The polished marble floor beneath my feet felt less like a luxury plaza and more like the edge of a sheer, bottomless cliff. The lingering warmth of Chloe’s laughter, the residual taste of the sweet latte, the brief illusion of safety—all of it shattered in a single, agonizing microsecond.
Julian didn't hesitate. Seeing me frozen, he detached himself from Damon with a smooth, practiced elegance, his long strides covering the distance between us with a terrifying, predatory confidence. Damon remained a few paces back, his hands casually shoved into the pockets of his designer trousers, watching the unfolding drama with a bored, mocking glint in his eyes.
"Elena... finally. I've been looking for you," Julian said. His voice was smooth as velvet, dripping with the exact same charming, arist
