a's

ung to my skin, but I barely felt it. Xavier stood in front of me, his expression raw in a

have been shivering, but my body felt warm despite the cold. Xavier's conf

I whispered, my voice barely carr

kering down before meeting mine agai

digging into my skin. The ache in

s right now," I said, taking a step cl

and bitter. "I've spent years runnin

oy he must have been before life hardened hi

art with walki

ard by my words. Silence stretched between us, thi

tion or a promise of chan

er's

barely noticed. Lena stood before me, un

meant never feeling the sting of loss again. But looking at her now, I realized something

he instinct to pull back warred

ng convincing myself I didn't deserve that, but right now, standi

said, my voice low

ifted sligh

ame out rougher than I meant,

ly a moment befor

ainst hers, testing the contact. When she didn't pull away, I laced our fingers together. It

a's

the cold night air. He didn't say much as we walked, but

nthouse. I had been here before, bu

trange tension settled between us. The

unning a hand through his rain-slicked

further inside, watching

e back of his neck. "I don't

hat you're

"I'm thinking that having

unded. "Goo

, unreadable. "Ter

s voice made my b

allowing the space between us. "Becaus

I swallowed hard, heart rac

, hesitant yet deliberate. His t

e was a whisper,

pressed against his chest, feeling the s

nning. No

ance, pressing my

my waist, fingers gripping me like I was something fragile yet nec

ir, pulling him closer. The barriers he had built were still

rest his forehead against mine. "Y

y lips. "Then I guess it

ng unreadable flickering b

ent a rush

ded.

olding his breath waiting for my an