CHAPTER TWELVE

ELLA'S POV

I looked up to find myself staring into the eyes of Xavier McKinney. Of course, it had to be him. My heart leaped into my throat as his hands gripped my arms, holding me upright. The intensity in his gaze was almost too much to bear, and for a moment, I was frozen, trapped between the urge to pull away and the undeniable pull he had on me.

“Ella,” he said, his voice low, filled with something I couldn’t quite place. “We need to talk.”

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe as I nodded. “I—okay. Just… let go of me.”

He released me slowly, his fingers trailing down my arms before finally letting go. I stared at Xavier, trying to keep my composure as he stood there, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart race. "Why act like a stranger, Ella? We both know what happened that night wasn’t just a fluke. It was real—undeniable."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I fought the urge to look away, to avoid the way his eyes seemed to pierce through