My new man

RAYNA

I sighed as I flopped on the bed in Marcus’s guest room. He’d been nice to give me the room, even when he barely knew me.

I pulled the duvet over my body and almost immediately, his face appeared in the darkness.

My hands pushed off the duvet sharply, a gasp escaping from my lips. He’s appearing in the dark now? And I can see him?

There’s something wrong. He’s definitely the murderer, that’s why I can see him. My intuition never lied. I was one of the best in the FBI before I got married to Cassian and that’s why the Director can’t let me go that way.

All I had to do was find evidence against him, and get a warrant for search. He carried a dark energy around him, he can’t be trusted no matter what.

“Mate.”

I gulped, pulling my lower lips in.

What does that even mean? And why does he call me that?

My phone rang, cutting off the trail of my thoughts. I grabbed it, swiping green.

“Lysandra.”

“Rayna. Are you okay? Did you get a place to stay yet?” She asked immediately.

“Calm down, Sandra. I did get a place to stay. Tomorrow, I’m going to get my own apartment.”

“I’m sorry, Rayna. I don’t understand what is going on with mom and dad. They shouldn’t treat you like that.” She said quietly.

“It’s fine. They’ve done a lot for me. If they want to let me go now, I won’t have a problem with that. I’m grown up already.”

“Rayna–“

“Lysandra, it’s late. Don’t let mom and dad get you talking to me.” I muttered.

“I just….about that man we saw….”

My ears perked up. “Who?”

“That creepy guy we saw that night. I saw him on the news.”

“On the news? What news?”

“I don’t really remember. I forgot the name too.”

“Xav. Xavian, that’s his name.” I muttered.

“How did you know that?” She asked.

I cleared my throat. “Stay away if you see him in the estate again and call me immediately too. Don’t waste a single time.”

“Is he dangerous?”

“You said it yourself, Sandra. He’s creepy. I don’t want to take any risk. He wouldn’t do us anything good.”

“Hmm. I will inform you if I hear anything else. Goodnight. Rayna.”

“Good night.” I ended the call and immediately went online to get any information I could about him.

There was nothing.

None. What then had Lysandra seen about him? She worked in the entertainment industry so….

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair.

Sleep, Rayna, sleep.

****

“You said you wanted a house, didn’t you?” Marcus stared at me from the kitchen table where he was making something that resembled chopped lambs.

“Yes.” I nodded, holding the cup of coffee he’d placed before me early this morning.

“Well, that’s good for you.” He smiled, “The owner of Obsidian Heights is giving a once in a lifetime ticket for a luxury apartment here without payment. You technically get it for free if your name gets picked.”

I scoffed. “Things like this are done for corruption. You think they don’t have a winner already, they are only doing this to avoid the eyes of the government.”

Marcus stared at me, “You seem to have ideas in this kind of thing.”

I smirked, shrugging slightly. “Truth is, I’m smart.” I muttered.

He stared at me for a full minute, before he continued his speech. “Mistakes are made sometimes in this kind of stuff. Besides, you can never be too sure it was for something like bribery. I heard the owner of this building is so powerful that he would need to be bribed rather than bribe others.” He walked towards me and dropped a plate of food.

“It’s just right outside the gate. I will inform the director about your search for an apartment. So you can take the whole day off.” He grabbed his coat and walked towards the door, pulling it open.

“Then–“I cut him off, standing up sharply. “The results of the lottery, when is it going to be?”

“Tomorrow? Something like that.” He shrugged.

“Can I stay here for another day then?” I bit my lips.

I’m shameless, I know. But if I was going to give it a try, then I should do it properly, right?

“You can. As long…”

“As I don’t overstay my welcome. Got it!” I said quickly.

His lips tipped slightly in a smile, before he stepped out, closing the door behind him.

A soft gasp escaped from my lips as I crashed back on the chair. I wouldn’t win, I know it. But…having an apartment here in Obsidian heights, it’s crazy expensive.

My net worth would be dragging with Cassian’s at that instant. Then, I’ll be the rich girl who’d be flipping cash at a foolish husband.

I chuckled, feeling my whole body shake out of excitement. If I kept it for some years, who knows? It might actually increase and I can sell it in the future.

I grabbed my phone, wearing the slippers I found beside the door as I rushed out of the house.

Right outside the gate.

