Chapter 69 Like A Violin
Just as they stepped into their home, Elena almost ran out.
She couldn't believe she was back here in this mansion of lies and deceit.
Every breath she took felt like poison and one part of her knew it might be forever before she ever called this place home again.
Especially with how Julian was acting.
Speaking of Julian, she turned to him and caught him staring at her with those plain blank eyes.
"Welcome home, Elena," Julian said. He reached out and gently took her coat, his touch light and careful. "You look exhausted. Why don't you go upstairs and take a long bath? I’ll have the kitchen prepare something light for you."
"Julian, stop it," Elena whispered, grabbing his wrist. "Stop acting like a host in your own house. Look at me. Please. Look at me like you did in the forest."
Julian paused, his head tilting slightly to the side as if he were processing a difficult command. "The forest? Elena, we’ve already discussed this. You had a very stressful trip. I’m concerned about your mental state. You need rest, not more dwelling on these delusions."
He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
It was a tender gesture, but it felt programmed, like some kind of calculated move to soothe her. "I have a mountain of paperwork to catch up on in the study. I’ll see you in the morning."
"You aren't coming to bed?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Julian, it's been days. We just survived a kidnapping. Don't you want to be near me?"
"I have work to do, Elena," he said, his voice flat and emotionally unavailable.
He turned and walked toward his study, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind him.
Elena stood in the foyer, trembling. She couldn't let him do this.
She couldn't let her father win. If Julian’s mind had been rebooted, then she would have to find a way to crash the system.
She went upstairs to her room, but she didn't put on pajamas. She went to the back of her closet and pulled out a sheer, black silk slip, something she had never had the courage to wear before.
She brushed her hair until it shone, applied a dark red lipstick, and walked back down the stairs.
Her heart was hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. When she reached the study door, didn't knock but just pushed it open.
Julian was sitting behind his desk, the blue light from three different computer monitors reflecting in his glasses.
He didn't look up immediately. "Elena, I thought I told you to go to sleep."
"I couldn't sleep," she said, walking into the room. She didn't stay by the door. She walked right up to the desk, as slowly as possible, swaying her hips sigh each step.
Julian finally looked up. His gaze swept over her, and for a split second, the robotic mask almost seemed to fade. His pupils dilated, and his grip on the pen in his hand tightened until his knuckles turned white.
"Go back to bed," he said, his voice dropping an octave.
It was the first sign of life she had seen in him all day.
"No," Elena said. She walked around the desk, ignoring his command. She reached out and touched his hair, her fingers sliding through the dark strands. "I know you’re in there, Samson. I know the man who saved me is buried under all that code. Talk to me."
"There is no Samson," Julian hissed, trying to pull away. "You are being pushy, Elena and you're being irrational. Leave the room."
She didn't leave. She leaned down and kissed his cheek, then his jaw, moving closer to his ear. "Your heart is beating so fast, Julian. If you’re just a program, why is your heart racing? Why are you shaking?"
She was right.
He was shaking in the chair.
His breath was coming in short, fast bursts. Elena took control, climbing into his lap and straddling him, her hands framing his face.
She kissed him, not a polite or chaste kiss, but a deep, desperate one that tasted of salt and longing.
"Stop," he groaned against her lips, but his hands didn't push her away. Instead, they gripped her waist, digging into the silk.
The walls finally began to crumble.
Julian let out a low, animalistic growl and suddenly flipped her over, pinning her back against the large mahogany desk. He kissed her fearlessly, his mouth hungry and wild, as if he were trying to consume her.
He swept the papers and the tablet off the desk with one arm, the electronics clattering to the floor.
He picked her up, his strength immense, and Elena wrapped her legs around his waist.
They fumbled their way out of the study and into the hallway, tangled in each other’s arms.
They were kissing all the way across the house, Julian’s hands all over her, holding her up against the wall as he kissed her neck, his breath hot against her skin.
He carried her into the master bedroom and threw her onto the bed. He followed her down, pinning her wrists above her head. He looked down at her, his eyes dark with a raw, intense fire.
"Take me," Elena begged, her voice almost a sob. "Julian, please. Just take me."
Julian stared at her. He looked at her lips, then at the tears at the corners of her eyes.
Suddenly, he froze, let go of her wrists and scrambled back, sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.
"Elena," he gasped. "What... what are we doing?"
Elena sat up, her hair a mess, her slip falling off one shoulder.
She looked at him, and for the first time since they had left the hotel, she didn't see the cold man her father gave to her.
She actually saw her version of Julian. The one who was affected by her touch and looked at her like he wanted to eat her up but was holding back.
She knew then that she had found the answer. All she had to do was make him feel something strong to break whatever hold Marcus had on him.
"You're back," she whispered, reaching out to touch his back. "You're back."