Chapter 5

“You think I’m pathetic, don’t you?” she whispered, her voice thick with alcohol and emotion. “I am. Look at me, crying over a man who never cared, who never even loved me.”  

“Alexis...” Julian began, his voice low and cautious.  

She didn’t let him finish.

Her hands slid up his chest, and she leaned in, her lips brushing against his jaw. “Maybe I just need to forget,” she murmured, her breath warm and laced with whiskey. “Just for a little while.”  

Julian gently but firmly grasped her shoulders, creating space between them. “No,” he said softly but firmly.

Alexis frowned, her expression hurt and confused. “Why not? Am I not good enough for you either?”  

“It’s not that,” Julian said, his tone patient but unyielding. “You’re hurting, Alexis. You’re not thinking clearly. And I’m not going to take advantage of that.”  

Her face crumpled, the walls she’d built all evening finally caving in.

She stumbled back, her knees giving out as she sank onto the edge of the sofa. “God,” she whispered, covering her face with her hands. “I don’t even know who I am anymore.”  

Julian sat beside her, careful to keep his distance. “You’re more than what they made you feel tonight,” he said quietly. “And you’ll see that, eventually. But not like this. Not now.”  

The room fell silent except for the sound of the rain against the windows.

Alexis let her hands fall, her tears mingling with the smudged makeup on her cheeks.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.  

Julian nodded but said nothing, his presence a quiet anchor as she drifted further into exhaustion. Moments later, she lay back on the sofa.  

Julian draped a blanket over her.

He stood over Alexis, his hand releasing the edge of the blanket he had just draped over her. He was about to step back to his chair when he felt a sudden tug on his shirt.

Her arms wrapped around his waist from behind, her grip surprisingly strong despite the alcohol coursing through her veins.  

“What are you doing?” Julian asked, his tone sharp but not unkind.  

Alexis pressed her cheek against his back, her words slurring slightly as she mumbled, “What’s wrong with you? Are you even a man?”  

Julian stiffened.  

She laughed, a bitter, mocking sound. “Or wait, lemme guess. You’re gay, right? That’s why you’re so... polite. So proper.”  

“Alexis, stop,” Julian said, his voice hardening.  

But she didn’t. Instead, she let go of his waist and stumbled back onto the sofa, glaring at him through glassy eyes. “Faggot,” she spat, her tone venomous. “You know what? Just leave. I’ll find someone else to keep me warm tonight. Someone who’s not...”  

Before she could finish her sentence, Julian turned sharply, his jaw set, his expression suddenly cold. He stepped toward her, his eyes locking onto hers.  

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” he said evenly, though his voice carried an edge that made her pause.

Alexis smirked, leaning back against the cushions, her arms spread wide in mock invitation. “Prove me wrong, then,” she taunted. “Show me you’re not...”  

In one swift motion, Julian reached down, grabbing her wrists and pulling her to her feet.

The suddenness of it sobered her slightly, her drunken haze momentarily pierced by the intensity in his gaze.  

“Careful,” he said, his voice low and steady, his hands gripping her wrists just firmly enough to hold her attention. “You’re playing a dangerous game.”  

Alexis blinked up at him, her breath hitching as she realized the shift in his demeanor. For a moment, the room was silent except for the sound of her uneven breathing.  

Julian released her wrists and took a step back, his expression unreadable. “I don’t need to prove anything to you,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “But you need to get yourself together, Alexis. This isn’t who you are.”  

She stared at him, her drunken bravado faltering.

His words hung in the air, a quiet reminder of the person she had been before tonight, the person she could still be.  

Without another word, Julian turned and walked away, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the room.  

Alexis sank back onto the sofa, her head in her hands as shame and regret began to creep in, the alcohol amplifying her emotions.

She didn’t know how to apologize or if she even could.  

Julian’s voice broke the silence from across the room. “Sleep it off, Alexis. We’ll talk when you’re sober.”  

And with that, he disappeared into the adjoining room, leaving her to grapple with the weight of her actions.

