternal party full of late nights and easy
girls so the fact that you liked to wear your hat cocked to the side, and your jeans
way too low as opposed to a suit to show off your gym made body, this,” she waved
her hand around again. “Makes sense. The perfect part is you’ll have what it takes
to hire people to make it work and sit back and enjoy the success while you wait for
your balls to drop and sprout hair.”

I may have been pissed, maybe I should have been pissed, but I wasn’t.

“My balls dropped a long time ago. That would be the reason I like those low riding
jeans. My lower half is of epic proportions; nothing needs to get squashed down there.
Hair, not a fan of it. Which shows you that I am a gentleman. I hate to have any chick
I’m with have to pluck it out of their mouth. Again, showing you how thoughtful I
am. And Taelyn, I am offended by the hat comment. Look at my hair. It’s fucking beautiful,
why would I cover this up unless it was just too damn cold out?”

Her mouth dropped and then we both started to laugh.

“Get up. I’m hungry and think a work dinner is necessary. Let’s roll.”

“I can stay here, go ahead.”

“I’m gonna feed you. You seem a bit cranky. That time of the…”

“Don’t even go there.”

I grabbed her coat and held it out for her to slide her arms in. “Thanks.”

“Do you say that to your morning birds?”

“You are so incredibly wrong about me.” She laughed.

“Which part, vanilla?”

She smacked my shoulder. “Everything.”

~

We jumped in the SUV and she laughed, “No car?”

“Sorry Princess not tonight.”

I grabbed my phone and dialed the shop. Ricco answered.

“Hey Bro, what’s the traffic like down there?”

“Coast is clear dude, just like it has been for the past week after five.”

“No photographers hanging out in the bushes?”

“None man. You stopping down?”

“Yep, in about an hour. I have to stop at the house and grab some baggy jeans and
a ball cap. See you soon.”

I threw it in reverse and backed out of the parking spot.

“You know you could have just pulled ahead.” She laughed as she buckled her seat belt.

“Unless you’ve been in my bed or sucking my,” she smacked my chest. “Fine, but don’t
tell me how to drive. I was backing out so there was room to do this.”

I gunned the accelerator and then slammed on the emergency break so the SUV did donuts
in the empty parking lot. She laughed and screamed so loud I had to do it again.

“You’re crazy!”

“Fun though right?” I laughed as I pulled out onto the road.

I turned on the radio and
Team
by Lorde was playing. “This song, Taelyn, is amazing. Listen to her voice. Nothing
commercial about it, it’s pure. That’s the shit we need to find.”

“I love her music. It’s my shower jam.” She started grooving a bit and so did I.

“You play an instrument?”

“Do you?”

“Yeah.” I smiled.

“Let me guess, you have a baby grand piano in the family living room?”

“No, I finger fuck the hell out of a guitar and bang the hell out of the drums. I
can play sax and trumpet too. Pretty much anything that I want to learn to play. So
no, this isn’t just a joke for me. It’s who I am. You did hit the nail on the head
with the family shit. I love them, would do anything for them but I’m a man and I
need to make this happen because of my blood, sweat, and tears. No one else’s.

“That’s nice.”

“So spill it, you play anything?”

“I liked to sing when I was younger. But no instrument. Why, what did you think I
played?”

“Flute.”
Skin flute
I thought.

I pulled up in front of Cyrus’s place. “Come on in. I need to get changed.”

She jumped out and followed me inside.

“Your house is nice.”

“Not mine, my brother’s.”

“Which brother?” She asked as she walked over to the fireplace mantle and looked at
the pictures of Cyrus and Tara.

“Cyrus, the oldest.” I answered as I took my shirt off. “You’re going to need to change.”

She looked at me and away quickly.

“Taelyn you go to the beach?”

“Yes of course I do.”

“Then why are you looking away like I just flashed you my dick or something?”

“Your nipples.”

“Yeah?”

“Didn’t that hurt?”

“Briefly.” I grabbed her hand and put it on my chest. “Pull on them.”

She tried to pull her hand away and laughed nervously.

“Seriously Xavier?” She turned and looked at me but didn’t move her hand; she actually
moved closer, then tugged a little and then laughed and covered her mouth. “Did it
hurt?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Oh.” Was all she said. She was looking me up and down and I felt my cock chub. “What’s
‘Hold Fast’ about?” She asked as she pointed to my obliques.

I licked my lips and looked at her, “You don’t want to know.”

“I did or I wouldn’t have asked.”

“When you’re holding them you better hold on, and you better make it fast cause your
ass is going to be in the palm of my hands and I’m going to lift you up and bury my…”

“Dear God,” she closed her eyes and again her face was getting pink.

The way she said dear God really put my dick into seek and destroy mode, so I laughed
and walked into the bedroom to grab some clothes. I chanted in my head,
Shawn White, Shawn White, Shawn White
, hoping like hell the vision of that mess would supersede the way she gasped and
said
Dear God
.

I threw my pants on the ground and grabbed a pair of jeans out of the closet and threw
them on. Yes, they were loose and hanging on my hips, exactly where they should be.
I grabbed one of Tara’s vintage tees, a pair of leggings, and a sweatshirt for me.

“Here. Bathroom’s down the hall, first door on the right.” I handed her the clothes.
“Put these on.”

“But…”

“No buts, we need to get going. Your little suit coat and skirt won’t blend well where
we’re going.”

When she walked out of the bathroom she was pulling the shirt down. “So, I am not
an extra small. Nor will I be going in public with a half shirt on.”

“Looks good to me.” I walked around her.

She walked into Cyrus’s room and grabbed my shirt off the bed and put it on. “Do you
have a belt in that closet?”

