Page 28 of Even Beneath the Stars

"You are."

"What? Because I'm refusing to act like it's the sixteen hundreds?"

"Now you're being a jackass." Candice swats Xavier's thigh semi-playfully with a dish towel.

He swivels to face Candice, hands held out to his sides. "Some pretentious artist refuses to acknowledge that the camera has been invented… AndI'mthe jackass?"

"This is really important to your mother," Denise pushes.

Xavier pivots with a sudden edge, and the shift is instant—his posture, his eyes.Sharper.

It’s the first time I’ve heard anyone mention Jacee around him or Finn, and I glance at the little guy to see if he reacts. But Finn is seemingly oblivious, busy stretching his cheese as high as his little arms will allow.

Denise swallows. "Look… I know. I get that it seems—"

"Ironic?" Xavier supplies.

"Xavier—"

"Hypocritical?" He drags his tongue along the inside of his cheek, his smirk slow and sharp-edged.

Denise sighs again, only this time she turns to collect her computer and coffee from the counter, signalling the conversation is done. "He'll be set up in the Solarium tomorrow at six. Please be there."

"I'm busy tomorrow at six." He brushes past her and grabs his backpack off the floor. Then starts down the hall.

Denise barely glances up. "Alright, then shall we discuss the vape pen and box of condoms Mariannafound in the Games Room?"

Proving my earlier observation about this weird dynamic between the boys and the "help". Becausethis,apparently, is when staff confront Xavier directly about his less-than-savory extracurricular activities—when they need him to step into line with something that makes it difficult to fulfill their job requirements.

Xavier pauses mid-stride. "Christ…" He exhales hard. "Fine. Portrait in the Solarium tomorrow at six."

"Thank you." Denise doesn’t look up. "I’ll text you a reminder."

"Yep."

"You forgot your water bottle, sugar!" Candice calls.

"Don’t need it." He keeps walking down the arched hallway. "Omelets were amazing, by the way." Then he’s gone.

I follow a few seconds later, thanking Candice for breakfast and hugging Finn goodbye, who's leaving through another door with the driver. I enter the coat room just as Xavier is shoving hockey gloves into his duffel.

He glances over his shoulder, damp hair falling over one eye. "Following me now?" He zips his bag. "Because—what? Moving into my home and sleeping across the hall wasn't enough?"

I grab my coat from one of the hooks. "Your ego's writing checks your personality can't cash, Rockwell."

He straightens, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Everything's about money for you, huh? Even your comebacks."

I should fire back with something scathing about his clueless, entitled existence.But something holds me back.

I think it's witnessing those sweet but also kind of unsettling exchanges in the kitchen. The slowly unfolding revelation that as privileged as it seems from the outside, Xavier and Finn's upbringing is really just a sewn together patchwork of various staff member's well-intended interferences. And while a couple of them seem to feel a genuine affection towards both boys, that's not what ultimately drives them to look out for them. The real reason boils down to the natural instinct of any half-decent human being to care for neglectedchildren, no matter how spoiled or pampered they may be.And, like me, the hefty paycheck that comes hand-in-hand with that genuine affection.

And there's no way Xavier doesn't see that, too. He may be made of sharp angles and jagged edges, but I’m starting to think he’s the one who’s bleeding.

He raises an eyebrow at my silence. "Nothing?" He tsks. "I'm disappointed. You're losing your touch, LeClair."

"Just saving my comebacks for more worthy targets."

"Worthy targets?" His lips curl. "Right. Because I'm sure you're so selective with your dollar-store wit." He adjusts his bag, those hazel eyes flickering with calculated amusement as he pulls open the heavy door. "Face it, Nanny McPhee; you're just as desperate for my attention as every other girl who walks through these doors. You just package it differently."

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