Chapter 169

Cecilia Xavier ignored Sebastian's sarcasm with the kind of practiced grace only someone with a guilty conscience could pull off. His eyes locked on mine, softening with that old, familiar vulnerability—the kind that used to crack my armor like glass. "Will you come with me?"he asked quietly. "Just one last time." Right. And I'm the Tooth Fairy. I knew exactly what he was looking for. Same thing he'd been chasing for years: closure. Or maybe a miracle. I gave him a long, unreadable look, then let a small smile slip across my face—sweet, easy, and absolutely fake. "Sure,"I said lightly. Xavier's whole face lit up like he thought I'd handed him a second chance. What he didn't realize was I wasn't offering redemption—I was taking him to the grave where I'd buried our story, dumped six feet under with the rest of my bad decisions. And I hadn't loved him since the day I picked up the shovel. The four of us climbed out of the SUV. Xavier immediately moved toward me, arms outstretched to carr