“Maybe?” I walked past looking at her and I reached up and pulled the clip out of
her hair.

“Xavier!”

“Naughty school girl bun isn’t gonna work either.” I laughed as I walked into the
closet. When I came out she was combing her fingers through her thick wavy auburn
hair.

“Here you go.” I handed her the belt.

She buttoned the bottom button of the shirt and buckled the belt as tight as she could
and it hung on her narrow hips. “This is as good as it’s gonna get.”

Thank fuck for that. “Looks good, let’s roll.”

“Shoes. All I have are my pumps.” She said as she stopped at the door.

“Pumps are perfect.”

“I look like a hooker.” She scowled in the entry window looking at her reflection.

“No you don’t, let’s go.”

That hair, my shirt, pumps, and hooker talk were more than I could handle now.
Fuck!

Chapter 6

Princess Me

I looked at the clock and it was seven. Time flies when you’re having fun. Fun. How
is it that I’m actually enjoying this?

“You remind me of my brothers.”

“Yeah you mentioned that.” His lips curled up. “So tell me about them.”

“Kaen, and Keller, are two years older than me. And Grady is two years younger.”

“That’s all I get? No deets?”

“Kaen and Keller are twins, they work for themselves. Grady worked for them but quit
and went to college. Criminal justice major.”

“Your parents, was I right? Old money, Mom stays home?”

“Not at all. Dad’s worked for Boston PD for years. He should have retired by now but
he’s stubborn. My Mom did stay home until Grady went to school. Then she worked at
a local florist, so yes, she makes dinner and we often have fresh cut flowers on the
table. Blue collar family, I’m not a princess.”

“That’s cool. Hard working family, nothing wrong with that.” He pulled into a dark
alley between two buildings.

“Should I be afraid?” I laughed when he put the SUV into park and turned off the engine.

“What do you think I’m gonna do?”

“I don’t know kidnap me?” I laughed and unbuckled.

“I wouldn’t call it kidnapping, I prefer artistic adoption.”

I laughed and got out of the vehicle.

I followed him to the back door of the building and he punched in a code and held
the door open, “After you.”

“Do you know the owners?” I looked back as he kicked off the snow from his work boots.

“Yes, the Steel family.” He laughed as he walked by me and headed to the fridge. “I
think you know the youngest, and hottest I might add.”

“And the one who’s the most humble,” a guy with pierced brows and a nose ring walked
up and gave him a guy hug. You know the pat on the back and the shoulders tap.

“Ricco this is Taelyn. Taelyn this is Ricco. He’s one of the managers here.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ricco waved and grabbed a soda out of the fridge.

Xavier opened the freezer and pulled out a dish and groaned, “Thank God.”

“Hey that’s gold around here you know.” Ricco joked.

“Good thing you’re here tonight then. We might share it with you.” He held up the
dish. “Momma Joe’s lasagna.”

“Josephina Steel?” I asked.

“Best cook in the world,” Ricco smiled. “Let me know when it’s done. I’ll be out front
if you need me.”

He walked out and Xavier removed the wrapping and popped the dish in the microwave.

“Your mom cooks for all of your employees?”

“Yeah. She and my brothers took off for Italy after Thanksgiving. I stayed as long
as I could. Felt like I was dying over there.” He pulled out a chair. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks.”

I smiled and looked around. “Before the hurricane this was a restaurant. Italian of
course. My father and mother bought it when he retired from the Navy. We set up roots
my sophomore year. Never stayed in one place long and honestly it never bothered me.
Three brothers and two of the best parents in the world.” He stopped and looked around.
I thought I saw something different in his eyes and then he chuckled. “Anyway, Dad
died and the building was destroyed. We’re a blue collar family too. We would have
lost everything if Momma hadn’t turned this place into a tattoo shop. We all worked
here together. Busted our ass and built up a name. Never got rich but we lived well
you know.”

“I’m sorry about your father.” I reached over and held his hand.

He looked down and then rubbed his thumb across the back of mine and then sat back
in his chair and linked his hands behind his neck.

“As I was saying, we never had a lot but we had enough. Lots of shit happened, bad
shit, but we survived. My parents met in Italy when he was stationed there. Insta-love.
Her family was very wealthy and forbid her to marry him but she didn’t care. She walked
away from it all for my Dad. Her family disowned her. No matter how tough things got
Dad would never even think about asking for her families’ help. Never. When my Momma
Joe’s Mom died we inherited a fuck load of money, and a business. Momma said no, Jase
and Cyrus persuaded her otherwise. I took off for a year and traveled Europe on my
own dime. I never wanted all that. I wanted this. I wanted to work, be creative, and
make it on my own. I know Dad wouldn’t be pissed but I can’t say he wouldn’t be disappointed.
I didn’t want to be part of that disappointment.”

He was looking at the ceiling and seemed lost in thought. Then he sat forward.

“We hid it from the world. No one connected a bunch of tattooed, pierced, fuck ups
to Steel Incorporated. We all did shifts here still. Ricco and Kat, the managers knew,
but they’re like family so it was cool. Then some stupid fucking picture goes viral
and we are all over the news. No connections to Steel, yet, but there are reporters
that hang out here waiting for a glimpse at us.”

“Why? I don’t get it.”

“Cause we are hot, tattooed bad boys Taelyn. Eligible bachelors. It’s fucking stupid
but we all took off to put distance between us and the media circus. Momma is so hell
bent that I’m gonna get my heart broken by some money grubbing female if that connection
is made that she almost forbid me to come back. Crazy fucked up shit isn’t it?” He
laughed.

“No, that’s what family does. I think its sweet she is worried about your heart.”

He stood up and pulled the pan out of the microwave using his sleeves as pot holders.