Chapter 373/Maybe I fucking will. Who knows?
Chapter 373
Julie’s point of view
His eyes drifted down to the empty space I’d left behind, before he snapped his gaze back to me, shooting me a cold, irritated glare. "I changed my goddamn mind," he muttered arrogantly, lifting his chin.
Leaving the two of them in the living room, I walked off with quiet, even strides toward the bathroom. I pushed the door half-shut behind me, grabbing my toothbrush and squeezing a line of paste onto the bristles.
I began brushing my teeth at a slow, deliberate pace, my eyes locking onto my own reflection in the massive mirror.
Suddenly, his massive silhouette filled the glass. I watched his reflection as he nudged the door open, slipping inside with silent, predatory steps.
He loomed directly behind me, leaning his broad back against the edge of the porcelain sink. His entire frame locked up, his eyes burning with an intense, suffocating watchfulness as he tracked my every move. His deep, gravelly voice dropped into a low, threatening murmur. "Are you seriously going through with that fucking date with Mike?"
I calmly spat into the sink, quickly rinsing my mouth with a splash of cold water. Turning around slowly to face him, I dragged the tips of my fingers across my damp lips to dry them. I held his gaze with pure, unyielding chill. "I already told your ass last night that I am."
His dark brows snapped together violently. He tried to choke down his escalating agitation, forcing his voice into a dry, rigid clip. "What exact time is he picking you up?"
A faint, mocking smirk played on my lips. I arched a single brow in open defiance. "Why the hell do you care? What, are you planning on crashing our dinner and sharing a table with us?"
He leaned his shoulder heavily against the tiled wall, dropping his gaze to the floor for a brief, ominous second, a silent threat vibrating through his posture. When he finally snapped his piercing blue eyes back up to lock onto mine, his voice was unshakeable. "Maybe I fucking will. Who knows?"
I took a bold, heavy step forward until the heat radiating from his broad chest practically brushed my skin. I drank in his rage-flushed face, a massive wave of pure triumph washing over me. I leaned in, my voice dropping into a dangerous, highly provocative whisper right against him. "Just admit it, Jake... admit that you are absolutely dying of jealousy because of Mike."
His jaw locked so hard the bone ticked, and a short, forced, entirely fake chuckle escaped his throat. He leaned his face down, closing the remaining distance between us until his ragged, hot breath fanned across my skin, his stubbornness absolute. "Me? Jealous?" he clipped out with a freezing, arrogant detachment. "Not a chance in hell. You’re fucking dreaming, Julie."
A faint, mocking smile touched my lips as I watched the thick veins bulging in his neck. The tight lock of his jaw completely betrayed the fragile, engineered pride he was trying so desperate to project. I moved to brush past him and leave the bathroom, but Jake moved with lethal speed. He slapped his massive hand against the door frame, completely barring my exit and trapping me entirely beneath his towering, heavy shadow with terrifying insistence.
His voice dropped into a low, menacing hiss, his gaze drilling straight into my eyes. "I didn’t hear the goddamn answer... What time?"
I pressed the tips of my fingers against his rock-solid chest, pushing him back with a bored, entirely unfazed sigh. "Seven in the evening, Jake," I clipped out, my tone dead and cold. "Now move your massive body out of my way."
He took a slow step backward, his eyes narrowing into slits filled with a silent, heavy threat. I walked past him without a second glance, making my way back into the living room.
Steve was just pushing himself up from the sofa, stretching his long arms out with an exhausted yawn. He turned to face me, a warm, bright smile melting across his features. **"I’m gonna go splash some cold water on my face, and then I’m coming right back to whip up the absolute best, most delicious pancakes in the world for my favorite sister."**
My lips softened with genuine gratitude. **"Thank you so much, Steve."**
I walked quietly back to my bedroom, immediately throwing myself into stripping the sheets and tidying up the unmade bed. I needed a distraction, anything to aggressively tear my mind away from the ghosts of last night.
About fifteen minutes later, the rich, intoxicating scent of melted butter and sweet vanilla invaded the hallway. Following the trail, I stepped into the kitchen to find Steve working over the hot stove with a burst of morning energy. The moment he caught sight of me, he turned around with a welcoming grin, gesturing with his spatula toward the breakfast bar. **"Have a seat, Julie. I’m almost done here."**
I pulled out a wooden stool and slid onto it quietly. Within seconds, the heavy, rhythmic thud of Jake’s footsteps shattered the peaceful kitchen atmosphere. He stepped into the room, shooting a burning, intensely mocking blue glare straight at me. Then, he turned to Steve, dropping a dry, sudden bomb into the air. **"Hey Steve... did you know Julie is heading out tonight to have a private, one-on-one dinner with Mike?"**
Steve’s hand froze mid-air as he went to flip a pancake. He turned around slowly, looking at me with a bewildered frown before asking gently, **"Really, Julie? Is there some kind of special occasion for this dinner between you two?"**
I adjusted my posture, keeping my expression entirely casual to ease his sudden worry. **"It’s nothing important, bro. He just invited me out strictly as a friend to catch up, that’s all."**
Jake let out a short, dark chuckle, leaning his broad shoulders heavily against the marble countertop as he spat pure venom. **"Personally, I think Mike is planning and craving something entirely different behind this private little invitation."**
Steve’s brows knitted together in deep suspicion, his voice turning rigid. **"Like what, for Christ’s sake, Jake?"**
Jake’s lips twisted into a toxic, arrogant sneer as he locked his predatory eyes onto me. **"You’re a man, Steve. You know exactly what the hell I mean. There’s no need to lay out the disgusting details."**