Chapter 4

Xavier made himself at home in the living room while I rushed to the kitchen. I handed him a water bottle and immediately excused myself to the bathroom to scrub the green clay mask off my face.

When I returned with a clean face, the water bottle on the table was already open and half-empty. That was a relief.

Still, the vibe in the room had shifted completely. With Xavier sitting on my sofa, my tiny apartment suddenly felt like expensive real estate.

I sat down across from him, knees locked together and back straight as a board. I felt…