"But you're not allowed to leave."
Juliet blinked.
"What?"
"You're not allowed to step outside this house."
The firmness in his tone left no room for argument.
The possessiveness woven into his words sent an unexpected flutter through her chest.
Before she could respond, he had already straightened to his full height. Turning around, he walked toward the door.
Within seconds, he disappeared from the room, leaving Juliet staring after him.
The door clicked shut.
For several moments, she remained motionless on the bed before dropping her head into her hands with a frustrated groan.
"Because of Alexa..."
Her voice was muffled against her palms.
"Because of her constantly poisoning my thoughts against Cassian, I did so many terrible things."
The memories made her stomach twist.
"What the hell is wrong with me?"
Muttering under her breath, she flopped backward onto the mattress and stared up at the ceiling.
Then another thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Alexa.
Standing alone in a cemetery.
At night.
Waiting for Cassian.
Juliet burst out laughing.
She rolled onto her side and hugged a pillow against her chest as her shoulders shook with amusement. The more she imagined Alexa's horrified expression when she realized where she had been dropped off, the harder she laughed.
By the time her laughter finally faded, exhaustion began creeping into her body. Her eyelids grew heavier with every passing minute, and before she realized it, sleep slowly claimed her.
Half an hour later, the bedroom door quietly opened.
Cassian stepped inside.
The moment his gaze landed on the sleeping figure curled up on the bed, something inside him softened.
The tension that had been clinging to him eased slightly.
Moving quietly, he approached the bed and looked down at her sleeping face. Juliet was completely unaware of his presence. Her arms were wrapped around a pillow, and a few loose strands of hair had fallen across her cheek.
For a long moment, he simply stood there looking at her.
