CHAPTER 116

Elijah’s POV

I felt the warmth of her lips on mine before my brain could fully process what was happening. The dark hallway of Julia’s house enveloped us, but the shock of her sudden kiss pierced through the obscurity. I pushed her away, my breath catching in my throat as I fumbled for the switch on the wall. The lights flickered on, illuminating her flushed face and my bewildered expression.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, my voice edged with anger.

Julia looked flustered, her eyes darting away from mine. “I just...I missed you, Elijah. I’ve missed you so much.”

“So you just made up an excuse for me to come here, but you had substitute keys?!” I spat out, feeling a mixture of betrayal and confusion.

“No, it’s not like that,” she insisted, shaking her head. “I couldn’t get in at first, but then I remembered I had extra house keys hidden in my luggage.”

My anger flared, a bitter taste rising in my mouth. “This isn’t right, Julia. You shouldn’t have done that.”

Sh