Beauty and Betrayal

Chapter 8 A thin line

**Juliette***

I didn't know why I'd said it.

The words slipped out so easily, like they were mine, like I meant them. *Chill, J, it's two muffins.* But as soon as I linked arms with Rowan and let him lead me away, a flicker of doubt gnawed at me. Jude was right. Stealing two muffins—however small and insignificant—wasn't okay. But I said it anyway, because for a brief second, it felt good. It felt like being with Rowan made things simple, made me brave enough to shrug off the rules, to laugh in the face of the quiet life I'd been living.

I glanced at Rowan, his smirk as sharp as ever. He didn't see things the way Jude did, the way I sometimes wished I did. Everything was a game to him. A challenge. Something to be conquered, taken. But what was I taking? What had I just let go?

Jude's eyes were burning into my back. I could feel her frustration like a heatwave pressing in on me, and guilt crept up, but I pushed it down.

"Come on," Rowan said, tugging me closer as we weaved through the crowd. "Don't let Jude spoil the fun."

*Fun.* That's what this was to him—stealing a muffin, breaking the rules, and making me feel like I was part of something bigger, something more dangerous than I was used to.

But was it fun for me? Or was it just Rowan pulling me deeper into his world, a place where right and wrong blurred like watercolors mixing on a page?

As we reached the center of the square, the buzz of the town grew louder, the marketplace teeming with people bartering, laughing, living their lives. Normal people, doing normal things. People who paid for what they took.

I glanced down at the muffin in my hand, the sweet smell now turning my stomach. Jude's words echoed in my head—*it's not right*. It wasn't right, and deep down, I knew it.

Rowan, oblivious to my thoughts, grinned down at me. "You're overthinking again," he teased, his voice light. "Live a little, Jules."

I forced a smile, trying to push away the guilt, but it clung to me, heavy and uncomfortable. I could hear Jude and Cassian behind us, their hushed conversation just out of reach. They were probably talking about me, about how reckless I was being, about how Rowan was dragging me into his mess. And maybe they were right.

But something about Rowan's easy confidence, the way he moved through the world as if nothing could touch him, drew me in. It made me feel powerful, like I was capable of more than just following the rules, of more than just living a safe, predictable life.

"You coming or what?" Rowan asked, breaking my thoughts again.

I nodded, tucking the muffin into my pocket. "Yeah, I'm coming."

As we moved deeper into the square, I tried to ignore the nagging voice in the back of my mind—the one that sounded a lot like Jude. But it was getting harder to drown out, harder to pretend that what I was doing was just harmless fun.

Maybe Rowan was right, that two little muffins wouldn't hurt anybody. But what about the next thing? What about the bigger choices he'd ask me to make? Where did this road with Rowan lead?

And was I ready to follow it, wherever it.

Maybe I was..

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**Rowan**

I've never been the kind of man to bend for a woman. Especially when it comes to my plans. That's a line I swore I'd never cross.

But then there's Juliette Grace Cain.

She is my weakness. The one exception to every rule I've lived by. And maybe, just maybe, this changes things. I've never let anyone distract me from my goals, but for her... I would. She's the kind of woman who would do anything for the people she loves. I just hope I can make her love me enough to stand by my side, because if she doesn't, I might lose everything—including myself.

With her beside me, this world would bow at our feet. But first, I need the Prism. Yes, I'm powerful now, but with the Prism in my hands, I'd be unstoppable. Nothing would stand in our way.

"Princess, have I told you how devastatingly beautiful you are today?" My voice lowers to a whisper as I step closer. "Because you take my breath away." I brush a strand of hair from her face, my fingers lingering against her skin. "Have you thought about my offer? I'm not a patient man."

She looks up at me, her gaze flickering with uncertainty. "I'm still deciding," she murmurs. "I'm sorry. It's just... a lot. But I promise, I'll have an answer soon."

She leans into my arm, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I'm already prepared to burn the world down—but if she wants to be the one to strike the match, I'll gladly stand back and watch it all go up in flames.