Maya woke up to the sound of loud clattering coming from Xavier's room.
Scared and wondering what was the cause of him going into a fit, she quickly packed her disheveled hair into a loose bun and made for his room.
His door was open and his phone was on the floor. He cursed pushing his hair backward in frustration.
Before she talked herself out of it, she was already squaring her chest and walking up to him, and she was grateful she did because when he turned to face her, she didn't notice how his body made the casual loose navy blue hoodie he had on look like it was straight out for a male catalog designer fashion show.
Because more than his gorgeousness, the pain etched in his eyes scared the shit out of her.
"Mother." He mumbled and that was all it took to make Maya's transfixed figure move.
She didn't know what he was hinting at or what he meant by his singular statement but guided by pure instinct, she grabbed him by his hands, and still, in a nightgown, they were entering the elevators and leaving the house.
"What happened?" She managed to ask immediately they were settled inside the car and Xavier had shakily told the driver where they were headed. A hospital.
"Mom. She tells Melissa she slipped and fell, but who are we kidding?" He shook his head, producing a burst of laughter that lacked in terms of mirth, "Tiles don't leave fingerprints and a bruise so big it needs stitches."
He paused looking at her, "They had fought and he had stabbed her, leaving her in the pool of her own blood, he had left the room."
"How do you know that?" Her voice was shaky and she knew it had nothing to do with the chilly weather of the early morning hours especially as the heater was full-on inside the Range Rover they were in.
"She told me herself. Something about seeing her life flash before her eyes and knowing she was married to a bastard." His lips were curled into an unattractive snarl, "To think she finally figured that after getting stabbed and giving him 2 children." He heaved.
"Let's not mention all the dreams she had to give up. All her goals she didn't reach but instead had supported her husband's staying right at his side, playing the role society demanded. Dutiful mother, demure wife, servant, perfect hostess, and __" her hands were enveloped around his broad shoulders and in that second he felt his body fidget just at that little touch which was ridiculous.
"She'll be fine and after this, I'll be the one picking her things from that evil mansion. Trust me." Her eyes shone with a determination that seemed familiar to Xavier.
The same she had in the club. She wasn't joking.
"No." He rushed, leaning into her touch as she drew lazy circles on his arm, "I don't want you around my filth of a father. I'll handle him and God just keeps him safe and alive so I can finish the impudent disgrace myself."
"I'm here for you." She muttered, "Always remember that." She smiled thoughtfully, "Well for as long as we can stand each other."
He gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes but she appreciated his efforts and soon they were staring out of the window in perfect companionable silence and wishing Mrs. Salvador will be alright.
Immediately the car came to a halt they ran out of the door, surprised to see Melissa, her face pale, makeup-free and it was almost like the dress code was pajamas because she had one on alongside her fiancée Brian, who sat next to her holding her tightly.
Xavier nodded at Brian and Maya managed something she hoped passed as a smile before she sat down next to Xavier whose hands supported his jaws as he watched around in alert.
"What are the doctors saying?" Maya asked, her eyes on Brian as Melissa seemed emotionally unavailable to string up words.
But yet she turned to face her, "Nothing and the wait is killing. The only time I've heard a sound come out from that room was when she'd insisted on talking to Xavier first," her voice broke as she looked away, "Just in case she doesn't make it."
"Such nonsense," Xavier hissed, his dreamy blue eyes looking anything but that.
"The help had called me so early this morning, using a landline number and when I saw it was from the house, I'd declined the call." She closed her eyes, "I'd left for a weekend getaway with Brian."
"Explains the matching pajamas and why he showed up." Xavier drawled but his tone wasn't malicious or accusing. He was just thinking out loud and Maya suspected he was too weak for a fight.
Melissa trembled, "If only I'd answered that call, gotten to her on time," Xavier stood up, and sitting next to Melissa, he made her face him, "This isn't your fault. It isn't your fault that your father is a beast and you had not randomly thought that you'll be called to be informed your father had stabbed his wife." Her body trembled under his words.
"It wasn't your fault that the day you had planned a night out with Brian here had happened to be the day mom had needed you most and is definitely not your fault that she had stayed so long with this man, allowed herself to be bullied and tossed into the corner for too long and allowed him to think he had such liberties to do whatever he pleased with her."
She tried to shake her head in argument but Xavier gave her a look that shut her up, "You don't even have the right to feel guilty about trying to be happy." He completed and then he was hugging her, completely engulfing her petite frame in his bigger ones while she cling onto him, her shoulders quaking as she released long choking sobs.