<b>Chapter </b><b>292 </b><b>No </b>Going <b>Back </b>
Chapter 292 No Going Back
<b>“</b>That’s impossible,” Quinn said, her refusal cutting clean. “What we had is over. Trust <b>isn’t </b>a crack <b>you </b><b>fill </b>with words. I don’t want to spend my life guessing which sentence is the truth and which is <b>the </b><b>lie</b><b>. </b>But every time I see your face, I relive the video of Rowan’s pleading eyes. I keep telling myself <b>you </b>weren’t obliged to save him, yet-”
<b>Her </b>voice trembled, and she fought the urge to cry. “I can’t make my heart believe it.”
“Then me me, curse me, even hate me,” Julius pleaded, “just don’t leave.”
“If anger is all that binds us, what would be the point?” Quinn asked. “You’re resisting the breakup <b>now </b>because it’s fresh. With time, the feeling will fade.”
“So you’ve already moved on?” he pressed.
Quinn’s fingers curled into her palms. In a voice that fought to stay steady, she said, “Yes. I have.”
Shadow gathered behind his eyes. “So you’ll meet other men? You honestly think whatever suitor Laura digs up will be better than me? For every man she introduces, I’ll destroy one–and <b>I </b>can make her-”
“Julius Whitethorn!” Quinn’s shout cracked through the room. “Touch my friend and I will never forgive you. Laura was drunk, tossing out words. I’m not interested in meeting anyone new, but-”
Her eyes zed as she continued, “If you harm Laura, that line will never uncross.”
He let out a short, bitterugh. “You already don’t forgive me. What difference does one more sin make<b>?</b><b>” </b>
“Then you will hurt her?” Quinn’s tone went cial.
He ignored the question. “Eat the cake first. It’s my birthday.” With an almost ceremonial firmness, he nudged the te closer.
Quinn drew a deep breath, epted the te, took a single bite, then handed it back. “Satisfied?”
“Too little,” he murmured. Bowing his head, he scooped a cloud of frosting onto his tongue, then seized her chin and crashed his mouth onto hers.
Quinn shoved at his chest, but his arms locked around her like steel cable.
The sweet cream flowed from his mouth into hers; she swallowed only because there was no space left to breathe.
Shended punch after punch against his ribs, yet he clung tighter, kissing her with desperate fury.
Quinn knew her blows were far from gentle. He absorbed each one in silence, determined not to let go. Remembering the three fingers she had already broken, she finally let her fists fall.
The kiss refused to end; Julius‘ lips roved over Quinnie’s, iming and releasing them in <b>a </b><b>relentless </b><b>loop</b>. In a breathy murmur pressed to her ear, he whispered, “Quinnie, you still can’t bear to hurt me, <b>can </b><b>you</b><b>? </b>That means you still love me
Quinn shoved him away with sudden force. “Enough. Are you done?”
111
<b>Chapter </b><b>292 </b><b>No </b><b>Going </b><b>Back </b>
Julius <b>dragged </b>in a ragged breath and fixed her with a fever–bright <b>stare</b>. <b>“</b><b>Don’t </b><b>you </b><b>dare </b><b>look </b><b>for </b>another <b>man</b>. The moment you choose one, I’ll destroy him.”
Quinn’s brows knitted. Gloom and something close to madness had settled over Julius‘ <b>face</b><b>, </b><b>reminding </b>her of the rumors that branded him the Whitethorn madman. If they shed head–on, no one <b>knew </b><b>what </b>might happen.
She lifted a hand, wiped her aching lips with the back of it, and red at him. “All right, I’ve <b>eaten </b><b>the </b><b>cake</b>. and spent your birthday with you. Happy now? I’m leaving.”
Given enough time, <i>he’ll </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>ept </i><i>that </i><i>we’re </i><i>over</i>.
As she reached the foyer, Julius‘ voice rolled after her. “Quinnic, remember what I just said. <b>I </b>always <b>keep </b>my word.”
<i>Bang</i><b><i>! </i></b>
The only reply he received was the m of the door.
Julius ground his teeth and slowly peeled off his shirt. A dark bruise blossomed across his abdomen <b>where </b>her fist hadnded.
Absurdly, even the pain she left behind felt precious to him.
He let his fingers drift over the tender mark, then lifted his wrist and pressed a kiss to the sandalwood bracelet he wore.
“Quinnie, this breakup? I don’t acknowledge it.”
The next morning at work, Laura leaned over Quinn’s desk and whispered, “So, how did things end with Julius after I left? He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”
After all, when Julius stormed into the private room yesterday, he had radiated the unhinged energy of a man on the edge.
“Nothing serious. I went to his ce and shared a slice of cake with him, that’s all.”
Against her will, the memory of his sudden, bruising kiss surfaced. Julius was right about one thing. Quinn still loved him. If that feeling were truly dead, she would have kept hitting him until he let go.
<i>Love </i><i>is </i><i>never </i><i>something </i><i>you </i><i>set </i>down <i>just </i><i>because </i><i>you </i><i>say </i><i>so</i><i>. </i><i>I </i><i>talked </i>as <i>though </i>I <i>were </i><i>free </i><i>of </i><i>him</i><i>, </i><i>but </i><i>the </i><i>truth </i>is I’m
is <i>impossible</i>. I <i>not</i>. <i>Yet </i>I <i>also </i><i>know </i><i>that </i><i>right </i><i>now</i>, <i>being </i>with <i>Juliu </i>