Ever After Awaits Chapter 28 : Xavier POV I have a bad feeling about this . A really bad feeling . I slow my steps when I hear Cade call my name and he reaches me just as I reach our indoor gym . I stalk over to the cubby where I keep my hand wraps , rip a pair from the shelf they're in , and start wrapping my hands . I need to beat the shit out of something so I can get rid of the rage and frustration that is inside me . Before my dad and Allison get home . I should have known that my day was going too well . First , when I found the guys and Layla at the frozen yogurt shop , I was apprehensive . I knew I acted like a total cockstain last night , and I knew I would have to apologize to them and her for the vile comments I made . But I was not ready to do it in public , of all places . But , as I've come to reluctantly realize , Layla didn't make life difficult for me then and there . I'm sure I would get an earful sometime soon , but thankfully it wouldn't be right at that moment . She , surprisingly , acted cordial and civilized . She was a bit aloof , but I couldn't blame her . I would have chucked the napkin dispenser at my head if I was in her shoes . Interestingly , she also didn't try and monopolize the guys ' attention or attempt to take over the conversation . Most girls would have flirted with one or all of us . Or they would have diverted any topic to something that they wanted to talk about no matter how irrelevant or boring we found it . - She just sat there , content to be around us , with a small smile of serenity on her face as her gaze glided over the people walking past . And honestly , it was nice . Not because she was quiet and kept her nose out of our business , but because it felt right for her to be there . To share our space . Then , when she invited me to join them for a movie night , my instinctual reaction was that movie night is for kids , but then I saw the look my boys gave her and I realized she was calling a temporary ceasefire for them . So that they could spend time with me while also being around her . And I couldn't fault them for that , because I too wanted to be around her . She calmed the constant anger I've been lugging around recently . And she brought a light to my world that no one except my mom ever was able to . Now , you're probably asking yourself why I've been such a dick to her . The answer is simple . I'm afraid . Afraid of the luscious goddess of a woman that has blown into my life and completely decimated what I thought I knew to be true of women . Up until recently , women were objects to me . They were there for carnal pleasure and good times only . I refused to get attached because then the chance would be there that I could get hurt when she inevitably left me , just like my mom did . And I know how ridiculous that sounds because my mom didn't leave me - she died . But to a grieving teenage boy , whose mom was his everything , it was the same thing . And as the years of my father distancing himself from me ticked by , and women showed me how selfish , bitchy , and money - hungry they could be , my resolve hardened and formed an impenetrable wall around my heart . 1/3 8:07 pm D Chapter 28 : Xavier POV But , for some inexplicable reason , Layla is different . In so many ways . She's the sunshine to my darkness . She's restoring my faith in humanity by just being herself and being genuine in who she is and what she believes in . It's fucking confounding but I want to grab hold of her , lock her away from the rest of the world , and soak in her goodness for the rest of time . Cade leans against the wall to my right , arms crossed over his chest and just waits me out . He knows I will talk as soon as I've gotten a few punches in and the rage inside me out of my system . I step up to the punching bag and start wailing on it . It's my father's face I imagine as my fists connect with the leather over and over and over . Sweat starts to form on my brow and the back of my neck , and I start slowing my assault on the bag . " Wanna talk about it ? " Cade eventually asks calmly . " My father is apparently on his way home from his honeymoon . " I sneer the last word . " I have been ordered to make sure I'm home when he gets here because there are things that need to be discussed . The last time he texted that to me , he informed me that he was marrying Allison and that my mom's stuff was being thrown out . " By the time I'm done speaking , I'm gritting my teeth , and the bag is swinging wildly because of the heavy blows I've doled out . Cade steps forward and stands behind the bag , holding it in place for me so my next couple of punches can find their target . " Whatever happens , we'll be here for you , " he states . I want to believe him , I really do , because they've always been there for me in the past . But there is a new player to consider and what if they choose to support her instead of me ? " Will you ? " I ask scathingly and he scowls at me . " What's that supposed to mean ? " " You guys are so far up Layla's ass , if you sneeze it'll most likely come out of her nose . Seems to me your loyalties have shifted because of some pussy . " I know I'm being ridiculous and unfair . Deep down I know they won't desert me . I even know Layla would never make them choose . But that doesn't stop me from being an asshole to one of my closest friends because I'm scared . Cade just looks at me for a second , shakes his head , then turns around and heads for the door . Now , if I wasn't throwing a pity party for one , I would have rushed to him , stopped him before he left , and apologized for calling his loyalty into question . But , as we have already established , I'm a fuckwad who would rather hurt others before they have the chance to hurt me , no matter if I have zero evidence to base my assumptions on . Fuck , I'm an idiot !