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SHOULD HAVE KNOWN
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Xavier's Surrogate BORN TO LEAD
Halle never let go of his hand, she knew right there and then that he needed someone to listen, to be there for him at this point in his life. Halle recalled a moment in her life when she had been so broken beyond repair, when the people she thought were meant to protect her were the instigators of every hurt she felt and she’d always wondered…if they chose to listen just once, maybe things would’ve been different. Halle listened intently as Xavier recounted instance after instance that should have made him suspicious of Martha’s intentions. With each memory he shared, a fresh pang of guilt went through her. If only she had noticed sooner but she also had grown to love the woman like a mother and Halle didn’t want to compare her hurt to what Xavier was feeling but her heart hurt more than she let on. While he spoke, he never met her eyes, he looked like a young boy who had just gotten his world turned upside down. Halle never imagined she would see Xavier in such a state. But what
Xavier's Surrogate WE'RE SAFE
A few weeks had passed since Halle had revealed the truth to Xavier about his aunt Martha's betrayal. Thanks to Angela's diligent and strict care and being free of Martha's "treatments," Xavier's health and strength had improved greatly.Though Angela advised checking into a hospital, Xavier refused to risk Halle's safety that way. No doubt Martha would be out for vengeance if they dared show themselves in public now. So they stayed in hiding at Tunde's safe house. Tunde was hardly ever in the property so he didn’t mind giving it to Xavier for the next few months. Halle had also noticed that their friendship had improved over the past few days even while Tunde made jokes like, “Thank God you married her instead,”That would always crack Halle up though she knew it was a sensitive matter and Xavier would end up just rolling his eyes at the both of them. One morning, as sunlight streamed into the bedroom through the parted curtains, Halle lay curled against Xavier's side, her back pr
Xavier's Surrogate KICKS
A few days had passed since Xavier had left to begin making moves against Martha and securing Damien’s safety. Though he had assured Halle he would return soon, she couldn’t help but spend each hour anxious for his safe return.Halle paced the floors of Tunde’s house, unable to focus on anything while her mind was heavy with worry. She trusted in Xavier’s capabilities, knowing he was powerful and cunning as the head of the Stone family. But up against Martha’s web of deception, there were so many uncertainties.Halle pressed a hand to her rounding belly, taking comfort in the steady kick of the new life within. At least she had a piece of Xavier with her even when he was away.“Your daddy is strong and brave,” she murmured. “He’ll come back to us, no matter what.” Halle had never spoken to the baby before, maybe because somehow she felt guilty for loving the child when her first intention was to leave it behind. So many things had changed since she signed that contract. The day drag
Xavier's Surrogate DOWN
After several long months in hiding, Halle was beginning to go stir crazy being cooped up in the Tunde's house day after day. Now eight months pregnant, she longed to get outside and breathe some fresh air, even if just for an hour.Sure if it were the days when she worked a thousand jobs a day, she would long for the comfort of staying indoors this long but now, that seemed like a lifetime ago and Halle had now concluded with herself that too much of everything was very fucking annoying! When she broached the idea of a quick outing to Xavier over breakfast, he immediately tensed up. "It's too risky for you to leave right now, Flower," he said, shaking his head. "Not until I have Martha fully cornered and our safety is guaranteed." He added in his firm tone that usually left no room for argument. But Halle persisted, reaching out to squeeze his hand reassuringly across the kitchen table. "I'll be extremely careful, I promise. I just need a change of scenery before I lose my mind. I
Xavier's Surrogate NOTHING MORE
Halle drifted aimlessly through an endless void of darkness, her body leaden and unresponsive. She tried to move her sluggish limbs or open her eyes, but even these simple actions felt impossible, her mind detached from the nerves and muscles that should obey its commands.Gradually, she became aware of a bone-deep ache permeating every fiber of her being. She attempted to shift or stretch her protesting muscles, but only managed the faintest twitch in response. Even this miniscule motion sent fresh shockwaves of searing pain ricocheting through her skull and her shoulder. A low moan involuntarily escaped her parched lips. Halle’s thoughts swirled in a dense mental fog, struggling to grasp what had happened to leave her in this dissociated haze of all-consuming discomfort bordering on outright agony. She groped for elusive memories, but her mind felt empty, wiped clean.Mustering every last ounce of strength, Halle forced her eyelids fully open at last. But her vision remained an ind
Xavier's Surrogate STOLEN CHILDHOOD
Halle drifted aimlessly through a dense fog, suspended somewhere between dreaming and being awake. As she slowly emerged from the heavy depths of a drug-induced unconsciousness, a foul, nauseating scent invaded her nostrils. In her still-groggy state, Halle initially assumed the unpleasant smell must be part of some awful nightmare plaguing her. But as her mind gradually sharpened toward alertness, the noxious odor persisted.Something about the particular smell sparked recognition in Halle’s mind, plucking at deeply buried memories. It stirred up primal feelings of fear and dread that actively jolted her towards consciousness. Halle’s heart began pounding erratically against her ribs as she realized on an instinctual level the visceral significance of the pervasive scent enveloping her.Halle’s eyes flew open in alarm and she bolted upright, only to instantly collapse back, groaning. The abrupt motion made the cramped room tilt and sway sickeningly around her. A fresh wave of vertig
Xavier's Surrogate MARIA
Halle tensed up at the sound of the doorknob slowly twisting and creaking. Her heart began pounding hard and fast in her chest as the rusted metal door to the small room groaned softly and was pushed open. Halle watched with building dread as a short, stocky silhouette appeared and stepped over the threshold into the dimly lit room.As the figure moved closer, Halle’s breath caught sharply in her throat. Even in the poor lighting, there was no mistaking the iron grey hair pulled back in a severe bun, the deep creases lining the darker brown skin, or the flat, menacing eyes now staring down at her. This was unquestionably her mother standing before her now, older with streaked grey hair and a more weathered complexion, but still the very same woman who had dominated and terrorized Halle and ruined whatever was left of her childhood after her brother passed. Halle felt all the air leave her lungs in a panicked rush as the reality of this twisted situation sank in. This living nightmar
Xavier's Surrogate CAPABLE
Xavier sat brooding behind the heavy oak desk in his office, the atmosphere darkened by his stormy mood. He rhythmically tapped his fingers on the desk top, a outward sign of the turbulent emotions churning inside of. Anger simmered in his chest, directed both at the circumstances he found himself in and the lack of progress on finding Halle.Four agonizing days had passed since Martha's ambush at the warehouse. Four days since Xavier had helplessly watched Halle be ripped away right in front of his eyes. Four endless days of combing the city for any trace of her or Martha, to no avail. Four days of barely sleeping, fueled by raging determination to get Halle back safely. And still, they were no closer to answers.Monty stood before the desk, warily detailing the fruitless search efforts so far. Xavier only half-listened, Monty's rapport fading into background noise as vivid memories overtook Xavier's thoughts...He was back in the warehouse, the acrid smell of gun smoke burning his n
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