Julian’s POV
The door opened without a knock.
Bella stepped in, her heels making sharp sounds on the tiled floor, her red dress clinging to every body curve. The air shifted as her sharp, heavy perfume cut through the stale cigarette haze like a knife, making my nose twitch a little.
She stopped a few steps in, narrowing her eyes when she saw me.
I sat slumped in the chair, cigarette dangling from my lips, the tip glowing orange as I sucked it hard. Smoke burned down my throat, harsh and bitter, filling my lungs till they ached me. My eyes stung me, now very red and dry, raw from the haze and the rage still boiling inside. Ash dropped onto the desk, gray flakes scattering over the papers.
I didn’t blink. I just stared at her, my jaw clenched so tight my teeth ground.
The room reeked
