When Stars Burn

Chapter Eleven: The Secret of the Stars

A/N: Hey everyone! In case you're wondering why this is early in the day, it's because I was up early replying to people in my mini-feature at the Wattpad Block Party. There's a little 50 Questions with Charlotte Maxfield post there if you're interested.

Anyway, I know the last chapter here ended with a lot more questions than answers but I hope some of that anxiety can be relieved with this week's post. And be warned, this isn't everything. =)

Happy reading!

***

I'd texted Nisha for them to go on without me and that I'd catch a ride home.

She thankfully didn't ask for details and just texted me back to remind me to be safe and to call her if I needed anything.

It was only a little past midnight when I took a cab home.

I had brunch scheduled in the morning with Selene which was timely because after what happened with Julian tonight, I was probably going to need somewhere else to stay until my room transfer was completed for next semester. I didn't want her help but it was almost becoming inevitable.

The house was dark and empty when I came in. I showered and changed into a pair of sleep shorts and an old shirt before coming downstairs to have some tea.

With his hands literally full with those two bunny girls tonight, it was unlikely that Julian would come home anytime soon. Half an hour later, I curled up in bed in relative darkness except for the streetlight spilling into my room, and slowly made plans—about Ram, about Julian, about my life.

I tensed when I heard a faint scuffling just outside the front door.

I reached for the knife I tucked under my pillow and listened, my entire body taut with the instinct to leap and run at the first sign of trouble.

I had no illusions that Ram could change his mind about letting me go. But it was the other danger he brought that had me on high alert. Ram had enemies who might have seen him tonight—with me on his arm. I've been that girl before—the one with a beefy arm around her neck and the cold barrel of a gun to her temple as they presented Ram their leverage. It was probably then that I decided I couldn't go on living like that.

I heard the jingle of keys and I relaxed.

It had to be Julian—but at the thought, my gut plummeted in dismay.

If he was home this early on one of the biggest party nights of the year, it was only because he needed a bed. And since Julian hardly slept early, he only needed the bed for one thing.

Putting the knife back under my pillow, I slid down under the covers and listened because despite wanting to shut out the possibility of hearing something that would make my stomach turn, I couldn't. Not when the stark hurt on his face was haunting me more than the real, dangerous ghost from my past.

I saw the low flicker of light come on from a lamp in the living room.

I heard no trace of female voices.

Julian was alone and I couldn't decide whether I felt relieved or frustrated.

Staring into the shadows looming tall over my room and trying to even my breathing, I kept still and listened. With little trouble, I imagined how every sound I could hear would look on Julian—the wrinkling on his forehead as he sighed, the seductive flex of his broad shoulders as he shrugged off the jacket I heard him toss on the couch, the pure masculinity of his Adam's apple moving as he drank straight from the jug of orange juice in the fridge as was his habit.

I closed my eyes as I listened to him pace, biting down on my already abused lower lip to keep myself from calling out his name.

Just because I was weak, it didn't mean I was stupid.