Page 54 of Goldsin

“Are you all right?” Julian turns to me with concern etched across his bruised and battered features. “Did he touch you?”

“Yes,” I manage to choke out. My throat squeezes shut with all the emotions brewing inside of me, threatening to overwhelm me.

Yes, I’m all right? Yes, he touched me? Yes what?

“He didn’t ... he didn’t get far.”

Relief washes over Julian’s face, but it gets quickly replaced by a dark, wrathful expression.

“Show me where he touched you.”

I hesitate for a moment, unsure of what he wants, but I comply anyway, pointing to the place on my breast where the guy’s hands violated me.

Shame and anger rush out as I relive the helplessness I felt just seconds ago. I lift my gaze to Julian’s and wait.

His eyes bore into the spot. “Where else? I want you to show me everywhere he touched.” His voice is low, the anger from before still visible as he struggles to control it.

Nodding, I feel my throat scratch as I try to swallow. Mouth parched, I move my fingers down to my inner thigh, then right up under my ass.

“No, not like that.” He grabs the knife I forgot I was clutching. “Show me with this.”

“Wh-what?”

“On me.”

A fierce protectiveness shines in his molten blue gaze. A need to make things right. And so, with tremblingfingers, I take the knife back and press the tip to each spot on Julian’s body that mirrors my own violated parts.

“Here,” I whisper each time, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.

And each time, Julian nods with determination before forcing my hand to drive the knife into his flesh, leaving angry red marks that weep blood.

“Remember this,” he tells me, pointing at the crimson dripping to the floor. “Your body is mine. Your soul is mine. Whatever happens to you happens to me. Especially when I should have been preventing it.”

I stare at him, bloodied and battered, and I can’t help but feel a strange sense of gratitude mixed with raw fear.

“This is what I mean when I say you are mine,” he growls.

Movement calls for our attention as the bastard whimpers on the floor, groaning in agony as he tries to regain consciousness.

Julian’s eyes light up with a twisted gleam, and he turns to me, his wicked smile stretching wide. “He’s waking up, love.”

My anger for the bastard comes rushing back, and a copy of Julian’s twisted grin appears on my lips. “He looked better when he was unmoving.”

Julian swears under his breath, his eyes darkening as they sink to me. He licks his lips, leaving a trail of red. “Fuck, you’re something else,” he whispers.

I don’t respond, my attention fixed on the molester as he struggles to get back onto his feet. I can feel Julian’s intense gaze burning into me. He’s itching to kill him,but as much as he wants to, he wants me to take the lead. Wants me to make the asshole regret what he did.

The air is thick with tension. Every muscle in my body is coiled and ready to strike.

“There’s no point in telling you not to treat a girl like that again ...” I take a step closer to him, and he staggers, hitting his back against the wall. “Because there won’t be a second time.” I smile as I plunge the knife into his stomach.

He roars in pain, clutching at the wound in shock. His eyes round as he chokes on air. He felt so powerful just a few seconds ago, but only now does he understand he’s skin and bone, no different from me.

He went for my body; I’ll go for his soul.

Without hesitation, I stab him one more time—straight through his neck.

Blood spurts everywhere, and he crumples to the floor.

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