No appreciation?

​The headache hit hard, pulling her back into consciousness piece by piece.

​Liana blinked groggily, her vision swimming in dark, heavy waves as she tried to force her eyes open.

Everything ached, but the right side of her face hurt like hell—a sharp, throbbing agony centered on her cheekbone, a brutal reminder of the metal stall wall and the violent blow that had knocked her out completely.

Her whole body felt heavy and leaden, trapped in a foggy haze as she tried to make sense of where she was.

​Then she felt the smooth, quiet movement beneath her.

​She was in a moving car.

Panic instantly surged through her, her hands flying up to cover her chest, but she paused when she felt the heavy, dark suit jacket she was wrapped in. It smelled faintly of rain and expensive cedarwood, shielding her torn dress from the cold air conditioning.

​"Calm down."

​The voice rang out in the quiet space, low and steady.

​Julian slowed the car down slightly, turning his head to her in the dim light of the dashboard. "You're safe."

​Liana froze. The sheer authority in his tone locked her in place, her eyes widening in immediate recognition. It was him. The man from the country club.

The man who felt so unnervingly familiar every time she crossed paths with him.

​"You..." she said softly, her voice dry and raspy as she took in his sharp features.

​"Julian," he said simply, dropping the name quietly into the air. "That's the name."

​He turned back to the windshield, his focus returning to the dark road ahead. Liana stayed silent, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs as she watched his side profile.

She took in how composed he looked—his dark hair slightly loosened, his hands steady on the leather wheel, completely unbothered—while she sat beside him feeling completely shattered.

​Then, the brutal memory of the bathroom flashed behind her eyes. The grip on her arm, the sound of her dress tearing, the sheer terror before the sudden weight was lifted off her.

​She looked at him again, the realization settling heavily in her chest.

​"You... helped me?" she asked softly.

​

"Yes," he replied, not breaking his gaze from the road.

​"W-why?"

​The question made him pause.

​The silence inside the car stretched out, thick and suffocating, punctuated only by the low hum of the tires on the asphalt. Julian’s hands tightened almost imperceptibly on the steering wheel. Because why? He had no idea. Why had he helped her? Why had he gone this far—walking into that hallway, pulling a man off her, carrying her out, and sitting behind the wheel of his own car to drive her away himself? It defied every cold, logical rule he lived by.

He didn't know.

​But he didn't let a single drop of that internal confusion show on his face. Instead, he kept his voice completely calm, laced with a faint, dangerous edge.

​"Why did I help you?" he repeated smoothly. "Would you rather I didn't?"

​He began pulling the car toward the side of the quiet street, the dark crimson glow of the brake lights washing over the dashboard.

​"Maybe I should drop you off right now, since you don't appreciate my help."

​

"N-no! I didn't mean that... I'm sorry!"

​Panicking at the thought of being left alone on the curb in her condition, Liana reached out on instinct. Her fingers caught the soft fabric of his sleeve, her warm skin making direct contact with his wrist.

​The second her touch landed, Julian brought the car to a full, dead stop.

​He turned to her slowly. Then felt it immediately—a sharp, electric shiver running down his arm at the sensation of her touch. He locked eyes with her, his dark, unreadable gaze pinning her to the seat. Neither of them moved. Neither of them breathed.

​The space inside the car shrank until there was nothing left except the heat between them. Liana’s lips parted in a silent gasp, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs, completely trapped by the intensity in his face.

​Julian didn't pull away. His eyes held hers for one agonizing, endless second... before his gaze slowly drifted down to her lips. The tension snapped so tight it felt physical. He lingered there, watching the breath part her lips, before he caught himself. What was he doing? Reluctantly, he forced his gaze back to the windshield, and turned his arm away.

​Liana dropped her hand immediately, pulling it back into her lap as her face burned hot.

​The heavy, lingering silence settled back over them, thicker than before, as he shifted into drive and kept moving through the night. Before she spoke again

​"Um... w-where are you taking me?" she asked softly after a long moment, looking over at his rigid profile.

​Julian turned a sharp curb, the streetlights sweeping across his features. "Good thing you're awake."

He said, slowingbdown slightly

"You can answer that yourself. Where do you want me to take you?"

​Liana paused, her mind racing.

​Going back to her apartment tonight was completely out of the question. Walking through her front door bruised, torn, and reeking of a violent encounter while her child was asleep inside... she couldn't bring that nightmare into her home.

​"A hotel," she whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Please."

​Julian didn't demand an explanation. He just nodded once and adjusted his route.

​A few minutes later, the dark car pulled up under the bright, grand awning of an elite, towering hotel. He shifted into park and reached into his pocket, turning in his seat to hold out a sleek, heavy black keycard.

​"Give this to the receptionist," Julian said, his voice low, his eyes meeting hers one last time. "Say nothing else, and they'll let you in."

​Liana looked at the card, then up at his face. She reached out, her fingers grazing his as she took it slowly from his hand.

​"Thank you," she said softly.

​She wrapped his suit jacket tightly around her shoulders, opened the door, and stepped out into the cool night air. She stood on the pavement for a second, looking back at him through the glass one last time. Julian didn't look back. The dark window stayed up, and with a quiet purr of the engine, the car pulled away smoothly, leaving her standing under the warm entrance lights.