Chapter 10: Lines Blurred
1131 Words
Lexi couldn't sleep.
She had spent the past two hours staring at the ceiling, replaying the conversation with Sebastian over and over.
A way out.
That’s what he was offering her.
A clean break from Julian. No more tests, no more silent power struggles. No more being drawn into something she didn’t understand.
So why was she hesitating?
She turned onto her side, frustrated with herself.
Julian’s words echoed in her head.
"I don’t like sharing."
It had been a warning. A claim.
And the worst part? She had felt it.
Felt the heat in his voice, the tension in the way he almost touched her.
Lexi let out a groan and sat up, running her hands through her hair.
She needed air.
She grabbed a hoodie over her sleep shorts and stepped barefoot into the dimly lit hallway. The manor was silent, the heavy presence of midnight making everything feel different—as if the walls themselves held secrets.
She didn’t know where she was going until she reached the study.
The door was ajar.
Light spilled from inside.
And Julian was there.
Sitting behind his desk, a glass of whiskey in one hand, his other resting against his temple. He looked... troubled.
His tie was undone. The first few buttons of his dress shirt were loose, revealing a hint of skin.
Lexi swallowed. She should walk away. She should turn around.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she knocked lightly. “Can’t sleep either?”
Julian looked up, his gaze dark and unreadable.
“Apparently not.”
Lexi hesitated. “I can leave if—”
“Stay.”
The word was quiet, but it held weight.
Something flickered between them.
Slowly, she stepped inside.
Julian leaned back in his chair, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “Tell me, Lexi…” His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. “Are you considering it?”
She didn’t have to ask what he meant.
Sebastian’s offer.
Lexi crossed her arms. “Would it matter if I was?”
Julian’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
The honesty in that single word sent a shock through her.
She took a slow breath. “Why?”
Julian didn’t answer immediately. He studied her, like he was deciding how much to say.
Then, finally.
“Because I don’t like losing.”
Lexi’s stomach twisted.
She should be angry. She should call him out for treating her like a game piece. But instead.
She took a step closer.
“You think this is about winning?”
Julian’s eyes darkened. “Isn’t it?”
Lexi shook her head. “No. It’s not.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then.
Julian stood.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Lexi didn’t move.
Her heart slammed against her ribs as he crossed the space between them, stopping just inches away.
His scent. Whiskey, cedar, something undeniably him wrapped around her.
“This isn’t a game to you?” he murmured.
Lexi’s breath hitched. “No.”
Julian lifted a hand—hesitated for a fraction of a second. Before his fingers traced lightly along the side of her face.
His touch was warm. Controlled.
But his eyes.
His eyes were anything but controlled.
“I should let you go,” he said softly.
Lexi swallowed hard. “Then do it.”
Julian’s fingers slid down, brushing the curve of her jaw. His gaze dropped to her lips.
And then.
He kissed her.
The first brush was hesitant, almost as if he was giving her a chance to pull away.
But Lexi didn’t.
She couldn’t.
Instead, she leaned in, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.
Julian groaned softly. A low, dangerous sound. Before deepening the kiss.
His hand slid to the small of her back, pulling her against him.
Heat exploded through her.
She felt his tension, his restraint, his hunger, all wrapped into one intoxicating moment.
Lexi’s breath shuddered as he tilted her head, his lips possessive, unrelenting.
She should stop. She should pull away.
But she didn’t want to.
For once, she didn’t want to think.
She just wanted this.
Julian’s grip tightened, like he could sense her surrender. Like he needed it just as much as she did.
But then.
He pulled back.
Sudden. Abrupt.
Lexi blinked, dazed.
Julian’s breathing was uneven, his pupils blown wide.
But when he spoke, his voice was controlled again.
“This can’t happen,” he said, more to himself than to her.
Lexi’s chest tightened. “Why?”
Julian clenched his jaw. “Because once I start, I won’t stop.”
The words sent a shiver down her spine.
Julian took a slow step back, running a hand through his hair.
“This was a mistake.”
Lexi’s stomach twisted painfully.
A mistake.
That’s what he was calling it.
Even after everything. After the way he kissed her, after the way his body responded to her. He was still pretending he could control this.
Lexi exhaled sharply, her heart aching in a way she wasn’t ready for.
“Right,” she said, forcing her voice to stay steady. “Of course. A mistake.”
Julian didn’t look at her.
So Lexi did the only thing she could.
She turned.
And she walked away.
The Morning After
Lexi barely slept.
When she woke up, the weight of last night still clung to her.
Every time she closed her eyes, she felt his lips on hers. His hands on her waist.
And every time, she remembered the way he pulled away.
A mistake.
She wasn’t going to let that word haunt her.
She got up, showered, and dressed in something practical—jeans, a fitted black top, nothing that could be mistaken for delicate.
When she entered the kitchen, Mrs. Hawthorne gave her a long look.
Lexi ignored it and grabbed a cup of coffee.
She wasn’t going to let anyone see that she was unraveling.
But when she stepped outside for fresh air, she found Sebastian waiting for her.
“Morning, darling.” His smirk was lazy, knowing. “You look like you’ve had an interesting night.”
Lexi crossed her arms. “What do you want, Sebastian?”
He tilted his head, studying her. “Still thinking about my offer?”
Lexi’s throat went dry.
Last night had changed things.
She needed clarity. She needed space from Julian.
And Sebastian was offering her exactly that.
“I’m considering it,” she admitted.
Sebastian’s smirk widened. “Good.”
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Because something tells me Saint Clair won’t be able to keep his hands off you much longer.”
Lexi’s breath caught.
Sebastian chuckled, stepping back. “Think it over, sweetheart.”
Then he walked away, leaving her alone with her racing thoughts.
- Writer
