Page 61 of You. Me. Us.

Hillary nodded mutely, allowing him to guide her through the throng. Julius kept a protective arm around her shoulders, his face set in a thunderous scowl that warned off anyone who dared approach but that didn’t stop the flashes of cameras.

His mind raced but he schooled his face to stay as calm as possible. How had things spiraled so far out of control? Firsttheir argument, and now this public spectacle. The press would have a field day, spinning sordid tales of a love triangle between the film’s leads.

He tightened his hold on Hillary as they neared the exit. No matter what the tabloids printed, he wouldn’t let them drag her name through the mud. He’d weather this storm by her side, offering unwavering support and comfort.

“Ethan!” Julius hissed as they pushed out of the building and he found his friend leaning against the wall, foot casually propped up against it.

Julius’s grip tightened on Hillary’s hand as he moved to face Ethan, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury. “What the hell was that, Ethan?” he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Ethan took a step back, hands raised in a placating gesture. “Easy, mate. It was just a bit of fun for the cameras. Not like they won’t see it in the film and we haven’t done it before, right, Hil?”

“Fun?” Julius scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. “You call forcing yourself on Hillary in front of everyone fun?”

“I didn’t force myself on her,” Ethan protested, his gaze darting to Hillary. “We’ve been flirting for weeks. You know it. Think about the set. It’s been a few months since we left and you two took off to hide away, but it was there. The entire crew saw it, you just weren’t looking.”

Hillary’s eyes widened, a mixture of shock and anger flashing across her face. But there were no words of denial, only the flush of a blush.

Julius’s jaw clenched as he struggled to rein in his temper. The urge to lash out at Ethan was overwhelming, to make him pay for the humiliation he’d caused Hillary. But causing a scene would only make matters worse. And that didn’t begin to cover the discussion he needed to have with Hillary.

“You crossed a line,” Julius ground out, his tone leaving no room for argument. “If you ever touch her again without her consent, I swear I’ll?—”

“Julius, please,” Hillary interjected softly, her hand coming to rest on his arm. “Let’s just go.”

He met her gaze, seeing the pleading in her eyes. She looked drained, the sparkle he adored dimmed by the night’s events. His heart ached for her, for the pain and embarrassment she must be feeling.

With a curt nod, Julius turned his back on Ethan, dismissing him as unworthy of further attention. “This isn’t over,” he warned, his voice carrying an unmistakable edge of menace. They’d pick up filming the other series together soon, but Julius wasn’t certain he’d be over this by then.

As they walked away, Hillary leaned into him, her voice barely above a whisper. “I should have seen it coming. The way he looked at me, the comments he made when we were alone. I just thought he was being friendly. I swear to you.”

Julius’s jaw clenched as he fought to control the maelstrom of emotions swirling within him. Anger, hot and fierce, coursed through his veins, mingling with the overwhelming desire to protect Hillary from the vultures that circled, ready to tear her apart. He drew in a deep breath, the air shuddering in his lungs as he sought to regain his composure.

“We need to get out of here,” he murmured, his gaze sweeping over the sea of curious faces, the flashing cameras, and the whispers that buzzed like angry bees. Hillary nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, and he felt his heart constrict at the sight.

With a gentle yet firm grip, Julius led her through the throng of partygoers, his broad shoulders serving as a shield against their prying eyes. He could feel the heat of their stares, theweight of their judgment, but he refused to let it penetrate the bubble of solitude he’d created around them.

As they navigated the street, she didn’t say a word. His mind raced, torn between the primal urge to lash out at those who dared to hurt Hillary and the desperate need to understand what had transpired. Questions burned on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back, knowing that now was not the time or place.

Julius’s hand found the small of Hillary’s back, guiding her toward the waiting car that would take them to his undisclosed apartment, a sanctuary amidst the chaos. A place where he ultimately had to have a conversation he never thought would be a thing with Hillary.

In the silence of the vehicle, Julius allowed himself a moment to breathe, to center himself before the inevitable confrontation that loomed ahead. He glanced at Hillary, taking in the way she huddled against the door, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if to ward off the world.

“It’s going to be okay,” he promised, his voice low and soothing. “We’ll figure this out together.”

But even as the words left his lips, Julius couldn’t shake the feeling that their relationship had irrevocably changed, that the path ahead would be fraught with challenges and obstacles they’d never before faced. And yet, as he looked at Hillary, he knew with a bone-deep certainty that he would walk through fire to keep her safe, to ensure that her dreams remained intact.

Even if it meant destroying his like she’d destroyed his trust by staying silent.

The door slammed behind him, the sound echoing through the spacious apartment. Julius spun around, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and concern. “What the hell were you thinking, Hillary?” His voice was sharp, cutting through the tense silence. He should have calmed down, but he couldn’t. Not when the woman he loved might have actually been attracted to someone else.

Hillary flinched, her gaze dropping to the floor. “I wasn’t thinking anything. It all happened so fast. I was upset and he as just talking to me until he wasn’t.” She wrapped her arms around herself, her shoulders hunched as if to make herself smaller.

Julius ran a hand through his hair, frustration etched into every line of his face. “Do you have any idea what this could do to your career? To us?” He paced the room, his steps heavy and agitated.

“I didn’t ask for this, Julius!” Hillary’s voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes. “Ethan caught me off guard. I never wanted any of this attention. I thought we were friends.”

“But you got it, anyway.” Julius stopped, his gaze locking with hers. “And now we have to deal with the fallout.”

He sighed, the anger draining from his face, replaced by a weariness that seemed to seep into his bones. He loved her, god, how he loved her. But in that moment, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of disappointment, a sense that their carefully constructed world was crumbling around them.

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