Chapter 19 Embarrass Yourself
Briar's POV
I set down my fork carefully and met his gaze, keeping my voice steady despite the way my heart was hammering against my ribs. "What if we made a deal?"
Julian's eyebrow lifted fractionally. He didn't speak, just waited with that predatory stillness.
"I'll have dinner with you twice a month. We'll sit down together like this, have a proper meal, and I won't fight you about it or try to leave early. But in exchange, you stop interfering with where I choose to live."
Julian's mouth curved into something that might have been a smile if it had contained any warmth at all, his voice dripping with condescension. "Finally learning to be obedient? How touching."
I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to keep from snarling at him and tasted copper, forcing myself to breathe slowly through my nose until the urge to lunge across the table passed. Julian leaned back in his chair with deliberate casualness.
"Fine," he said, his tone making it clear he was granting me a favor rather than accepting a reasonable compromise. "But I reserve the right to inspect your new residence whenever I see fit, and if I find anything suspicious, the deal is off and you move back in immediately."
I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles went white and forced myself to nod. "Agreed."
Julian picked up his knife and began cutting his steak with precise, elegant movements, his voice utterly casual as he said, "Good girl. I knew you'd see reason eventually."
I picked up my own utensils and focused on eating, because giving him the satisfaction of seeing me lose control would only make things worse. We ate in tense silence for several minutes before I couldn't hold back any longer and set down my fork with deliberate care.
"As the future fiancé of Chloe Davenport, the Alpha's daughter of Silverwind Pack, don't you think you should show a little more discretion?" I kept my voice level, meeting his gaze directly across the table.
Julian's mouth curved into that cold smile, his tone deceptively mild as he leaned back in his chair. "You're absolutely right, Briar. I should probably show some boundaries." He paused, swirling his wine glass. "But then again, Chloe understands her role in this arrangement."
Before I could respond, Julian's expression shifted to something almost curious. "I heard an interesting rumor today. Something about Vance Botanicals submitting a bid for Apex Bio-Solutions distribution contract?"
My heart stuttered in my chest and I felt my face go carefully blank. I cleared my throat and tried to sound casual. "We submitted a proposal, yes. Whether we get selected is another matter entirely."
Julian let out a short laugh that held no humor. "You're competing against Montgomery Medical Group, Briar. What makes you think a struggling botanicals company has any chance against that kind of influence? Just give it up. You're wasting time and resources on a bid you'll never win. Why humiliate yourself when the outcome is already decided?"
I could feel my control slipping, could feel the way my eyes were burning as gold bled through the gray-blue. Julian's voice dropped lower. "Of course, if you were to move back in with me and stop this ridiculous independence act, I could make a few calls. I have connections that could secure you some decent distribution contracts."
The offer hung in the air between us and I felt something shift inside me, a sudden clarity cutting through the fear and anger. This was the first real opportunity I'd had to prove I could succeed without Julian's interference. The Apex contract represented something more than just a business deal, it was a chance to stand on my own.
I straightened in my seat and met Julian's gaze directly. "Even if I fail, even if I lose the contract and everyone laughs at me for thinking I could compete with Montgomery, I still want to try. This is the first time I've had a chance to succeed or fail completely on my own merits. I need to do this myself."
Julian's smile vanished and his expression went cold and dangerous. "You're sure you want to embarrass yourself like this?"
I held Julian's gaze and kept my voice level. "Yes. I'm sure."
Julian stared at me for a long moment, then leaned back in his chair and picked up his wine glass, his voice cold and dismissive. "As you wish. Don't come crying to me when Montgomery crushes you."
---
Two days later, I stood on the half-circle balcony of my new apartment in Emerald Bay and watched the sunset paint the waters of Puget Sound in shades of orange and gold. The university student who was supposed to be my roommate hadn't moved in yet.
I sank into one of the wicker chairs and tilted my head back, breathing in the salt-tinged air and feeling some of the constant tension I'd been carrying slowly begin to ease.
My phone buzzed and I pulled it out to see a video call from Ash. I answered and his cheerful face filled the screen.
"Hey! How's the new place? Did you get all moved in okay?"
I smiled despite my exhaustion. "It's good. Really good, actually. The view is amazing and it's so quiet. Though I have to admit, it feels a bit too big with just me here."
Ash's expression softened. "Your roommate will be there in a few days, then it won't feel so empty."
I frowned slightly, catching something odd in his phrasing. "How do you know when my roommate is arriving? I don't think I mentioned the exact date."
Ash's eyes widened slightly and he looked away from the camera, clearly flustered. "Oh, uh, I just assumed. Anyway, you sound tired! Let me sing you something to help you relax."
Before I could protest, Ash launched into an enthusiastic but spectacularly off-key rendition of some pop song I didn't recognize. I winced at the particularly painful high note and was about to tell him to stop when I heard a muffled crash in the background followed by angry shouting.
"What the hell are you doing? It's almost midnight and you're in there howling like a dying animal!"
The voice was unmistakably Lucian's, rough with irritation. Ash jumped and the camera view suddenly shifted as he fumbled with his phone, the image spinning wildly before it settled on the rear-facing camera.
My breath caught in my throat as the screen filled with the sight of Lucian standing in what was clearly Ash's doorway, his hair wet from a recent shower and water droplets still clinging to his bare shoulders and chest. He was wearing nothing but gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips, and I could see the defined muscles of his abdomen flexing as he moved.
My heart rate spiked and I felt my face flush hot, Selene surging forward in my mind with a low, submissive whine that made my entire body tense. Before I could think better of it, my thumb hit the screenshot button and the phone made a loud click that seemed to echo in the quiet evening air.
I jerked in surprise at the sound and lost my balance, toppling sideways out of the wicker chair and landing hard on my backside on the wooden deck. The phone flew from my hand and clattered across the boards.
I scrambled to grab the phone. I could hear Ash's muffled voice and then the sound of the phone changing hands, and when I looked at the screen again I found myself staring directly into Lucian's gray-green eyes as he held the camera at arm's length.
My face burned even hotter and Selene was practically purring in the back of my mind. I forced myself to sit up straighter and went on the offensive, hoping my indignation would cover my embarrassment.
"You can't just walk into someone's room half-naked like that! Have you heard of boundaries?"
Lucian's eyes narrowed and he switched the call to audio only, his low voice coming through the speaker with dangerous amusement. "Already got an eyeful and now you're complaining? Bit hypocritical, don't you think?"