“Julian,” she breathed.
Julian couldn’t speak as he stared into herwide, golden-brown eyes. He’d recalled every detail of herrepeatedly over the years, but time had honed and perfected herbeauty in ways he hadn’t imagined. Her round, youthful face wasthinner, and her cheekbones more pronounced. Slightly longer thanwhen he last saw her, she’d straightened her hair, and it nowdangled against her waist. Still the color of porcelain, her skinremained unblemished.
Her fingers burned into his wrist, and hestarted to reach out to cup her cheek, but he pulled his hand away.Just minutes ago, she was kissing another man. He’d set her free tolive her life, and she was doing precisely that. He wouldn’tinterfere.
He never should have gone to the gallery inthe first place. He’d cursed and hated himself with every step hetook toward the building, but he couldn’t get his traitorous feetto stop. And he’d paid the price for interfering in her life.
His jaw clenched as he recalled her kissingthe other man, and he had to look past her to get his fury undercontrol. He couldn’t kill the man, he wanted to, but he couldn’t dothat to her. However, he couldn’t be near her right now either.
CHAPTER 6
“Aida,” he greeted.
The coldness in his voice startled her.Despite her astonishment over seeing him and her anger over hisabandonment, her pulse thundered through her veins. She’d neverbeen happier to see someone, and he couldn’t look more unhappy tosee her. Fresh hurt tore through her, and she released his wrist.She didn’t know who she was angrier at, him for being such anasshole, or herself for briefly forgetting he was an asshole.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.
“I came to see Kyle and Cassidy,” hesaid.
“Oh. They’re my roommates.”
She sounded pathetic, and she had no idea whyshe’d said it.
“I know,” he said. “I only came to see myfamily.”
She somehow managed to keep her faceimpassive while inwardly she recoiled as if he’d slapped her. Theway he said it made it clear she wasnotfamily. She didn’tunderstand any of this. Why had he left her? Why was he acting socold to her now? Who was this man she’d trusted with so much onlyto have him toss her aside as her father did?
What is wrong with me?
As soon as the question ran through her head,rage followed it. There wasnothingwrong with her. Herfather was a piece of shit who walked out of her life when she wastwo, and Julian wasn’t much better. She refused to let them dragher down. They were the broken and fucked-up ones, not her.
Okay… after the island, she was a littlefucked up, but she wasn’t an emotionally stunted asshole forabsolutelynoreason.
“It was good to see you,” he said.
“Oh.” Realizing she sounded like an idiot bycontinuing to say,oh, she added, “It was good seeing youtoo.”
“Aida!” She turned to find Owen hurrying downthe street with her purse and coat. His breath bloomed out of himas he stopped and held her coat out to her. He barely glanced atJulian before focusing on her. “I locked the door and brought youthese.”
“Thank you,” she said.
She took her coat from him and slipped it on.It did nothing to ease the iciness encasing her, but she didn’tthink anything would defrost the chill in her soul. For years, shedreamed of seeing Julian again. She’d never known what would happenif they ever did see each other again, but she’d never imagined hewould stare at her like she was a nuisance.
She didn’t know what she’d ever done to him,and she didn’t care. His issues were his own to deal with; her lifewas going perfectly fine without him in it. Still, she’d gone fromalmost slugging Owen to resisting the impulse to punch Julian. Shehad to get out of here and away fromthem.
“Owen, this is my…” She couldn’t bringherself to say friend when they weren’t friends anymore. At onetime, she considered him her best friend; now, he was the same asevery other stranger on this crowded city street. “This isJulian.”
Julian didn’t make any threatening movestoward him, but Owen stepped away. Every human recognized apredator on some level, and their instincts steered them away. Owenhad a right to be nervous. It would only take him a second to tearout his throat and toss it aside. However, he couldn’t kill a manfor having the woman he loved when he willingly walked away fromher.
“How do you two know each other?” Owenasked.
“We were friends once,” Aida said. “But wehaven’t spoken in years. Have a good visit with Kyle and Cassidy.”She barely glanced at Julian before she smiled at Owen. “Did youset the alarm?”
“No, I didn’t know if Nicolette changed it atsome point,” Owen answered and glanced nervously at Julian.
“She did.” Nicolette changed the codewhenever someone stopped working at the gallery. “I have to makesure everything is all set.”
“It would be appreciated,” Owen muttered.“I’m not in the mood to have my work walk away.”
