Chapter 29

twenty-nine

. . .

Hillary clenched and unclenched her hands as she slid off the interview couch. Despite the countless interviews she had conducted, talking about herself as the subject left her more than a little uncomfortable.

She glanced over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of Julius’s chiseled profile as he laughed with one of the cameramen. It was such an easy laugh, the same kind they’d shared before everything had gone to hell and never come back.

Three weeks ago he’d left her in his London apartment, and she’d spent every night crying her eyes out like some damsel. She didn’t want to be one, but with him so close again, she was barely more than the reporter who’d dared to talk to him at comic con fourteen months ago. They’d never even gotten to a year dating anniversary.

Stop it.

Trying to make a quick escape she unclipped the mike from the collar of her shirt and set it on the table, forcing her feet to carry her out of the studio. She didn’t want to be in the same space as Julius if he was going to stare at her with empty eyes the way he had sitting next to her during that interview.

Outside, get home. Breathe.

Outside, get home. Breathe.

Hillary continued the chant as her heels clicked over the linoleum studio floor as she moved toward the building’s exit. Hillary’s steps quickened as she finally reached the exit of the studio, taking the back way as Ethan and even Julius had often said were safer to stay off the radar. She took a deep breath, relieved to feel the cool air against her skin.

“Hillary! Oh my God, it’s really you!”

A deep, masculine voice jolted her from her reverie, and she turned, uncertain what to expect. A man, taller than her but not a giant, with eyes wide and intense, walked toward her. Instinctively, she took a step back, wondering if she made a run for it if she could get inside before something went wrong.

“I’m your biggest fan! I’ve read every article you’ve ever written and even made a fan edit already of the Starborn Alliance trailer.” he exclaimed, invading her personal space. His breath was hot against her cheek, his gaze bordering on manic.

“T-thank you,” Hillary stammered, trying to sidestep him. “That’s very kind of you to say.”

But the man moved with her, blocking her path. “No, you don’t understand. Your words, they speak to me. It’s like you’re writing just for me.”

Hillary’s heart thumped wildly in her chest, and she could feel beads of sweat forming on her forehead. The sudden rush of adrenaline made her body feel cold and clammy as she tried to calm herself down.

This wasn’t just an overzealous fan. There was something off, something dangerous in his demeanor. Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape as he’d come to stand between her and the building’s door.

“I really must be going,” she said, her voice wavering. “If you’ll excuse me...”

The man’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist with bruising force. Hillary gasped, panic rising in her chest. Without thinking, a name tore from her throat.

“Julius!”

The cry echoed through the small alley. All she could focus on was the man’s crushing grip, the wild look in his eyes, and the desperate hope that somehow, Julius had heard her and that he would come to help her because there was no way anyone else would come out the back way in the middle of the afternoon.

Julius’s head snapped up at the sound of Hillary’s voice, the panic in her tone setting his nerves on edge as he just happened to open the door. When he spotted her, his heart stopped. A man, tall and wiry, had her by the wrist, his face inches from hers. Every line of Hillary’s body screamed discomfort and fear.

Without a second thought, Julius moved, his long strides eating up the distance between them. The world narrowed to a single task—getting to Hillary. He didn’t care about the curious stares or the whispers that followed in his wake. All that mattered was the woman who needed him.

As he approached, he could hear the man’s fevered words, the obsessive edge to the man’s words. Julius’s jaw clenched, a protective fire igniting in his chest. He had faced his share of overzealous fans, but this was different. This man wasn’t just crossing a line, he was obliterating it because Hillary wasn’t used to this shit.

“Hey!” Julius called out, his voice cutting through the man’s begging. “Let her go.”

The man’s head whipped around, his brown eyes widening as he took in the sight of Julius bearing down on him. For a moment, his grip on Hillary’s wrist loosened, and she wrenched herself free, stumbling back.

Julius closed the distance in a heartbeat, placing himself between Hillary and her assailant. His broad shoulders formed a wall, shielding her from view. He could feel her trembling behind him, her breaths coming in short, sharp gasps.

