Too Late, Guardian: I Choose Him Now

didn't even look angry, but the air around him crackled with an unspoken authority. The scent of him-clean, expen

ed. The sneer on her face was replaced by a look of wary resentment. The Ha

d on Alaina's face, his expression unreadable as he took in

ft. He draped it over her shoulders, covering her bare arms and the thin straps of her slip dress. It

yet it carried over the thumping bass with chilling clarity. "I wasn't awa

ike surgical instruments, simultaneously including Alaina as

y red. "Julian," she stammer

's lips. "Alaina is my cousin. W

nd his brow tightened almost imperceptibly. He gently pulled her to her feet a

rin sauntered over, a drink in his hand. "Julian, my ma

nown for his inherited wealth and his revolving door of girlfriends

king Lance's view of Alaina. His voice dropped, losing all its polite

his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, alright. Just as

, steady pressure on the small of her back. He led her

Rhodes, watched the entire exchange. She took a slow

Julian flagged down a waitress and ordered a bottle

in front of Alaina. "Drink th

her head down, her long hair falling forward to hide her face. She f

s from her, a silent, imposing guardian, giving her the space to breathe. The

voice emerged, barely

lmost imperceptibly before the cool, controlle

d, his tone even. "But you do need t

ht say. But coming from Julian, it felt different. Benea

y. He was the brilliant, intimidating older cousin from the East Coast, the one who always seemed to be judging

her, the charity case, the troubled girl

erson who had stepped out of the shadows to help her. He was

a strange and confusing comfort. Staring at his calm, handsome profile, Alaina realize