Sloane’s POV
A sudden, heavyweight pressing across my waist jolted me fully awake. Panic hit first, my body reacting before my brain could catch up, and I shoved hard against the mass, my foot kicking out and making blunt contact with the warm body beside me.
My eyes snapped wide open, my heart hammered against my ribs as my throat went dry, memory flooding back in a fierce, disorienting wave. The dark room, the tangled sheets, the lingering scent of … Xavier.
For a split second, sheer alarm sent cold sweat down my spine. But as the haze of sleep cleared, my mind locked back onto the target. This was all part of the plan. This was step one. I forced my breathing to slow, letting my shoulders drop back into the mattress as I grounded myself.
"Did you just kick me?" His voice was a low,
