SARAH No. God. No. I am definitely not ready for this. How on earth am I going to make it out of this one unscathed? What can I possibly say that’s going to override everything he just saw? The further I walk towards him, the more his scowl deepens, and the faster my heart plummets to the bottom of my belly that’s currently queasy from all the wine I’ve had to drink. I’m almost expecting him to turn away and walk back into the house, then I’ll know I’m completely done for. But even as I climb up the steps, he’s still there. Whatever I want to say, he wants to listen. And that’s a good sign. That gives me the hope that I can talk my way out of this. I plant myself in front of him, swallowing hard. His eyes soften, and the look on his face shifts from judgemental to…pitiful? “You’re sleeping with them, aren’t you?” It’s supposed to be a question, but it’s hard to differentiate it from an accusation. Do I deny it? Normally, when people ask questions like these, it means they already have the answers. Lying would definitely do me no good, would it? I suck in a deep breath and look away from him. “Julian, I…” “Sarah. Fuck.” He spits the words out. I almost narrow my eyes on him. Why is he acting like that? Surely it can't be because I’m not divorced yet. I was still fully married to Aaron when he cheated on me multiple times. I deserve this. Besides, he was the one who asked for an open marriage. I am technically not doing anything wrong. “Really?” Julian asks, glaring down at me with disbelief. “I mean, I did have a feeling once I got a sense of the tension in the room, but I hoped to God I wasn’t right. Didn’t…didn’t Kevin say they were like brothers to you?” I shrugged my shoulders, saying nothing. Not that I had anything to say in my defense, or theirs. “Shit.” He cuts in with another sharp laugh. I watch him run his right hand down his face. Melodramatic much? It’s not like we’re friends or anything. “He doesn’t know, does he? Kevin is in there, and he has no idea that his best friends are preying on his little sister.” The last sentence causes me to frown. Preying on me? The fuck? I take a step forward. It’s my turn to warn him. I’ve stood there and listened to him think the worst of me, and that’s fine. But I won’t have him speak of the brothers like that, not when they were the ones who saw through my pain and saved me. “Preying on me? What am I? A child?” He shakes his head. “Sarah…” I hold my right hand up to his face, silencing him immediately. “I don’t want to hear it, Julian. You know, you can stand there and judge me as you like, but you do not know me. You do not know half of what I’ve been through, so you cannot…” I pause. It’s so ridiculous, a laugh tears out of my throat. “Why am I even telling you this? I don’t owe you any explanation.” “I am just trying to look out for you, Sarah.” “Well, I don’t need you to.” “They’re dangerous men!” It’s not his scream that makes my eyes widen, it’s the fear in his eyes. He looks like…like he knows something I don’t. I don’t want to think too much about it. The HawkThorne brothers aren’t dangerous, at least to me. That’s all that matters, right? “I’m pretty sure I’ll know if I was in danger.” He takes an urgent step forward, reaching for my hand. “You might not be the target now, but it doesn’t mean you can’t be.” “Stop.” I pull away from him. “I don’t get it. I grew up with these men. They have never done anything wrong.” “Really?” He arches a brow. “Surely you cannot be so naive, Sarah. Three men, no wealthy background, build a billion dollar fortune with no parental support whatsoever in a span of ten years, and you think they’ve never had to get their hands dirty?” A smile tugs at the corner of my lips. “Is that envy I hear, Julian Cross?” I cross my arms against my chest. “Is that what this is? You’re jealous of them?” A sour laugh echoes from his throat. “Don’t be silly, Sarah. I cannot be envious of men who killed their way to the top. Listen,” He tries to reach for me again, but I pull away, sending him a glare. Why does he keep doing that? “Listen. I have taken my time to study them, okay? I know they’re your brother’s best friends, and I know the history they have with Kevin. Have you ever asked him why he left Durmont? Why he hasn’t been back all these years, not even to visit? Why he hasn’t left this house since he returned?” I don’t understand. Why are these questions necessary? If Kevin had a problem with the HawkThornes, he wouldn’t invite them to this party, right? I mean, if he thought they were dangerous, he wouldn’t want them anywhere near me. I know that. So what are these things Julian is saying? “I’ve been in the business world long enough to differentiate the sharks from the snakes. And those men?” He points to the empty space in my driveway they previously stood. “They’re worse than both. Mother who committed suicide, and a missing father. I do not think that’s a coincidence.” My heart squeezes in my chest. None of this makes any sense. I didn’t know that much about them. Kevin never told me anything besides the fact that they weren’t blood brothers. “I…” I looked away from Julian, turning towards the door of my house. “I need to get some rest,” I croaked. “Goodnight.” I walked into the house and closed the door behind me without waiting for his reply. The party was wrapping up, and Kevin was in the kitchen when I hurried in to get some water. I could feel his lingering gaze on me, and when I dropped the glass, he stood in my path and wouldn’t let me leave. A tired sigh escapes my lips. “Kevin…” “I would never be the one to tell you how to live your life, berry. But I would not sit back and watch you walk into fire either.” “Kevin,” “They are good looking men, and they will always look after you. They wouldn’t be my best friends if I didn’t trust them to do that. But…” He stopped speaking, and his eyes wandered around the kitchen for a brief moment, like he was searching for the words to use. “I also know things. And that’s why I need you to tread carefully.” I force myself to chuckle. It comes out as a strangled, nervous sound. “There’s nothing going on, Kev. Really.” He looks closely at me, then flashes me a fake smile of his own. “I know. That’s why I’m telling you this now,” he turns his back to me and begins to walk away. “Before something starts.”