Anastasia stared at Xavier with confusion evident in her gaze, but she didn't make it too obvious.
"I have a request to ask of you," Xavier said suddenly, his voice heavy with a mix of hesitation and urgency. He glanced at her, his dark eyes pleading for something he rarely showed—vulnerability. "I don't know if Tracie told you about this, but Xander kidnapped my wife some months ago."
Anastasia froze for a moment, her breath catching in her throat. She hadn't expected this.
"I was thinking… since you're close to him, could you check on her? Make sure she's okay. And… we can plot for her escape."
Xavier patiently waited for her reply, wondering if he'd been too forward with it. He'd thought since he was working with someone close to Xander, he was finally going to get to see Anastasia and have her in his arms once again.
If only he knew the Anastasia he was searching for was right in front of him.
Anastasia cleared her throat to break the awkward silence she'd created.
