r," Stella said, rising carefully fro

la to her grandson, who was now sitting on the sofa, engrossed in a thick, leather-bound book written in a language Stella didn't recognize.

Julian, who didn't even bot

e said, his voice fl

tossed it onto the sofa cushion. "Don't be a brute, Julian. It's 20

ian pulled out a sleek, black phone. It was completely unbranded, a seamless p

n phone. A soft chime confirmed the contact had been added. Julian. Just th

Julian. A gentleman always walks a lady to her car. Especially wh

with a check, tried to reduce what he'd done to a transaction. It was a cheap impulse, and standing here now, in the warmth of their home, sh

didn't turn around. "Don't apologize," he s

t door and held it open, his body language making it clea

yes to Eleanor and followed him

them was heavy, charged with all the things that had been said and done that evening. They reached the groun

side the building. It was a shortcut, but it was poorly lit, with a si

lently beside her, didn't see the dip in the pavement. The heel of her shoe caught, and her ank

wrapping around her upper arm like a steel band. He hauled her

he growled, his voi

through the thin fabric of her blazer. She started

. The rider, a young man with headphones clamped over his ears, was hunched over the

he details becoming hyper-focused: the glint of light on the spinning s

an reacted. He didn't push her

positioning his own broad back to take the brunt of the impact, tucking her head securely

by a string of curses. The bike swerved at the last possible sec

s, frantic drumming of his heart against her ear. It was a powerful, primal rhythm, a stark contr

ed Jax, snapped, pulling off one headphone. He look

undiluted terror. "Oh, shit. Julian. My bad, man. I didn't see y

on the woman in his arms. "Are you hurt?" he asked, his voi

ve energy radiating from him, short-circ

heeks burning. "I'm fine," she managed

uth. Then, he turned his head and leveled a look at Jax. A look so cold, so utterly

the two words laced

mbled back on his bike and pedaled away a

s were the buzz of the streetlight and th

et to her car. As she slid behind the wheel, his gaze dropped to the license plate, his eyes narrowing almost impercept