Page 54 of King of Violence

“Come on,” one of the guys says as he backs away from me.

They retreat, leaving me panting and leaning heavily against the car, my legs shaky under me.

I hear Julian approaching. His presence is overwhelming, like a storm about to break. He’s panting, too, his breaths coming in sharp bursts.

“You okay?” he asks, but there’s an edge to his voice, like he’s holding himself back from something darker.

I don’t answer right away. My chest tightens, and it’s not just the fear of the encounter—it’s the weight of everything I’ve gotten myself involved in, the danger that’s now a constant presence in my life.

The drive to Julian’s apartment feels like a blur. My head is spinning from the encounter in the parking lot and my heart is still racing from the fear and adrenaline. But as Julian’s car pulls into the parking garage and we walk toward his building, a strange sense of calm settles over me. It’s not that the danger has passed—far from it—but when I’m with him, it feels like everything is a little bit more bearable.

Julian doesn’t say much as we walk through the building and up to his apartment, though his hand occasionally brushes mine as he leads the way. There’s a kind of quiet urgency in the air between us, the weight of the night’s events still hanging in the balance. Neither of us speaks until we’re inside, and as the door closes behind us, Julian turns to face me, his eyes dark with emotion.

“I’m so fucking sorry.” He pulls me to him. “I never wanted this to happen.”

I can’t hold back the way my chest tightens. He’s always been so controlled, so confident in every move he makes, but right now I can see the guilt he’s been carrying for so long. I know he’s been trying to protect me, but the truth is, I’ve never felt more scared than I do right now—scared for him, for us, for everything we’re tangled in.

“I’m not the one you need to protect,” I murmur into his neck. “I’m not the one in danger. You are.”

Julian’s fingers thread into my hair. His touch is tender, almost cautious. There’s something so fragile in how he looks at me, like he’s afraid I’ll shatter if he gets too close, but I need him near me more than anything.

“I don’t know what to do, Felix,” he admits, his voice low. “I don’t know how to keep you safe when everything’s falling apart around me.”

“I don’t need saving,” I reply softly, my heart pounding. “I just need you.”

The words hang in the air between us, heavy and charged with something deeper than I can put into words. The tension that’s been building ever since we met crackles around us now, raw and unspoken.

Without another word, Julian pulls me into him, his lips capturing mine with a tenderness that’s almost too much to bear. It’s like he’s trying to tell me everything he’s too afraid to say out loud with this kiss—how he feels, how much he cares.

My hands find their way to his chest, the heat of his body seeping through the fabric of his shirt, and for a moment, the world outside disappears. There’s only the feeling of him, the softness of his lips against mine and the unspoken promise that whatever happens, we’ll face it together.

We pull away just enough to breathe, our foreheads resting against each other. I can feel the warmth of his skin and the steady beat of his heart beneath my palm.

“I don’t want to lose you,” Julian whispers, his voice thick with emotion. “I don’t want you to get hurt, but I’m too selfish to let you go.”

I smile softly as I trace the line of his jaw with my fingers. “You don’t have to let me go. I’m not going anywhere.”

For a moment, we stand there in silence, the weight of everything that’s happened hanging in the air. But in this quiet moment we’ve created between us, I finally feel like maybe, just maybe, everything will be okay.

Julian kisses me again, this time with more urgency and need, and I let myself get lost in it because here, in his arms, I’m not afraid. Here, with him, I feel safe.

JULIAN

Ididn’t know Elijah would take the fall for me. I have no idea until it’s too late. I’ve been so focused on what I’m risking and the secret I’m guarding that I never considered what it would cost him. Elijah has always been the strong one, the one who never shows cracks, who takes the hits for the rest of us. But this time, I’m the one to put him in the line of fire.

I was summoned to the family estate to face the consequences of my actions. I thought it would just be a discussion, maybe a quiet reprimand, but nothing prepares me for what I see when I step into my father’s office.

Elijah is already there, kneeling on the floor, his face bruised and bloodied. His shirt is torn, revealing ugly bruises that I know aren’t just from a beating. They’re marks of punishment, of something far worse than I ever imagined. My heart sinks when I see him, and the guilt that hits me almost brings me to my knees.

“Elijah!” I try to go to him, but one of my father’s men holds me back.

I don’t understand. I thought Elijah covered for me, that he hadn’t told anyone about the research I stole from his desk.

He must have accepted the blame for me. He knew what would happen if he didn’t, and decided to protect me.

“Get up.” My father’s voice rings out, cold and commanding.

Elijah slowly rises, his movements stiff with pain. His leg is bent unnaturally, but my brother stands on it anyway. His eyes, usually sharp and full of quiet understanding, are dull, and the exhaustion from the punishment weighs him down.

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