Page 43 of King of Ruin

Just like Xavier, everything in the room appeared carefully maintained.

Yet beneath that perfect appearance was an invisible pressure that made people instinctively lower their voices the moment they entered.

Xavier stood near the floor-to-ceiling window with his back facing the door, completely absorbed in the tablet held in his hand. One hand rested against his waist, his fingers curling slightly against the side of his suit jacket, while the other held the device firmly as his thumb moved across the screen, scrolling through the endless stream of information.

The city below was nothing more than a blur behind the glass. His entire focus was on the reports in front of him.

His charcoal suit was perfectly fitted against his tall, frame, the sharp cut of the fabric emphasizing his broad shoulders. His long black hair brushed against his shoulders, a few strands falling slightly forward as he lowered his head to read. The silver-rimmed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose gave him an even colder appearance.

A deep, unsettling frown was etched across his forehead. His brows were pulled together, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his jaw tightened as his long fingers tapped against the tablet screen with restrained impatience.

Every small movement revealed his irritation.

The slight shift of his shoulders. The impatient tapping of his fingers. The way he held himself completely still, like he was forcing himself not to lose his temper.

Elise could tell whoever had disturbed him before her had not received a pleasant response.

She quietly stepped further inside, closing the door behind her.

The soft click of the door caught his attention. Xavier’s thumb stopped moving. The coldness around him deepened.

Without turning around, his hand lowered the tablet slightly, and his fingers tightened around its edge.

“What now? If this is another one of those useless business files, then tell them to—”

He turned around sharply, his dark eyes already filled with fury. The tablet remained clenched in one hand while the other dropped from his waist, his sharp features darkening beneath the silver glasses perched on his nose. A deep frown carved itself across his forehead as his piercing eyes locked onto the person who had interrupted him.

The angry words came out fast, edged with the fury of a man whose patience had already been exhausted.

Then he saw her.

The rage that had been ready to explode stopped as suddenly as it had appeared. His jaw remained tight, and the irritation didn't completely disappear, but it no longer felt directed at her. Instead, he exhaled through his nose, his shoulders dropping the slightest bit as he muttered something under his breath, the words carrying far more frustration than anger.

"...It's you."

His voice was noticeably lower now, rough and restrained instead of explosive.

Before Elise could even greet him, Xavier strode toward her with long, purposeful steps. She instinctively stiffened as he stopped directly in front of her, leaving barely a breath of space between them.

Without a word, he reached for her wrist.

His large hand wrapped around it with firm confidence, warm enough to make her heartbeat skip. Before she could react, he gave her a sharp tug.

A startled gasp escaped her as she stumbled forward, her body pulled straight into his.

She barely had time to steady herself before Xavier pivoted, guiding her backward until the edge of his massive desk pressed against the small of her back. The polished wood stopped her retreat, leaving nowhere else to go.

She swallowed as Xavier took another step forward, erasing the last bit of distance between them.

His broad frame boxed her in effortlessly. One hand came down on the mahogany desk beside her hip with a quiet thud while the other continued holding her wrist, his grip firm enough to keep her from slipping away but never painful.

She was completely surrounded by him.

His familiar scent drifted over her—a clean blend of cedarwood and black tea touched with fresh bergamot and the warmth of amber. It lingered around her, making the already small space between them feel even more intimate.

Elise slowly lifted her eyes to meet his.

Behind the thin silver frames of his glasses, Xavier's dark gaze remained fixed on her face. Calm on the surface, but beneaththat composure she could clearly see the irritation simmering in his eyes.