The chants of his name echo throughout the lobby, but he keeps walking, tucking me close to his side. The crowd is excited to get a glimpse of him, but he doesn’t stop. He’s like a man on a mission, determined to get us to the restaurant in one piece.

A boy around the age of ten, wearing a shirt with Xavier’s face on it, waves his hands wildly, and it reminds me of the two boys in front of me on the plane.

Xavier spots the kid too and glances back at me. “Do you mind?”

“Of course not.”

He smiles and then kneels down in front of the child, taking the poster and sharpie from his small hands. I smile as Xavier signs the poster and says a few words of encouragement about staying in school and going to college, the child nodding enthusiastically while hanging on his every word.

After the boy’s mother snaps a picture of the two of them, Xavier ruffles the kid’s hair and tells him goodbye.

My heart instantly melts at his interaction with his miniature fan.

Xavier notices the sappy expression on my face and takes my hand. “Come on, beautiful.”

I wave goodbye to the little boy as we pass by and cut down a hallway. Thankfully security halts the rabid fans from following us, informing them that the restaurant is reserved for a private party, and that was as far as they were allowed.

I sigh, relieved to be away from all that madness. “Is it always like that for you?”

He shakes his head. “No. We try to keep where we are staying secret, but sometimes it slips out and fans get a little overzealous.”

“That was sweet, what you did back there.”

He glances down at me. “I always take time out for the kids. It’s crazy to me that, to some of them, I’m their hero.”

I squeeze his fingers between mine. “No, it’s not. You’re a great role model. Look at how much you’ve had to overcome to get where you are.”

He swallows hard. “I’ve done a lot of bad shit too, Anna. I don’t think I’m exactly role model material.”

“Let’s agree to disagree. I’m not saying you’re perfect, but professionally you’ve done amazing. You should be proud of that.”

He smiles and squeezes my hand back. “Thank you.”

We round the corner and my eyes widen. Sitting in the hotel restaurant are some of the largest men and women I’ve ever seen—all of them buff, tall, and tanned. Xavier doesn’t stand out as much in this crowd, but he certainly doesn’t go unnoticed because the moment we walk in, most of the eyes in the place zero in on us.

I try to pull my hand out of from his grasp—I’m not sure how to explain our relationship to his coworkers just yet—but he only tightens his grip, refusing to allow me to pull away.

“Relax,” he says in my ear, and I take a deep breath. “It’s going to be okay. You’re just a new face.”

“Okay.”

Curiosity. I can handle that.

Xavier leads me to a table in the back corner, where another muscle-bound man sits. His long, dark hair is pulled back into a low ponytail, and his dark eyes twinkle with intrigue the moment our gazes lock.

The man’s eyes flit from me to Xavier, and he grins as one of his thick eyebrows quirk. “Fresh meat?”

Xavier laughs and bumps fists with the man before pulling out a chair for me to sit in. “Brian “Razor” Rollins, this is Anna, my new assistant.”

Brian stretches his arm across the table. “Nice to meet you.”

I shake his hand. “Likewise.”

Brian turns his attention from me back to Xavier. “Deena’s history then?”

“Ancient,” Xavier replies while taking the menu from the server who approached our table the moment we sat down.

Brian clears his throat and tilts his head to the left. “And she knows that, right?”

Both Xavier and I glance to the other side of the restaurant.

Oh, crap.

Deena glares back at us from where she sits, which is next to a rather built female who I can only assume is Star—the friend Xavier warned me about.

My heart races in my chest. For some reason I believed that night in the hotel would be the last time I ever had to lay eyes on this woman. I certainly didn’t expect her to be here.

The muscle under Xavier’s jaw works beneath his skin. “What the fuck is she doing here?”

“She came in here with Rex. We all were wondering what was going on when you weren’t with her. Is she working for him now?” Brian asks as he cuts into the huge steak on the plate in front of him.

The name Rex instantly rings a bell. That’s the guy who is Xavier’s rival for the championship belt. Why would she do that to Xavier, especially if she had a relationship with him?

Xavier sighs. “That bitch is vindictive as fuck.”

Brian chuckles. “I warned you, brother. That woman has evil written all over her. I just hope she doesn’t come after your new tail here.”

My eyes widen. “Whoa. We’re just—”

“Friends?” Brian cuts me off and winks with an ornery smile. “I know.”

I’m not sure I like his implied tone, and the concern I had once before resurfaces. Exactly how many other women have been in my position? That unnerves me. I’m not used to being just another woman in an absurdly long line.

After Xavier orders the biggest steak they have, I give my order and glance around the restaurant. All the muscle-type men in here seem to be eating like Xavier. It must be part of their training to get all those muscles.