Ann woke before dawn, a soft glow spilling through the floor-length curtains of Xavier's bedroom. For a moment, she thought she'd dreamed the whole night — the rain, his lips, the words that still burned against her throat like a secret brand.
But then she felt it — the warm weight of his arm draped across her waist, his breath against her shoulder, steady as a silent threat.
She tried to move, just to slip out and breathe for a moment, but his grip tightened immediately.
"Where do you think you're going?" His voice was husky, half-asleep but full of warning.
Ann stilled. She could feel his heartbeat on her back, steady and calm in a way that made her own race faster.
"Bathroom," she lied softly.
He hummed, his lips brushing the back of her neck — a lazy, possessive kiss that made her toes curl under the sheets. "Hurry back," he murmured. "Or I'll come get you."
Ann slipped from the bed, her silk nightdress clinging to her thighs as she padded barefoot across the cold marble floor. In the mirror above the sink, she caught her reflection — hair tangled from his hands, lips swollen from his kisses. She didn't recognize the girl staring back.
Was this really her? The same Ann who used to flinch when people raised their voices? Who once dreamed of an ordinary life, with an ordinary love?
Now, she belonged to a man whose promises tasted like poison wrapped in honey.
When she returned to the bedroom, Xavier was sitting up against the headboard, bare-chested, dark hair tousled. He looked like a fallen king, danger draped in silk sheets.
He crooked a finger. "Come here."
Ann's steps faltered. Sometimes she wondered if he wanted to keep her close because he loved her… or because he loved owning her.
She climbed onto the bed, and he pulled her straight into his lap, strong hands gripping her hips. His eyes searched hers, dark and endless.
"You're quiet this morning," he said. "Tell me what's in that pretty head of yours."
Ann swallowed. "You. Always you."
His lips curved into that half-smile that made her want to run and stay at the same time. "Good girl."
He tilted her chin up, kissing her softly at first — just the brush of lips that turned into a claiming, hungry press. She felt the question in his kiss: Are you still mine?
When he pulled back, his forehead rested against hers. "If you ever think of leaving me, Ann…" His thumb traced her lower lip, slow and deliberate. "Remember there's nowhere in this world I won't find you."
She shivered, a mix of fear and something deeper — something sweet that frightened her even more than his threats.
"What if you're the one who leaves?" she asked, her voice a whisper.
Xavier's jaw tensed. "Never."
He laid her back on the pillows, his body hovering over hers, heavy with promise. "You're mine," he said, kissing her throat. "Even if you hate me for it."
Ann's breath hitched as his hands found the hem of her nightdress, sliding it higher. The world outside disappeared — only the echo of rain and the warmth of his touch remained.
In that moment, Ann realized she didn't know if she wanted to escape him… or if she'd already stopped trying.