Page 181 of King of Ruin

"Logan," Elise snapped at him as he turned on his heel and started walking away.

He simply lifted a hand in a lazy wave without looking back and continued toward his car as though he hadn't heard a word she said. Reaching it, he opened the driver's door, slid inside, and started the engine. A moment later, the headlights came to life.

Just before pulling away from the curb, he rolled the driver's window down and leaned out with an easy grin.

"I love you! Bye!"

He blew her a kiss before pressing the accelerator, and the car disappeared down the street.

Elise stood where she was, watching him leave, and before she could stop herself, a soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips. It was gentle, warm, and filled with an affection Xavier had rarely ever seen on her face.

The sight shattered what little restraint he had left.

His entire body went rigid. The cigarette between his fingers burned lower and lower, the smoke scraping down his throat, yet he didn't seem to notice. His chest tightened until every breath became a struggle, his heart pounding so violently that it felt as though it would break through his ribs.

From where he sat inside his car, hidden in the darkness, he watched that soft expression appear on her face—the kind of smile filled with warmth and love that he hadn't seen directed at him in what felt like forever.

It felt like someone had driven a blade straight through his chest.

His fingers tightened around the cigarette between them, the burning end forgotten as his eyes remained fixed on her. The smoke curled around his face, filling his lungs, but he barely noticed. All he could see was Elise looking at another man the way she used to look at him.

The ease between them.

The comfort.

The way she had allowed him close enough to make her smile.

Everything he had been desperate to get back from her was being given so effortlessly to someone else.

His chest tightened painfully, anxiety twisting through him until he felt like he couldn't breathe. His body had gone completely still, frozen between anger and fear, while his mind replayed every second of what he had just witnessed.

That man had touched her.

Held her hand.

Made her laugh.

And she hadn't pushed him away.

The cigarette finally burned down close enough to his fingers that the pain broke through his thoughts. Xavier flinched, dropping it onto the pavement as his jaw clenched tightly.

But even the sting wasn't enough to pull his attention away.

Elise gave one last look in the direction Logan had disappeared before turning around and walking toward the apartment building.

The moment she walked away, Xavier lost the last shred of control he had left.

He threw the car door open so hard it nearly bounced back against its hinges and stepped out, his entire body trembling with barely restrained fury. The cigarette between his fingers was tossed carelessly onto the ground before he crushed it beneath his shoe. Then he slammed the car door shut with enough force to make the sound echo through the quiet street and stormed toward the apartment building.

He didn't even bother locking the car.

The elevator came to an abrupt stop with a sharp mechanical sound before the doors slid back open.

Elise had just pressed the button for her apartment. As the doors started to close, she had already lowered her gaze, but the sudden halt made her instinctively look up.

The moment her eyes met his, she froze.

Xavier stood in the doorway, his broad shoulders filling the entrance. His hair was disheveled from running his hands through it countless times, and the first few buttons of his shirt hung open as though he hadn't even bothered dressing properly before leaving.