Chapter 248 · My Hockey Roommate’s Filthy Desires

Chapter 248

ARIA'S POVI tried to lose myself in the mountains of paperwork on my desk, but my eyes kept drifting back to the dark red roses.The simple note from Brandon lay open beside my keyboard, a constant distraction. Every time my phone buzzed or a shadow passed my office glass, my heart leaped into my throat.By early afternoon, the strain of pretending everything was fine was starting to wear me thin. I massaged my temples, staring blankly at a legal brief, when the heavy oak door of my office opened.Chloe stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind her. Her usual bright expression was gone, replaced by a tense, worried look. "Miss Aria?" she murmured, stepping closer to my desk.I let go of my temples and sat up. "Yes, Chloe? What is it?""Julian is outside," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He's in the reception area. He insisted on seeing you, and when the receptionist told him you were busy, he refused to leave. He says it’s urgent."A cold dread immediately washed over me, closely followed by a burning wave of anger. Julian. The man who had sat in my living room, smugly handing over the envelope that shattered my entire life, was now standing right outside my office doors."Did he say what he wanted?" I asked, my voice tight."No, just that he needs to speak with you immediately," Chloe replied, glancing nervously toward the lobby. "Should I call security to have him escorted out of the building?" I stared at the mahogany wood of my desk, my mind racing.Part of me wanted to have him thrown out on his face. But another part of me, the angry, protective mother, wanted to look him in the eye. I wanted to know how he had gotten that file, and why he was trying so hard to tear my world apart.I looked down at Brandon's note, then back up at Chloe. "No," I said, my voice hardening as I stood up from my chair. "Don't call security. Let him in.”Chloe left the office and a few minutes later, the heavy oak door swung open, and Julian stepped into my office. He looked immaculate in a tailored grey suit, his hair perfectly styled.There was a confident, almost victorious smile on his face that made my stomach turn. He looked around my office, his eyes lingering for a second on the massive arrangement of red roses on my desk, before finally settling on me."Aria," he said, his voice smooth and dripping with artificial warmth. "You look absolutely beautiful today. That color really suits you."I didn't smile. I didn't even sit back down. I stood tall behind my desk, my hands resting flat on the cool wood."Get straight to the point, Julian," I said, my voice cold and sharp as ice. "I don't have time for your compliments, and I certainly don't have time for you."Julian’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second, but he quickly recovered, taking a few steps closer to my desk. He folded his hands in front of him, adopting a gentle, caring expression that I knew was completely fake."I know you're angry with me for delivering that file," he said softly. "But I did it because I care about you. I couldn't let you live a lie with a dangerous criminal."He took another step forward, leaning slightly over the desk. "Now that Brandon is finally out of your life, it's high time I stepped in for Amelia. She needs her father, Aria. It's time for us to be a family again."I let out a harsh, bitter scoff, the sound echoing loudly in the quiet office."A family?" I asked, looking at him with puredisgust. "You think you can just walk back in after everything you've done? After you abandoned her? That will never happen, Julian. You are not her father, and you will never be a part of her life again.”Julian’s face darkened, the fake warmth instantly melting away to reveal the cold, arrogant man underneath."Don't be dramatic, Aria," he sneered, stepping around the side of my mahogany desk. "You’re hurting, and you’re confused. But you can't run from the truth. You need me. Amelia needs me.""Get away from me, Julian," I warned, backing up until my spine hit the cold glass of the window.But he didn't stop. He closed the distance between us, his hands suddenly launching forward to grip my upper arms. His fingers dug into my skin, trapping me against the window."We belong together, Aria. We always have," he whispered, his eyes dropping to my lips. "Let me show you what a real man, a safe man, feels like."Before I could even process the sheer disgust pooling in my stomach, Julian lunged forward, trying to force his lips onto mine.The sound of my hand connecting with his cheek rang out like a gunshot in the quiet office. I poured every ounce of my built-up grief, rage, and exhaustion into the blow.Julian’s head snapped to the side. He stumbled back a step, his hand flying to his rapidly reddening cheek. For a second, he looked completely stunned.Then, his eyes narrowed into slits of pure, venomous rage. "You bitch," he snarled, raising a hand as if to strike me back.In his fury, his arm brushed against the corner of my desk, sending the heavy glass vase of Brandon’s dark red roses crashing to the