It was a fifteen minutes walk from the apartment to the only gate in the estate. The pattern felt weird, like I’d seen it before.

Ah, that’s right. Mooncrest estate had a pattern like this too. The only difference is that Obsidian Heights is crazily bigger than Moonscrest.

Could they be owned by the same person?

“This is my estate.” Xav’s words from last night flowed into my ears. It’s impossible he actually owned Mooncrest estate…right?

Right?!

He probably said that because he LIVED in the estate, nothing more.

I–

Someone grabbed me, right in time before a car could splash water on me. I gasped, my head hitting his rock hard chest. I froze.

“You should stay off rough parts, darling.”

I pulled away from his addictive chest as I raised my head.

My eyes widened.

Whatever attraction I had in the brief moment disappeared faster than flash.

“You, again?!”

“I told you last night. We are going to meet.”

I scoffed. “Don’t tell you are actually the owner of this estate?”

“What if…” he cocked his head, “I am? Doesn’t that mean you lost your bet already?”

I gulped, my hands clenching into fists. “You know, ever since you appeared for the second time at that crime scene, I don’t like you for any reason.”

“You also appeared at all those places you saw me, does that mean you are a murderer?”

“You–“ I clenched my teeth, trying hard to keep my voice low, “I’m an FBI.”

“So…they can’t murder?”

I blinked. “What?”

He stared at me blankly, and shivers ran down my spine. This was it. If the gaze in his eyes had been a little more emotional, I would have trusted him a little bit. But with these dark gazes, it’s impossible to not suspect him.

“Aren’t you going to win a lottery ticket? You should do it quickly, you have no idea if they are going to pick from the bottom.” He said, walking away.

“Wait–“ I made to follow him but he halted almost immediately, turning to stare at me. I bit my lips, “Are you the owner of this estate?”

His brows notched slightly. “Of course not. I’m going to write my name to win the lottery ticket.”

My eyes widened. “But I thought you lived at Mooncrest?”

“The apartments here are…expensive. So it’s better to switch?”

I ran my hands through my hair, scoffing slightly. “Aren’t you greedy? You have a house, some people don’t and what? You are going to compete too?”

“What does that have to do with having a house? Ah, you don’t have one?” He asked in the most sarcastic manner possible.

My insides twisted. “Xavian.”

I could swear I saw the change in his eyes. But I don’t know what it was. It…it almost melted me.

“Call that name again.” He muttered.

I gulped, stepping away from him. “You are crazy.”

The shivers didn’t leave my body, not until I got to the arena of the lottery ticket. There were hundreds of people there, how could I possibly win?

“The winner has been chosen already.”

That voice again.

“Are you after me?”

“I am actually. I’m attracted to you.”

He didn’t flinch as he said those words. My stomach churned. I just got out of a crazy relationship, one where I lost my son. Thinking about love is purely stupidity from my path. And definitely, not with a suspect.

I shook my head, ignoring him as I turned back to the crowd.

“You–“

“Rayna!”

I turned sharply, hearing someone call my name. The worst person of my life stood in front of me, a stupid smirk on his lips.

Cassian.

He’s here with her.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, staring at me like I’m nothing less than trash. “Don’t tell me you are here to win the lottery.”

“Everyone here is. You are not blind.”

“Do you really think you could win? You bring bad luck wherever you go. How could you even think of coming here? What if the program gets cancelled?!”

I blinked. “Cassian, what–“

“Rayna. Are you still mad at him?” Taliah cut me off, stepping closer as she grabbed my hands. “Cassian hadn’t been able to sleep for days since you left. He couldn’t even sign the divorce papers because –“

“You haven’t signed the divorce papers yet?” I threw her hands off, directing my gaze back to Cassian.

“Why should I? You know I’m about to get the big construction project from the Varkos Empire and you want my reputation to get ruined?”

“Varkos Empire?” Xavian suddenly asked behind me. I totally forgot he was still here.

My teeth gritted silently. Enduring such nonsense and talking about my life in front of him was total nonsense.

“Who is this? Your new man?” Cassian raised a brow.”I should have known when you decided to divorce me. You have been patient since all these years so divorce? That’s not you, Rayna. Turns out you were already in love with someone else.”

My anger hit the peak as I walked towards him, ready to give him a resounding slap, but then a hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me backwards.

Xavian’s scent covered me instantly.

“You are right. I’m her new man.”

What?

Wait…what?!