Chapter 171 Your Father Needs You

• Xavier's arms, sinewy and sure, cradled Cathleen's limp form as he lifted her from the cold, unforgiving floor of the dungeon. The dim light cast shadows over her face, the afterglow of their session still etched on her features. He navigated the hallway with a predator's grace, each step deliberate, carrying his wife to the sanctuary of their bedroom and throwing the walk-in closet.
• He laid her down on the bed, silk sheets enveloping her like a lover's embrace. Xavier’s eyes lingered on Cathleen, tracing the curve of her cheek, the swell of her chest rising and falling in slumber. She was a vision—a tempestuous beauty drained by their shared intensity.
• The need for taking a shower before he sleeps pulled him away, and he slipped out of his clothes, leaving them in a heap. The shower beckoned, a hiss of steam and spray echoing off the marble. Water cascaded over him, a baptism washing away the remnants of their dark play.