Page 136 of Reflections of Peonies
His face wavered in my vision.
No—my breath caught—he wasn’t entirely benevolent either. While he held no ill intentions toward me, I could now sense the part of him he’d so carefully concealed.
His presence was powerful and vast, like the ocean, but inside, he hid a deep loneliness and a zealous drive so ingrained in his nature that I knew now that he would stop at nothing to defend me.
“It’s okay.” The last of my anger slipped away. I rose to my knees, locked my eyes on his, and touched his face. “I understand. I’m not angry.” And this time, I meant it.
“Bianca, I would never hurt you,” Julian said, running his hands down my arms. His tone was desperate, and the pain of it sunk into my bones, and his anxiety was contagious. “I love you. In every lifetime, it’s always been you.”
His words washed over me like a tide, pulling at something deep inside. The pain in his voice filled the space between us with a raw, unspoken vulnerability.
For a moment, I saw the cracks he kept hidden—the weight of his feelings, the fierce need to protect me, even from himself.
My heart thudded in my chest, the last fragments of anger dissolving into something else—something I couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Julian…” I whispered, my hand lingering on his face. I felt the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips.
He stilled, his breath catching as if waiting for my next move, his emotions laid bare. That’s when I realized—I couldn’t resist him any longer.
I pulled on his shirt, dragging him to me, and my heart raced as our lips collided. His hair was soft, and his sensual mouth moved like silk against mine.
Again, I’d made the first move. Julian’s sincere plea was impossible to resist. As we kissed, my fingers wound through his curls, his lips carrying a hint of salt, like the ocean mist. I’d poured all myself into this kiss and needed to savor every moment.
Because this wasn’t something I could repeat anytime soon. I wanted to stay in this moment forever, but at the same time, the skin at the back of my neck prickled as my courage began to wane.
An awareness began to stir in Julian, and his touch, which had moved to my shoulders, dropped away as I pushed back.
His cheeks had darkened, and his expression was clouded in bewilderment. But through that, wariness and concern radiated from him. “Bianca—”
“Stop.” I pressed my fingers to his lips, my pulse quickening. His admission lingered in my thoughts. “It’s not just your touch… I feel everything.”
Julian’s uncertainty vanished, replaced with barely contained joy. “Then it’s happened. You’ve truly accepted your role in the quintet.”
“What do you mean?” Hadn’t I always? Nothing had changedin the last ten minutes. I’d only decided to stop running—from this, at least.
“The empath of the quintet completes the group,” Julian explained. “The empath’s connection grows stronger with acceptance.”
I frowned slightly, feeling a twinge of defensiveness. “I’ve always been on board.”
Julian shook his head, his eyes fierce. “Being on board is different fromtrusting. You’ve opened yourself in a way you hadn’t before. That’s what we’ve been waiting for.”
Sudden clarity hit me. I’d never really let myself trust—not completely. Not even with Finn. I’d always held something back, afraid of what it meant to be vulnerable. But now, I felt the weight of his emotions, reflecting my own. To trust meant exposing everything I’d been hiding.
Was it really okay? “Am I going to feel everyone’s emotions now?” I asked.
“Not entirely.” Julian emanated glee though his expression was masked. “You’ve always been sensitive to our emotions as a quintet, that is something that comes with experience. This part is unique to you and me, our Soul Bond. That’s done with each person individually. It looks like I’m first again.”
“Lucky you.” I had no idea what he was talking about, but this gleeful side of him was a bit distracting. “You’re not going to go brag about it, are you?”
“No.” He was lying, and his mouth curled up in the corner. “I won’t say a word.”
Somehow, I had a feeling he wouldn’t have tosayanything.
My thoughts drifted back to my make-out session with Damen. And my heart dropped. There was another hurdle to overcome—because now I knew what really feeling theiremotions was like, I couldn’t blame him for that promiscuous display. That had beenallme.
Well, that sucked.
And then, what would the others think about this new development?
