"But I was wrong."
There was no anger in her voice anymore.
Only disappointment.
"She only ever spoke badly about me. I was just too stupid to see it."
Silence settled over the room.
Juliet's fingers tightened around the blanket as memories flashed through her mind. Every time she had defended Alexa. Every time she had ignored someone's warning. Every excuse she had made for her.
"I loved her like a sister," she admitted quietly. "There were times I trusted her more than I trusted myself."
A flicker of hurt crossed her face before she quickly looked away.
"But she never looked at me the same way."
Taking a slow breath, she lifted her head and looked directly at Cassian.
"If she wants to treat me like an enemy, then why should I keep treating her like family?"
A small smile appeared on her lips, but this one lacked the warmth from before.
"From now on, she'll get exactly what she gives me."
For several seconds, Cassian simply stared at her. His dark eyes remained fixed on her face as though searching for something. Then, unexpectedly, the corner of his mouth lifted.
The smile was so faint most people would have missed it entirely, but Juliet saw it.
And somehow, that tiny curve of his lips made her heart skip.
Yet despite the smile, the darkness in his eyes never disappeared. If anything, his gaze became colder.
Without saying a word, he tossed the towel hanging around his neck onto a nearby chair and started walking toward her.
Juliet's breath caught.
The closer he came, the more her confidence seemed to disappear. By the time he stopped in front of the bed, she found herself instinctively leaning backward against the headboard.
Looking up at him from this close, she suddenly understood why so many people were terrified of him.
Cassian was handsome enough to make anyone lose their senses, but it was his eyes that made people fear him.
Dark.
Cold
The kind of eyes that made it feel impossible to hide anything.
Her heartbeat quickened beneath his gaze.
The smug expression she had been wearing moments ago disappeared completely.
Cassian lowered his head slightly, his eyes locking onto hers.
"You can do whatever you want inside this house."
His voice was calm, but that calmness felt far more dangerous than anger.
