Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

The whole hospital room was thick with tension.

That single gunshot had everyone on edge, and Scar's hand instinctively moved toward the back of his belt.

But before he could make a move, Xander let out a cold chuckle. "Go ahead. Try it," he warned, his voice carrying a lethal edge.

Scar froze, all bravado draining from his face. He glared at Xander, his whole body taut, ready to defend himself but too scared to try.

Xander's eyes flicked over to Dan.

There was a mocking glint in his gaze. "I've seen my share of shameless bastards, but you, Dan? You take the cake."

"You mess around with women, then blame them for being too much, and now you want her dead? That's a new low, even for you."

Every word dripped with disgust.

Dan's breath came short. "She's not hurt, is she?"

Xander shot him a look. "You're asking me?"

Dan had nothing to say.

He honestly didn't know what had happened-Yvonne had already taken Susanna and bolted. That had to mean they were safe, right? He let out a shaky sigh of relief.

Just as he was about to speak, Scar cut in. "It was me. I did it."

Dan turned to glare icy daggers at him.

Xander raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. She framed our boss, and she tried to kill him."

That was the truth. The day Yvonne went after Dan, Scar had seen the murderous look in her eyes. She'd wanted Dan gone, plain and simple-not just today, but before, too.

Xander gave a short, humorless laugh. The next second, he turned his gun on Scar and BANG! Scar dropped instantly.

Scar, Dan's most loyal right-hand man-the guy who'd been with him through thick and thin-was gone in a blink.

Dan roared, "XANDER!" Fury exploded through him.

He'd already lost so many people fighting Derek all these years, and now Scar- his backbone-was dead. Dan's eyes burned with rage as he stared at Xander.

But Xander just blew the smoke from his gun, scoffed, and walked out, leaving Dan alone in the hospital room.

Dan was shaking with anger. He looked again at Scar, motionless on the floor- might as well be dead.

Was Xander out of his mind? Did he really just kill for Yvonne? Did he actually care about her?

The thought sent a cold chill through Dan's veins.

...

Outside the hospital, Xander slid into the backseat of a black SUV.

Kyle, his driver, glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "Mr. Schultz, your wife took off with Ms. Tucker."

Xander raised an eyebrow. "She came back?"

"Yes, sir."

"And remind me who's Ms. Tucker again?"

For a second, Xander genuinely couldn't remember who this Ms. Tucker was.

Kyle explained, "She's the girl Mr. Miguel brought back from Portis City. Princess Stella's best friend."

"Oh, right," Xander said as it came back to

fim. "So why'd she run with her? Did she and Stella betnoveldrama

fight?"

Thinking about Stella didn't faze Xander anymore. No matter howe much he'd chased her before, after he'd married Yvonne, he felt this weird sense of relief, like he'@finally reached the finish line.

But as for why Yvonne was running off with Stella's best friend-he had no clue.

Kyle added, "Ms. Tucker is actually Dan's sister."

"What the hell?" Xander blurted. "Dan has a sister? Since when?"

Kyle stayed quiet a second, then shrugged.

"Seriously, I didn't even know the guy had family," Xander muttered, shaking his head.

That was Xander for you-he never bothered learning the names of Dan's people. To him, they were all just... extras.

In this business, once a secret gets

out, everyone hears about it. Kyle

had gotten wind of all this crazy news and was filling Xander in, detail by detail.

After hearing it all, Xander could only shake his head in disbelief.

He muttered, "Black Gate is a goddamn circus."

No kidding—anyone with half a brain would lose their mind trying to make sense

of it all.