The Taming of Xander Sterne(70)

                ‘Touching as this scene undoubtedly is,’ Malcolm bit out scornfully behind them, ‘perhaps you could take your hands off my ex-wife long enough for the three of us to actually have this conversation!’

                Sam had taken advantage of Xander’s short absence to steel herself against showing any reaction to seeing Malcolm again, but there was no way she could stop the nausea that now roiled in her stomach as she listened to his sarcastic taunt. She should have remembered that words had always been Malcolm’s weapon of choice.

                ‘Ignore him and look at me,’ Xander urged softly, his hands tightening about hers as she did as he asked and looked up into his warm and compassionate eyes. ‘Whatever happens, know that I’m here to protect you and Daisy,’ he encouraged gruffly. ‘That I won’t let him hurt either of you.’

                Grateful tears now blurred Sam’s vision even as she straightened her spine determinedly. ‘Let’s do this.’ She nodded.

                ‘Well done,’ Xander murmured, giving her hands a last squeeze before releasing them. ‘When I move away, go and sit behind the desk,’ he told her softly. ‘It will give you a degree of power,’ he explained as she eyed him quizzically.

                Sam smiled, sure that Xander had used that degree of power a few times himself. ‘Thank you,’ she mouthed before stepping to the side and then past him, noting Malcolm sprawled comfortably in the chair on the opposite side of the desk even as she seated herself in the high-back leather chair behind it.

                She was aware of Xander moving to stand with his back leaning against the wall behind her so he could look directly at Malcolm.

                Her gaze was icy as she looked across the desk at her ex-husband. ‘This conversation should have been left to our lawyers.’

                Malcolm’s top lip curled back in a sneer. ‘My, my, how brave you’ve become since you began sharing the bed of a billionaire.’

                ‘Stop this right now, Malcolm.’ Sam glared across the width of the desk at him as she heard Xander pushing fiercely away from the wall behind her.

                ‘So defensive on your lover’s behalf,’ Malcolm continued as he eyed the younger man speculatively. ‘Nothing to say for yourself, Sterne?’ His voice hardened challengingly.

                Xander had hoped, with the help of his warning out in the hallway, that this conversation might have at least given a semblance of civility. The older man’s continued and insulting aggression told him that wasn’t going to happen.

                ‘I don’t feel the need to defend myself to men like you,’ Xander scorned. ‘Weak men, who take pleasure in hurting women and children.’

                The older man snorted. ‘I don’t remember hearing Sam complaining at the time.’

                ‘Maybe you just weren’t listening?’

                Howard’s expression darkened. ‘You—’

                ‘Let’s just get to the point of this meeting, shall we?’ Xander sighed wearily, not sure how much longer he was willing to put up with this man’s insulting behaviour.

                ‘I haven’t finished.’

                ‘Oh, you’re finished,’ Xander assured the other man coldly. ‘You just aren’t smart enough to know when you’re down, let alone out!’

                Howard’s face twisted into fury as he sat forward tensely. ‘You arrogant bast—’