The early morning light filtered through the sheer curtains of Julian’s suite as Alexis tiptoed toward the door.

Her heels dangled in her hand, her other gripping her clutch, as she tried to suppress the growing knot of shame in her chest.  

Her head throbbed slightly from the alcohol, but it was nothing compared to the embarrassment coursing through her.

The memory of her drunken tirade, the cruel words she had thrown at Julian, made her cheeks burn.  

Just a few more steps, and she’d be free of this place. Free of him.  

“Leaving without saying goodbye?”  

The smooth baritone startled her, freezing her mid step.

She turned slowly to see Julian standing near the entrance to the adjoining room, arms crossed, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar.

His hair was slightly mussed, giving him an effortlessly disheveled look.  

Alexis swallowed hard, clutching her shoes tighter. “I... I didn’t want to bother you. You’ve done enough already.”  

Julian’s lips quirked into a small, knowing smile as he stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. “How considerate of you.”  

The air between them felt charged, his presence overwhelming in the quiet room.  

“I just thought it’d be best if I...”  

“Ran away?” he interrupted, his voice soft but cutting.  

She blinked, her throat dry as she struggled to find the right words. “I’m not running. I just...”  

“Alexis,” he said, taking another step closer, his eyes locking onto hers. “You’ve already apologized, in your way. But sneaking out like a thief in the night? That’s not you.”  

The sincerity in his tone disarmed her, leaving her vulnerable in a way she hadn’t felt in years.

She dropped her gaze, fiddling with the strap of her clutch.  

Julian tilted his head, his expression softening. “Last night was messy. You were hurt, drunk, and saying things you didn’t mean. But this...” He gestured toward the door. “This isn’t how we part ways.”  

Alexis exhaled sharply, a mix of frustration and embarrassment bubbling to the surface. “Fine. You’ve caught me. What do you want me to say? That I’m sorry? That I regret... all of it?”  

Julian chuckled softly, the sound low and rich. “Only if you mean it.”  

She looked up at him then, her eyes narrowing. “You think this is funny?”  

“Not at all.” His smile faded, replaced by an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. “But I do think you’re more transparent than you realize. And I think last night left you with more questions than answers.” 

Alexis scoffed, trying to mask the nervous energy building inside her. “You think you know me so well, don’t you?”  

Julian leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. “Better than you’d like to admit.”  

The proximity of him, the warmth radiating from his body, made her pulse quicken.

She stepped back instinctively, but Julian didn’t follow. He simply stood there, watching her with an intensity that made her feel seen in a way she hadn’t expected.  

“You were right about one thing,” he said, his tone teasing now, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.  

Her brows furrowed. “What’s that?”  

He stepped closer again, this time slow and deliberate, until they were just inches apart.

His voice was a low murmur when he spoke. “I do need to prove something to you.”  

Alexis’s breath hitched as his hand brushed against hers, the contact sending a jolt through her. “Julian...”  

“Shh.” His fingers lifted her chin gently, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You wanted to know if I’m a man.”  

Her heart pounded in her chest, her throat suddenly dry. “I was drunk. I didn’t mean...”  

“Didn’t you?” he interrupted, his tone laced with challenge.  

Julian’s thumb grazed her cheek, a touch so light it felt like a question rather than a declaration.  

“You’re playing with fire,” Alexis whispered, her voice trembling.  

Julian’s lips curved into a slow, wicked smile. “Maybe. But you’re the one who lit the match.”  

Before she could respond, his lips brushed against hers, not forceful, but firm, like a dare.

The kiss was searing, awakening something inside her that she hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever.  

Her shoes and clutch fell to the floor as her hands found their way to his chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.

He responded in kind, his arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her flush against him.  

It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t careful.  

It was raw, intense, and utterly consuming.  

When they finally broke apart, both breathless, Julian’s forehead rested against hers. “Still have doubts?” he murmured, his voice rough with desire.  

Alexis couldn’t find the words to answer. All she could do was shake her head, her lips brushing against his again as if drawn by an invisible force.  

This was no longer about proving anything.