Chapter Seven

*Chapter 7: Cracks in the Armor*

Xavier watched Sandra from across the room, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. She was a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out - tough and resilient on the outside, but with a vulnerability he'd glimpsed only briefly.

As she laughed with Diana, Xavier felt a pang of surprise. He hadn't expected Sandra to connect with his sister so quickly.

But as he watched them together, Xavier realized that Sandra was different from the other women he'd known. She was genuine, unafraid to speak her mind, and fiercely loyal to those she cared about.

Xavier's gaze lingered on Sandra's face, and for a moment, he forgot about the danger that lurked outside, the threats to his family and his business.

All he saw was Sandra - her bright smile, her sparkling eyes, and her fiery spirit.

As the evening drew to a close, Xavier found himself walking towards Sandra, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't know what he was doing, or what he wanted, but he knew he couldn't stay away from her.

"Sandra," he said, his voice low and rough.

Sandra turned to him, her eyes questioning. "Xavier."

Xavier's eyes locked on hers, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, without thinking, Xavier reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of Sandra's face.

Sandra's eyes widened, and she took a step back, her face flushing. "Xavier, what are you doing?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Xavier's eyes never left hers. "I don't know," he said, his voice honest. "But I think I'm starting to realize that I don't know you at all, Sandra."

Sandra's eyes flashed with anger, but Xavier saw something else there, too - a glimmer of curiosity, of interest.

And in that moment, Xavier knew that he was in trouble. He was starting to feel things for Sandra that he couldn't ignore, things that threatened to destroy the careful control he'd built around himself.

As the days passed, Xavier found himself drawn to Sandra again and again. He would catch glimpses of her in the hallway, her hair tied up in a ponytail, her eyes flashing with amusement as she laughed with Diana.

He would see her in the garden, her hands buried in the soil as she tended to the flowers. He would watch her as she rode her motorcycle, her hair streaming behind her like a banner.

And each time, Xavier felt his control slipping, felt his carefully constructed walls beginning to crumble. He didn't know what to do with these feelings, didn't know how to process them.

But he knew he couldn't ignore them.

One night, as he was walking through the mansion, Xavier caught sight of Sandra standing in front of the fireplace, staring up at the flames. She was lost in thought, her eyes distant, her face etched with a deep sadness.

Xavier felt a pang of curiosity, and he walked towards her, his footsteps silent on the carpet. As he approached, Sandra sensed his presence, and she turned to him, her eyes flashing with wariness.

"What do you want, Xavier?" she asked, her voice low and guarded.

Xavier hesitated, unsure of how to answer. He didn't know what he wanted, didn't know what he was doing. All he knew was that he couldn't stay away from Sandra, couldn't resist the pull of her fiery spirit.

"I just wanted to talk to you," Xavier said finally, his voice rough and uncertain.

Sandra raised an eyebrow, her eyes skeptical. "Talk to me?" she repeated. "About what?"

Xavier shrugged, feeling a sense of awkwardness wash over him. He wasn't used to talking about his feelings, wasn't used to being vulnerable.

But as he looked at Sandra, he felt something shift inside him. He felt a sense of connection, a sense of understanding.

"About us," Xavier said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "About this marriage."

Sandra's eyes flashed with surprise, and she took a step back, her face guarded. "What about it?" she asked, her voice wary.

Xavier took a deep breath, feeling his heart pound in his chest. "I don't know," he said, his voice honest. "I just know that I feel things for you, Sandra. Things I don't understand."

Sandra's eyes locked on his, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, without thinking, Sandra reached out and touched Xavier's face, her fingers tracing the lines of his jaw.

Xavier felt a jolt of electricity run through his body, and he knew in that moment that he was lost. He was lost to Sandra, lost to his feelings, lost to the chaos that had erupted inside of him.

As Sandra's fingers touched Xavier's face, he felt a spark of electricity run through his body. It was as if he had been punched in the gut, his breath knocked out of him.

He looked into Sandra's eyes, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, without thinking, Xavier reached out and wrapped his hand around Sandra's wrist, pulling her closer to him.

Sandra's eyes flashed with surprise, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into Xavier, her body inches from his.

Xavier's heart was pounding in his chest, his senses on high alert. He could smell Sandra's perfume, feel her warmth, see the spark of attraction in her eyes.

It was like the whole world had come to a standstill, leaving only the two of them, suspended in time.

And then, without thinking, Xavier leaned in and kissed Sandra.

It was a fierce, passionate kiss, one that left them both breathless. Sandra's lips were soft and yielding, her tongue tangling with Xavier's as they deepened the kiss.

Xavier felt like he was drowning, like he was being pulled under by a wave of emotion. He had never felt this way before, had never felt so out of control.

But as he looked into Sandra's eyes, he saw something there that gave him pause. He saw a spark of attraction, of desire, but also a hint of fear.

Sandra was scared, scared of what was happening between them, scared of what it might mean.

Xavier's heart went out to her, and he pulled back, his lips inches from hers. "Sandra," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

Sandra's eyes locked on his, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, without thinking, Sandra reached out and touched Xavier's face again, her fingers tracing the lines of his jaw.

"It's okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I wanted you to."

Xavier's heart skipped a beat as he looked into Sandra's eyes. He saw something there that gave him hope, something that made him think that maybe, just maybe, they could make this marriage work.