76 — Julian is over there.

I blink a few times while Tyler's face gets closer. I'm sure that anyone who looks at this from the right angle thinks that we're kissing. It makes my throat narrow. He doesn't go any further than that, fortunately. Although our faces are close, it's not a really dangerous distance.
“Are you afraid?” He asks slowly, rousing me from my thoughts.
“I feel a bit uncomfortable, to be honest.” I give a sad smile. “I mean… there's someone following me around, I don't feel safe outside my home. And you never know what they might do.”
“You could think of this as a test. If it's Laura who's taking these photos, she'll certainly twist this moment. That's how she acts, after all.”
“You're right,” I say, holding my breath. “A trap!”
“Besides, maybe you'll get what you want.” Tyler gives me an enigmatic wink that leaves me confused. I open my lips to ask what he means by that, but he's soon pulling away, relaxing his back on the chair next to me.
“What do you mean by that?” I couldn't resist the temptation and did ask, but he just gives me an equally enigmatic smile.
“You'll see.” He picks up his drink and takes a sip. “Just trust me.”
I blink a few times, then give up, also taking a sip of the drink that doesn't seem so sweet anymore.
***
Tyler parks in front of my building. Since he's driving, he's insisting on bringing me. I was surprised when I saw his car; even though it's not a sport one like Julian's, this one must certainly cost a lot. Maybe having his own restaurant is working out well for him, no wonder Laura is regretting cheating on him.
I take off my seatbelt and just as I'm about to leave the car, he asks me to wait. I watch confused while Tyler gets out of the car, walks around, and then opens my door. His gentlemanly gesture makes me laugh. Anyone who says chivalry is dead hasn't seen the last of the romantics.
“Is it okay if I accompany you to your door?” He asks, closing the door after I've accepted his hand to get out of the car.
“Yeah, that's fine…” I smile and start walking toward the building's lobby, nodding for Tyler to follow me.
We walked in silence while getting into the elevator and, luckily, it was already ready to take us to my floor. And inside, Tyler asks, looking at me intently, “It seems like a nice place. Do you live with your parents?”
I lift my face slightly to look at him, tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear. “With my dad, actually. It's just the two of us.”
“Oh, I see.” He gives a smile, nodding.
Our awkward elevator conversation doesn't last long because just as he's about to say something more, the doors open again. I breathe a sigh of relief, moving my eyes down the hall… But I hold my breath the next moment, with my heart forgetting how to beat.
Tyler follows my gaze and, from the way he puts his hand on my back, I know I'm not delirious right now — Julian is over there.
He's leaning against the wall next to my door, arms crossed, hair messy and shirt rumpled; the first few buttons of his collar are also undone… a real walking mess. The sound of the elevator attracts his eyes, and his uninterested expression gradually begins to close while his eyes move from me to Tyler.
The doors were about to close again, but Tyler's hand stopped them. He gives me a soft push on the back, encouraging me to get out of the elevator. I look up at him, seeing his reassuring smile… Then let out my breath harshly, finally stepping into the hall.
Julian disengages himself from the wall, still with his arms crossed. His eyes are intense, so cold. His eyebrows are furrowed, so low that he looks even more resentful. The corner of his lips is down, and his jaw is so tense that I can see the muscle popping from his blond beard… In fact, Julian seems to be trying so hard to control himself that even the veins in his arms are popping out and attracting my eyes.
But I keep walking to my apartment with my legs suddenly too weak. I thank the heavens that Tyler's arm is supporting me; otherwise, I'm sure I'd trip pathetically over my own feet and fall to the ground.
I force myself to take my eyes off Julian, looking at the floor, my door… *anything that's not him…* But his husky voice sends a shiver up my spine, “Oh, such a nice surprise.”
Taking a deep breath, I finally stop in front of my door with Tyler still by my side, his hand firmly holding my lower back. I'm still struggling to keep my eyes fixed on my bag, in my useless search for the keys.
“How was your date? Did you have a good time, Angel?” Julian says, making me shudder. “Since your father isn't home, you can have even more fun. This is just great, isn't it?”
I raise my resentful eyes and face him, frowning…
“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you afraid that I’ll scare your friend here?”
“It’s fine, Angel, don’t worry. Now you're home, so I'm leaving,” Tyler says, thoroughly ignoring Julian, who gets even angrier. “You can call me if anything happens, okay?”
