Filed to story: Quinn Lane and Julian Sterling Book PDF Free
There were marks on her face too, and it was already starting to swell. Warm water poured down from the showerhead, stinging in certain places.
But Quinn did not care.
She wanted to scrub herself clean, as if she could wash away everything that had happened. Even though Chase had not really gotten the chance to do anything to her, she still felt filthy.
The thought of a man getting close to her, trying to touch her, made her feel hopeless, disgusted, and dirty.
She did not know how long she stayed in the shower.
Eventually she changed into the lounge clothes Veronica had prepared and walked out of the bathroom.
Her hair was half dry, loosely tied behind her head.
The outfit was simple and modest, a black collared top that made her pale skin look even lighter.
But because her skin was so fair, the bruises on her neck and the finger marks on her face looked even more shocking.
“Veronica?”
When Quinn stepped out of the bathroom, she noticed the house was unusually quiet.
She called out again. No one answered. She heard a faint noise somewhere and followed the sound.
The house was large, even bigger than the house she shared with Chase.
After turning down a hallway, Quinn reached the spacious living room. At the far end was an open kitchen.
And inside the kitchen stood a tall figure.
The man wore only a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing strong arms with smooth, defined lines.
He was chopping vegetables. Those long, powerful hands somehow made even such an ordinary task look elegant.
A gray apron outlined his lean waist.
His long legs stretched almost past the height of the kitchen counter. His broad shoulders and back carried a quiet masculine strength.
But Quinn had no mind to admire any of it. All she felt was panic and unease.
Why is Julian here again?Where is Veronica?
Her thoughts raced through everything that had happened, from the kiss on the yacht to their dinner at the restaurant, the bodyguards, waiting outside the police station, and now his sudden appearance in Veronica’s kitchen.
A man who should have had nothing to do with her kept appearing in her life again and again.
Something about this was not normal.
And right now, the thing Quinn feared most was a life that had slipped beyond her control.
She tried to quietly step back and leave.
But her leg bumped into a metal trash can, which made a sharp clanging sound.
Julian looked over immediately.
Their eyes met. Quinn instantly became guarded.
She felt so tense that every nerve in her body seemed to be on edge, as if warning him to keep his distance.
With her hands clasped behind her back, she looked at Julian with clear hesitation and a trace of fear.
This man was wealthy, powerful, and far above her. If he wanted to do something, she would have no way to resist.
The first thing Julian noticed was her injuries. His eyes darkened for a moment.
Then he saw the rejection in her gaze. It was unmistakable.
Zeke had once said that not just in Lakeshore City, but across the entire country, there were countless women obsessed with Julian.
They tried every possible way to get close to him, to approach him, to sleep with him. Even if it was only a brief moment of intimacy, they would still consider it worth it.
But clearly, the woman standing in front of him had no such thoughts. On the contrary, she was pushing him away.
Julian spoke, his voice cool and calm.
“Have a seat. Dinner will be ready soon.”
He did not say anything else. He simply turned back to the kitchen and continued cooking.
Some of Quinn’s tension eased.
Julian’s attitude did not seem like that of a man with ulterior motives.
Besides, this was Veronica’s home. She was his cousin. It was perfectly normal for him to be here.
Quinn sat down on the sofa farthest from the kitchen and sent Veronica a message.
Veronica replied almost immediately.
“I stepped out to pick something up. I’ll be back soon.”
Her house had never really been used for cooking before.
When Julian arrived earlier with bags of groceries and announced he was going to cook, Veronica had been stunned.
How lucky am I to actually eat something Julian made himself? Wait. Julian can cook?
But watching his smooth, practiced movements had already given her the answer.
“If word got out, people would be completely shocked,” Veronica said. “Who would believe that one day I’d get to eat something cooked by you?”
Julian moved steadily and confidently, every motion relaxed and controlled.
“It’s not that dramatic,” he said.
Veronica leaned against the kitchen counter.
“But we both know who I’m really benefiting from,” she said. “So, are you serious about this?”
Julian glanced at her and then lowered his head again to continue preparing the ingredients.
He said nothing. But his silence already answered the question.
A man who usually cared about nothing except business and making money had actually stepped away from work, meetings, and social obligations. In the middle of a freezing winter night, he had waited outside a police station for several hours.
If Veronica still asked whether he was serious, she would be pretending not to understand.
“Quinn…” Veronica hesitated for a moment before continuing honestly. “After everything she’s been through, she might feel uncomfortable with men getting close to her. When we were doing the injury assessment earlier, her reactions were very sharp. Almost extreme.”
Julian’s hands paused.
“I’ve seen victims like this before,” Veronica continued. “After experiencing assault or something traumatic, they develop a psychological rejection toward physical contact with men. Some of them can’t accept intimacy ever again.”
“She won’t,” Julian said steadily. “And if that ever becomes the case… I’ll find a way.”
Veronica looked at him.
“I’m not trying to report her situation to you,” she said. “I just want to remind you. Even if you have feelings for her, wait until she’s divorced. And when that time comes, take it slow. Don’t scare her.”
Julian replied calmly, “Your father just started getting involved in business. If there’s anything he doesn’t understand, he can contact my executive assistant.”
Veronica smiled. “That would help a lot. My dad’s been worrying about that lately.”
She knew that this was Julian’s way of expressing gratitude.
And the reason was simple.
Because she was looking out for Quinn and considering things from Quinn’s perspective.
Anyone who treated Quinn well would never be treated poorly by Julian.
When Veronica returned home and opened the door, the first person she saw was Quinn. Quinn immediately stood up, relief spreading across her face.
“Veronica, you’re back.”
“Did you finish showering?” Veronica asked. “Did you put medicine on the bruises?”
“I did,” Quinn replied quickly.
As she spoke, her eyes drifted toward the kitchen.
Veronica noticed the tension in her expression and explained, “He lives nearby and sometimes comes here to cook. Bet you didn’t expect that. The two of us are basically food buddies.”
Quinn relaxed a little.
“Oh, I see.”
“Just wait until you try Julian’s cooking,” Veronica said with a grin. “Trust me, most people never get that chance.”
She gently guided Quinn back to the sofa.
“Sit and rest. I’ll take these groceries into the kitchen.”
Once inside the kitchen, Veronica said quietly, “I might have bragged a little out there. I told her you cook for me all the time and that you’re amazing at it. You’re not going to embarrass me, are you?”
Julian did not look up.
“You’re pretty good at making things up,” he said.
“Yeah,” Veronica replied. “It takes a lot of brainpower. Honestly, all the times you and Quinn have run into each other, I’ve probably burned through half my brain cells already.”
