Page 198 of King of Ruin

The moment he was dismissed, he turned around and walked away almost immediately, practically jogging down the hill like he had just been given the happiest assignment of his life.

Elise watched Benjamin disappear down the hill, confusion written all over her face. She turned back to Xavier, her brows knitting together.

"What is happening?"

Xavier didn't answer.

Instead, he closed the distance between them, reached for her hand, and laced his fingers through hers before gently tugging her along. Without another word, he led her farther up the hill. Elise glanced at him several times but didn't question him again, simply following as they walked in silence for the next few minutes until they finally reached the very edge of the hill.

She looked around in confusion before lifting her eyes to him.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, eyeing the steep drop ahead. "To murder me?"

Xavier immediately frowned.

"Don't joke about killing or death," he said, his voice low. "I don't like it."

Elise pressed her lips together, biting back the smile that threatened to appear, but she didn't argue. Instead, she watched as Xavier quietly lifted his hand and pointed toward the horizon.

She turned her head.

The sun was just beginning to rise, spilling golden light across the horizon as the first rays stretched over Manhattan. From the top of the hill, the city looked breathtaking, its skyline glowing beneath the morning sky while the rolling hills and lush greenery surrounding them made it feel almost unreal. It was as though they were standing at the very top of the world, with the entire city spread out beneath their feet.

For a long moment, Elise simply stood there, taking in the view before slowly turning back to him.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked softly.

Xavier met her eyes. There was an unfamiliar innocence in them, almost boyish, and a small frown rested between his brows as though he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.

"Because I don't want you to leave me."

He held her gaze before continuing quietly.

"Cassian said that if I bought you expensive gifts, brought you flowers, and took you on drives, you'd see that I really love you." A helpless smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I can't wait foryears until you come back to me to do all those things. So... I decided to do them all now."

His fingers tightened gently around hers as he stepped closer. His free hand slowly rose to her face, his thumb brushing softly against her cheek.

"I'll do everything that makes you happy, Elise," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "Even if there are a million things, I'll do every single one of them. I'll spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you."

He cupped her cheek a little more firmly, his eyes searching hers with quiet desperation.

"But please..." he whispered. "Can you love me again?"

His thumb continued to caress her cheek in slow, gentle strokes, the touch so tender that her heart clenched painfully in her chest. He was standing before her with every wall torn down, every ounce of pride stripped away, his heart completely exposed as he waited for her answer. There wasn't a trace of an arrogant man in front of anymore. There was only a man who loved her so much that he had laid everything he was at her feet.

Elise searched his eyes for a long moment before taking a small step closer. Slowly, she lifted her hands and wrapped them around his neck, holding his gaze.

"Do you promise?" she asked softly.

Xavier looked at her as though his heart had stopped beating. His breathing turned uneven, his grip on her hand tightening instinctively.

"I promise," he answered without hesitation. "Whatever it takes... whatever you want... I promise it'll be yours. I promise."His voice caught as he repeated the words, almost desperately. "I promise."

A faint smile appeared on Elise's lips.

She rose onto her tiptoes, closed the distance between them, and pressed her lips to his.

For a heartbeat, Xavier froze, unable to believe she was really kissing him. Then his hand slid to the back of her head, gently cradling her as he kissed her back with all the longing he had kept buried inside him for so long. Relief, gratitude, and love poured into that single kiss until neither of them seemed to notice the world around them.