Chapter 61 Horrible Terrors

• I opened my mouth to argue, to deflect, but before I could, he closed the space between us, his forehead resting lightly against mine. The world seemed to fall away in that moment, the chaos outside the mansion, the questions hanging in the air—all of it drowned beneath the steady rhythm of his breathing and the intensity in his gaze.
• “You’re not just anyone to me,” he whispered, the words barely audible, yet they struck with the force of a storm. “Do you understand that?”
• I swallowed hard, my voice caught in my throat. But then, quite suddenly, Xavier began to cough, though it wasn’t clear what had caused it. I quickly reached for the jug and poured him a glass of orange juice, holding it out so he could take a sip.