Page 48 of Wynter

“A… rebuttal?”

“I wrote it last night. It was published this morning.” Xavi takes a tentative step toward me and then stops. “I wrote that you love your job, and you’d never rob your own clients during your shift. You have keys and alarm codes. You could come back any time. The thief can’t! Which means you were set up! Open the Herald app. You’ll see.”

“You were really defending me?” I whisper, my eyes filling with tears.

“Of course!” Xavi nods. “I don’t even care that my boss fired me…”

“Fired?”

Xavi nods. “Please come back into the apartment, Zoe. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

I nod and start to throw my leg over the windowsill when Xavi rushes to my side. He grabs me and practically yanks me inside, then starts to cry. He actually starts to cry.

He wraps his arms around me, warm and strong, and slams me against his chest. “I almost lost you. I can’t believe I almost lost you.”

“You didn’t almost lose me, Xavi.”

“Yes, I did. If I heard you leave this morning, or set an alarm… but I was up all night, and then I slept all day, and I woke up and you were gone. And the moment I saw my open laptop, I came right over. I can’t believe I almost lost you!”

“Xavi, I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. I know someone you can talk to. And I’ll always be here for you. But, Zoe—”

“Xavi, I wasn’t going to jump.”

“Zoe, it’s okay.” He threads his fingers through my hair. “You’re okay. I’m so glad you’re ok. I never, ever want anything to happen to you.”

“Nothing was going to happen to me.” I try to step out of his arms to show him that I can levitate, but Xavi yanks me back.

“Promise me you’ll never do anything to hurt yourself.” He pulls back and cups my face. And seeing him with his cheeks stained with tears breaks my heart.

“I won’t. I promise.” I whisper and lean up on tiptoe to kiss him.

I can taste salt on his lips, but I don’t care. All I care about is Xavi.

“I’ll just give you two some privacy,” Mini shouts. “Never mind. Containment spell. I’ll just be in the bathroom.”

The door slams shut, and I hear the water start to run. Which is good enough for me.

I wrap my arms around Xavi’s neck, and it’s like something inside him snaps. He devours my mouth, kissing me over and over again. My pulse spikes, and I suddenly want him. Naked. On my bed, on the couch, on the floor, I don’t care.

I reach for the hem of his shirt, but Xavi pulls back and starts peppering my face with kisses. Forehead. Cheeks. Chin. Over and over again.

“I can’t believe I almost lost you,” he whispers, his eyes clouding with pain.

“Xavi, you didn’t. You really didn’t.” I step back. “Watch.”

And I take off. Up, up, up until the top of my head almost touches the ceiling.

Xavi gasps. “You can fly?”

“Just levitate,” I correct. “My magic controls inanimate objects, like pants, and they take me with them. Watch.”

I flick my wrist, just for show, and make Xavi levitate too. He gasps as he starts floating up, but his eyes fill with wonder, not fear.

“You weren’t going to jump?” He tries to lean toward me and nearly loses his balance, since he’s still in mid-air.

“No, I wasn’t going to jump. I was just going to use the window because a certain ice block was… well… blocking the door.”