Chapter 26: Crossed Lines

Selene

The elevator ride up is quiet.

John stands beside me, one hand in his pocket, the other casually holding the keycard to my suite. He hasn’t touched me since dinner—not since his fingers brushed mine over dessert or the way his gaze drifted to my lips when I laughed. Just his hand on the small of my back.

But the tension?

It’s thick. Simmering and Alive.

He walks me to my door like a gentleman, pausing just outside. “You sure you’ll be okay tonight?” he asks, voice low and velvet-smooth with that deep timber that illicits shivers down my spine .

I nod. “More okay than I was yesterday.”

He studies me for a moment, searching my face like he’s trying to read between the lines. “You don’t owe him your pain, Selene.”

The words hit somewhere deep. Honest. Unflinching.

Before I can respond, he lifts his hand, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. The touch is careful, tender… intimate.

I shouldn’t lean into it.

But I do.

And before I know it, his lips are on mine—warm, searching, demanding in a way that sends a jolt straight to my core. It isn’t rushed. It’s not a question.

It’s a reminder of who he is and how he goes for what he wants .

I melt into it for few heated while. My fingers tangle in the front of his jacket before I pull away, breath catching. “John…”

He smiles faintly. “I won’t apologize and I won’t push... for now , but I want you and I will not stop.” He says seductively as he grabs my hand and rubs its against his bulge.

I nod, heart racing, lips still tingling. “Thank you. For everything.”

He hesitates, then steps back. “Sleep well, Selene.”

The door clicks shut behind me, and I lean against it, staring at the floor.

What the hell just happened?

I press my fingers to my lips, still breathless. It shouldn’t feel like that. Not after everything. Not so soon. Not when Adrian’s ghost still lives in the seams of my memory.

And yet…

I exhale and cross the room slowly. The skyline still glows beyond the window, humming with energy. I feel revived and confused at the same time . Alive in a way I haven’t in days.

But also guilty.

Not because of the kiss.

Because of how much I wanted to forget Adrian when it happened.

I stare down at my phone on the table. No calls. No messages.

I don’t unblock him .

Not yet.

Instead, I close my eyes and let the night wrap around me like a question I’m not ready to answer. I'll deal with Adrian tomorrow and I think I'll face Johns advances at the same time. This time I will not let my guard down . John Wichem has no clue just who he is dealing with , I smirk to myself as I let myself succumb to sleep.

Adrian

The door to my suite is still ajar when I arrive with Jonathan at my side, jaw clenched and heart pounding.

Bianca’s curled up on the couch like she owns the place, scrolling on her phone, champagne in hand. When she sees me, her smile slides into place like a mask.

“Look who’s back,” she purrs. “Should’ve stayed for round two.”

I charge in, voice like steel. “What the hell did you give me Bianca , and if you’re pregnant should you be drinking ?”.

She blinks innocently. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb. You drugged me. I don’t remember anything after one drink, and somehow you ended up naked in my bed with a damn camera conveniently recording us .”

Her smile slips just slightly. “You drank too much. That’s not my fault.”

“You laced it. I’m having bloodwork done, Bianca. Toxicology, and just waiting on the results. You want to bet on how that report’s going to look?”

She stands now, trying to shift the power back to herself. “You think anyone’s going to believe you over me? You’ve got a reputation, Adrian. And Selene knows it too. ”

“No,” I growl, stepping closer. “You set me up. You framed me. And when I prove it—your little game ends. For good.”

She scoffs. “You’re just angry because you got caught. Why not just come back to me and let's raise our baby together .”

“I’m angry because Ive fallen in love with her. And you’re trying to take that from me.”

For a second , her face twists—jealousy, rage, maybe regret—but she covers it quickly. “If she loved you, she would’ve stayed.”

Jonathan steps forward, voice low. “You’re seriously unwell. You know that, right?”

“I’m not the one being left,” she snaps.

I pull the USB camera from the corner of the dresser. “Thanks for being too lazy to hide this better. Hope you enjoyed starring in your own evidence.”

Bianca lunges for it, but I step back fast. “Try it. I dare you.”

“You’ll regret this,I’ll sue you and keep the baby away from you,!” she snarls.

“No,” I say coldly, stepping toward the door. “You will wil live to regret this, and I’ll sue you for drinking while supposedly pregnant with my child. Coming to think of it, I want a fucking paternity test. Stay the fuck away from me and Selene. If I so much as hear you've tried to contact her again or breathed in her general direction, I'll have your head on a platter. My lawyer will be in touch to schedule the paternity test and you better be there.”

I grab my bag and leave without looking back.

Because I don’t have time for this drama.

I have to win Selene back.

And I’m running out of time. I need to find a way of speaking with her and getting her to see the evidence I should have from the toxicology report.

I'm so worried that John has sunken his claws into her . I'm not blind, Selene is everything a man like John will go to lengths to get into his bed . Hell I'm willing to burn down Colorado to get her back .