Chapter 171
Julian's POV
I saw Annabel the moment she started across the paddock.
My jaw tightened. I reined in the stallion, bringing him to a halt near the far fence, and watched as she approached with that practiced, confident stride.
"Mr. Sterling!" she called out, her voice bright and falsely enthusiastic. "What a coincidence! I didn't expect to see you here."
I didn't bother with pleasantries. "Miss Foster."
She pulled up beside me, tilting her head with a coy smile. "I was just riding myself. You know, I've been working on a difficult jump technique. I was wondering if you might give me some advice? You're obviously very skilled."
She moved closer, her hand reaching out as if to touch my horse's flank.
I shifted the reins, putting distance between us. "There are professional instructors on-site. I'm sure they'd be happy to help."
Her expression faltered. "But you were teaching Miss Grey—"
"She's my girlfriend," I said coldly. "You're not."
Annabel bit her lip.
I leaned forward slightly, letting the full weight of my authority settle over the space between us. "Let me be very clear, Miss Foster. If you keep inserting yourself into my private time—or hers—that courtesy ends. Do you understand?"
Her face went pale. "I didn't mean—"
"Yes, you did." My voice dropped lower, colder. "Stay away from her. And stay away from me."
I turned the stallion and spurred him forward, leaving her standing alone in the paddock.
---
Nora's POV
Julian rode back toward the rest area with practiced ease, dismounting in one fluid motion. He walked over, his gaze studying my face with that unnerving attention that always made me feel transparent.
"What are you looking at?" His voice was low and teasing, the kind that always made my pulse quicken.
I blinked. "Nothing. Just... Annabel was really enthusiastic earlier."
The words came out more acidic than I'd intended.
Julian's eyebrows rose slightly, and then he crouched in front of me, hands braced on the bench's armrests, effectively caging me in. "Jealous?"
"Jealous? Why would I be jealous of some desperate woman throwing herself at you?"
He studied me for a long moment, something warm and satisfied flickering in his eyes. Then he laughed—a quiet, genuine sound that made my stomach flip. "You're cute when you lie."
"I'm not—"
"Nora." His hand came up to cup my jaw, thumb brushing along my cheekbone. "If she bothers you again, I'll have Ethan speak to her father officially."
The steel beneath his gentle tone sent a shiver through me. I swallowed hard. "You don't have to—"
"If you keep looking at me like that," he interrupted, voice dropping lower, "I'm going to kiss you in front of everyone here."
My breath hitched. Before I could respond, I scrambled to my feet, nearly knocking into him. "I need to change. The locker room."
His knowing smirk told me he saw right through my escape attempt, but he stepped back, letting me go.
---
The women's locker room was blessedly empty when I slipped inside. I leaned against the cool tile wall, pressing my palm against my racing heart.
Get it together.
I pushed away from the wall and headed for the showers, stripping off the riding clothes that smelled of horse and sweat. The hot water felt like heaven against my sore muscles, washing away some of the tension knotted in my shoulders.
I was just wrapping a towel around myself when I heard the sound of boots on tile.
I pushed open the shower stall door to find Annabel standing at the sinks, carefully touching up her makeup in the mirror. Our eyes met in the reflection.
Who touches up their makeup right before a shower?
"Oh, Miss Grey." Her smile was perfectly calibrated—friendly enough to seem innocent, sharp enough to draw blood. "What a coincidence. I was just about to shower myself."
I didn't bother responding. Just moved toward my locker.
"You know," Annabel said, turning to face me fully, "Julian's fiancée is back."
My hands stilled on my locker door. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Really?" She tilted her head, false concern dripping from every syllable. "I would have thought he'd mention her. After all, understanding someone's past is essential to understanding their present, don't you think?"
I turned around, meeting her gaze directly. "If you have something to say, say it. I don't do hints."
For a split second, satisfaction flickered across her face before she smoothed it away. "She's from an old Aetherian bloodline—a family on par with the Sterlings. They were engaged three years ago."
Each word felt like a small knife between my ribs.
"She's petite and graceful," Annabel continued, warming to her topic. "Sweet-tempered, well-connected. The kind of woman who knows how to move in those circles. How to be the right kind of partner for someone in Julian's position." Her eyes swept over me, the comparison implicit. "I heard she came back to the country recently. And both families are very interested in... rekindling things."
"The most interesting thing is, aside from family background, she's quite similar to you. Around the same age too, both that kind of... how should I put it, the type that looks 'innocent.'" She continued.
My fingers tightened on the edge of my towel. "Are you done?"
"I'm just trying to help." Her tone turned syrupy. "You seem like a nice girl, Miss Grey. I'd hate to see you get hurt when reality sets in."
I forced myself to turn back to my locker, pulling out my clothes with hands that wanted to shake. "You should consider a career in fiction. You're very good at telling stories."
"Am I?" She stepped closer, dropping her voice. "Wake up. You want love. I want resources. We don't have to be enemies. You could keep his heart, I could have access to his connections. Two women working together are stronger than one working alone, don't you think?"
The suggestion made my skin crawl. I spun to face her, not bothering to hide my disgust. "That's revolting."
"Is it?" She shrugged, unbothered. "I'm just being practical. And if you agree, I could even help you—give you information about his fiancée—"
"You're delusional." I grabbed my bag, pushing past her toward the door. "Stay away from me."
"Think about it!" she called after me. "I'll be waiting!"