Chapter 4

Julian was dressed in casual clothes, but his commanding presence was still overwhelming. He glanced at the drunk man clutching his arm in pain, his voice cold as ice. "Get out. If I ever see you lay a hand on her again, I'll break both your arms." The man finally registered who Julian was and paled instantly. He mumbled apologies in a panic and fled. "Quite the hero, General Hauser." Trina shoved down the shock and turmoil inside her and managed a thin, mocking smile. "What brings you here?" Julian frowned slightly and looked at her. "I was out on an emergency mission for a few days. I got back and heard you've been here for three nights straight. There's a limit to how far you can push it. It's time to go home." An emergency mission? Trina's heart gave a sharp twist. A mission where he took a knife for the woman he actually loved? She didn't say it out loud. She simply turned her head away. "I'm not going back." With that, she stepped around him to leave. Julian grabbed her wrist and, without warning, bent down and swept her off her feet. "Julian! What are you doing? Put me down!" Trina's shock flared into anger as she struggled in his arms. He ignored the way she kicked and twisted in his arms, carrying her in long strides toward a dim corner at the back of the club. He pinned her against the cold wall, and his mouth came down over hers in a hard kiss that brooked no argument, laced with a hint of urgency he didn't quite manage to hide. "Mm... You jerk! Let go!" Trina turned her face away, pushing both hands against his chest. Julian caught her wrists with one hand and pressed them above her head. His other hand slid to the back of her neck as he deepened the kiss, his mouth and tongue taking what they wanted. "Trin..." His voice was hoarse as he murmured her nickname, his breath coming rough. "Do you know how many days it's been since we last made love?" His lips trailed from her jaw to her throat, leaving a line of hot, damp kisses. "If you won't go home, then we'll do it here..." "No! I don't want to! Julian, if you touch me today, I'll hate you for the rest of my life!" She was flushed with anger and humiliation, but under that, the pain in her chest was so intense that it felt like it was being torn open. Was he so desperate to get Sienna that medicine that he couldn't even wait to go home? Julian only thought she was nervous. He leaned close to her ear, trying to soothe her. "Don't be scared. It's dark here. No one will see us..." "You jerk!" Tears of rage burned in Trina's eyes. She suddenly ducked her head and bit down on his shoulder hard. Julian let out a muffled groan, his body jerking. Then, he gave a low, helpless laugh. "You really are a wildcat..." He didn't give her another chance to fight him off. He forced past her resistance and took what he wanted. The dry, tearing pain made Trina's whole body go rigid. A strangled cry slipped from her throat. "Just bear with it," Julian muttered, fighting to keep his voice level as he moved against her. "If you can't handle a little pain, how are you going to get through having a baby?" A baby... Those words felt like a poisoned blade driven straight into her heart. Trina jerked her head up and stared at the face so close to hers, speaking each word carefully. "What if I told you my mother died giving birth to a second child on the day she found out my father was cheating? What if I said I never want to have a baby?" Julian's body went still. In the dark, she thought she caught a flash of something complicated in his eyes. But it vanished almost immediately. "Trin, I can promise you anything except that. Give me a child. A child who looks like you. With me here, and the best medical team in the country watching over you, nothing will happen to you." The words would have sounded devoted, even moving, to anyone else. But to Trina, every syllable felt like another slice of a blade. Julian couldn't see her despair or how much this was tearing her up. All he cared about was keeping Sienna alive. A wave of nausea and shame surged through her. She fought him with everything she had, shoving at him, twisting to get away. "Let go of me! Julian, let me go!" But her strength was no match for his. Her resistance barely moved him. Just as her last shred of hope was about to give way, a shocked scream rang out nearby. They both froze. Trina turned her head and saw Sienna standing a short distance away, tears streaming down her chalk-white face as she stared at them.