Chapter Sixteen
Julian
Julian navigated the crowded hotel ballroom, sidestepping a group of laughing guests near the bar.
He and Sarah hadn't wanted the traditional, separate bachelor and bachelorette parties.
They wanted everyone together in one place to celebrate the life they were building.
He had rented the entire top floor so their friends could drink and dance without worrying about getting home.
He spotted Lily near the ice sculpture, absently swirling a martini. As Sarah's best friend and business partner, Lily had become like a sister to Julian over the last year. But tonight, a distinct melancholy clouded her dark eyes.
"You're a million miles away, Lily," Julian said, stepping up beside her and handing her a cold glass of water. "Drink that. Is everything alright?"
Lily forced a bright smile, waving a hand to dismiss his concern. "I'm perfectly fine, Julian. Just thinking about next week. I cannot wait for the wedding."
"You're deflecting," Julian observed gently. "Ethan?"
"He sent flowers to the office today," Lily admitted, her voice tight. "A 'congratulations to Sarah' bouquet, but it's exhausting. I keep blocking his attempts, and he finds a new angle. I just want him to leave me alone."
"Do you want me to have a word with him?" Julian offered.
"No," Lily managed a smile. "I don't need my best friend's fiancé fighting my battles on his bachelor night. I'm just trying to focus on next week. I cannot wait to see Sarah walk down that aisle and finally get the happily ever after she deserves."
"Neither can I," Julian agreed, his chest swelling with anticipation. "I spend every hour wishing the days would move faster so I can finally call her my wife."
The warmth drained from Lily’s face. Her expression twisted into pure anger. She glared past Julian's shoulder. He turned his head, tracing her line of sight toward the polished brass elevators.
Stepping out of the elevator car was Emily. She wore a daring, skin-tight red dress that screamed for attention, completely out of place among the elegant attire of their friends.
Lily took a step forward, her hands balling into fists. "I am going to throw her out myself."
Julian reached out, placing a firm hand on Lily’s shoulder to stop her. "No. Let me handle it. Go find Sarah and keep her distracted. I'll get her out of here before Sarah even knows she arrived."
Lily gave a curt nod and vanished into the crowd.
Julian navigated through the guests, intercepting Emily before she could reach the center of the room. He blocked her path, keeping his posture rigid.
"What are you doing here, Emily?" he asked, his voice a flat line of disapproval.
Emily offered a saccharine, fake smile. "Julian. I came to congratulate my sister on her upcoming wedding. Since she didn't even bother to send me an invitation, I figured I had to deliver my well wishes in person."
"She didn't forget your invitation," Julian replied coolly. "We only invited friends and family. We only invited people who truly love us."
Emily placed a manicured hand over her chest, feigning injury. "That hurts me, Julian. It is very clear that I love my sister."
"Leave, Emily," Julian commanded, stepping closer to block her view of the room. "Leave right now, before Sarah sees you and you ruin her night."
"No, honey, you can let her stay," a melodic voice rang out from behind him. "It won't ruin anything."
Julian turned around. His heart swelled with an intense rush of affection as he took in the sight of his fiancée.
Sarah stood there in a breathtaking black dress that hugged her curves to perfection.
Her hair was swept over one shoulder, and her eyes sparkled with amusement.
She offered him a radiant, unbothered smile.
Her sister's presence didn't faze her in the slightest; she was entirely untouchable.
Sarah shifted her gaze to Emily, her demeanor polite but utterly detached. "Even though you weren't invited, since you are already here, you can stay and enjoy the party. Where is Ryan? I would have thought your husband would have accompanied you."
Julian watched Emily closely. A flash of intense discomfort crossed her face, followed by a brief look of sadness. She quickly recovered, lifting her chin defensively.
"Ryan had important business to attend to," Emily answered, her voice brittle. "He couldn't make it. He has an empire to run, after all."
Sarah smiled, a knowing, graceful expression. She didn't offer a single word of response to the excuse. Instead, she turned her back to Emily entirely and looked up at Julian, her eyes softening.
"I'm stealing my fiancé for one more dance," Sarah murmured, holding her hand out to him.
