"Shall I call you Mr. Thorn or Chef Thorn?" Raine announced as she walked into the kitchen, causing Xavier to turn around.
Her face no longer held any trances of the painful night she had gone through and her eyes were beaming with joy, masking away all of the emotions that had been squeezed out of her, in the past few hours.
Xavier flashed her with a heart warming smile, satisfied that she had returned to her original happy state. "Whatever you'd like." He replied quickly, before turning his attention back to the stovetop.
Although he wasn't thrilled about not knowing what had caused Raine's nightmares or the meaning of last night's episode, he didn't have a choice but to accept her decisions. She wasn't ready to open up the doors to her heart and reveal her pain to Xavier.
He wanted her to tell him the truth but never due to force or pressure. He wanted her to tell him when she, herself, felt fully ready.
Flipping up the last pancake, Xavier grabbed a plate, stacking the cakes onto the dish before serving them to Raine with a proud expression on his face. "I hope you like 'em."
"Pancakes!" Raine said smiling joyfully. "You do have maple syrup?"
"Um...." He began, turning around and going through all of the paper bags that were lying on the counter. "Here it is!" He said, pulling out a small bottle of maple syrup. "I stopped by at the grocery store yesterday before picking you up. Thought we'd need a few supplies if we're spending the night here."
"Perks of hanging out with the genius." Raine said with a smile.
"I wouldn't say I'm a genius, but we all know I'd be lying." Xavier smirked.
"Ha ha, every funny!" Raine fought back with sarcasm. "Now give me my maple syrup."
Xavier handed Raine the tiny bottle of syrup and she quickly took it. A smile crawled up on Xavier's face as he watched Raine drown her pancakes in a lake of syrup.
"Do I sense a maple syrup addict here?" He replied in amusement.
"Hey!" Raine protested. "Everything's better with maple syrup."
Xavier shook his head and chuckled before turning back to the stove and pouring out some more batter into the sizzling pan.
"So what time is the charity event?" Raine asked, taking a bite of the pancakes that Xavier had made.
"It's later this afternoon." Xavier replied, flipping the last batch of pancakes onto a plate and turning off the stove. "It's about an hour from here with the slippery roads and all." He said, drizzling maple syrup over the cakes before digging his forking into them and popping them into his mouth. "We'll be leaving in about two hours."
"Ok and shall I wear formal attire?"
"Yeah, it is a formal event and I'm damn sure the press will be there." Xavier scoffed. "They just need to know my whereabouts and the next thing you know, they're following me around like lost puppies."
Raine laughed. "Well how do they know you're here?"
"They surprisingliy know everything. And plus, I'm sure my Aunt spread the word faster then a wildfire as soon as she got my confirmation." Xavier said with distaste. "She just needed the excuse so she could get publicity."
"Well, think of it this way." Raine said pushing the empty plate to the side. "You're going there for the children. Not your aunt, not the media, not anyone else. This is for those kiddos, ok?"
The sweet glint in her eyes cause a smile to crawl on Xavier's lips. "Ok." He said softly.
"Great! Now hurry up so we can leave! And by the way, I've received an email from Jordon saying the security team will arrive prior to the event so you won't be harassed by your fellow media fans."
"Perfect." Xavier said, winking at Raine who blushed under his gaze.
* * *
"You ready to go?" Raine asked as she stepped out of the guest room.
She was wearing a beacon black dress with gold accents and a pair of thick black tights to keep her warm. She had a long trench coat hanging off of her shoulders, giving her an extra layer of warmth.
"Yup." Xavier said, lifting his head out of the papers and shoving them into his bag. "You look beautiful." He complimented, his eyes trailing Raine's body from top to bottom.
"Thanks." She said, her cheeked tinted in a hue of rosy red.
"Let me lock everything up here. I've already turned the car on. It should be warmed up by now so you can go in." Xavier notified. "I'll meet you out in a minute. Be careful, the path is slippery."
Raine nodded before collecting her purse and walking outside.
