WANT (Complete ✔️)

Chapter Eighty Seven

Xavier

Quietly, I close the front door. The curtains in the living room are open, the afternoon sun beaming through the windows. There's no sound in the apartment. It's almost peaceful. It's clean and smells like cotton. I walk down the hallway to her bedroom which is the second door to the right and push it open without knocking.

My eyes instantly go to her bed and see her under the covers, her hair fanned across on her pillows. My heart settles a little seeing that she's asleep. That she's at least somewhat in comfort. I step around her queen-sized bed to crouch near her.

God, she's beautiful.

Her eyes are closed, her long eyelashes fluttering her cheeks. Her pillowy, pink lips are parted, soft breaths sounding from them. Her nose looks a little red, probably from all the rough tissues.

Tissues litter her nightstand along with some pills and a glass of water. Her curtains are drawn and the lights are off. I stand up and start to tidy her desk up. It looks like she was working. Letting her sleep, I exit her room and go into the kitchen to prepare some food for her.

As a kid, when I got sick, my mom would make me chicken and vegetable soup. I hated it but it worked its magic and made me healthy. But for Lia, I'm making just vegetable soup. She doesn't like chicken in soup.

Cutting the vegetables, I throw them in the pot, then taste the flavor. Lia hates when there's no salt in her food. Once I'm satisfied, I put the lid back on and head back into her bedroom to wake her up.

I'm surprised she hasn't woken up. Lia is a light sleeper, the smallest sound will wake her up. I was a little clumsy in the kitchen with the clanking and fuck not. But that only means, she's exhausted and really fucking sick. I crouch before her again and tenderly caress her cheek. I ignore the shivers that jolt down my spine from just touching her cheek. My stomach tightens when I feel how hot she is. She's burning up.

I feel her forehead and yeah, she's got a fever.

Protectiveness like never before grapples at me. I need to make her better. I don't like this. I don't like her in pain or in discomfort.

Lia's brows dip and a sad expression colors her face.

"Baby, wake up." I whisper.

My eyes roam over her bare face, taking in her demure, gorgeous features. Lia softly moans in slumber, her eyes fluttering open and when those warm brown eyes lock onto mine, all my tension washes away.

"Xavier?" Her voice is heavy with fatigue.

"You need to get up." I encourage her, brushing strands of her hair away from her eyes.

Lia looks confused but exhausted. I wonder how long she's been sleeping. Nolee said she's been in bed all night. That's not healthy.

I stand and grab her hand to help her sit upright. Her long hair splays around her but I tuck it behind her ears, giving her some breathing room so she doesn't feel suffocated.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice is nasally from her blocked nose and I find it fucking adorable.

"Your girls told me you were sick." I say as I help her climb out of her bed.

Her small frame is drowned in her pajama bottoms and an oversized t-shirt.

Lia tilts her head up to look at me.

"And you came?"

For a moment, I'm knocked off my ass at how alarmingly breathtaking she is. Her eyelashes are so long and the way she's looking up at me with so much innocence and gratitude has my protectiveness kicking its fucking feet in joy.