“I believe the lady asked you to leave her alone,” Julius said, his voice low and dangerous. He fixed the man with a fierce glare, knowing his blue eyes burning with barely contained fury. His muscles coiled, ready to spring into action if the man so much as twitched in Hillary’s direction.

The man opened his mouth as if to protest, but something in Julius’s expression made him think better of it. He took a step back, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. But there was still a glint of defiance in his eyes, a hint of the obsession that had driven him to confront Hillary in the first place.

Julius didn’t move, his gaze never wavering. He was unyielding, a silent guardian ready to defend the woman who had captured his heart. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not his career, not his reputation, not the curious onlookers. Only Hillary, and the need to keep her safe.

The fan’s frustration simmered, his face contorting into a scowl. “She’s a grown woman,” he spat, jabbing a finger in Hillary’s direction. “You think a big shot movie star like you can just swoop in and play hero? You’re risking your whole reputation for what? A piece of?—”

Julius’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, the veins in his forearms standing out in stark relief. With Hillary’s warmth at his back, the soft puff of her breath against his neck, Julius knew with bone-deep certainty that he would risk everything, to keep her safe. Fame, fortune, his hard-won career—none of it meant a damn thing if he couldn’t protect the woman who made his heart race and his blood sing. It didn’t matter if he’d walked the other way, no one was going to hurt her.

“I suggest you walk away,” Julius ground out, his voice rough with barely contained rage. “Before I do something we’ll both regret.”

The fan’s eyes narrowed, his bravado faltering in the face of Julius’s threat. He took another step back, his gaze darting between Julius and Hillary, as if trying to gauge the depth of their connection.

Julius stood his ground, an immovable force, his entire being focused on the man who dared to threaten the woman he...loved. The realization hit him like a thunderbolt, stealing the breath from his lungs. He loved her, with a fierce, protective intensity that defied reason or logic. They were over, and his love hadn’t dissipated in the end.

The fan finally backed down, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he turned and walked away, muttering under his breath. Julius watched him go, his heart pounding with a heady mix of adrenaline and relief.

As the tension drained from his body, Julius became acutely aware of Hillary’s presence behind him again, her rapid breaths and the faint tremors that shook her slender frame. He spun around, his hands instinctively reaching out to steady her.

“Hillary, are you alright?” he asked, his voice low and urgent, his eyes searching her face for any sign of distress.

She looked up at him, her green eyes wide and luminous, a sheen of unshed tears making them glitter like precious gems. “I... I think so,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “Thanks to you.”

Something in her gaze, the vulnerability and trust that shone through, broke through the last of Julius’s defenses. Without conscious thought, he drew her into his arms, one hand cradling the back of her head as he lowered his lips to hers in a searing kiss.

Hillary stiffened for a moment, a soft gasp escaping her, before she melted into his embrace, her hands fisting in the front of his shirt as she returned the kiss with equal fervor. Julius poured every ounce of his pent-up emotions into the kiss, the fear, the protectiveness, the overwhelming love that consumed him.

She tastes like sunshine and hope , he thought dimly, losing himself in the feel of her soft lips moving against his, the way her curves fit perfectly against the hard planes of his body. Like everything I never knew I needed.

The world around them faded away, the alley, the potential for curious onlookers, the distant sound of traffic. In that moment, there was only Hillary, the woman who had captured his heart without even trying, the woman he would gladly lay down his life for.

Julius deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping into her mouth to tangle with hers, a low groan rumbling in his chest as she met him stroke for stroke. His hand slid down her back, pressing her closer, needing to feel every inch of her against him.

His other hand slipped beneath her blouse, skimming over the smooth skin of her stomach before moving higher, cupping the soft swell of her breast through the lace of her bra. Hillary whimpered into the kiss, arching into his touch, her own hands sliding up to tangle in his hair.

