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I stepped out of the car and into the cool embrace of the mansion's private driveway, the night wrapping around me. The familiar silhouette of Xavier's grand home rose against the darkening sky like a beacon calling out to something deep inside me. I was exhausted, each limb heavy, and my clothes still held the faint smell of that lakeside villa I wanted to wash away.
But as I took in those towering windows and the soft glow of lights spilling onto the stone steps, a wave of relief washed over me, making my knees feel a little shaky.
After days of feeling trapped that tried to chip away at everything I held dear, being back here felt like taking a deep breath after what felt like forever.
Xavier kept his arm firmly around my waist all the way inside, his solid presence anchoring me, almost like he was afraid that even a moment of space between us could make me disappear back into the shadows he had just rescued me from.
