Xavier's POV “I’m not sending you away, Aurora.” The words left my mouth before I could cage them, raw and unguarded in the dim light of my bedroom. She stood near the window, arms wrapped around herself like she was holding her pieces together, those wide eyes fixed on me as if I might shatter her with whatever came next. I took a step closer, my voice dropping. “I’m done deciding for you. For us. Tell me what you want. Truly. No more games. No more running because you think it’s what I need.” Silence swallowed the room. Aurora didn’t move. She didn’t speak. The clock on the wall ticked like a heartbeat, heavy and slow, while I watched the emotions flicker across her face—fear, longing, that stubborn fire that had drawn me in from the very first forbidden glance. Minutes stretched. I waited, chest tight, because this time I wouldn’t fill the quiet for her. This time, it had to be hers. Finally, her lips parted. Her voice was barely above a whisper, trembling but clear. “I want t
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