Evol

chapter fifteen

Monday 10th June, 2019

"You're going to think I'm crazy!"

Julian sighed for the third time. "I'm not! Whatever it is, I'll believe you."

"But it's insane," I appealed, looking at the tiled floor. "Even I know it sounds whacko, but it happened!"

"Obviously it happened - I've seen the bruises. And you've been limping around all day."

"What are you going to do after I tell you?"

Just one look in his eyes, the furious determination in them, told me what he was going to do. "I'm going to kill them."

"Julian!" I gasped. "You can't -- that's murder!"

"I'm well aware."

"You'll be a criminal."

His mouth twisted. "I prefer the term 'outgoing'."

"There's nothing outgoing about killing someone!"

"Ambitious?"

"Not that either."

He frowned like he was thinking. "What, then?"

"Try illegal."

A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth, but he fought it back. Coming forward, my heart stopped as he placed his hands on either side of me, flat on the counter.

His eyes looked up at me from underneath thick lashes. "Stop distracting me."

I was breathless. "Stop talking about killing someone."

"Just tell me, Brooke."

Julian was serious; I could see it in his eyes, hiding beneath black curls. Sighing, I pushed him away from me so I could form a sentence. He smirked, leaned back on the chair.

"What do you want to know?" I asked.

"When did it happen?"

"Last night."

Shock pulsed in his eyes, but he calmed himself. "What time?"

"Around half ten."

"At night?"

"Yes."

He crossed his arms over his chest, growling, "and what were you doing out on the streets at half ten at night?"

"Getting groceries." My voice came out stronger than I felt inside.

"You're ridiculous. Have I not told you about the curfew?"

I scoffed. "You're the ridiculous one! That curfew isn't real - there's loads of people out on the streets at night!"

"Not real? So what happened last night wasn't real?"

We stared at each other, both fuelled by anger. "Is that really the point?" I asked.

"It's a very valid point." He pressed his fingers to his temples. "One I'll get to later. I need to know the whole story first."

I looked at him, waiting for a question. Really, I was just being difficult.

He knew it, too. Julian glared, "where's your car?"

"It broke down halfway home. I walked the rest."

I flinched at his livid expression, directed at me this time. "Your phone?"

"Left it at home by accident."

He coughed out a cold laugh. "We're definitely having a conversation later. Did you knock at someone's house to use theirs?"