Dangerous Boy

Chapter Twelve

"He's one of my friends, the same one you saw last time" I answer unsurely.

All I get is a nod in return and I swallow. Everything feels uncomfortably silent all of a sudden and stays that way for the rest of the drive to town, nothing but my shaky breaths filling the car. I twist my fingers awkwardly in my lap, keeping my gaze away from Xavier who seems statue still, what a sudden turn of events this has been.

"There, the red truck" I point to the old Ford parked on the opposite side of the road waiting for us. It's headlights are on full so I'm able to see Mason and Arnica sitting inside it. They both came?

Xavier indicates, pulling across to the other side of the road as I loosen my seatbelt, unsure of what he's doing when he opens his door as well.

"I'll walk you across the road" he explains, helping me down from my seat. I can see both Arnica and Mason climb out of his ute watching us. The streets are fairly quiet since it's barely four in the morning, but Xavier still guides me carefully across it like it's a main highway.

His hand rests firmly on my back, keeping his insanely tall body close to mine when Mason steps forward. Arnica's smirk is wide on her face as she examines the model like man beside me with a cheeky look in her knowing eyes.

"Grace?" Masons voice is unsure as he stands in front of us both, Xavier is a good foot taller than he is and much bigger in body structure. I remember his words from a couple of days ago, warning me to stay away from the man beside me who looks less than impressed as he stares down at the dimpled boy in front of him. For some reason Masons eyes seem to zone in on my neck and at that moment Xavier extends his hand towards him.

"Mason right?"

He nods, shaking Xavier's firm hand in a way that reminds me of an awkward meeting between a Dad and teenage daughters boyfriend.

"Can you make sure Grace gets home safely? I have to go deal with something unexpected."

"She can stay with me" Arnica answers before Mason can. How she's somehow awake and looking as pretty as she does at this insane hour is beyond me.

"Thank you" Xavier nods before turning to me. "I'll call you" he whispers. I know just by how on edge he is that something is very wrong and I grip his arm when he turns to walk away from all three of us back to his car.

"Please tell me what's going on" I keep my voice just as quiet, frowning when he shakes his head. "What if you get hurt?"

"I'll be fine, go with your friends" his rough hands soothe my messy hair before cupping my face. He breathes heavily and lowers his lips closer to mine. "Trust me, I can look after myself."

I know he can but I still struggle to even imagine what's really going on, what won't he tell me? If it's bad enough to drive me all the way out here in the middle of the night then it must be something beyond serious and I hate the idea of him being somewhere he could be hurt.

"He'll be fine Grace" Xavier's previously soft eyes harden when Mason wraps his hand around my arm, pulling me gently towards him and Arnica. "We should go before it starts raining again."

"Be careful" I plead quietly, meeting Xavier's gaze when he finally takes his glare off Mason.   I don't know how I can suddenly care so much for someone I've basically just met but I do, and watching him walk away into darkness back to somewhere dangerous is making my heart ache.

My shaky breath becomes more audible when he presses his lips to my forehead, only for the briefest of moments, but it's enough to make my head spin. "You should get in the car before you get cold" I can only nod, Arnica takes her hand in mine and basically pulls me into the back seat with her grinning self. Leaving Mason and Xavier outside alone together.

I can't hear what's going on but they're both tense, like statues. Mason says something but Xavier seems to cut him off, stepping more closely in front of him to say something I can wish I could hear. Whatever he saying, it doesn't look friendly in the slightest.

"Fuck Grace, he's so hot!" Arnica squeals, squeezing my arm. "You've done well, I'm so proud of you! Look at how fit he is! Just wear turtle necks for a few days so your Dad doesn't kill you."

"Turtle necks?" I questions and if possible her knowing smirk grows wider. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Grace, the hickeys on your neck are gigantic."

"Hickeys?" I choke and she giggles, placing her phones camera on selfie mode so I can clearly see the swollen red marks all across the right side of my neck. My tired eyes widen quickly, cheeks tingling with fresh embarrassment as I sink lower in my seat. How had I not noticed them earlier?

"So" she wriggles her eyebrows in an awaiting manner. "Have you two lovebirds done anything sexual yet?"

"No, no, no - just kissing and we're not lovebirds" I mumble shyly, looking away from her when Mason finally gets back in the ute. I glance outside my window but Xavier's cars already long gone, who knows what on earth he's dealing with right now.

Arnica hums playfully. She's definitely much more adventurous and confident than I am, she's slept with so many guys I've lost track. Xavier's the only boy I've ever kissed and I've never even thought about doing anymore than that with him. We've barely known each other for long at all. Only she could ask a question like that in an insane situation like this.

I can only hope and pray everything will be fine, that whatever is going isn't as bad as my overthinking minds worrying it is. Until I know it's over and Xavier, Sam and Tom are safe I won't be able to think about anything else. If something happened to any of them I can't imagine what I'd feel. All three of them already mean so much to me in such a little space of time, especially Xavier. I never thought he'd be anything like he is when I first met him, I especially didn't think I could care about him so much so quickly.

"Can somebody please explain to me why we're okay with associating with an illegal criminal at five o'clock in the morning?"

Mason stares back at us as I swallow, Arnica doesn't seem quite so fazed. "Because he's sexy as fuck and Grace likes him, which means I like him, which means you should like him too and get the giant stick from out of your tiny ass."

"If our parents knew about this they'd kill us all" he answers, sending an unfriendly look at Arnica who rolls her eyes. "That's if his gangsters don't kill us all first, I can't believe you went back with him again after what we talked about Grace."

"You're such a dick sometimes Mason, do we complain about the thousands of different girls you've hooked up with? No we don't. So, you have no right to tell Grace who she can and can't see."

"I don't usually hook up with psychotic, murdering criminals who need to be put in jail."

"You don't even know him" I whisper as he lifts an eyebrow, I don't want to fight. Especially not right now in his truck after everything that's already happened but some part of me also had to stand up for Xavier because it's true. Mason doesn't know anything about him.

"You're defending him?" Mason shakes his head as Arnica groans dramatically. "You're both unbelievable, especially you Grace."

"I'm so close to punching your hollow brain out of your thick head" Arnica snaps and a deadly silence falls over all three of us as Mason runs a hand through his hair in frustration.

My head falls back against the seat behind me slowly, I know Mason will feel bad later and apologise. I'll apologise too. That's what usually happens between us when we fight. All I'm worried about right now is Xavier, Sam and Tom.

I just want them to be okay.