Julian took her hand, leading her away from Emily and pulling her into his arms on the edge of the dance floor. The music wrapped around them as they swayed together. He held her close, marveling at the woman in his arms.
"I admire you so much," Julian murmured against her ear, inhaling the scent of jasmine. "The way you just handled her... it only shows how formidable you are."
Sarah giggled softly, the sound bright and musical.
She stood on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips to his.
Julian pulled her even closer, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, and deepened the kiss, completely forgetting about the woman in the red dress across the room.
***
Later in the evening, Julian felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Seeing his lead contractor's name on the screen, he stepped away from the music, slipping into one of the vacant private meeting rooms branching off the main ballroom.
He took the call, ironed out a quick logistical issue for Monday morning, and ended the conversation. As he lowered the phone, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. He turned around.
Emily was standing just inside the room, her hand resting on the brass door handle. She offered a coy, calculated smile.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Julian cut her off immediately. "I don't have time for whatever you want to say, Emily. Go back to the party or go home."
She didn't listen. She walked toward him, her hips swaying sensually, and stopped mere inches away. She reached up, placing a presumptuous hand flat against his chest.
"I can see the way you look at me," Emily purred, her eyes tracing his jawline. "I see the desire in your eyes, Julian. We can leave right now. No one will notice. We can go to one of the hotel rooms downstairs."
Julian grabbed her wrist without an ounce of care and shoved her hand off his chest. "I have zero interest in you. You've had too much to drink. I'm calling a driver to take you home."
Emily’s eyes flashed with desperation. She sank to her knees right in front of him, looking up through her lashes.
"Let me suck you off," she pleaded softly.
"My husband always tells me I give the best head.
Even Harrison used to say my mouth was perfect.
You can come in my mouth, Julian. I'll swallow every last drop.
I can give you pleasure like Sarah never could. "
Before she could even reach for his belt, Julian snatched her wrists, gripping them tightly to physically restrain her.
"Listen to me very carefully," Julian said, his voice vibrating with disgust and firm resolve.
"I would never, under any circumstances, betray my fiancée and future wife.
I love Sarah, and she is the only woman I want in this world.
You are completely worthless to me. To you, a body is just a body and pleasure is fleeting.
But I have the real thing. I will never give up the love of my life, nor will I ever be tempted to betray her.
I am a real man, Emily. Not some weak excuse for a man like the ones who usually crawl into your bed. "
Humiliation etched itself deeply into Emily's features. Her mouth trembled, and she looked like she wanted to scream and cry at the very same time.
Before Julian could step back and pull her to her feet, the brass door swung open the rest of the way.
Julian’s eyes widened.
Sarah stood in the doorway.
She took in the scene: her sister kneeling on the floor directly in front of Julian's hips, his hands gripping her wrists.
Emily’s expression shifted. The humiliation vanished, replaced by a venomous, triumphant smirk. She quickly wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand and looked up at her sister.
"You arrived just in time, little sister," Emily mocked, her voice dripping with poison. "I just had your fiancé in my mouth, and I must say—you still have excellent taste in men, Sarah."
Julian dropped Emily's wrists and stumbled back a step, pure panic flooding his veins. He looked at Sarah, his heart pounding a frantic, terrifying rhythm against his ribs. The fear of losing her gripped his throat.
"Sarah," Julian choked out, holding his hands out toward her. "I can explain."
Sarah stared at him. She shook her head, her expression an unreadable mask. "I don't want an explanation, Julian."
Julian froze, terrified. His mind raced frantically, desperately trying to figure out how he was going to make her listen, how he was going to make her believe him, and how he was going to ensure he didn't lose the only woman he would ever love.
***
Sarah
Sarah adjusted the strap of her black dress, excusing herself from a group of college friends gathered by the bar.
Across the room, a flash of crimson caught her eye.
It was Emily, slipping away from the main ballroom and heading down a secluded corridor.
That loud, attention-grabbing red dress was impossible to miss.
Knowing exactly what her sister was capable of, Sarah set her drink down on a passing waiter’s tray and followed her.