Although she had seen their surrounding last night, the vision that stood before her eyes when she opened the door was something completely different. The white glimmering snow blanketed every inch of the ground. The cabin was amongst a clearing in the woods, surrounded by tall pines that were now covered in a coat of fluffy white snow and shining as the sun reflected on the ice.
Raine walked towards the car, who's engine was smoking as the hot air released into the freezing atmosphere. Pulling the door open, she hastily stepped inside, shutting the door only to be enveloped in a bath of warm air.
It wasn't long before Xavier ran up to the car, blowing air into the palms of his hands.
"Man is it cold out there!" He shivered, blasting the heat.
"I know!" Raine laughed. "Thank god it's not this cold back in the city! I'd probably end up freezing to death!"
"I wouldn't allow that to happen." Xavier whispered.
Raine seemed to freeze at his words as she stared deeply into his eyes. The vivid blue jewels swirled with emotions, many of which Raine could not decipher from. There were more then a hundred mysteries that swam amongst the azure of his eyes, yet instead of turning away from the unknown, Raine found herself diving deep with every heartbeat.
* * *
The crooked road that passed before their headlights, carved it's way around the mountain top. Raine and Xavier had been driving for about a half an hour now, with a peaceful silence as they treaded the landscape.
"Everything is so pretty here." Raine said as the car rolled over the snowy path. "It's a winter wonderland."
"It is, isn't it?" Xavier smiled, seeing icicles hanging from the sides of the mountain. "Does it ever snow like this in California?" He asked with curiosity.
Raine's body stiffened for a second, before she eased into the conversation. "Not quiet like this." She said after a pause. "It actually doesn't snow much in Califorina. Only if you go into the mountainous regions, at high altitudes. And even then, I don't think I've seen this much snow."
"Yeah, I bet. You much be used to the beaches right?"
"Um..yeah." She said shortly.
"Don't you miss it?" Xavier questioned, catching Raine off guard.
"More than anything." She whispered in a voice full of sorrow, causing Xavier's eyes to steer off the road and onto her. His eyes landed on her's and he couldn't help but feel guilty when he saw sadness in them.
"You know, I've always wanted to spend the night in an igloo."Â He said rather randomly, in attempts of changing the subject.
"And igloo?" Raine asked confused.
"Yeah." He shrugged. "You know, like in the movies. It sounds like fun."
"It sounds cold to me." Raine said with a small smile.
"But still, it would be fun to do."
"Sure." She said teasingly.
"Admit it Raine, you would do it too!" Xavier grinned.
"Nope!" Raine said shaking her head. "The only way I'd spend the night in an igloo, is if I magically transform into a penguin."
Xavier threw his head back, laughing and Raine couldn't resist either. The both of them laughed away in the car as the passed the peaks and valleys of the mountains.
* * *
They had arrived at the venue not too long ago. The event was taking place inside a mansion in the small town. Although the mansion was not as grand as Xavier's own, it had a cozy character that made it stand out. The walls were made of stone and wooden accents, that were visible throughout the interior, adding more personality to the cottage like architecture.
As soon as Xavier and Raine set foot onto the pathway leading towards the inside of the mansion, a frail women came rushing up to the duo.
"Ziva." Xavier said with a tight lipped smile as he stood in front of the middle aged women.
Although she was short, Raine could see some similarities between the two of the them. The women had the same dark hair, flowing in curls over her shoulders. Her eyes had the same blue color that swirled in Xavier's eyes, but they seemed a little dull compared to his intense blue.
"Xavier." She said, shaking his hand. "I'm glad you could make it. Thank you so much for driving up here specially for this event. It means so much to me, that you could come."
"I'm here for the children." Xavier replied curly, causing the women's smile to dim a bit. She shook her head, looking around before her eyes fell on Raine who was awkwardly standing besides Xavier.
"And who might this young lady be?"
"Hello, I'm Raine. Um.. I'm here as Xavier's PA." She said shyly, keeping her voice low yet still smiling politely.
"Nice to meet you Raine. I'm Ziva Nighting. Zander's sister and Xavier'sâ"
"It would be great if you could escort us to our seats." Xavier interrupted.
