Chapter 139 The Fire In Between

• Henry****
• The fire's embers cast restless, jagged shadows across the walls, carrying the scent of smoke and the faint warmth of the crackling heat as it seeped into the room. The soft crackle blended with our unsteady breaths, the tension that had simmered between us for so long no longer restrained. It was raw, electric—a storm finally unleashed after years of suppression.
• Xavier's eyes, sharp and unyielding, locked onto mine with a cold, predatory intensity that pierced straight through me from across the room. Their emerald depths gleamed with a cold, predatory intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. The air thickened, the weight of his gaze pressing against my chest, making it hard to breathe. His pupils were wide, his expression fierce. I couldn't move, couldn't look away. The fire's crackling faded beneath the roaring pulse in my ears.