Chapter 9 Moving In
The laughter came so suddenly and so hard that she nearly fell off the bed. She grabbed a pillow and hugged it against her stomach while her shoulders shook uncontrollably.
Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.
Every time she imagined Alexa arriving at an empty, dark cemetery in the middle of the night expecting to see Cassian waiting for her, another wave of laughter hit her.
She rolled onto her side, kicking her legs against the mattress as she laughed harder.
Across from her, Cassian simply stared.
The towel in his hand had long stopped moving.
His brows were furrowed deeply as he watched her nearly die from laughter.
Confusion. Concern. Suspicion.
All three emotions were written across his face.
After a long moment, he finally stepped closer to the bed.
"I thought you loved your cousin more than anyone."
Juliet wiped tears from the corner of her eyes while trying—and failing—to stop laughing.
Cassian stared at her.
"What exactly happened between the two of you?"
Then, after another pause, he glanced toward the phone before looking back at her.
A complicated expression crossed his face.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Are you actually planning to leave her at the cemetery?"
Juliet straightened against the headboard, a smug smile firmly planted on her face.
Even after her laughter faded, the satisfaction remained, lingering in the sparkle of her eyes and the slight upward curve of her lips.
She casually swept her hair over one shoulder before lifting her chin proudly, looking entirely pleased with herself.
"What?" she asked innocently, spreading her hands as though she couldn't understand why he was staring at her like that. "I didn't do anything. You did that."
Her smile widened another fraction.
"I'm still the best cousin in the entire world."
Cassian remained silent, his brows furrowing as he stared at her.
Ever since the phone call ended, a look of confusion had settled over his face and refused to leave.
It was obvious he was still trying to understand how the woman who had once defended Alexa at every opportunity was now sending her to a cemetery in the middle of the night without the slightest hint of guilt.
Juliet clicked her tongue and shifted slightly on the bed, tucking one leg beneath herself. The amusement gradually faded from her expression as she met his gaze.
"I saw what she did at the club tonight."
Her voice grew quieter.
For a moment, she lowered her eyes to her hands resting on top of the blanket. Her fingers absentmindedly smoothed the fabric as a bitter smile touched her lips.
"I heard the way she was talking about me in front of everyone. You know..." She let out a soft laugh and shook her head. "I always thought that whenever she said bad things about me, she was also saying good things about me when I wasn't around."
The laugh that escaped her held no amusement.
"I kept telling myself I was overthinking.
Every time someone hinted that Alexa didn't actually care about me, I convinced myself it was a misunderstanding.
I thought people were trying to drive a wedge between us, and I refused to believe them because...
" Her voice faltered slightly before she continued. "Because I trusted her."
Juliet lowered her gaze for a moment before slowly shaking her head.
"But I was wrong."
There was no anger in her voice anymore.
Only disappointment.
"She only ever spoke badly about me. I was just too stupid to see it."
Silence settled over the room.
Juliet's fingers tightened around the blanket as memories flashed through her mind. Every time she had defended Alexa. Every time she had ignored someone's warning. Every excuse she had made for her.
"I loved her like a sister," she admitted quietly. "There were times I trusted her more than I trusted myself."
A flicker of hurt crossed her face before she quickly looked away.
"But she never looked at me the same way."
Taking a slow breath, she lifted her head and looked directly at Cassian.
"If she wants to treat me like an enemy, then why should I keep treating her like family?"
A small smile appeared on her lips, but this one lacked the warmth from before.
"From now on, she'll get exactly what she gives me."
For several seconds, Cassian simply stared at her. His dark eyes remained fixed on her face as though searching for something. Then, unexpectedly, the corner of his mouth lifted.
The smile was so faint most people would have missed it entirely, but Juliet saw it.
And somehow, that tiny curve of his lips made her heart skip.
Yet despite the smile, the darkness in his eyes never disappeared. If anything, his gaze became colder.
Without saying a word, he tossed the towel hanging around his neck onto a nearby chair and started walking toward her.
Juliet's breath caught.