"Uh.. yeah. Let me just get my husband Ron and then I can have you two settled." She said, passing Raine a polite smile and walking away.
Raine looked at Xavier with a hint of confusion. Of course she didn't expect Xavier to be nice, but his rude behavior definitely caught her off guard. It was one thing to ignore and not care about a person, but it was another thing to act rudely.
"Hello Mr. Thorn."
Xavier and Raine both turned around to be greeted by Mathew, who worked at Thorn Inc as a security guard.
"Hello, Mathew. Thank you for coming out here this morning." Xavier said, nodding at him in appreciation.
"Not a problem Sir. We've got everything covered here." Mathew replied honestly.
"Great. Try to keep the press away and my car is parked at the entrance. When I'm ready to go, I'll notify you."
"Of course Mr. Thorn." Mathew agreed, before looking at Raine. "Hello Miss. Woods."
"Hello Mathew. It's nice to see you here!" Raine said with a smile.
"You too! Anyways, I've got to check in with the rest of the team. Notify me if you'd like anything."
* * *
Raine waited patiently alongside Xavier as he greeted the guests on his way to the entrance. The weather had warmed up the slightest bit, but a chilled breeze still passed through the mountains every once in a while.
As Raine's eyes began drifting across the area, they fell on something that made Raine freeze. Her body went stiff as soon she saw the reporters and paparazzi taking pictures of them.
A shiver passed through her spine as she realized the dangers of these pictures. One photo had enough power to rip her away from her life and place her into hell, and there was no way she was letting that happen.
Instantly, Raine turned away from the flashing cameras and hid herself against Xavier's broad shoulders.
"Raine?" He asked with concern, waving the guests off. "Are you alright?"
He rested his hands on Raine shoulders, giving her a slight pat as his eyes bore into her own, looking for any hints of discomfort.
"I-I...the media.They...they're taking pictures." She mumbled, keeping her gaze far from the flashing cameras.
It didn't take long for him to understand Raine's discomfort. "Mathew!" Xavier shouted, catching the attention of his bodyguard. "I'd like for the press to remain out of sight. Especially away from Raine. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir. I'll make sure they aren't a bother to both you and Miss. Woods."
"Thank you." Xavier said curtly before watching Mathew remove the men who had seemed to cause Raine trouble.
"Is that better?" Xavier asked, his fingers lifting Raine's chin up ever so gently.
Raine's eyes went wide as she stared back at Xavier. "Th-thank you."
"Don't mention it." Xavier said with a smile. "You don't deserve to be tarnished by the media anyways. I have learned to live with it but I don't expect you to do the same. They shouldn't be a bother to you. I'll make sure of it. You have my word."
* * *
The event was going on in fully spring now that Xavier had finally made his grand entrance into the venue, in front of the hundreds of people who had attended just to get a glimpse of America's most successful billionaire.
Despite the many people who had been trying to gain Xavier's attention for the majority of the day, Xavier made sure to keep Raine close to his side. This was her first time being put in such a situation and uncomfortable, was the last thing he wanted her to feel.
"Raine!" Ziva said, pushing past the guests as she approached the couple.
"Mrs. Nighting?" Raine said turning her attention towards Ziva.
"Oh, I was just wondering if you'd be interested in coming along with me and the---"
"Not interested." Xavier interrupted harshly, taking a step closer to Raine.
"Let the poor girl come, Xavier." She pleaded politely. "She's probably bored out of her mind hanging out with you all night. Why must you--"
"She is my personal assistant and will oblige by my orders." Xavier replied sternly. "Now if you'll excuse us, I'd like to carry on with my day."
With that being said, Xavier tugged Raine's hand, dragging her across the room and towards the stage where the hosts of the event were making announcements. The both of them took at seat in the front row and relaxed.
A couple of minute later, Ziva approached the same row, her hands wrapped around her husband as they took a seat besides Xavier and Raine.
"Without further ado, I'd like to invite on stage, our guest speaker for the day, Xavier Thorn, CEO of Thorn Inc and one of America's most successful business tycoons."
