Beautiful Stranger (Completed)

CH 34

Charlie

I honestly thought Gino would have been at Gypsy's. I felt bad I had wasted our time.

"Xavier," I started but stopped when I noticed his face. It was impassive and their was a look of worry in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He quickly said before whistling loudly. "Henry! Here, boy!"

Henry came bounding towards us the moment we were back near the car. "Charlie, get in. We can talk on the way back."

"Okay," I opened the passenger door right when Henry started to growl.

I had rarely heard him growl like that. Both times he had, we had been in danger. Xavier didn't miss a beat, pulling out his gun right when Gino Rivera appeared from behind a high pickup truck, wearing a dark hoodie and faded jeans.

"Charlie," he said, his eyes immediately going to me before cutting to Xavier's.

Henry moved to lounge towards Gino before Xavier said, "No, Henry. Down, boy."

Henry looked back at Xavier, clearly confused why his master was telling him not to pounce on an obvious threat.

"Get in, Henry." Xavier whistled again, opening the door to the backseat.

Henry turned to Gino, barking and showing his teeth before he hoped in the back. "My dog doesn't like you. He doesn't like things or people he knows could hurt me or Charlie." Xavier calmly explained to him.

"Your stupid mutt took a chunk out of me the last time. I can promise you, it won't happen again." Gino threaten.

Xavier was amused by this statement before he whistled and Henry jumped out of the car. Henry started growling again, showing his teeth.

"Would you like to see if your confidence is well placed?" My husband offered, "I can guarantee you who will win this."

Okay....I hadn't seen this side of my husband but even I was scared. Henry was such a sweet dog but looking at him now, he looked ready to kill.

Gino, never one to back down from a threat, surprised me. "Whatever Mr.FBI agent. I didn't come here for this. I came here to talk." He held up his hand, as if to signal he surrendered. "Can you tell your husband-" he gritted out that word, "To put his gun and dog away," he looked at me before saying, "Heather."

Wow...talk about holding a grudge. Granted, I had lied to him and tried to kill him. But the trying to kill him part happened after he tried to kill me.

"I can't control the actions of my husband's or Henry's. And, FYI, Henry's not a mutt."

Xavier smiled before putting his gun away. "Back in the car, Henry." He whistled and Henry again complied, looking confused as to why he couldn't attack Gino.

I finally understood what everyone was saying about Henry. He could be scary like my husband.

"Let's go someplace and talk." Gino looked at me.

"We can go to Angie's, Gino." I told him.

Gino chuckled, before a look of....hurt swept his handsome face. "You got some nerve, Charlie. Like, seriously, how do you even live with yourself after the crap you pulled on me."

"She sleeps beautifully if you must know." My husband said, "And the nights she can't, I make sure she can."

Gino gritted his teeth. "If I wasn't in a jam, I'd slowly kill you." He told Xavier.

Xavier was even more amused by this, "The only thing stopping me from allowing you from being mulled to death by my dog, is because you're useful. If you weren't, trust me, you wouldn't be standing here after what you did to my wife."