The closer he came, the more her confidence seemed to disappear. By the time he stopped in front of the bed, she found herself instinctively leaning backward against the headboard.
Looking up at him from this close, she suddenly understood why so many people were terrified of him.
Cassian was handsome enough to make anyone lose their senses, but it was his eyes that made people fear him.
Dark.
Cold
The kind of eyes that made it feel impossible to hide anything.
Her heartbeat quickened beneath his gaze.
The smug expression she had been wearing moments ago disappeared completely.
Cassian lowered his head slightly, his eyes locking onto hers.
"You can do whatever you want inside this house."
His voice was calm, but that calmness felt far more dangerous than anger.
"But you're not allowed to leave."
Juliet blinked.
"What?"
"You're not allowed to step outside this house."
The firmness in his tone left no room for argument.
The possessiveness woven into his words sent an unexpected flutter through her chest.
Before she could respond, he had already straightened to his full height. Turning around, he walked toward the door.
Within seconds, he disappeared from the room, leaving Juliet staring after him.
The door clicked shut.
For several moments, she remained motionless on the bed before dropping her head into her hands with a frustrated groan.
"Because of Alexa..."
Her voice was muffled against her palms.
"Because of her constantly poisoning my thoughts against Cassian, I did so many terrible things."
The memories made her stomach twist.
"What the hell is wrong with me?"
Muttering under her breath, she flopped backward onto the mattress and stared up at the ceiling.
Then another thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Alexa.
Standing alone in a cemetery.
At night.
Waiting for Cassian.
Juliet burst out laughing.
She rolled onto her side and hugged a pillow against her chest as her shoulders shook with amusement. The more she imagined Alexa's horrified expression when she realized where she had been dropped off, the harder she laughed.
By the time her laughter finally faded, exhaustion began creeping into her body. Her eyelids grew heavier with every passing minute, and before she realized it, sleep slowly claimed her.
Half an hour later, the bedroom door quietly opened.
Cassian stepped inside.
The moment his gaze landed on the sleeping figure curled up on the bed, something inside him softened.
The tension that had been clinging to him eased slightly.
Moving quietly, he approached the bed and looked down at her sleeping face. Juliet was completely unaware of his presence. Her arms were wrapped around a pillow, and a few loose strands of hair had fallen across her cheek.
For a long moment, he simply stood there looking at her.
Then he slipped into bed beside her.
The mattress dipped beneath his weight.
Almost immediately, his arm slid around her waist and pulled her closer.
Even in her sleep, Juliet instinctively moved toward him.
A soft sigh escaped her lips as she nestled against his chest.
Cassian froze.
Then he slowly exhaled.
Only now did he realize how tightly wound he had been all day.
The tightness in his chest loosened as he tightened his hold around her, almost as though reassuring himself that she was really here. That she hadn't disappeared. That she hadn't left him.
Juliet remained peacefully asleep against him, her warm breaths brushing lightly against his chest.
Lowering his head, Cassian rested his cheek against the top of her hair and closed his eyes.
The familiar scent of her surrounded him, slowly washing away the last traces of tension from his body.
Holding her securely in his arms, he finally allowed himself to relax.
By the time the first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, Cassian was already awake.
He had barely slept at all. Most of the night had passed with Juliet tucked securely in his arms while he stared into the darkness above him.
Every now and then she would shift in her sleep and unconsciously move closer, and each time she did, the tightness that had gripped his chest for years eased just a little.
It still didn't feel real.
For so long, she had been just beyond his reach. He had spent years watching her chase after other people, defend other people, and trust everyone except him. Yet now she was here, sleeping in his bed beneath his roof, close enough that all he had to do was lower his gaze to see her.
Juliet was curled against his side, her breathing slow and steady. At some point during the night, she had rolled onto her side, and her dark hair was scattered across the pillow, several loose strands falling over her face.
His fingers twitched with the urge to brush the strands away and trace the softness of her cheek, but he stopped himself before he could act on the impulse.
Slowly and carefully, he slipped out of bed.
