Read Online Because You Love Me (Falling for You, Book Three) by Ava Claire - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ava Claire
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mixed with my crappy relationship with my own parents was a recipe for nail biting catastrophe. But I knew something with everything in me. I belonged with Xander Wade.
"I know we've only just met," I directed my attention to Mrs. Wade, since Xander's sister had already thrown down the gauntlet. Beneath the dresses and jewels and phony smiles, maybe I could reach his mother. "I wasn't looking for love when I met your son." From the way she arched her eyebrow and her lips twisted skeptically, I had a feeling she wanted more context, or was reading into the statement. I was definitely giving her the unfiltered version, but I rushed to tell her more. "I met Xander and in him, I found someone broken and dying to be seen, just like me. He's built this empire, and he's very good at what he does, but like me, he's not so good at letting people in. When I got a peek behind the curtain-" Emotion that even Marie's eye rolls couldn't snuff out filled me and the words stalled. Every emotion from fear, to excitement, to desire, to hope, raged inside me and the tears wouldn't be contained.
Mrs. Wade stepped forward, still at a distance, but there was something different in her eyes. "You two fell in love."
I nodded through my tears. "And it's important to me that you know that, because I don't want you to think that this is all some ruse. Or that I'm just here because of his father's will-"
"Robert's will?" Confusion rippled across her patrician features. "Why would you just be here because of my husband's will?"
She didn't know? I looked at her, then Marie, then Branson. Hope leaped in my chest because I knew that Xander thought his mother was just ambivalent. That no one was on his side. The smile and indifference was long gone when she stormed forward, her eyes locked on her daughter.
"What have you done, Marie?"
Marie looked genuinely rattled for a second then sniffed and shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Mrs. Wade looked like she wanted to strangle her daughter, but instead, she tightened her grip on her pearls, took a deep breath. She pivoted to Branson first. "Please get Maury Barrowman on the phone immediately." A curl slipped from her pinned bob when she whipped back to me but like a woman that was used to recovering and coming back stronger than ever, she quickly tucked it back in place and held out her hand to me. The smile she wore wasn't over the top and oblivious, the Vaseline smile of a pageant contestant. There was sadness in her smile with shades of concern. She did care about her son.
"I’m still murky on the details, but I think I have it figured out. I'll get a much clearer picture when you and I go have a chat with Xander and Robert."
I eyed her hand skeptically. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I'm not trying to start trouble, I just wanted to let you know that I care deeply for your son. Whether he's worth a million-"
"Billion," Marie corrected unhelpfully.
"I don't care about the money." I ignored Marie and put all my love, all I had in me behind my words. "I care about Xander."
"Then let's make this right." Light danced into Mrs. Wade’s eyes. "I'm glad that my son found you."
She cupped my hand between hers when I accepted it, ready to take the stairs and come face to face with whatever Marie or Xander's father threw our way, and come out on the other side.
Chapter Eight: Xander
M y father had taken up residence in the east wing. The minute I turned down the corridor, I got hit with the smell of disinfectant and sickness. In another life, with another kind of upbringing, I would have had memories of raising all kinds of hell on the waxed hardwood floors. Mom's voice ringing out to tell me that I better be working on my homework if I'm flying the scooter down the hallway, Dad sneaking in after lights out, catching me with a flashlight beneath the blanket. Sneaking girls in after my parents nodded off. Keggers when they were out of town. Instead, the house felt
"I know we've only just met," I directed my attention to Mrs. Wade, since Xander's sister had already thrown down the gauntlet. Beneath the dresses and jewels and phony smiles, maybe I could reach his mother. "I wasn't looking for love when I met your son." From the way she arched her eyebrow and her lips twisted skeptically, I had a feeling she wanted more context, or was reading into the statement. I was definitely giving her the unfiltered version, but I rushed to tell her more. "I met Xander and in him, I found someone broken and dying to be seen, just like me. He's built this empire, and he's very good at what he does, but like me, he's not so good at letting people in. When I got a peek behind the curtain-" Emotion that even Marie's eye rolls couldn't snuff out filled me and the words stalled. Every emotion from fear, to excitement, to desire, to hope, raged inside me and the tears wouldn't be contained.
Mrs. Wade stepped forward, still at a distance, but there was something different in her eyes. "You two fell in love."
I nodded through my tears. "And it's important to me that you know that, because I don't want you to think that this is all some ruse. Or that I'm just here because of his father's will-"
"Robert's will?" Confusion rippled across her patrician features. "Why would you just be here because of my husband's will?"
She didn't know? I looked at her, then Marie, then Branson. Hope leaped in my chest because I knew that Xander thought his mother was just ambivalent. That no one was on his side. The smile and indifference was long gone when she stormed forward, her eyes locked on her daughter.
"What have you done, Marie?"
Marie looked genuinely rattled for a second then sniffed and shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Mrs. Wade looked like she wanted to strangle her daughter, but instead, she tightened her grip on her pearls, took a deep breath. She pivoted to Branson first. "Please get Maury Barrowman on the phone immediately." A curl slipped from her pinned bob when she whipped back to me but like a woman that was used to recovering and coming back stronger than ever, she quickly tucked it back in place and held out her hand to me. The smile she wore wasn't over the top and oblivious, the Vaseline smile of a pageant contestant. There was sadness in her smile with shades of concern. She did care about her son.
"I’m still murky on the details, but I think I have it figured out. I'll get a much clearer picture when you and I go have a chat with Xander and Robert."
I eyed her hand skeptically. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I'm not trying to start trouble, I just wanted to let you know that I care deeply for your son. Whether he's worth a million-"
"Billion," Marie corrected unhelpfully.
"I don't care about the money." I ignored Marie and put all my love, all I had in me behind my words. "I care about Xander."
"Then let's make this right." Light danced into Mrs. Wade’s eyes. "I'm glad that my son found you."
She cupped my hand between hers when I accepted it, ready to take the stairs and come face to face with whatever Marie or Xander's father threw our way, and come out on the other side.
Chapter Eight: Xander
M y father had taken up residence in the east wing. The minute I turned down the corridor, I got hit with the smell of disinfectant and sickness. In another life, with another kind of upbringing, I would have had memories of raising all kinds of hell on the waxed hardwood floors. Mom's voice ringing out to tell me that I better be working on my homework if I'm flying the scooter down the hallway, Dad sneaking in after lights out, catching me with a flashlight beneath the blanket. Sneaking girls in after my parents nodded off. Keggers when they were out of town. Instead, the house felt