“Okay.” I look at Tyler and force a smile. “Thanks for the night, it was fun.”
“My pleasure.” Tyler placed a kiss on my cheek, dangerously close to the corner of my lips… And then moves his mouth to my ear, whispering, *“See what I mean?”*
I look at him confused, but he moves away, walking slowly to the elevator, whose doors are still open. He gets in and turns to us, giving me a little wink that finally makes me understand what he's talking about.
My eyes widen slightly while the door closes slowly, leaving me alone with Julian…
“Huh.” Julian gives a sarcastic chuckle that, once again, catches my resentful eyes.
“You're an asshole, you know that?” I grumble, finally pulling my keys out of my bag sharply. “A true asshole!”
I shake my head with anger spreading inside me, and open the door, making my way… But Julian spreads his hand and opens it fully, stepping in, using his own solid body to carry me forward, inside the apartment.
“Hey-” Before I can protest, Julian takes a firm hold of my hair and seals our lips together.
Staggering backward, I felt my legs suddenly weak. And I really try to resist, shutting my lips, but his tongue rubs between them, forcing me to open the passage for it to enter my mouth.
Julian closes the door with a loud slam, tangling his fingers even more tightly in my hair, stealing my breath completely because, damn… *I'm giving in completely again.*
His tongue searches for mine, entwining, rubbing its softness in a way that sends shivers down my spine. And I can't help but hold on tightly to his shirt, wrinkling the cloth even more while we continue to stagger into the apartment.
He holds my head tightly, guiding me to follow his movements, while his other hand moves down the curve of my body, stroking so slowly that it seems to be marking every inch of it… Until finally fits around my waist and pulls my body against his hip, allowing me to feel his hard-on throbbing against my belly.
My moan escapes from our lips, which finally part for a moment. And I try to breathe, but Julian is soon sliding his tongue into my mouth again, deepening the kiss until it completely dominates me… *Huh, my mind is getting so foggy.*
Pulling my bottom lip between his teeth, he adds in a husky, drunken voice, “I've missed you so much, babe.”
I push him hard in the chest, and perhaps because the alcohol is getting the better of his mind, Julian can't hold me and staggers back.
My chest is rising and falling hard from the breath he has stolen from me. But apparently, my rejection doesn't seem to affect him because, once again, he's coming at me, grabbing my waist, running his hand down my lower back, grabbing my hip to pull me into his warmth.
But like it's contagious, I’m the one who takes a step back and I slap his face again.
My hand burns, but there's no conviction like the first time I did it. And Julian knows it! He knows because, instead of the hurt look from before, he's smiling now — a smile that sends shivers down my spine.
I try to pull my hand back, but he holds it, intertwining our fingers, making me aware of how big and rough his hands are and how much I miss their touch. I'm so naturally drawn to him that my angry posture is shattering into a million pieces, and I hate myself for it.
Suddenly, Julian's smile widens and becomes even more wicked, pulling me with annoying ease, to the point where my breasts bump against his abs.
With our fingers still intertwined, he makes me stretch out my arm while his other hand goes up my body, my waist, my back, to my hair. And it keeps going up, lifting my brown strands between the gaps in his fingers, until it reaches the top of my head and tangles at the roots.
I let out another moan when his grip becomes rough and forces me to lift my chin, looking directly into his intense, angry green eyes.
“Tell me something, girl…” His voice is husky, so deep, it echoes through my chest, “Did you kiss him?”
“Yes.” I lie, with a defiant tone… And I notice how his eyes sparkle with something that's not sadness, not the hurt that once glowed in his watery eyes. It's something I'm completely unaware of… Almost like I've pushed him too much.
“Was it good?” Julian asks, still holding my head so that my throat stretches, and my eyes are locked on his. “Is he a better kisser than me?”
“Yes, much better.” I give a subtle smile, and his expression tightens even more, with his eyes flickering dangerously. “But what's the problem, Julian? Aren't we *just friends?”*
“You really have a bold little mouth, don't you?” Julian says against my lips, touching them, making his words reverberate across my skin in the shape of a shiver.
Suddenly, he let go of my hair, this time sliding both palms against my back to my waist and hips… Until lifts me suddenly, making me let out a muffled cry and hold on tightly to his shoulders…
“Hey, put me down-”
“Quiet, Angelee.” He says firmly, making me immediately purse my lips, with my heart skipping a beat. “I think you're in need of a lesson.”