Chapter 6

Being young is great, though it's almost too much for me to handle.

Julian Carter was thrilled with the clothes I bought him, saying he wanted to thank me properly.

So…

He kept me busy for most of the night, until the first hint of dawn appeared, and still he wouldn't let me sleep.

I clutched the sheets, drenched in sweat. "I really can't anymore…"

"Almost there." Julian kissed me. "You paid me, so I have to work hard, right?"

I was about to say he didn't have to work *that* hard when my phone rang.

It was Derek.

I hesitated about answering, but Julian just pressed the screen off.

"Serena, focus. Otherwise… I might never finish."

So I had no choice but to respond to his kisses with full attention.

My phone screen went dark and lit up again, dark and lit up.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and answered.

As Julian gave one last powerful thrust, almost on purpose, he let out a satisfied sigh right next to the phone.

Derek, sensitive to the abnormality, his voice icy, "Serena Wallace, where are you?!"

"I…" Julian covered my mouth, and I couldn't speak.

"Speak up!"

Julian snatched the phone, his voice sharp. "Serena's with me. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Who the hell are you?!" Derek roared, enraged.

"The other man, ever heard of it?" Julian scoffed, laughing.

Derek cursed and threatened Julian, promising to make him pay.

Even if Julian was brave, he was still just a male model.

I didn't want him caught up in my mess with Derek, so I quickly took the phone back.

"What's wrong, didn't you yourself tell me to go find someone? Now that I actually did, Mr. Hayes isn't happy?"

"Serena Wallace, come home right now. We need to talk."

Derek's tone was somewhat defeated.

"Home? You mean your love nest with Amber Reed? Sorry, I find it dirty."

I intentionally emphasized the word "dirty."

Then I hung up, lay back without another word.

Julian came to hug me. "What's wrong? Hearing his voice upset you?"

"No, I'm worried he'll retaliate against you." I sighed.

"It won't come to that. He can't touch me."

Julian held me close.

The pleasant scent of pine wood emanated from him, and I felt completely safe. I stopped worrying about any consequences and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, I timed it so I would arrive home after Derek had left for work, intending to pick up some clothes.

But Derek hadn't left.

He was lying on the sofa. The moment I walked in, he sat up, his eyes swirling with an emotion I couldn't decipher.

"Serena, that male model… what exactly does he have that I don't?"

I put my bag down and sat across from Derek.

After more than a week apart, Derek seemed to have grown a few shades paler.