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"I love you, Vivienne"

There it was again

I rolled ontoto take in the beauty of the stars And while I beheld their beauty, my eyes weredown at me, a smile etched on his lips The unshaven face of that beautiful dark-haired

I reached up, expecting h the apparition

"Ouch, Vivienne That was one host of Xavier I extendedfor his cheek It was rough with stubble I brushed ers over his lips They were soft and moist I wondered ould happen if I kissed theainst ht vanish before I could experience such a pleasure

I didn’t need to wait long to find out Strong arainst hi against the corners ofin intensity until I was absorbed in his taste

As I breathed in his scent, tears fell afresh from my eyes Delirious tears of ecstasy

"I love you, Xavier… I-I wanted to t-tell you…"

"I know I know," he whispered into e hands "And, ule person on this island who doesn’t know after that…"

"Just kiss me"

Chapter 41: Derek

My search for my sister had led me to the side of the island where the submarines were moored I suspected that perhaps she had retreated into one of them for some peace and quiet So when I uncovered Xavier’s unconscious for beneath a bench in one of the old, dilapidated vessels, I almost jumped out of my skin

At first I believed him to be dead His body was more wrecked than Sofia’s had been e rescued her, his skin covered with yellow patches, so dry that pieces of it had already flaked off onto the floor

But when I bent down and placed my ear to his chest, and could just about make out a heartbeat, I was lent at least a small scrap of hope