The implications sank in slowly.
He’d measured it. Documented my vitals, my responses, Xavier’s willingness to sacrifice everything. Exactly the data he’d wanted.
“He’ll use it.”
“He’ll try. But I’m done playing by his rules.”
Xavier’s expression hardened, but his touch stayed gentle.
In the front seat, Hellhound spoke without turning around. “We need to relocate. The boarding school is compromised. Dresner will have teams there within hours.”
Right. Of course. We’d left evidence. Blood, DNA, the laptop we’d used for the forum post.
“Where?” I asked.
“Safe house in the mountains. Off-grid. No electronic footprint. You’ll be secure there while we plan next steps.”
Hellhound met mine in the rearview mirror. Calm. Certain.
Next steps. Right.
Because this wasn’t over. Dresner was still out there. Still hunting. Still obsessed with perfecting his conditioning protocols and using us as research material.
We’d won this round. Barely.
But the war was far from finished.
Xavier’s thumb traced my cheekbone, drawing my attention back to him. The touch was familiar now. Grounding, comforting, his.
“You okay?”
I almost laughed. Almost. “Define okay.”
Lips quirked. Almost a smile. “Alive. Breathing. With me.”
“Then yeah.” I leaned into his touch, turning my head to press a kiss to his palm. His breath caught slightly. “I’m okay.”
His other hand found mine, threading our fingers together and pulling our joined hands to his chest. Right over his pulse. I could feel it beating. Steady, strong, alive.
We sat like that for a long moment. The vehicle eating up distance. Havoc typing in the front seat, the keyboard clicks blending with the engine noise. Hellhound driving with tactical precision through dark streets. No wasted movements, checking mirrors constantly.
I studied Xavier in the dim light. The calm. The certainty.
The same features that had looked dead twenty minutes ago.
“You came for me.” Quiet.
“Always.” His grip tightened around mine. Simple. Absolute.
I believed him.
I pulled him down for another kiss. Slower this time, deeper. Pouring everything I couldn’t say into it. Thank you. I love you. Don’t ever scare me like that again.
When we broke apart, Xavier rested his forehead against mine. His hands cupped my cheeks, thumbs brushing my cheekbones in slow, reverent strokes.
“Rest. You’re safe now.”
Murmured.
