Crossing Lines
1288 Words
KENDRICK
Yulia’s eyes stayed locked on mine, waiting.
For the first time since she entered my life, I actually had to think before answering a simple question.
That wasn’t a good sign.
Natalie had never mattered enough to explain before.
But suddenly, with Yulia staring at me like that, the wrong answer felt dangerous.
“Natalie and I have history,” I answered deliberately.
“And?”
How do I make her understand this?
Her tone, with the tiny possessive edge beneath it, shouldn’t have affected me the way it did.
“She’s—”
“Oh, sorry,” a voice interrupted smoothly from the entrance. “I didn’t know you had a visitor.”
I knew that voice instantly. Still, both Yulia and I turned at the same time.
Natalie stood there smiling at us like she hadn’t just walked into the middle of something.
She looked good as always. Long dark hair falling over her shoulders, a fitted black dress, and confidence practically radiating off her, but the second my eyes shifted toward Yulia, I knew she had already noticed the familiarity.
“No problem,” I said calmly, walking over to hug Natalie briefly. “How are you?”
“I’m good.” Her gaze flickered between Yulia and me curiously. “I thought you were home alone, so I decided to stop by.”
“Right.”
“And who’s she?” Natalie tilted her head lightly. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Yeah, this was about to get awkward. The room suddenly felt tense as hell.
I dragged a hand through my hair slowly before walking back toward Yulia. I slipped an arm around Yulia’s waist gently, pulling her closer to my side.
Natalie definitely caught that.
“Yulia,” I started cautiously, “this is Natalie. My mother’s best friend’s daughter.”
Then I looked at Natalie. “And Natalie, this is Yulia… my mother’s husband’s daughter.”
I avoided the word stepsister.
“I see,” Natalie murmured, glancing between both of us suspiciously. “Hi,” she smiled politely, extending her hand toward Yulia. “Nice meeting you.”
Yulia shook it. “You too.”
Natalie looked around casually afterward before asking, “So… you’re staying here?”
Yulia frowned slightly. “Yes. Why?”
“Nothing.” Natalie smiled again, though this one felt sharper somehow. “You just seem… very comfortable here.”
Yulia opened her mouth, but I stepped in before she could answer. “She’s staying with me for a while.”
Natalie nodded slowly, like she was processing something. Then she extended the jacket hanging over her arm toward me. “You left this at my place.”
I completely forgot about that. Yulia’s eyes immediately dropped to the jacket before lifting back to me again. Observing.
“Thanks,” I muttered, taking it from Natalie.
“You’re welcome.” She smiled once more before stepping backward slightly. “I should get going.” Then she looked directly at Yulia again. “See you around.”
“Sure,” Yulia answered politely.
“I’ll walk you out,” I said. I glanced briefly toward Yulia. “Wait for me.”
She nodded, and I followed Natalie outside.
The moment the entrance door closed behind us, Natalie sighed softly.
“Does she know about us?”
“There’s no us anymore, Natalie.”
Her expression tightened slightly. “You know what I mean.”
“No,” I answered flatly. “She doesn’t.”
Natalie studied me attentively. “Do you two have something going on?”
My jaw clenched instantly. “No.”
The answer came too fast, too sharp. And judging by Natalie’s expression, she clocked it but just nodded.
“Okay.”
Silence settled briefly between us before she spoke again. “Well… I’ll leave you to it.”
“Drive safe.”
I watched her enter her car before the gates slowly closed behind her.
Then I exhaled heavily. “Shit.”
The look on Yulia’s face before I walked out with Natalie? Baby girl definitely wasn’t buying my “history” bullshit anymore, and somehow, I had a feeling the next conversation was about to become very dangerous.
Yulia was still sitting on the couch exactly where I left her, arms crossed, leg bouncing slightly, and her eyes locked directly on me.
“I can tell you’ve got a lot to say, judging by that look on your face.”
“Sit down,” she commanded. I blinked once before laughing quietly.
“There’s the law student,” I muttered, walking toward her. “Already sounding like you’re cross-examining a suspect.”
“I’m serious, Kendrick.”
“I can see that.”
I sat across from her anyway, leaning back comfortably while she continued staring at me like she was trying to solve a case.
“What’s going on between you and Natalie?”
Straight to the point.
I rubbed my jaw slowly before answering honestly. “Something was going on between us for a while.”
She frowned, looking confused. “How?”
I smirked faintly. “That’s a very loaded question.”
“Kendrick.”
I sighed. “We spent time together. Nothing serious.”
“How long?”
“A while.”
“And your mothers knew?”
I nodded once. “Unfortunately.”
Her brows furrowed instantly.
“They liked the idea of us together more than we did,” I explained calmly. “Natalie and I already made it clear it wasn’t serious.”
“But they still hoped it would become serious?”
“Mothers see a relationship and immediately start planning weddings and babies. But we’ve gone our separate ways.”
“So it’s over?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Completely?”
“Yes.”
I noticed the exact moment her shoulders relaxed. Then she looked at me again.
“So if you want… you know…”
I raised a brow. “s*x?”
Her cheeks flushed. “Oh, my God.”
I chortled. “You asked.”
“I didn’t ask it like that!”
“Relax,” I grinned. “I can survive without it for a while.” Then slowly, my eyes locked with hers. “Unless you’re volunteering.”
Her eyes widened, shocked. “KENDRICK!”
I burst out laughing. “You should’ve seen your face.”
“That’s not funny!”
“It was a little funny.”
She groaned dramatically, throwing a pillow toward me while I caught it easily. She was adorable when flustered.
The laughter slowly faded between us. The moment we locked eyes, my self-control slipped. The way she looked at me had me ready to say f**k taking things slow.
I leaned back on the couch comfortably, and I pulled her onto my lap. Yulia didn’t push away. Didn’t stop me. If anything, she relaxed more in my arms.
My fingers tilted her chin upward gently. “You should be careful around me,” I murmured.
“Why?” she whispered.
“Because I’m trying very hard to behave.”
Her breath hitched instantly. “Are you failing?” she whispered.
I admired her for one dangerous second before leaning down and kissing her. Slow at first, then deeper.
For someone who rarely kissed women, I was becoming addicted.
Her hands coiled around my neck, pulling me closer, and just like that, every ounce of self-control I had left disappeared.
When I finally pulled away, both of us were breathing hard.
“You’re dangerous,” she mumbled shakily.
I chuckled, brushing my thumb against her cheek. “A little late to realize that now, don’t you think?”
- Writer