floor.The vase shattered into a million sharp shards, water and deep red petals exploding across the carpet like a pool of blood.Before Julian could take another step toward me, the heavy oak door of my office didn't just open—it was practically kicked off its hinges. Anthony stormed in, his eyes cold, lethal, and locked entirely on Julian.In a fraction of a second, Anthony crossed the room. He grabbed Julian by the collar of his expensive grey suit, spinning him around and slamming him face-first against the wall.The impact made the framed degrees on the wall rattle. "Let go of me! Do you know who I am?!" Julian gasped, his cheek pressed hard against the drywall as Anthony pinned his arm behind hisback."I know exactly who you are," Anthony whispered, his voice dangerously calm. He leaned in closer to Julian's ear, his grip tightening until Julian let out a choked whimper. "And if you ever lay a hand on Miss Aria again, they will be pulling your body out of the river. Do you understand me?"I stood shaking by the window, my heart hammering against my ribs, staring at the ruined roses and shattered glass on the floor.Anthony looked over his shoulder at me, his demeanor instantly shifting to one of absolute respect. "Are you alright, Miss Aria?""I'm fine, Anthony," I breathed out, my voice trembling but holding its ground. I looked at Julian, who was squirming in Anthony's grip, his perfect suit now wrinkled and ruined. "Get him out of my sight.""With pleasure," Anthony said. He dragged Julian toward the door, throwing him out into the reception area where Chloe was standing, wide-eyed and terrified."If I see you within a block of this building again, Julian," Anthony warned coldly, dusting off his hands, "you won't walk away next time.”Julian twisted in Anthony's iron grip, his face contorted into something ugly and unrecognizable.Even with his arm pinned behind his back, he sneered over his shoulder, his eyes locking onto mine with a venom that chilled me to the bone."You think you’ve won, Aria?" Julian spat, his voice echoing loudly in the reception area. "You think this giant thug is going to protect you? You think Brandon Vance is your savior? He’s a monster, and he’s going to drag you down to hell with him! But before he does, I am going to take Amelia. I’ll take her legally, or I'll just take her. You're going to lose everything, Aria. Everything!""Get out," I whispered, my voice shaking but resolute. Anthony didn’t let him say another word. He shoved Julian through the glass double doors of the lobby, nearly throwing him into the elevator bank."Chloe, call building security immediately,"Anthony commanded, his voice booming. "Tell them Julian is blacklisted from this property. If he steps foot in the lobby, they are to arrest him for trespassing.""O-okay, right away!" Chloe stammered, her hands trembling as she grabbed her desk phone.Anthony walked back into my office, closing the heavy oak door behind him. The room was in complete disarray. Water was soaking into the carpet, and the dark red roses, Brandon's roses, lay scattered among the sharp, glittering shards of the broken glass vase. It looked like a crime scene.Anthony immediately reached into his suit jacket and pulled out his phone. His face was set in a grim, deadly line. "I’m calling Mr. Brandon right now. He needs to know Julian put his hands on you.""Anthony, wait!" I cried out, stepping forward. "Don't." Anthony paused, his thumb hovering over the screen. He looked up at me, his eyes filled with fierce protective loyalty."Miss Aria, with all due respect, my instructions are to report any threat to your safety. Julian crossed a line. If Mr. Brandon finds out I kept this from him—""He won't find out unless you tell him," I interrupted, my voice pleading. I walked over, gently but firmly placing my hand over his phone, forcing him to lower it. "Please, Anthony. You know what Brandon will do if he hears about this."Anthony remained silent, but the tight set of his jaw told me he knew exactly what would happen."He will hunt Julian down," I said, the harsh reality of Brandon’s world crashing over me."He will kill him. And I cannot have Julian's blood on my hands. I won't have Amelia's father murdered in the streets because of me, no matter how much of a bastard he is. I am trying to get away from the violence, Anthony. If you tell Brandon, you’ll just be fueling the fire."Anthony stared at me for a long, agonizing moment. The internal battle was clear on his face—his absolute duty to his boss fighting against the logic of my plea."Please," I whispered. "Just let me handle this. Keep this between us."Slowly, Anthony slipped the phone back into his pocket. He let out a heavy breath, bowing his head slightly. "Only on one condition, Miss Aria.""What?""I won't leave your side for the rest of the day. And when we leave this building, we go straight back to the estate." He looked down at the shattered glass and the crushed red petals. "We don't know what Julian is capable of anymore."I looked at the ruined roses on the floor, feeling the walls of my life closing in. "Okay," I breathed. "Deal.”

Chapter 248