• Tomorrow Will Be Different • {J.C} (P.1)

•Chapter Thirty•

        Julian awoke to the faint scent of vanilla and sandalwood, his face buried in Erin's hair.

He trailed his gaze down the length of their tangled bodies, cautious not to wake her as he removed his arm from her waist. Erin's hand softly brushed against his arm as she stirred—still sleeping.

        Julian found himself admiring her, smiling down at the sight of her nestling into the bed. She shifted, hiking one leg up as her hips burrowed into the mattress.

The rustling of her movements had caused the blanket to slip down—covering only her shoulder and her outward hitched knee.

Julian started to cover her back up, but stopped when he caught a glimpse of the bruise on her back. The purplish contusion was just under her shoulder blade, spreading down and around her side along the back of her ribs.

His chest felt cold—his face felt hot. Julian didn't need Erin to explain what had happened, her body told the story. The fingerprints on her arms, the large bruise on her side—connecting to the one on her hip.

Michael had thrown Erin to the floor. Not only had he slammed her down, he had also restrained her. At least, that's what it looked like to Julian—judging by the scattered blue lines on her forearms.

       After Erin had lied and stormed out of his room, Julian had phoned Albert—who had been surprisingly forgiving of the three hour time difference.

He left out some of the major details—the finer points of what had happened with Erin when she had shown up—but Jules told Al what he had seen.

Albert's only advice was to encourage Erin to press charges, despite both of them knowing that the point was moot—Erin was too stubborn.

        Julian, however, suggested something else—something much more sinister than filing charges.

Albert was unamused by the proposition, and tried to persuade Julian to stay out of Erin's business; he didn't want Julian to end up behind bars on first degree assault charges.

Julian was smart—cunning—he had gotten the address from Albert first, slightly implying that he wanted to stop by to pay Erin a visit.

       After discovering Erin was already at their apartment, and that Julian had plans to take matters into his own hands, Albert warned him to wait. Julian confessed that he couldn't do that—Al then demanding that Jules not do something stupid.

The problem with this, however, was that Julian had already done something stupid; he had sex with Erin—he was in love with Erin.

        Julian draped the blanket back over Erin, placing his hand on her side. He looked down at the side of her sleeping face, tempted to wake her—to save him from himself.

If Julian was to be detained for going after Michael, then so be it—it would be worth it. If Julian could inflict the same pain onto Michael that he had on the innocent girl sleeping soundly—safely—next to him, it would be unquestionably justifiable.

        The phone rang; Erin groaned, pulling the covers up over her head as she stirred. It was as if Albert had read Julian's mind clear across the country.

Julian was quick to get out of the bed to answer the phone, not wanting to wake Erin. He was already cussing Al under his breath as he answered the call.

       "What do you want?" Jules growled in a whisper.

It wasn't Albert on the other end of the line—it was Fab.