Twisted (Never After #4)(63)

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-three,” I reply.

“And you’re here by choice? Just say the word and I can”— he lets his gaze wander again— “get you out of here. Take you with me.”

“Officer.” Julian steps up behind me until I feel the heat of his body at my back. “I’d recommend you stop questioning her.”

“And why’s that? Two of you alone out here, no one around for miles. Seems suspicious.” He looks to me again. “He paying you for something, honey?”

His words smack me across the face, fire raging through my middle. I throw my hand up, showcasing the giant canary diamond. “We’re married, asshole.”

The officer’s smirk drops. “Watch your tone.”

“Yasmin.” Julian’s voice is sharper now. “Get in the car.”

My stomach drops when the cop steps directly in front of me.

“Now, I can’t let you just disappear from my sight.”

“You should,” Julian cuts in. “If you value having it.”

The cop frowns. “Is that a threat?”

Julian laughs, and I can’t help but glance back at him. His hands are lifted in the air and there’s a maniacal grin on his face. “You know, I’m sorry. It seems like you’re getting the wrong impression about us. Let her get in the car, Officer. How else can she grab what you’re asking for?”

The cop holds Julian’s gaze for a long moment before finally stepping out of my way.

I blow out a breath, rushing by him, and right when I pass the jerk’s side, he shifts, the length of his body brushing against mine.

A shiver of disgust rolls through me at the power play, and my footsteps quicken as I make my way to the passenger side, sliding into the vehicle and turning the rearview mirror so I can watch their interaction.

I can’t hear what they’re saying above low mumbles, but I do see Julian step forward, his tall frame demanding obedience from the short and stocky cop without even trying. Julian says something, and the cop jerks back, his face snapping down to something in Julian’s hand before raising it again.

Slowly the cop nods, reaching out and taking whatever it was before walking away.

Julian slides back in the car and revs the engine, pulling out of the lot and driving away before the officer has even made it back to his vehicle.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

He glances at me. “Fine.”

“Good.” I nod my head, a dark tension wringing the air dry. “I didn’t like him.”

Julian chuckles.

I huff. “I don’t know why you’re laughing. Is sexual harassment funny to you? Didn’t you see the way he stared at me? And he touched me. Like, what kind of person would literally hear you say you’re my husband and then do it so blatantly?”

“A very foolish man.”

“Yeah.” Disappointment over the fact that Julian didn’t care enough to do anything hits me in the chest. It catches me off guard, how much it upsets me, but I use it as fuel—a reminder that he doesn’t really want me to be his spouse. That we may be married on paper, but not in all the ways that matter.

“He’s lucky you don’t really care,” I pout. “One day he’ll do that to the wrong person and not like the result.”

Julian doesn’t reply, but his hands tighten the slightest bit on the steering wheel and the muscle at the back of his jaw flexes.

I swallow down whatever I was about to say because clearly, he doesn’t want to continue the conversation, and at this point, I’m just ready to go home and forget it happened to begin with.





“You sit over there.” I side-eye Razul, who does nothing but grunt and get a table in the corner of the room, allowing me to go and see Riya for Sunday brunch without him overhearing every word I say.

He drove me here, but he hasn’t said a word, most likely under strict instruction not to speak to me. It’s fine. I don’t really think we’d have much in common anyway, and although I didn’t tell Julian because fighting him on anything while he can hurt Aidan is useless, I don’t think I need a bodyguard.

My father never gave me one, and I grew up just fine on my own.

Looking around the restaurant, I see Riya sipping on a drink over in the back corner of the room, and I make my way there, sliding into the booth and eyeing the no-doubt alcoholic bever age already in front of me on the table.

“I took the liberty of ordering you a Bellini.” She nods to the drink in front of me.

“Thanks.” I smile, but I’m not touching that thing, especially since I’m spending all evening with Julian and his mother. Who knows what will happen if I don’t have all my cylinders firing appropriately?

“Who’s your sidekick?” she asks, jerking her chin at Razul.

I glance back at the bulky, grumpy man, who’s sitting back in a chair across the room with his eyes trained on me. “My new watchdog.”

Her brows lift. “Julian gave you security? Wow. How romantic.”

“More annoying than anything. So what’s the news?” I ask, reaching out to grab a piece of bread. It melts when it hits my mouth and I close my eyes at the taste.

“Wow, not even a ‘how are you’?” she deadpans. “Julian’s rubbing off on you.”