All Chapters of Once Rejected Twice desired : Chapter 11 - Chapter 18

The ballroom door behind us exploded open with a loud, wooden crash. The heavy shouts of the police officers echoed over the screams of the rich guests. Red and blue lights flashed wildly across the ceiling, turning the air into a chaotic trap. I didn't look back. I let the heavy velvet curtain fall shut behind us, plunging the three of us into the narrow, dim service hallway of the hotel kitchen.The air here smelled completely different. It was cold, smelling of old concrete, metallic grease, and heavy bleach. The bright luxury of the ballroom vanished, replaced by long rows of stainless steel tables and industrial sinks.Julian’s massive frame was right behind me. His breathing was heavy, rough, and uneven from the pain of his arm. His large, calloused hand stayed locked onto my waist, his fingers pressing hard into my hip bone to guide my steps. The hot, thick blood from his cut was still flowing, wetting my black silk shirt and gluing the fabric directly to my bare ribs. The wet

My heart hammered a slow, painful rhythm against my ribs as I stared down at the black plastic latch. The inside of the sports car felt tight and suffocatingly hot. Behind me, Julian’s heavy, wet breathing was the only sound cutting through the loud, angry roar of Leo's engine as we flew down the open highway. Slowly, my fingers trembling just a tiny bit, I pulled the latch back. The small glove compartment door dropped open with a soft click.I reached my hand inside, my skin brushing past the cold wires and paper manuals until my knuckles hit something soft. I pulled it out.It was a tiny, velvet black jewelry box. It felt light in my palm, looking completely out of place inside the messy dashboard. I popped the box open under the dim, orange light of the radio screen.My breath caught hard in my throat.Sitting inside the white silk lining was a single, silver high school cufflink. It was dented, deeply scratched, and covered in old scuffs. It was the exact cufflink I had lost six

Leo didn't wait for Julian to answer him. He threw the medical kit onto the side table and stepped straight into the small gap between us. His broad chest pushed hard against Julian’s bleeding shoulder, forcing the billionaire to take a half-step back. Leo reached down and grabbed my right hand, his warm fingers locking tightly with mine."Get your bloody hands off him, Vance," Leo spat, his blue eyes flashing with a dangerous, dark devotion as he looked at my matted shirt. "You are tracking your red stains all over his silk. You look like you're about to faint anyway. Let me take him to my car.""He stays behind my chest, Sterling," Julian growled back, his jaw clenching so hard that a thick vein popped out near his temple. He did not let go of my waist. His grip turned bruisingly tight against my hip bone, forcing my lower back to press flat against his stomach. "I took a knife to the flesh for him tonight. He belongs to my house."I let out a soft, dry laugh, enjoying the heavy phy

Silas did not look at the gun in Julian’s hand. He just kept his dark, heavy eyes locked right onto my face, his cruel smile widening. The air in the hallway felt completely frozen, and nobody was breathing.Julian’s hand was shaking from pure, unhinged rage. He did not care that Silas was his own uncle. He did not care about the Vance family blood. He took a sharp step forward, his massive body stepping directly between me and the older man. He lifted his black pistol, pressing the cold metal barrel straight against Silas’s forehead."I don't care about your papers, Silas," Julian growled, his deep voice shaking the walls of the narrow hallway. Sweat rolled down his pale face, and his chest heaved violently against his bloody shirt. "I shed blood for him tonight. He is staying with me. If you try to take him out of this house, I will put a bullet through your brain right now."Silas did not even blink. He did not look scared at all. He slowly reached up with one long finger and pushe