Mag-log inThere's violence in this chapter. if you're not comfortable, please kindly skip
Elena stood outside the sleek apartment door, arms wrapped tightly around herself as she glanced over her shoulder one more time. She raised her hand and knocked sharply on the door. And a few seconds later, the door opened. Julian stood there, shirtless, a cigarette hanging lazily between his lips. His sandy blond hair was slightly messy, and the low lighting highlighted the defined lines of his chest and shoulders. He looked completely at ease, unlike Elena who looked like she was going to burst out of nervousness. “Took you long enough,” Julian said, voice low and slightly amused. “I’ve been expecting you all day.” He turned and walked back inside, leaving the door open for her. Elena rolled her eyes and stepped in, closing the door behind her. “Took you longer. I’ve been standing out here freezing my ass off waiting for you to open the damn door.” Julian didn’t reply. He just took a slow drag from the cigarette and dropped onto the couch, legs spread casually. Elena stood the
Dex stormed after Elian down the hallway, his longer strides eating up the distance between them.“Elian!” he called. “Elian, stop!”Elian didn’t not stop, he didn't even slow down, he kept walking, black boots echoing sharply against the floor.Dex cursed under his breath and sped up. “Elian, damn it, talk to me!”He reached out and grabbed Elian’s arm just as they turned the corner into Dex’s private office. Elian tried to yank away, but Dex held firm and pulled him inside, shutting the door behind them with a loud click.The moment the door closed behind them, Dex slammed Elian against it, pushing against him and standing his face, breathing hard.Elian glared at him hard. “Move.”“You just got back here, after disappearing for days, now you're leaving again to God knows where? Where the hell are you going?” Dex demanded. “Instead of answering the question, Elian only asked bluntly. “Where are the files?”Dex blinked, caught off guard. “What files?”Elian’s eyes were cold and irri
Dex stood frozen in the middle of the meeting room, heart slamming against his ribs like it wanted to break free. The moment Elian walked in, it felt like someone had poured ice water over his burning chest, a horrible, aching thirst finally quenched after days of drought. It might feel like he was exaggerating, but that was exactly how he was feeling. And fuck, his husband looked good. Elian was in all black. A fitted black turtleneck that clung to his lean chest and arms, black pants that hugged his legs, and black boots that made him look taller. A thin silver chain dangled around his neck, catching the light with every step. His hair was messy, falling over his forehead in that careless way that always made Dex’s fingers itch to touch it. In one phrase, he looked sexy as fuck. But Elian wasn't looking at Dex, no. His eyes were dead set on the other person in the room. Elian looked surprised at first, then a slow, genuinely amused smile spread across his face. Dex knew that lo
Dex stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the ghost from his past. Julian smiled at him, that same bright, disarming smile that used to make the rest of the world disappear. Sandy blond hair styled neatly, sharp green eyes sparkling with something unreadable, tailored suit hugging his athletic frame perfectly. He looked good as always, a harsh reality that unnerved Dex. “Hi, Dex,” Julian said softly, voice warm like nothing had ever happened between them. “It’s been a long time.” Dex didn’t move, he just couldn't. His heart thudded through his healing shoulder, a painful reminder of everything falling apart. with a deep breath to ground himself, he finally stepped inside and closed the door behind him with a quiet click. “What are you doing here, Julian?” Dex asked, voice low and guarded. Julian tilted his head, still smiling. “Vanguard Enterprises, my company now. Your father reached out about a potential partnership.” His father? Was Dex hearing things? Why the hell would h
It had been almost a week. Dex sat behind his desk in the dim light of his office, staring at the city skyline through the tall windows. The glass of whiskey now sat numbly in his hands. He hadn’t touched it in minutes, because his mind was somewhere else, somewhere it had been stuck for days. Elian still wasn’t back. Dex had tried everything, every contact, every tracker, every way he could possibly go through to find Elian, but everything he did constantly lead to a dead end. It was like Elian had vanished off the face of the earth without a trace. He ran a hand over his face, jaw tight. He wouldn’t lie to himself, he was going crazy. The penthouse felt too big and too quiet without Elian’s constant chaos. No knives thrown at walls, no sarcastic remarks, no warm body to fight with….or fuck. The silence was driving him insane. He had even gone to Jacob two days ago, desperate for any information. But the old man had barely looked up from his papers. “He’ll come back when he
Dex sat shirtless on the wide couch, jaw clenched tight against the pain. The bullet had gone through cleanly, but it still hurt like hell. Fresh bandages wrapped around his upper chest and shoulder, already spotting with a little blood. After the doctor was done treating him, he packed his bag quietly. “Make sure you take a lot of rest. No heavy movement for at least a week. I’ll check on you tomorrow.” He gave Elena, who was standing to the side, a nod and left without another word. The moment the door closed, Elena looked at Dex deadly in the eyes, arms crossed and eyes burning with barely contained fury. Dex sighed and looked away “You got shot because of him,” she started, voice sharp. The she scoffed, “Correction, he shot you. And you’re still sitting here looking guilty like you did something wrong.” Dex didn’t look at her. He leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling, breathing slow and heavy. Elena took a step closer. “What are you planning to do huh? Sure







