Chapter 269: An Apology

​The place Xavier took them to was a restaurant and it occupied the entire top floor of a private skyscraper, offering a sweeping, panoramic view of the city skyline through floor-to-ceiling glass.

Xavier had completely booked out the level, leaving the expansive, marble-accented dining space completely deserted.

There were no hushed whispers from nearby tables and no hovering waiters—a quiet isolation that spared Nat from his usual irritation with crowded public spaces.

​The three of them sat around a table near the edge of the glass. The silence was thick, punctuated only by the subtle clink of crystal glasses.

​Xavier sat upright, his posture immaculate, yet his dark eyes held a weight that had been absent all morning. He looked across the table, locking his gaze directly onto April’s.

​"I brought you here to apologize to you," Xavier began, his voice dropping into a low, quiet register. "Yesterday, in the suite... I did something without asking. I took advantage of the situation and the position we were in. I didn’t ask if it was what you wanted, and for that, I am deeply ashamed."

​Nat let out a harsh, mocking scoff, leaning back in his leather chair with his arms folded across his broad chest. "What the hell are you talking about, you coward? She clearly didn’t push you away, did she?"

​"She did not give me a ’yes’ either," Xavier cut in sharply, his icy tone cracking with a rare burst of raw emotion.

​He didn’t look at Nat, keeping his eyes entirely on April. His hand tightened beneath the table, clenching into a firm fist against his thigh.

​"When I was young, my father used to tell me that when it comes to a lady, a ’yes’ is a ’yes,’ and a ’no’ is a ’no.’ Any action taken without a clear confirmation of either means you are simply taking advantage of her vulnerability," Xavier spoke slowly, every word heavy with genuine remorse. "I didn’t fully understand what he meant back then. But now..." He took a slow breath. "I do. I am incredibly sorry, April. I crossed a line, and I acted selfishly. What I did is unforgivable."

​Nat rolled his eyes dramatically, leaning his head back against his seat. "God, you are so dramatic. It was a kiss, Reed, not a corporate buyout."

​April sat quietly, her eyes searching Xavier’s face. The embarrassment that had been clinging to her all morning settled into something much calmer as she listened to his sincere, unwavering confession.

​"You don’t need to call it unforgivable, Xavier," April said smoothly, her voice soft yet grounded. She pursed her lips for a second, contemplating her next words since this was not such a simple situation where she could talk carelessly.

She had no plans to confess, but she did not just want to dismiss him either.

"It... was an accident that spiraled," she whispered and then lowered her head. "But I appreciate the apology."

​Nat smirked, leaning forward over the table, his eyes flashing with a familiar, dangerous glint as he looked between the two of them. "Well, since Master Reed is done wearing his hair shirt... What about the rest of us?"

Nat was entirely unimpressed by Xavier’s grand display of nobility.

He didn’t care about corporate decorum or formal apologies. For weeks, he had been waiting on the sidelines, dropping hints, holding her hand, proposing—je meant every bit of it—and giving her space, only for her to keep those iron walls locked tight.

But yesterday’s kiss proved her body wasn’t nearly as indifferent as her calculating mind claimed to be.

Before Xavier could even attempt to maintain order, Nat moved.

He didn’t bother with fancy steps. He planted a hand on the edge of the table, vaulted over the centerpiece, and bridged the distance between them.

The space between them vanished in an instant as he slid into the seat right beside April, his broad, overwhelming presence instantly surrounding her like a territorial storm.

Without giving her a chance to shrink back, Nat reached out, his hand wrapping securely around her waist to pull her right against his side. The sudden, intense heat radiating off his body crashed against her skin, sending an immediate, electric shudder straight down her spine.

"What... What are you doing?" she asked, but her voice was barely a whisper.

"Nat, stop being immature!" Xavier snapped, his chair scraping violently against the marble floor as he stood up, his jaw set in a hard, icy line. "You’re going to force her into something she doesn’t want! Can’t you at least consider her feelings for once in your life?"

Nat didn’t even glance up at Xavier. His entire world narrowed strictly down to the woman pinned against his broad chest. He could feel the rapid, frantic fluttering of her pulse right beneath his fingers, the subtle way her breathing hitched as his arm held her in place.

"Does this look like I’m taking advantage of you, sweetheart?" Nat murmured, his voice dropping into a low, guttural rasp against her ear.

April’s mind was spinning wildly.

The calculating, pragmatic strategist who could outmaneuver warlords and predict the end of the world was completely nowhere to be found. Exposed to the raw, addicting rush of intimacy for the first time, her body was practically vibrating with anticipation.

Her cheeks burned with a feverish heat, and her chest heaved as her heart hammered like a trapped bird.

Slowly, helplessly, April shook her head. She wasn’t being forced.

A dark, triumphantly wicked smirk spread across Nat’s handsome face. He tightened his grip on her waist, turning his gaze slightly to lock eyes with Xavier, whose icy posture had frozen in genuine shock.

"There you have it, Reed," Nat drawled, his tone dripping with sheer arrogance before turning back to April. "But since Xavier over here insists on hearing a confirmation, a yes or no... I guess I should ask outright."

Nat lifted his other hand, his fingers gently tracing the warm, flushed curve of her jaw, tilting her face up so she had no choice but to meet his burning gaze.

"I’m going to kiss you now, April," Nat stated, making his intention crystal clear, leaving zero room for misinterpretation. "If you don’t want it, say no right now. But if you want it... just nod your head. Because I know a ’yes’ isn’t going to come out of that quiet mouth of yours."