I stopped at once, hurt creeping into my eyes.

“Don't you like me touching you?”

“That's not it.”

“Then why are you stopping me?”

Sebastian lowered his gaze and forced down the darkness swelling inside him, tucking the slipped blanket around me.

“You're still hurt.”

“Can I when I'm better?” I asked immediately.

He studied me for a few seconds, then put his hand behind my neck and drew me closer.

“When you're better, I won't pull away.”

He kissed my forehead. Restrained, but enough to reassure me.

Looking into the darkness in his eyes made my face burn.

Just then, his phone rang on the bedside table.

The building concierge's number appeared on the screen.

He let go of me and went to the door to answer, his usual composure returning.

“What is it?”

“Sorry to disturb you, Dr. Hale. A young man named Xavier Sutton is here at the Summit Residences asking for Miss Sutton. He looks very anxious and insists on going upstairs.”

“Do you know him? Should we let him in?”

At the name, Sebastian's eyes iced over.

He lied without changing expression.

“I don't know him. Tell security not to let strangers in to disturb us.”

As he put his phone away, I spoke uncertainly.

“I thought I heard Xavier Sutton's name. How do you know my uncle?”

With his back to me, Sebastian paused.

Two seconds later, he turned, his expression untouched.

“Xavier Sutton is your uncle?”

“Yes.” I explained earnestly. “He's the son of one of my grandparents' friends. They adopted him. We're not related by blood.”

“He's only five years older than me. He used to take me everywhere when we were little. We're really close.”

“Later he moved overseas to work in investment, so I saw him less. Why is he back? How did he find you? Does he know we're dating?”

“Or did he come back because he heard about the accident?”

Not related by blood. Grew up together.

The words tightened around Sebastian's heart like thorned vines.

His fingers curled slowly. He saw again the scene through the cafe window, blurred by rain.

When that man brushed my hair away, his eyes held the desire of a man looking at a woman.

Sebastian recognized it too well.

Xavier was hiding the same ugly intentions, only with a better disguise.

If he saw me, he would reveal the breakup and turn me against Sebastian.

Everything Sebastian had stolen would vanish in an instant.

He drew a deep breath, suppressing the violence in his eyes.

He knew me too well. For two years, I had stared openly and greedily at his face and body countless times.

If I liked his looks, he didn't mind using them to make me forget everyone else.

I waved a hand in front of him.

“Sebastian? What's wrong?”

He silenced the phone and softened his voice.

“Nothing.”

“You're not well. You can see your uncle later, when he won't be so worried.”

His voice grew husky. With deliberate, unhurried movements, he undid the top two buttons of his black shirt, revealing pale, sharply defined collarbones.

He put one knee on the edge of the bed and braced his hands on either side of me, surrounding me completely.

“Sophie.” His nose almost touched mine. “Are you hungry? What would you like?”

His cool, woody fragrance mingled with something far more invasive, and heat flooded my face.

I swallowed. My gaze strayed helplessly below his collar, and I stumbled over my answer.

“Anything. Whatever you make is fine...”

He gave a low laugh.

Then he bent down and kissed me.

At that very moment, the door burst open.

Xavier stood in the doorway, his words forced through clenched teeth.

“What are you doing?”