Lost in the haze of desire, Julius barely registered the sound of a throat clearing pointedly nearby. It wasn’t until a gruff voice called out, “Hey, buddy, get a room!” that he reluctantly tore his lips from Hillary’s, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

He blinked, the world coming back into focus, and realized they were still standing on the sidewalk, in full view of a group of gawking pedestrians. Several had their phones out, no doubt recording the steamy embrace between the famous actor and the beautiful journalist.

Shit. He’d let his emotions get the better of him, and now they were going to be splashed across every tabloid and gossip site by morning. He could already imagine the headlines, ‘Julius Theon Caught in Passionate Clinch with CoStar Weeks After Seen With Another!’

Hillary seemed to come to the same realization, her face flushing a delicate pink as she stepped back, smoothing her rumpled blouse with shaking hands. “Julius,” she started, but he shook his head, reaching out to take her hand in his.

“Not here,” he murmured, glancing around at the curious onlookers. “Come on, let’s get out of here before this turns into even more of a circus.”

Ignoring the disappointed grumbles and shouted questions from the man who’d walked out, Julius tugged Hillary down the sidewalk, his mind racing as he tried to figure out how to do damage control. He’d let his heart override his head, and now they were both going to have to deal with the fallout.

But it was worth it , a small voice whispered in the back of his mind. To finally have her in your arms, to know she feels the same way... it was worth any price. Even if you walked away.

You walked away because of things like this. She needs to find her way in the world you threw her in to.

“Fuck,” he hissed, still holding her hand as they walked down the street.

Doubt and despair washed over him as he pulled away from her. His mind raced with an onslaught of emotions—shock, regret, and a sudden realization that he’d made an uncharacteristic mistake. Julius had always been careful about his public image, avoiding controversy at all costs. Now, they were both in the middle of a media storm they hadn’t anticipated. He felt bad for pulling her into this mess without thinking about the consequences.

Looking around, he saw the stares piercing into his back like knives. The paparazzi were already on their way, their cameras flashing in the distance as if summoned by a silent call. He led her to his car, they hurriedly got inside, shutting the doors behind them. The click of the locks was an audible exhale for both of them.

It was the first time he’d driven her any where in New York himself, and he shouldn’t even have focused on that.

“I am so sorry,” he started, running a hand through his hair. “That cannot happen again.” His voice was stern but gentle, trying to convey his concern for her safety without sounding patronizing. “We need to get you some security for future events like these,” he continued quickly, reaching over to take her hands in his. “You deserve someone watching your back while you work.”

Hillary looked up at him with wide eyes filled with confusion and fear mixed together. He didn’t know what was happening or how they ended up in this situation. All he knew was that it felt wrong on every level to be at odds with her.

She nodded slowly as Julius continued speaking, likely trying to make sense of the situation herself.

As they pulled away from the curb, Julius rubbed his forehead with one hand while keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel with the other. The taste of her lips lingered on his own, leaving an indelible mark that he couldn’t seem to shake off no matter how hard he tried. He cursed himself for losing control like that. It wasn’t like him at all. But then again, she was different from anyone he’d ever met before and seemed to lead him to do things he’d never done before.

Julius drove aimlessly through downtown streets looking for solace or answers or both. He wasn’t sure which one he needed more right now. All he knew was that things couldn’t go back to normal between them after this incident. Too much had changed between them already, both personally and professionally speaking.

“Tell me you get how dangerous it is to be alone now?”

“I get it,” the single sentence rushed out on a single breath and seemed to strike him down.

“Are you okay?” He turned to glance at her at a light.

“I am. Foolish, but okay.”

He let his hand slide over the console to take hers, the sensation nearly breaking him. “I’m sorry, Hillary. You deserve to navigate this without also hiding a relationship. I fucked up thinking I was what was best for you. We’ll get you that security team and I’ll see you at the premiere in a few months.”

She said nothing, and the rest of the drive was done in utter silence and he wasn’t certain he could ever be alone with her again.