The crowd gave a round of applause as Xavier rose from his seat, walking up the steps to the stage. "Thank you all for attending today's event." Xavier began. "I can't stress the importance of supporting the children of our community. Their future is equivalent to the furture of not only the country but the world. And knowing that we could make even the smallest impact on their lives makes everything worth while. On behalf of my company, I'd like to ask each and every person to make a contribution to enriching the lives of our fellow children....."
Xavier's continued his speech with honesty and enthusiasm while the guests listened carefully.
Raine was proudly listening to Xavier's speech with focus and attention until a buzzing noice distracted her.
Looking down at her phone, she found an unknown text message flashing on her screen.
Unknown >> You know who I am.
A frown appeared on her face as she reread the message several time. It seemed to be coming from the same unknown number that had previously messaged her, but she could not recall who it could possibly be.
Raine Woods >> I'm sorry, I do not recall.
Raine tried hard, thinking off all of the possible people this person could be. However, she was confident that she hadn't given her number out to anyone who would be a bother to her in such a manor. Confused, Raine waited for a reply but when she saw none coming, she decided to end the matter herself.
Raine Woods >> I think you have the wrong number.
Shrugging it off, Raine diverted her attention back to Xavier who was just about finishing off his speech.
* * *
"You were great up there!" Raine complimented as soon as Xavier left the podium, releasing the crowd.
"Thank you." Xavier said, grinning. "But you seemed distracted. What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Raine said shaking her head. "I got a text, but it was a wrong number."
Xavier observed her for a moment longer, before nodding. "Anyways, I think we are good to go. I really don't see the point in staying here any longer."
"Ok cool. Um, aren't you going to bid farewell to Mrs. Nighting?"
"It's best if I avoid Ziva. Any form on conversation will give her the false hope that I am trying to mend our relations."
"And what's wrong with that?" Raine asked with uncertainty.
"There is no point in trying to mend something that is meant to be broken." Xavier said with a hard look as he glanced at the mansion. "There is nothing that connects me to her, other then that fact that she is my father's sister. And with the death of my father, that relation ended as well. "
"I'm sorry." Raine said looking down.
"Don't be." Xavier refuted, taking her hand into his own. "We should head out now, if we want to make it back home before midnight."
"Yeah." Raine nodded.
The two of them took on last glance at the event before turning towards that door, taking brisk steps that Raine tried hard to follow.
"Xavier wait!" Ziva said, rushing up to Xavier as he headed out the door.
Xavier stopped in his track, rolling his eyes before turning around to face the women who had interrupted his departure. He stood silently, glaring at Ziva she to rushed up to him.
"I need to tell you something." Ziva said, panting. "I need to tell you something about your father."
"I do not wish to discuss that topic at the moment." Xavier said, glancing at Raine who was standing besides him with her eyes glued to the ground. "If you'd like to speak to me, make an appointment and meet me in my office."
"Xavier this is important."
"If that's the case then I'd get on it if I were you. My schedule is hectic and I'm pretty sure I'm all booked up for the next couple of months. Is that so Raine?"
"Um... well I...." Raine began, only to be cut off by Xavier.
"Anyways, Ziva, you got what you wanted. I came here, I gave you publicity, and I even gave my part of the contribution. Now that that's settle, do not bother me or try to maintain any relations with me." Xavier said in the most polite way possible, yet it came out more like a threat. "If we're done here, I have places to be. "
"I... I understand." Ziva said with disappointment.
"Great." Xavier nodded, before turning to Raine. "Shall we leave?" He asked, taking a hold of her hand once more.
"Sure." Raine whispered, still looking at Ziva who was standing near them with a distressed emotion in her pale blue eyes.
"Lets go."
______________________
A/N: Hello fellow readers! I hope you all enjoyed this part! How many of you are curious to hear about Raine's past? I've been dropping hints in the past few chapters but her past will be revealed soon hopefully!
Question of the day: How do you deal with midterms and finals? Wing it, or study your butt off? (Sorry, I'm a college student, currently drowning in midterms and would love to hear your words of wisdom)
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Breathe