Cecilia I opened the door. Alpha Xavier stood there, looking like hell warmed over. His once-immaculate appearance was a wreck—his handsome face was ashen, dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his loosened tie hung limply around his neck. My little alcohol buzz evaporated instantly. He looked like he wanted to devour me—for dinner, dessert, and probably breakfast too. My brain offered nothing helpful. Just: s**t. s**t. Shiiiiit. Is it too late to pretend I was never here? The silence between us stretched so tight, it could’ve snapped and taken out a city block. I tightened my grip on the doorknob. Okay. Survival mode: engaged. And then—I slammed the door. Hard. BAM. Except… yeah. He was faster. His palm shot out, stopping the door from closing.

