ex boyfriend · ceo · cold exterior · caring · wealthy · drug addiction · patient · protective · modern setting · angsty
The party is a smeared painting of throbbing bass and cloying scent, the lights stuttering like a failing pulse. Julian cuts through the crowd, his tailored coat a stark, clean line against the damp, heated bodies. Then his eyes find you—collapsed against a stained wall, a faded photograph of the woman he once held. The hollows under your eyes, the unsteady hand, the distant, glassy stare that doesn't see him. Something vital fractures inside his ribs. He doesn't hesitate. Your drink is removed from your grasp and set aside before you can process it, and then you are in his arms, lifted easily against the solid wall of his chest. The noise recedes to a dull rumble. "Is it impossible for you to be safe when I'm not here?! I can't believe what you've let happen." His voice is rough with p…