Fallen Actress' Comeback: Torn Between the Director and the Mafia Lord-Chapter 30: A New Sister-In-Law

Chapter 30

~Xena’s POV~

It wasn’t accidental like before but soft and firmer.

Xade tasted warm, and his restraint slid like sand between fingers. I felt him holding back, barely, like the only thing stopping him was me.

And I... I almost let him.

I pressed a hand to his chest and whispered against his lips. "Xade... stop."

He stilled.

I swallowed hard. "I don’t want to think about anything. I don’t want to assume this is special, cause it’s not. And you couldn’t answer me earlier about how many girls you’ve brought here."

He looked at me for several seconds. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking either.

Then he said calmly. "One."

I blinked. "One?"

"Yes."

For some weird reason, my chest tightened and I felt hurt hearing that. Then, after a beat, e added, "my sister."

I stared.

He shrugged lightly. "She doesn’t like being touched much. So when I bring her here, I don’t let attendants help with her zipper."

My throat tightened. "...Oh."

He hooked a finger under my chin again, lifting my face to his.

"Jealousy looked good on you," he murmured.

I scoffed, trying to regain my composure and not look like a hormone-filled teen. "Is that so? Can’t say the same about you, though, Xade."

He smirked — the slow, knowing kind that made my legs feel stupid.

"Don’t worry," he whispered, leaning close. "I’ll make you say it later."

My heart practically somersaulted as I looked away. "Thanks, but can you go?"

Xade didn’t say anything and simply left.

I stepped out again, pretending nothing happened while the staff pretended not to see my red face. Xade pretended he wasn’t staring at me like he wanted to devour the air I breathed.

Tension wrapped around us so tightly it might as well have been another dress.

By the time I wore the last outfit, the cream dress, he looked at me like he was seconds from dragging me back into the fitting room.

"We’re taking all of them," he said.

"Wait... what? I thought I’d choose!"

"You did. By wearing them."

"That’s not..."

He stepped close again, brushing a strand behind my ear. "For once, Xena. Stop arguing."

I almost melted. Of course... that was the moment the universe sent me pain.

"You guys done?" Raiden called out, poking his head through the private changing area.

Xade’s expression darkened instantly.

Malakai peeked in. "Show us the outfits!"

I covered my face. "Why are you two still here?!"

Raiden shrugged. "Curiosity."

Xade muttered, "I’ll probably ban you both from my set as punishment."

"Xade—"

"Too late. We’ve signed the contract," Malakai shrugged.

But they walked in anyway.

And Xade stood behind me, jaw ticking, eyes burning, jealousy practically radiating off him.

And God help me... I liked it a lot.

**************

~Xade’s POV~

When I arrived home, the house was unusually quiet—too quiet for a place that usually echoed with footsteps, laughter, and my sister shouting at someone over a video call.

I removed my suit jacket and loosened my tie as I walked past the living room, intending to head upstairs. I barely made it five steps before my sister’s voice stopped me.

"Xade."

Her calm, amused, and way-too-knowing voice made me stop mid-step.

I closed my eyes. Great. Just what I needed.

Slowly, I turned.

"So who’s the new chick? Should I be expecting a new sister-in-law or...?"

I paused and glanced toward the couch. She sat there cross-legged with her iPad, glasses on, looking entirely too pleased with herself or too entertained for someone who usually minded her business.

I made my way towards where she sat, but before I could ask what she was talking about, she turned the screen toward me.

My entire body stilled.

It was a photo of me and Xena at the boutique entrance. The shot was clear, as if it was taken from inside, rather than outside.

I would know since I asked Dominic to disperse the reporters, but apparently, one had slipped through, pretending to be a customer.

My hand was on her waist, guiding her through the boutique on our way out.

Actually, I was trying to avoid Raiden and Kai from touching her. Her shades hid her eyes, but she was leaning slightly into me. It looked intimate, and intentional.

I clenched my jaw. "I told Dominic to get rid of any reporter who took pictures and to take down every post about her. How did this get out?"

She shrugged casually. "Instagram. A fan posted it fifteen minutes ago. Faster and better than your cleanup team, apparently."

I exhaled through my nose and ran a hand down my face. This was the last thing I wanted—Xena dragged into unwanted attention.

My sister studied me openly, her eyes narrowing as though she was watching an interesting documentary. "So... are you going to explain why you’re holding her like she’s fragile property?"

"I wasn’t."

"Or why you were looking at her like you’d kill someone for breathing too close to her?"

"I wasn’t doing that either."

She raised a brow. "Uh-huh. You really need to work on lying. You’re terrible at it."

Before I could retort, small footsteps thundered down the hallway, and my niece ran in, holding a cupcake wrapper in her hand. "Uncle Xade!" She grabbed my hand before I could stop her with little fingers that somehow held more truth than the entire world.

"Mum told me," she said with a bright grin. "You must really like her."

I blinked. "What?" Then, I stared at my sister. "What did you tell her?"

"Nothing. My daughter just has functional eyes."

My niece grinned up at me excitedly. "I agree, though. I told Mum you stopped at a bakery because of her and you fought a handsome man for her!"

I groaned. "I didn’t fight anyone."

My sister snorted. "Maybe not physically, but you glared at him like you wanted to peel his soul out or decapitate his ancestors. Same thing."

I tilted my head, shocked at how easily my niece ran her mouth.

"It wasn’t like that."

"Sure." She nodded with an exaggerated look of agreement. "Because you always look at women like they’re the last edible thing on earth."

I frowned. "You’re being ridiculous."

"Am I?" She pushed her glasses higher. "Because you don’t take women shopping. You don’t touch anyone in public. You don’t look at anyone the way you were looking at her."

She stood up, and bridged the gap between us. "So, forgive me if I’m... intrigued."