Page 57 of Candy Cane Chains

Julian stands over him, adjusting his cufflinks with the same methodical precision he uses for everything. His ice-blue eyes meet mine, sending electricity down my spine.

"Would you like to finish this, darling?" The question hangs in the air between us.

Travis's head snaps up, disbelief etched across his bruised features. "You wouldn't?—"

"Yes." The word leaves my lips before I can second-guess myself. Power surges through me as I step forward, my heels clicking against the marble.

Julian's mouth curves into a proud smile that makes my insides liquify. That smile holds recognition, acceptance, pride - everything I'd been searching for. He steps aside, giving me space.

"No hesitation." His voice carries approval that sets my skin on fire. "Show me what you've been hiding behind that sweet facade."

I reach down, wrapping my small hand in Travis's blood-matted hair. His green eyes widen with fear - the same fear he used to inspire in me. The tables have turned. My lips curve into a smile that mirrors Julian's predatory grace.

"I tried so hard to be what you wanted." I tighten my grip, feeling strands of his expensive haircut tear loose. "The perfect, proper girlfriend. But you never saw the real me."

Julian's proud gaze washes over me like a physical caress. In his eyes, I see myself reflected - not the timid event planner, but a woman embracing her darker nature. Complete. Whole. Seen.

Travis whimpers, and the sound feeds something primal inside me. This is who I am. This is what I've been hiding. And Julian's smile tells me he's known it all along.

Julian's hand disappears into his jacket, reappearing with a sleek, black blade. He extends it towards me, handle first.The metal glints coldly under the harsh lights. A tool made for darkness, for finality.

"Be wise, Ivy." His voice low, controlled. "Make it long and slow. He deserves to feel every second."

My fingers wrap around the hilt, the cool metal contrasting with my warm skin. It's lighter than I expected, perfectly balanced. I test the edge with my thumb, a thin red line blooming instantly. Sharp.

Julian guides my hand, positioning the blade just above Travis's navel. "Here," he murmurs, his breath hot on my ear. "Slide it in slow. Let gravity do the work."

Travis's eyes widen, the pupils swallowing the green irises. His breath hitches, panicked gasps filling the silence. "Ivy, please?—"

I press the blade against his skin. The first inch sinks in easily, like cutting through butter. A shiver runs down my spine at the grotesque sensation. Travis chokes on his pleas, eyes rolling back.

"Good girl." Julian's praise washes over me, steadying my nerves. "Now, up."

His hand covers mine, guiding the blade upward in a precise, controlled motion. The steel parts flesh like a zipper, exposing the raw, wet muscle beneath. Blood wells up, spilling over, staining my hands. It's warm, sticky. Real.

Travis screams, high and desperate. His body convulses, but Julian holds him firm, his strength unyielding. "Shh," Julian soothes, though there's no comfort in his tone. Only cold, calculated cruelty. "Accept your fate, Travis. It's more than you gave others."

I focus on the task, on the slow, meticulous cut. The blade meets resistance against flesh, but Julian's steady pressure helps me push through. Each inch reveals more of Travis's insides, amorbid fascination taking hold. This is what he reduced me to. This is what he deserves.

Blood coats my hands, drips onto the floor. My grip is slick, but Julian's hand keeps mine steady. He's unflinching, his ice-blue eyes locked onto mine. Pride shines in their cold depths. Pride in me, in what I'm doing.

The blade reaches Travis's sternum. I pause, looking up at Julian. His mouth curves into a predatory smile. "Perfect," he whispers, leaning down to claim my lips in a fierce, possessive kiss.

30

JULIAN

Pulling back, I cup Ivy's face in my hands, her skin soft as silk under my calloused fingers. She's okay. I have to keep reminding myself that. She is here, with me, choosing me. She's okay.

"You're never leaving my sight again," I growl, my voice barely recognizable, thick with possession. There's only one way to soothe the fear and anger roiling through me. I crush my lips against hers, claiming her mouth like it's the air I need to breathe.

She responds instantly, her arms snaking around my neck, pulling me closer. Her lips are sweet, like vanilla and something darker, something primal. She's never been more responsive, her body melting into mine, her hips arching towards me.

I pick her up, walking her back until I can press her against the wall, my hands roaming her body, learning every curve, every line. She's mine. All mine. I've never felt this before, this raw, primal need to possess someone so completely.

"Julian," she gasps, as I trail kisses down her neck, marking her porcelain skin. She tilts her head back, giving me moreaccess, begging for more. "Please," she whimpers, her fingers digging into my shoulders.

I bite down gently on the soft spot where her neck meets her shoulder, right next to that tiny crescent moon birthmark. She cries out, her body shuddering against mine. I lick the spot, soothing it, before moving back to her lips, capturing her mouth in another searing kiss.

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