XAVIER'S PRECIOUS ✔ {Editing In Process}

Xavier Manhattan

x Years Ago

They laid on the sand in solace. No conversation was needed as they both stared at the sun setting and listened to constant crash of the ocean waves onto the shore. 

“The truth is Xavier, I love you more than anything,” she whispered to him, gently playing with a delicate seashell that represented her in so many ways. Her skin was tanned and sun kissed, her eyes were a honey brown and her blonde hair caressed her back as she sat there under the soft rays of light. “That’s all,” she said with a small smile of her face. She gazed at his face, studying his eyes which shined in the reflection of her happiness, his freckles that only lightly covered the tip of his nose because he had been in the sun for a while. She knew these details like the back of her hand. Xavier gazed at her and smiled, he leant in, finding her lips and kissed her. It felt like they were in paradise and they were the only people in the world. Being with her felt natural, it felt right, like kissing those lips were something he was destined to do. 

“There’s only one problem now,” Xavier said quietly, breaking the comfortable silence they had fallen into. 

“What’s that?” she asked finding his hand that was stroking her arm, wrapping it about her waist. 

“I finally have the girl I love but I have the boat to sail around the world,” he replied sadly. She shot up hearing this, practically knocking Xavier sideways and swivelling to face him. 

“You got the permission!” she squealed, her face transformed to a picture of pure delight, her eyes gleamed with happiness and her hands reached for the sky.

“You know, I was kind of hoping you would pretend to be mad at me,” he said with a small laugh, crossing his ankle over the other and settling deeper into the sand. He stared at the sand, not really knowing whether to be saddened at her response or relieved that the ordeal of leaving her would be less arduous for them both. She nudged him with her elbow and smiled, 

“I can’t be mad at you, it’s your dream.” She looked at him with complete understanding and Xavier realised again in that evening, how much he loved her. 

“Do you not want to join me and live my dream?” He questioned her, hoping she would change her mind.

“No, I think you’re big enough to handle it on your own,” she giggled. Her hands moved to grasp his, trying to show that she was fine with the prospect of him leaving. 

“Funny,” Xavier replied sarcastically, tilting his head towards the ocean. 

“I know I am,” she said following his gaze. “What fun would it be if your dream is shared?” She paused and moved closer, “I’ll wait for you Xavier, I know how much your dream means to you. You have always wanted to travel with your Uncle. I don’t want to be that person who stops you from doing just that.” 

“Are you really fine with this?” Xavier murmured, making one last attempt to convince her otherwise.

“Yes, I am. I want you to succeed and fulfil your childhood dreams,” she reassured him whilst wrapping her arms around his firm torso and kissing his nose. He revelled in her embrace, savouring their last few moments alone together.

“Don’t be saddened, I am happy for you. This is your chance to prove to everyone how talented and special I know you are. You wanted to travel the world and not be dependant on your father for money or help. How can I ever take that dream away from you?” She sighed and nuzzled closer. Xavier didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. The sounds of the waves crashing into each other were enough to silence the conversation.

Present Day

Xavier awoke, gasping for breath. His chest rising and falling quickly to satisfy his need for air. A drop of sweat made its way from his forehead down the side of his face to his neck. He looked around his room, the duvet and pillows were strewn across the bed and the floor. 

“Stop! Please! Stop moving!” He heard a girl whimper from the black sofa that was at the other end of his room. He could hear her cries from her sleep and wondered if that’s what he sounded like when in his dream. He shuffled to the side of his bed with his head in his hands trying to remember the events of the night before. Moments entered his mind like flashes of photographs, the girl was on the verge of passing out, rendering her hopeless and he couldn’t leave her to be targeted by men who wanted to take advantage of her, so he offered her a ride. She ended up unconscious from the excessive alcohol intake so, without any place to leave her, he brought her home. He raised his head from his hands and took a closer look at her. She was beautiful, she had something that enticed him. Something unique.

Xavier had three weaknesses. 

Family. Power. Women.

Family and power were all that mattered to him. Women were his distraction on the side of his work and social life.

He wanted people to beg in front of him. He rejoiced at their suffering because at one point in his life he had been the one begging. Begging for someone to stay. Begging for them to explain. Begging for them to stop. But that all became very meaningless when they walked away. 

Xavier rubbed his face, aiming to get rid of the dream and the slumber he was in. His phone alerted him to the steady flow of emails already coming in for the day. He picked the phone up and checked his schedule. He had a meeting later, but before that he had a birthday celebration with a childhood friend. Closing his eyes for one last time whilst taking several deep breaths, Xavier stood up and crossed his room enjoying the feeling of the cold wood against his bare feet. It was such a contrast to the images he had been plagued with before he woke up. His boxers hung low with his shirt half opening leaving his defined torso exposed. His disheveled hair and strong, defined features only added to the appeal and desire that he commanded all over the world. Using the intercom, he called his maid and instructed her to feed and clothe the girl in his room. She looked like she hadn’t eaten properly in a while and Xavier wanted her to be looked after before she had to return to whatever circumstances she came from.

Once ready to leave, instead of walking out the door, Xavier sat down and opened up the gallery app on his phone. He ran his finger over a random folder. A folder that was hidden from the clutches of the world. A folder that only he knew of its existence. There, in the folder, resided some photographs that meant the world to him. They meant too much to Xavier and he knew it. Photographs that no one ever needed to know existed.