The mattress shifted beneath his weight, but Juliet merely sighed and burrowed deeper into the blankets. The sight made something soften inside him, and for a moment he simply stood beside the bed watching her sleep before finally forcing himself to turn away.
A few minutes later, fully dressed, he stepped out of the bedroom and headed downstairs. Instead of leaving for the office, however, he found himself walking toward his study.
He wasn't ready to leave the house.
The thought of returning home to an empty house after finally having Juliet made something cold and possessive twist inside his chest.
He refused to take that risk.
With that decision made, he pushed open the study door and buried himself in work.
Hours passed.
The mansion gradually settled into its usual morning routine. Staff members moved quietly through the hallways, breakfast came and went, and sunlight streamed through the tall windows. Cassian sat behind his desk reviewing documents, but his attention wasn't entirely on the reports in front of him.
Every few minutes, his thoughts wandered back to Juliet. He found himself wondering whether she was awake yet or still asleep upstairs. The possibility of her changing her mind and leaving lingered at the back of his thoughts no matter how much he tried to focus on work.
The sharp sound of the study door opening broke his concentration.
Cassian immediately looked up.
His secretary, Jake Black, hurried inside. With neatly styled black hair, sharp features, and an impeccable dark suit, Jake carried himself with the quiet confidence and professionalism of someone who had worked by Cassian's side for years.
One glance at his expression was enough to make Cassian set down the document in his hand.
Something was wrong.
Jake stopped in front of the desk and cleared his throat.
"Mr. Han..."
Cassian leaned back slightly in his chair and narrowed his eyes.
"What is it?"
Jake rubbed the back of his neck.
"Miss Gray is downstairs."
Cassian frowned.
"And?"
Jake visibly hesitated.
"She's creating quite a commotion."
The moment those words left his mouth, Cassian's entire body went rigid.
A cold sensation swept through him.
His first instinct was immediate.
She was leaving.
The possibility hit him so hard that he shoved his chair backward and rose to his feet before Jake could say another word. The chair nearly toppled over behind him.
A dangerous look settled across his face.
"No matter what happens," he said in a low, rough voice, "don't let her leave this house."
Jake blinked in surprise.
Before he could respond, Cassian was already striding toward the door.
His long steps carried him quickly through the hallway. The closer he got to the staircase, the more noise reached his ears. Voices drifted upward, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of people carrying heavy objects through the house.
His expression darkened.
Then he reached the stairs.
His gaze immediately found Juliet.
She was standing in the middle of the living room wearing the same dress from the previous night, completely surrounded by movers carrying boxes.
Large cartons were being brought through the front door one after another while Juliet stood in the center of the chaos, pointing around the room with complete confidence.
"No, put that one over there." She pointed toward the far wall. "Not here. Move it closer."
Another box entered through the front door.
"That one can stay there for now."
Her voice echoed throughout the living room as she continued directing everyone around her.
Juliet was busy directing another mover when a hand suddenly closed around her wrist.
Before she could react, she was pulled backward. A startled gasp escaped her lips as her back collided with a hard chest, and the familiar scent surrounding her immediately told her who it was.
Looking up, she found Cassian staring down at her.
His grip tightened slightly around her wrist, and the intensity in his gaze made her heart skip a beat. There was something dark in his expression, something that looked dangerously close to anger.
"You are not leaving this house!"
Around them, the movers instantly became fascinated by anything except their employers. Several lowered their heads and hurriedly carried boxes in the opposite direction, clearly pretending they couldn't hear a thing.
Cassian paid them no attention.
His eyes never left Juliet's face.
"You're staying here," he continued, his jaw tightening slightly. "And the more trouble you create, the more ways I'll find to make sure you remain here."
Juliet blinked at him.
Then she laughed.
The bright sound immediately eased some of the tension in the room. A smile spread across her face as she tilted her head and looked up at him.
"No one is leaving."
Confusion flickered across Cassian's features.
"What are you doing then?"
Juliet gestured proudly toward the mountain of boxes surrounding them.
"I'm moving in."