Page 50 of His Dark Cravings

And I don’t know what to do with that.

We sit for a while longer until I feel steadier. But then I thank Winter and excuse myself, the revelations pressing down on me as I retreat to my room. The moment the door closes behind me, I lean against it. Xavier’s face floats in my head—his cold, distant eyes, the way he sounded when he told me to leave.

Winter said he’s not upset because he cares. He’s upset because he can’t keep anyone.

I stumble forward and sink onto the bed, my hands trembling. The gallery conversation comes back to mind—his words, so raw and unguarded. I couldn’t save her. But I can save them. Now, Winter’s words slot into place like a missing piece of a puzzle. Xavier didn’t tell me the whole story that day. He’s not just trying to save them—he’s trying to get someone to stay.

He’s scared.

Xavier Ravenwood, the man who commands a room with a single glance, the man who bends everyone to his will—scared. Of being left. Of losing control. Of being empty.

I think about Lila, then, and the jealousy that once burned in my chest. Her boldness, her freedom, the way she seemed to glide through life unmoored. I judged her so harshly. But now... now I feel a pang of guilt. She wasn’t just leaving Xavier. She was leaving this whole fragile, complicated web he’s spun.

And me? What about me?

The thought creeps in before I can stop it.

Do I stay? Or do I leave, like everyone else? Can I give him something different? Something that will make him feel less empty?

My stomach twists at the thought. I don’t even know how to feel about it. Part of me wants to scream, to rail against the idea of giving myself to someone so broken. But another part of me—smaller, quieter—aches. It aches for Xavier, for the cracks in his armor, for the man behind the mask.

I don’t know what I want. Or what I’m capable of.

But what I do know is this: I can’t keep pretending I don’t feel this pull. This tangled, messy, inexplicable pull toward him. That tiny ache in me, it's not just that I feel bad for him.

Maybe I want to be the only one to stay. And maybe I'm afraid I can't.

Maybe I won't be enough.

Chapter 16

Everly

"Xavier requests your presence in the dungeon."

I nod to let the doll know I've heard her, my face feeling like a mask. I don't betray any emotion as I close my bedroom door behind me and walk down the hall to where Xavier waits for me.

Every step echoes through the quiet hallway like a countdown to something I can’t escape. My heart isn’t racing—it’s just... still, like a held breath.

The truth is, I don’t want to go to the dungeon. I don’t want to face Xavier, not now, not when everything feels so... fragile. Xavier's upset because he can't get anyone to stay, and like a sick joke, I let myself think I could be the one he's looking for.

But why would Xavier even want me to stay? Out of all the dolls, out of all the women who are so much more experienced, so much more... worthy? I can’t compete with them, not really. Lila with her fire, Sable with her sharp edges, Winter with her polished perfection. I’m just soft. Weak. A charity worker who still blushes at the thought of certain words.

I reach the dungeon, and when I push the door open, Xavier is already there, standing in the center of the room with his arms crossed. He looks up when I enter, his green eyes narrowing slightly as he takes in the sight of me.

“Close the door,” he commands in a tone that I haven't heard in a week.

I do as he says, the click of the door shutting behind me echoing sharply in the room. My hands stay at my sides, my posture straight, my face still a mask. But inside, I’m screaming.

“Come here,” he orders, his voice softer now but no less commanding.

I move toward him, my feet bare and cold against the floor. When I stop in front of him, he reaches out and smoothes my hair, his touch light but unexpected. I flinch, just barely, before I can catch myself.

“Nervous, Everly?” he murmurs, his voice low and teasing.

I meet his gaze, forcing myself to hold it. “No.”

One corner of his mouth lifts, a small, knowing smile. “Liar.”

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