The Act

Personal Bodyguard

Sage's POV

The Chinese food takes about twenty minutes to get delivered to the house which way too long if you ask me. I hate prolonging important conversations and the food is doing just that.

While we wait Xan and I decide to talk about work and the investors we would have to meet with over the next few months. Honestly it was all idle chat; just to pass time. We're both trying hard not to address whatever happened with Dorian today. Yet it's making me nervous seeing Xan so fidgety.

We're halfway into our conversation when the doorbell rings.

"I'll go grab it." Xan says leaning forward to give me a kiss on my cheek. I mumble an okay, letting out a sigh as soon as he's out of earshot. Jesus. I don't think he notices it but he's so tense right now. That alone makes me even more curious about what's going on.

I want to believe that he's just being his usual dramatic self, yet underestimating Ashley isn't a smart idea at all. Clearly she's a sick and crazy individual, who's willing to do anything to uphold her little persona. Whatever it is must be bad, though I'm positive that it's nothing we can't handle.

Huffing impatiently, I glance over to where Wolf is laying on the floor. My baby. His big eyes are already on me when I look over there. As soon as he realizes I'm looking at him he hops up, trotting over to where I am.

"Hey honey, your daddy is super stressed out right now." I say scratching behind his ears. Wolf's tongue practically falls out of his mouth. "I'm honestly a little stressed too. I just want this to all be over you know?" His ears quirk up at my words as if he knows what I'm talking about.

"Aw aren't you the sweetest boy?" I add in a baby voice watching him jump around getting excited.

"You're being dramatic. He's just a damn dog." I hear Xan grumble from behind me. I turn to him noticing the familiar pout on his face. This man. He now had the food in his hands along with an apple juice and water.

I give him a look. "Don't be bitter baby." My words are teasing as I shoot him a smirk. Xan rolls his eyes before grabbing the tube of hand sanitizer sitting on the counter, and tossing it to me.

"Here put this on your hands. You don't need his germs all on you when you're about to eat." He says not moving until I do as he's requested. God he's ridiculous.

"I was going to do that anyways." I mumble with the roll of my eyes, taking the apple juice he passes to me. I pop open the lid and take a long sip just to spite him.

Xan stares at me passively. "You want anything specific?" He points towards the bag of Chinese food.

"Just bring the entire thing over here, we can eat it out the boxes ." I say watching him frown but comply nonetheless. Xan walks around the couch sitting down and handing me the bag of food. I admire the way his muscles flex as he opens the water bottle with his strong arms. He tosses it back reeking sex appeal.

God this man is so fine.

"Are you going to put anything on?" He asks when I don't make a move to turn on the TV. My brow raises.

"You said we would talk over food." I remind. Giving myself a moment to really look at him. His jaw was grinding together and his fist were balled up. Come to think of it his entire body was tense. Is he really this on the edge about whatever they talked about?