ulian remainedposed. He even shed Willow a tender smile. “bYeah/b, I’ve returned to Brindley for a couple of days now.

    “I’ve been made aware that something bad happened to bjeffrey’s /bfamily. So, Natalie and I have bshared /bmeals with each other in this restaurant. The ambiance is

    Willow bwould’ve /bburied the candlestick in bJulian’s /bhead if she could, but she held herself back and led Natalie out of the restaurant instead.

    Julian had given bNatalie /ba ride for today’s date. So, Willow hailed a cab and gave the driver her address.

    Natalie was ashamed. Her eyes welled up with tears before she got into the cab. “Willow.”

    bWillow /bstill didn’t say anything, Natalie was simply too young and naive. It wasn’t strange at all that she would sumb to his tricks.

    She brushed bthe /bstrands of hair on Natalie’s cheels, tucked them behind thetter’s ear, and said affectionately, “Get in the car. Your mom’s waiting for you at

    Natalie stapped into the cab. At this point, she bhad /ba good idea of what was happening. She covered her face and sobbed. She was wracked with shame that she let her own emotions get to her.

    The night was as dark as it was enchanting

    willow stood undemeath the countless neon lights, feeling chilly all over her body. She knew pan all too well, and she also knew just how naive Natalie wa

    Natalie might have sobered up right now, but all it took was ba /bsingle phone bcall /bfrom talian, and she would fall bback /binto his clutches, bing nothing more than a hopeless romantic.

    bWillow /bdidn’t return to the restaurant. Instead, she drove straight home. As expected, Julian got there faster than she did

    Acklimousine was parked underneath an oak tree. Its window was lowered, revealing lean fingers with a cigarette between them. The lit end of the cigarette rose and fell as he smoked, creating a pleasing sight.

    bWillow /bkarw that julian was here for her. Her seduced Natalie simply because he wanted to look for her

    She walked over, opened the door to the passenger seat, and sat next to him. He turned sideways and looked at her. Then, he snuffed out his cigarette and said tenderly, “Thave to jump through hoops just to see you in person.”

    Willowcast ber gaze at the bdarkness /bbahead /bof the bcar /band bresponded /bwith a nk bface/b, “Leave bNatalie /baloon.”

    b“/bbHuh/bb?/bb” /bbJulian /bchuckded. “What are you insinuating? Natalie is just a lid to me. All I did was express concern about what happened to the Gibson family. You’re also concerned about themb, /baren’t byou/bb?/b!:

    Willow asked wearily, “Julian, can we not beat around the bushesb? /bwill it all byou /bto be honest for once?

    Julian’s smile faded. “Are you heartbroken about Natalie or Jeffrey?b” /b

    She responded, b“/bbBoth/b”

    Then, bshe /bwanted to get our of the car, but he gripped her wrist. A soft click echoed, and the doors were locked,

    kin byanked /bbat /bher bwrist /band pinned her to the car seat. If someone were to look at them from outside, they wouldn’t have known just how much torce be used.

    Now that the inside of the car was dark, it had, in turn, heightened their sense of smell. The scent of the aftershave he wore mixed with the fresh stench of tobo,

    assaulting Willow’s nostrils.

    She leaned on the leather seat in dejection, and she bmurmured/bb, /b“Julian, what on earth do you wantb?/bb” /b

    He asked gr

    gently, “Do you have feelings i

    s for him?–

    It had been five monthsb, /band both of them were still single, Julian didn’i have ba /bcholer but to pose the question to Willow

    Tranglisted in bereyes as she looked at him quietly and responded softly, “What bdoes /bthat have to do with you?”

    Baising his hand, Julian ran his fingers across her soft cheeks. “I forbid you from having feelings for him.

    D