**Xavier**
Wow.
There she was.
Already here, standing at the top of the Seagate stairs.
I paused for a moment, eyes fixed on her.
Her back was turned to me, but I didn’t need to see her face to know it was her.
I could feel it—deep in my chest, in the way the air shifted around me.
“You look stunning in that dress, my queen,” I said as I started climbing the stairs slowly.
My voice was low, almost like I was afraid the moment would break if I spoke too loudly.
She didn’t turn. Didn’t flinch.
But God, even with her back to me, she looked perfect.
That dress hugged her like it was made for her, every inch, every curve.
“Damn, I really did have great taste.”
I muttered to myself under my breath, the corner of my mouth twitching into something close to a smile.
Then it hit me
