"Nads, I don't do well with trouble, and falling in love is the biggest trouble of all."Nadia had known that Quinn was skeptical about love, but she hadn't realized just how deep that skepticism ran."Quinny, not all men are like your father." Nadia wondered if Quinn was truly going to let Maurice's mistakes dictate the rest of her life. Would she let one man's failings cast a shadow over her future and forsake the possibility of love entirely?"Nads, I'm not going to invest my hopes in any man."Men would always be the same. They would be charming and attentive while they were trying to win you over, but once the novelty wore off, they would become completely different people.Quinn returned with the two dips, one of which she had deliberately spiked with extra hot sauce for Xavier.She handed him the spicier dip with a mischievous grin. "I'm not exactly a dip expert; I hope you don't mind."Xavier caught on immediately—she'd loaded his dip with hot sauce, while her own was
Quinn could taste the spicy flavor on Xavier's lips.Finally, he released her. She sat on his lap while he leaned against her chest, trying to calm the turmoil within him. Quinn couldn't deny that she felt something, too. She was only 20 years old, and they had been intimate before. Now, just a little teasing from him was enough to push her over the edge.Her body responded despite herself. Quinn instinctively tried to press her legs together."Do you want to? Should we get a hotel room?" Xavier asked, his voice husky with desire. "Quinn, isn't it better to be honest about what your body wants? Why hide it?"He could already sense her arousal.Quinn grabbed his chiseled chin, her grip firm. "Xavier, it's just a basic instinct."She tried to get off his lap, but his grip on her slender waist tightened. He refused to let her go. "Just let me hold you a bit longer," he murmured.He didn't want this either. But whenever she was closeby, his body refused to obey him.Quinn didn't
Xavier's mood brightened at Quinn's words. "Well, woman, you've got good taste," he said with a grin, his arm tightening around her waist as he cast a mocking glance at Simon's furious face."Being handsome doesn't mean much if you don't have money," Simon taunted. "Can he give you the best life?""Just having him by my side is the best life I could ask for. You wouldn't understand that," Quinn retorted with unyielding confidence.She gave Simon a scornful glance, her eyes flicking to his groin with a contemptuous look that spoke volumes.Simon's rage was palpable, and his frustration reached a boiling point. Quinn was questioning his capabilities!When they had been together, he had still been young, and Quinn had never allowed him to touch her. She had no idea how skilled he was in bed."Oh, really? I'll show you just how capable I am," Simon growled.He didn't bother with more words. With a sharp nod to his men, he signaled for them to move.The bodyguards surged forward, su
Simon's fists clenched tightly. He was seething with hatred. How could Xavier dared treat him like this?Around them, people pointed and whispered. Simon kept his head down, for he was terrified that someone might recognize him as the heir to the Xandor family.Not even one of the dozens of bodyguards from the Xandor family dared to step forward.Xavier had grown tired of Simon constantly harassing of Quinn. With pure disdain in his eyes, he delivered a few more brutal kicks at Simon."Stop it! If you keep hitting him, he'll die," a girl nearby cried out. Even though Simon had said terrible things, beating him to death wasn't the answer."Is he your boyfriend? You should talk him down," she added, glancing nervously at Quinn."Let's go," Quinn said, finally stepping in.With so many people watching, Xavier knew it was time to back down. "Alright," he muttered.He wouldn't have listened to anyone else, but it was different when Quinn spoke. He followed her, his aggression meltin
After dealing with Simon, Xavier felt unexpectedly lighthearted.They meandered along the river's edge, the evening air cool and invigorating.Quinn walked ahead, her long hair billowing in the breeze. The elegant cut of her tailored suit accentuated her slender waist, making her look effortlessly stunning.Xavier's eyes were irresistibly drawn to her.When Quinn glanced back, she caught him staring at her with deep, almost reverent admiration.In that moment, her heart raced. The intensity of Xavier's gaze was captivating—no woman could remain indifferent to such a mesmerizing man.The instant she turned back to look at him was burned into Xavier's memory. Her glance was mesmerizing, a perfect snapshot of beauty that left him breathless.He couldn't help but close the distance, drawing her into a gentle embrace.The scene was idyllic—until Quinn's heel came down hard on his foot, breaking the spell."What are you doing?" she asked sharply.The pain in his foot was sharp, but
"I don't think you're dirty."Xavier fell silent and drove Quinn to Jowell Villa."I live next door. You can come find me anytime," he said, pointing to the villa next to hers."Why would I want to find you?" she asked, unimpressed. She didn't have that much free time on her hands. "You can do whatever you want with me. I'll go along with it."Quinn didn't bother replying. She opened the car door and got out.Xavier lingered around. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a few deep drags. But not even nicotine could suppress his desire for her.When Kimberly returned from the Jipsfort Research Institute, she spotted Xavier smoking in his sleek sports car.Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. Unable to resist, she parked next to him, got out, and approached him."Do you remember me?"Xavier glanced up, his expression blank. "Who are you?"Kimberly was stunned. They had crossed paths several times. How could he not remember her?"I'm Quinn's sister," Kimberly s
"I've served at Jowell Villa for so many years. Even if I haven't achieved much, I've worked hard. Ms. Jowell, please spare me!" Gerald's voice shook, his eyes wide with genuine fear.Quinn thought that fear was good. Fear made people talk."Cut the crap. You know better than anyone what happened five years ago. If you want me to spare you, it's simple. Just tell me exactly how you helped Maurice and Araminta set up my mom."Gerald's face turned ashen at the mention of those events."Ms. Jowell, I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice flat and unconvincing. Five years had passed since then. Maurice was his employer now. How could Gerald betray him?Quinn laughed, the sound sharp and filled with frustration. Gerald stayed on his knees, trembling. "Ms. Jowell, please, have mercy! I'm an old man. Even if I did something wrong, let me go!""Have mercy? Who had mercy on my mom, Gerald? Does being old give you a free pass to murder and arson?" Quinn's voice remain
Despite Gerald's age, Kimberley showed no respect for him. She raised her hand and slapped him across the face. "Nothing happened five years ago. This slap is to make you calm down."What had happened was ancient history. Even if Quinn was unhappy about it, what could she do? What evidence could she possibly find?"But she played a recording for me. I—" Gerald began, but Kimberley's icy glare shut him up."I told you to shut up. It seems like you've become too old. Pack your things and go back to the countryside!"If they kept him there, it would only lead to trouble. He didn't have the mental fortitude to handle this."What? Now that I'm old, you don't want to take care of me anymore?" The butler's salary at Jowell Villa was excellent, and managing so many household staff made his job pretty easy. How could he give up such a sweet deal?"Since you do know you're old, why stick around?" Kimberly said her piece and went back to her room, leaving him to figure out his next move.