Page 63 of Not All Himbos Wear Capes

I was on the verge of a panic attack while he rummaged around inside the corpse, as casually as one might select produce at the grocery store. Just as I realized he’d brought up my developing powers asfact,he spoke again.

“This ray gun you’re developing. Could you program it to detect something other than microplastics? Living organisms, perhaps?”

My blood ran cold. No one in my family bothered to ask what I did in my spare time. Ever. That my father knew exactly what I was working on—inside my impenetrable secret lair—made me realize how fucking godlike this man truly was.

“Living?” Was all I could manage.

“Yes,” he stated, lifting his bloody hand so I could plainly see it. “Somethingtangible.Like DNA.”

I swallowed hard, my brain already whirring with how to make this ridiculous request happen. “Well, anything’s possible.”

He chuckled, although at least that horrible smile didn’t reappear. “That it is. I’ll be closely watching what you do with this…”—he vaguely waved his gore-covered hand—“unique situationyou’ve found yourself in. Perhaps I’ll meetButchmyself someday.”

CHAPTER29

BUTCH

By the time Xander returned to the dining room, only three people were left sitting at the table—me, Glacial Girl, and The Hand of Death, who’d moved closer. The tension between us was so thick, I could have cut it with a knife.

Not that either of these two would need knives to kill me.

“We’re leaving,” Xander unceremoniously announced, striding to where I was and placing a firm hand on the back of my neck. The instant calm that washed over me at his touch and scent was immediately followed by a tidal wave of shame so deep, I felt like I was drowning.

“It’s been a pleasure, Butch,” Xander’s horriblemothercooed, even as her gaze flickered to Wolfgang with blatant annoyance.

I was so eager to get the heck out of there, I thought nothing of it—not until Xander whispered his thanks to his older brother as he herded me from the room.

“Anytime,” was The Hand of Death’s reply, and I suddenly realized his nerve-wracking presence hadn’t been to intimidate me at all.

Was he… protecting me?

That makes no sense…

None of this makes any sense.

“I’m so sorry about all this, baby,” Xander rasped as we climbed into his car and sped away. “I should never have brought you here.”

“I’m glad you did,” I replied, suddenly exhausted. “It was… enlightening.”

He had nothing to say to that, so we continued traveling in silence. Now that I was no longer in immediate danger, I could finally absorb all the information I’d been given—including the terrible knowledge of who Xander was. Not only was he a supe, he was the son of the two most notorious supervillains in recent history.

And not knowing his villain identity made my imagination run wild, envisioning all the distasteful things he’d done in his family’s name.

You’re one to talk.

A strange numbness washed over me. “I want to sleep at my place tonight.” My voice was distant and emotionless—like it was coming from someone else.

“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he murmured, immediately rerouting.

“Alone,” I added, bracing for his reaction.

Xander immediately slammed on the brakes and pulled over before twisting in his seat to face me. “Really? You… you don’t want to… be with me?”

I want to be with you more than anything.

“I just need space to think,” I choked out, shutting my eyes against the terrible sight of his astonishment and anguish—unwilling to see his beautiful face now that I knew where that beauty came from.

“Fuck. Okay, okay…” Xander muttered, pulling the car back into traffic. “Whatever you need, Butch.”