Page 44 of His Dark Cravings

I blink. Upstairs? The second floor is Xavier’s private space, a place I’ve never been invited to. My heart continues to beat fast as I step out of my room and allow her to lead the way. She doesn’t say another word, just turns and walks, expecting me to follow.

The staircase to the second floor curves elegantly upward, the walls lined with framed art that seems more personal than the pieces downstairs. The doll stops at a door I hadn’t noticed, one that blends seamlessly into the wall. She pushes it open, gesturing for me to enter.

The room beyond is nothing like the rest of the house. It’s warm, intimate, with soft lighting and plush furniture in muted tones. And there, sprawled across a low-slung leather couch, is Xavier.

He’s not in one of his tailored suits or even a shirt. His loungewear is simple—black drawstring pants and a matching tank top that clings to his broad chest. His hair is mussed, his jaw shadowed with stubble. For the first time, he looks... human.

His eyes meet mine, and I hear the doll behind me slip away, closing the door softly. I’m alone with him now, painfully aware of how his pants cling to his bulge.

Fuck, focus!

“Everly,” he says, his voice lower, rougher than usual. “Come here.”

I don’t move. “You wanted to see me?” I ask, my tone cautious.

He sits up. “You were late. And then you defied me. In front of the others.” His voice is calm, too calm. “Care to explain?”

“Because I need to assert who I am,” I say before I can second-guess myself. “In your world, with your rules, it’s easy to lose yourself. I don’t want to disappear just to fit into whatever this is.”

Xavier’s expression doesn’t change, but I can see the gears turning in his mind. He leans back against the couch, his broad frame casual, unguarded in a way I’ve never seen before. “And is that the only reason you acted out tonight, Everly? To prove you still exist?”

The question feels like a trap, but I don’t know the safe answer. “What else would it be?”

He tilts his head, studying me with an unnerving intensity. “You’re not like the others. But that doesn’t mean you get to defy me without a reason.”

“I told you my reason.”

“No, you told me part of it.” He stands fluidly and takes a step closer. His proximity makes the room shrink, the air thicken. “Is it because you’re planning to leave?”

Leaving? Of all the things I’ve thought about today, leaving—really, truly leaving—hasn’t been one of them.

“No,” I say, my voice steady despite the frantic rhythm of my heart. “I’m not leaving.”

He raises an eyebrow, as if daring me to prove it. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because I said so.”

A faint smile plays on his lips, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “And why should that mean anything to me?”

“Because I’m still here.”

A charged silence follows his words, thick with unspoken meaning. He remains motionless, doesn’t speak. Then, with a small nod, he steps back.

“You can go.”

I hold my ground for just a beat before turning, my legs feeling weak as I reach the door. By the time I step back into the cool, quiet hallway, I’m left with gnawing questions: what just happened? Is he afraid I'll leave?

And what did I just unlock in him?

Chapter 14

Everly

SLAP SLAP SLAP!!

The door shakes under the force of the blows, jolting me upright. My heart stutters as I sit up too fast, and my head spins. The room tilts, and before I can steady myself, I’m tumbling out of bed, my nightgown twisting around my thighs like a trap. I land with a soft thud on the floor, my palms stinging from breaking my fall.

“What the hell!” I mutter, scrambling to my feet. My body protests, heavy with sleep, but the relentless slapping against the door drives me forward. I stagger toward it, yanking it open with more force than necessary.

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