Chapter 21 Stop Talking Dirty #3
The words came fast, sharp, almost shaking with fury, and then the call ended abruptly—leaving only silence ringing in Juliet’s ear.
For a second, she didn’t move, still frozen with the phone held loosely in her hand, trying to process what had just been thrown at her.
Then, suddenly, a strong arm tightened around her waist from behind.
Cassian had woken at the disturbance, his body reacting before his mind fully caught up. Half-dazed from sleep but already alert to her tension, he pulled her back instinctively, anchoring her against his chest.
Juliet shifted in his hold, trying to turn toward the sound of the call, but his grip didn’t loosen. Instead, he adjusted his position above her, pinning her gently into the bed so she couldn’t leave his space.
Their eyes met in close proximity. His were still heavy with sleep, darkened with it, but they sharpened quickly the moment he registered the change in her expression.
Without a word, Cassian reached down and took the phone from her hand. His fingers closed around it briefly before he tossed it aside onto the bed.
“I need to go to my aunt’s home,” Juliet said after a beat, her gaze staying on him as she watched the shift in his expression.
Cassian’s face darkened slightly. The air between them felt heavier without either of them moving.
Juliet noticed it instantly.
She lifted her hand and gently cupped his face, her fingers brushing his cheek with slow reassurance.
“I’ll come back soon,” she said quietly. “I promise I won’t let them drag this into something bigger. I’ll talk to my aunt, fix things… and then I’ll come back to you. I just need to handle it first.”
Cassian held her gaze for a long moment, his expression unreadable, as if he was weighing her words against something deeper he refused to voice. There was a flicker of resistance in him.
For a brief second, it looked like he might refuse outright.
Then he exhaled slowly.
“Don’t stay there for too long.”.
Juliet nodded immediately. “I won’t.”
Cassian sat up without another word. He grabbed a pair of trousers from the floor and pulled them on in one swift motion, his jaw clenched so tightly that a muscle ticked in his cheek. Without sparing Juliet a glance, he strode out of the room, every step radiating restrained anger.
Juliet remained frozen on the bed, her fingers twisting nervously in the sheets as she watched his retreating figure. The door closed behind him, and the silence that followed felt heavier than any argument they could have had.
Her chest tightened painfully.
He hadn't believed her.
Of course he hadn't.
Lowering her gaze to her trembling hands, she let out a shaky breath and swallowed around the lump in her throat.
"I know you don't trust me," she murmured to herself, her voice barely audible. "After everything I did... after everything I put you through just to please my family and Vincent, it's only fair."
A sad smile touched her lips before quickly fading.
"But I'll make you believe me," she whispered, determination gradually replacing the ache in her eyes. "No matter how long it takes."
By afternoon, Juliet was fully dressed and ready to leave.
As she descended the stairs and stepped outside, she was unaware of the pair of dark eyes following her every movement from the large window of the study.
Cassian stood motionless behind the glass on the first floor, one hand tucked into the pocket of his trousers while the other rested against the windowsill. His expression was unreadable, but the coldness in his eyes betrayed the storm raging beneath the surface.
He watched as Juliet crossed the driveway and approached the waiting cab. For a brief moment, she paused and glanced back at the door as though hoping to catch sight of him.
Cassian didn't move.
The second she slipped into the backseat, his gaze hardened.
Turning away from the window, he faced Jake, who had been waiting silently nearby.
"Have men follow her," Cassian said, his voice low and controlled, though the tension in his shoulders revealed just how little trust he had left to give. "I want eyes on her at all times."
Jake straightened immediately.
Cassian's expression darkened further as he continued, "Make sure she goes directly to her aunt's house and comes straight back. If she makes a single detour, I want to know about it."
"Yes, sir."
"And block every flight leaving the city." His tone sharpened. "Private or commercial. Also keep a close watch on everyone she knows."
His eyes narrowed dangerously.
"She's not allowed to escape."
Jake gave a firm nod, understanding the seriousness behind the order.
"Understood, Mr. Han. I'll take care of it immediately."
Cassian didn't respond. He turned back toward the window, watching the cab disappear down the street.
The movement outside cast fleeting reflections across his face, but nothing softened the hard, unreadable expression etched into his features.
He stood there long after the vehicle had vanished from view, his gaze lingering on the empty road it had left behind.