Chapter 38 – The Morning After**
A pounding headache. Dry mouth. The distinct smell of alcohol lingering in the air.
Raine groaned as she stirred, her body aching in ways she couldn’t understand. What the hell happened last night? Her eyelids felt heavy, the world around her sluggish as she rolled over—
And her heart nearly **leapt out of her chest.**
Ronan lay beside her. **Shirtless.**
Panic slammed into her like a tidal wave.
Her eyes darted down to herself—**half-naked**—just a bra and Xavier’s oversized shirt. No pants. No recollection of how she got here.
“Oh my God,” she gasped, **bolting upright**.
Her sudden movement jolted Ronan awake. He groaned, rubbing his face before blinking up at her. “Damn, Evernight, not so loud,” he muttered. “My head’s already killing me.”
Raine scrambled backward, pressing herself against the headboard. “What the **fuck** happened last night?”
Ronan stretched lazily, unbothered by her panic. His **bare chest flexed**, all hard muscle and golden skin, making Raine’s face **burn**.
“Relax,” he drawled, voice raspy from sleep. “We didn’t do anything.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Then why am I half-naked? **Why are you in my bed?!**”
Ronan smirked, propping himself up on one elbow. “**Your** bed? You mean the bed you dragged me into?”
Her stomach dropped. “Lies.”
He chuckled. “Oh, I’d love to lie, sweetheart, but you were the one all over me last night.”
Raine **froze**. “No. I wouldn’t—”
“Oh, but you did.”
Ronan’s eyes gleamed with mischief as he sat up. “Let me refresh your memory.”
\### **Flashback – Last Night**
Drunk Raine was a **disaster**.
She had been **loud, reckless, and utterly shameless.**
Somewhere between her fifth and sixth drink, she had started **complaining** about how **hot** she was, tugging at her dress and mumbling about stripping down.
Ronan, amused and very much **not as drunk** as the rest of them, had tried to stop her.
“Raine, maybe—”
She **shoved** her dress off her shoulders.
Ronan’s eyes nearly **popped out of his skull** as she **tugged it down**, leaving herself in only a bra and panties.
“Fucking hell, Evernight,” Ronan swore, immediately blocking the view from other partygoers. “You’re **drunk**.”
“I’m **hot**,” she whined, throwing her arms around his neck, her body pressing against him.
Ronan let out a heavy breath. “And **tempting**, but I’m not suicidal. Xavier will rip my damn head off.”
“Xavier doesn’t own me,” she **slurred**, running her fingers through his hair.
He sighed, catching her wrists. “Okay, **time for bed.**”
Raine **giggled**. “With you?”
Ronan groaned. “You’re gonna kill me.”
And that was how he ended up **dragged into her bed**, forced to deal with a **clingy, drunk Raine who refused to let him leave.**
\### **Back to the Present**
Raine **buried her face in her hands**. “I want to **die.**”
Ronan **laughed**. “Honestly? You were adorable.”
She **glared** at him. “You could’ve said no.”
“I did. Repeatedly.” He smirked. “But you wouldn’t let go of me. Kept muttering about how I was **warm and smelled good.**”
Raine wanted the **earth to swallow her whole.**
She scrambled out of bed, nearly **tripping over herself** as she searched for her pants. “I need to get out of here.”
Ronan lounged back, watching her with an infuriating grin. “No rush. You’re already **the talk of the house.**”
She **froze.** “What?”
“You might wanna prepare yourself, sweetheart.”
\### **Downstairs – The Aftermath**
The house was a **disaster.**
Empty bottles and discarded clothes littered the floor, evidence of **the wildest night imaginable**.
Reed sat on the couch, rubbing his temples, looking half-dead. Ivy was beside him, **wrapped in a blanket like a burrito**, sunglasses covering her eyes.
And Xavier?
Xavier sat in the armchair, **legs spread lazily**, his jaw tight as he sipped coffee.
Raine barely took one step into the room before—
**Ivy screamed.**
“**OH MY GOD.**”
Raine winced. “Ivy, please—”
Ivy **shot up**, eyes **wide with excitement**. “**YOU AND RONAN?!**”
Raine **panicked.** “It’s **not** what it looks like!”
Reed snorted. “That’s exactly what guilty people say.”
“I AM NOT GUILTY.”
Ivy **grabbed her wrist** and dragged her closer. “**Details. Now.**”
“There are no details!” Raine hissed. “Nothing happened!”
Ronan strolled in behind her, **grinning**. “That’s not what you said last night.”
“**RONAN.**”
Reed **choked on his coffee.**
Xavier didn’t react. Didn’t look at her.
But his **grip on his mug tightened.**
Ivy **fanned herself.** “This is the best morning ever.”
Raine wanted to **die all over again.**
She turned to Xavier. “Say something!”
Xavier didn’t even glance at her. “Didn’t know I needed to.”
Raine **fumed.** “For the last time, **nothing happened!**”
Ronan smirked. “But it could have.”
Xavier’s jaw **ticked.**
Ivy **gasped.** “I **live** for this.”
Raine groaned. “I **hate** all of you.”
Reed **clapped his hands together.** “Alright, people, let’s focus on the bigger issue—**cleaning this damn house before Xavier loses his mind.**”
Ronan sighed dramatically. “Fine. I’ll help. But only because I like watching Raine suffer.”
“**Fuck off.**”
\### **An Hour Later – Xavier’s Mood**
As they cleaned, Xavier remained **silent.**
Not a single comment.
Not a single glance in Raine’s direction.
But his **mood was lethal.**
He didn’t react to Ivy’s teasing.
Didn’t even smirk when Ronan kept pushing Raine’s buttons.
And that?
That **bothered** her.
She finally snapped when she found him in the kitchen.
“Are you seriously mad?”
Xavier rinsed his glass, **unbothered.** “Why would I be mad?”
Raine crossed her arms. “Because you’ve been acting weird all morning.”
Xavier turned, stepping closer. “Should I be?”
She hesitated.
Something about the way he was looking at her made her **nervous**.
Xavier **leaned in, voice low**. “Tell me, Raine. If Ronan had fucked you last night… would you have wanted it?”
Raine’s breath caught.
Heat flushed through her, a mix of anger and something **dangerous.**
She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze head-on.
“Would it have bothered you?”
Silence.
A slow, **knowing** smirk tugged at Xavier’s lips.
And just like that, he walked away, leaving her **breathless.**