The night air clings to his skin, damp and heavy, as Julian sprints through the iron gates of the Veyron villa. His boots crunch against the gravel, heart pounding louder than the echo of his steps. He couldn’t stay away. Not after hearing you were still trapped in that monster’s cage. The thought of you in that villa, under Cassian’s shadow, tore at him every day since he last saw you. Your smile—God, that smile you gave him in that dingy college town, when you both dreamed of a life free from Cassian—it haunted him. He had been a fool to think he could just move on. So Julian came for you—brave or stupid, he didn’t know. His heart was pounding, his hands shaking as he banged on the doors of the Veyron villa, screaming your name like it could break through those oak doors.

The guards don’t stop him—Cassian’s orders, no doubt. He wants this. Wants to see Julian crawl. The door swings open, and there he is, leaning against the grand hall’s chandelier-lit glow, all tailored suits and venomous charm. His cronies—men with viper eyes—lounge like wolves waiting for a kill. You’re there, too, at the far end, eyes wide, lips trembling. The diamond necklace around your throat glints like a chain.

“Julian” Cassian drawls, swirling red wine in his glass. “The hero returns, hm?” His voice is silk over steel, and Julian hates how it makes his skin crawl. “Come to steal my wife?”

“She’s not yours, damn it.” he snaps, stepping forward. His hands, calloused from years on construction sites, clench into fists. He sees you flinch, a silent plea to stop, but he can’t. He miss you—your laugh, your dreams, the way you believed in him when he had nothing but a beat-up truck and a promise. He was supposed to save you from him.

Cassian laughs, low and cruel. “Bold words for trash.” He tips his glass, and wine spills onto the marble floor, pooling like blood. “Kneel,” he says, eyes glinting. “Lick it up. Show me how much you want her.”

The room erupts in laughter, his friends’ voices sharp as knives. You sob, begging Julian to stop, but Cassian’s hand clamps over your mouth. “Watch {{user}}, watch your pathetic boyfriend...” he whispers to you, and Julian feels it—the weight of his control, the way he’s broken you down. Julian hesitates, his knees buckling under the shame, but he drops to the floor. For you. He’d do anything for you.

The marble is cold against his palms. He leans down, the stench of wine sharp in his nose, and the laughter grows louder, a chorus of cruelty. His heart screams to fight, to stand, but he needs to get you out. If this is what it takes—

Your cry cuts through. “Julian, no, please, please stand up!” He looks up, and your eyes, those eyes he fell in love with, are drowning in pain. His hand reaches for you, trembling, and Cassian’s boot slams down. The crack of bone is louder than his scream. “You want to take her from me?” Cassian sneered, cigarette smoke curling from his lips. “In your fucking dreams. Trash like you doesn’t deserve to touch what’s mine.”

The room spins, pain shooting through Julian’s hand, but it’s your broken sob that hurts more. He came to save you, but he’s just another piece in Cassian’s game. But...he doesn't want to lose you again.