Sophie tugged on his jeans to get his attention, which he gave her by tipping his head down to look at her.

“I know you. You’re the knight!” She clapped her hands in glee and gave his leg a hug, and despite myself I smiled. Especially when he gifted my daughter with a breathtaking grin while ruffling her hair affectionately.

“Oh, Lordy be. Who’s that?” Ruth asked me in a near whisper, forgetting her original question. I couldn’t quite tell if she was scared of him or in awe of him. I knew from experience it could go either way.

“My boss,” I answered her.

“Why did he call you Aurora?”

“Long story,” I muttered and turned my attention back to the man in front of me. “What were you thinking?” I asked shortly.

“I was thinking you and your little girl don’t belong in this shit hole.”

Ruth gasped at my side, probably due to his choice word.

“You have no right to dictate where I will and won’t live.”

“So you’re saying you’d rather live here? When you could be in a nice house that sits on the lake just like you wanted?” His eyebrows rose and he gave me a look stating he clearly thought I was the unreasonable one.

“No. I’m saying I can’t afford to live in a nice house that sits on the lake.”

“Yes, you can.” He gave me a defiant look that I wanted to slap off his face.

“No, I can’t.”

“Excuse me,” George cut in. “We really are running out of time if we’re going to hit the deadline.”

“George—” I began to tell him he could leave when Xavier cut me off.

“Go ahead and start in the kitchen.” He nodded toward the room and turned back to me, effectively dismissing George.

“You just can’t—”

“I can,” he argued.

“Will someone tell me what’s going on here?” Ruth demanded to know.

“I’ll explain later. Right now, can you take Sophie to your place?”

“You sure you’ll be alright?” Her sour look told me she didn’t believe for one second I would be.

“Yes, I’m fine. I just don’t want her around for the curse words that are sure to fly around here.”

Ruth complied with my request, luring Sophie away with the promise of ice cream and giving me a pointed look that said I had some explaining to do.

“Can you guys wait outside?” I asked George and Scotty, who quickly obliged even though George was fit to be tied at one more delay.

“What were you hoping to accomplish by doing this?” I asked him once we were alone.

He stared at me with that blank mask of his I hated so much.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I don’t want to play it with you. You made it perfectly clear where we stood and this is not it. I’ve got enough to worry about without you doing… whatever it is you’re doing,” I continued.

What he didn’t do was reply.

Again.

Bastard.

I sighed and said softly, “I know your intentions are probably good and I do appreciate them, but you can’t keep trying to dictate how I live my life. These aren’t your decisions to make.”

His mouth tightened and his jaw ticked, but he still said nothing.

“Please say something,” I implored, beyond tired of the silent treatment. I didn’t expect him to listen, and I definitely didn’t expect what he said.

“I know what it’s like to have nothing. To have shit handed to you and all you can do is eat it while trying to make the best of it,” he said in a low voice that if it all possible sounded scarier than his loud, angry voice. “And I know how it feels to want a place to call your own.”

His words and the steely emotion behind them made my heart squeeze. No one who experienced his cool composure would ever guess that he knew what it was like to struggle. This was such an uncharacteristic look into the mystery that was Xavier.

“Sometimes you need someone to have your back, Aurora. I have the means to give you what you’re reaching for, and I won’t slap your hand when you do. Let me take care of you.”

“It’s too much,” I whispered.

“It’s really not. The rent on the house is paid for a year. Don’t let pride stand in the way of your happiness. Take it.”

“I can’t.” I shook my head. There was no way I could ever accept a gift like this, especially from him. Not after what had happened between us not ten feet from where I stood.

He crossed the room in three long strides. His body pressed against me as his hands ran through my hair to cup the back of my head. With nowhere to go, thanks to his tight hold on me, all I could do was stare in his beautiful blue eyes and find myself mesmerized by his long, thick lashes.

Being this close to him had all my resistance fleeing. He smelled so good, and I found myself wishing he would kiss me. I had to bite my lip to keep myself from begging him for it.

“Let it be me,” he whispered, and my eyes closed to hide the emotions those four words evoked in me. I wanted to laugh with glee and at the same time cry in sorrow, neither of which I wanted him to see.

“Let me be the one to give you something beautiful.” My heart instantly melted at his words. For as much as I denied it, that was what I wanted. For him to be the one to give me anything and everything. I wanted him to protect us. To love us.

I wanted it too much, which was why I knew I’d never have it.

“Let me take your back,” he continued.

All my encounters with Xavier taught me one thing—he was a magnet pulling me in and at the same time pushing me away. I needed to take control or I would end up throwing myself at him again. After how poorly it had ended the last time, I wouldn’t be able to handle another rejection.

My hands gripped his forearms, putting pressure there and telling him I wanted him to pull away. When he let me, I fought the sadness that threatened to overwhelm me.

“I can’t play these games with you. You had your chance and you threw it in my face,” I said in a low voice to hide the emotion behind them.

I took two steps back, putting some much-needed distance between us. “I’m grateful for your offer, but I cannot accept it.”

“Aurora—”

“No. I need you to leave.” He reached for me and I took another step back. “Now.”

He moved to the door, pausing with his hand over the knob, and my heart tripped at what that might mean. His shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath before he lowered his hand and turned the knob. Without even putting up a fight, he walked out, not even bothering to look at me, which was probably a good thing given the devastation that seemed to overwhelm me almost instantly.

When I heard the door shut behind him, I wrapped my arms around my middle and slid down the wall until my ass hit the floor. Only then did I allow the tears of sadness and frustration to fill my eyes.

Once my tears subsided and the puffiness around my eyes wasn’t so pronounced, I went downstairs to retrieve my daughter. Ruth immediately answered her door with a concerned look on her face, to which I responded with a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes.

I was still shaken by my confrontation with Xavier. I wasn’t proud of the fact that he got under my skin—again. Or that I continually allowed him to give me whiplash. It was like I just couldn’t help myself with him.

Push and pull.

Advance and retreat.

That seemed to be our M.O.

Surely I was stronger than this, although evidence was clearly pointing at the opposite.

The question was when was the back and forth between us going to end?

“Where is Sophie?” I asked after taking in the empty living room.

“Mikey’s father dropped him off early, so I told them they could go watch a movie on my bed.”

“I bet they were excited.” The kids absolutely loved Ruth’s fluffy mattress, especially to jump on. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was what they were doing right then instead of watching the movie.