{Hailey’s Pov}
I couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss. Julian’s lips on mine. His hands gripping my waist. The heat. The fire. The way he kissed me,like he hated it and wanted it all at once.
It messed with my head. I didn’t even like him. Julian Lachlan was cocky, rude, and had a way of making me feel like I didn’t belong, even though I was the one who inherited this place.
But still… when he kissed me, my body didn’t care.
I needed air. I left the hidden room in the library, climbed the stairs, and didn’t stop walking until I reached the garden doors. I stepped outside barefoot, the cold stone path shocking me back to reality. It was still early. The sky was pink and gold. Quiet.
Too quiet. The mansion sat behind me like a beast watching my every move. I looked back at the windows.
