Let Them Kneel (kaelani and Julian) novel Chapter 34

Kaelani froze. Her stomach flipped, though not in the way she wanted it to. Slowly, she turned.

Julian stood a few paces behind her, hands in his pockets, dressed in dark jeans and a charcoal shirt that clung to him just enough to betray the strength beneath. He looked almost casual — almost. There was always too much contained behind his stillness, like a storm in waiting.

Her brow arched. “Are you following me now?”

He gave a faint exhale that could’ve been a laugh. “Your website says that your bakery’s closed on Sundays.” His gaze didn’t waver. “So I stopped by your place, but you weren’t there. Your neighbor said you were probably out by the outlets.”

Her eyes narrowed. “So you hunted me down.”

“Found you,” he corrected softly.

Julian took a few slow steps closer, stopping just short of the line that would’ve made her flinch. “You blocked my number.” His voice was steady but edged.

Kaelani didn’t answer, didn’t blink, her expression unreadable.

“Why?” His voice dipped lower—not angry, not soft, just… searching.

That one word carried a weight that made her chest tighten, but she didn’t give him the satisfaction of an answer. She turned on her heel and started walking down the sidewalk.

He followed, his footsteps steady behind her. “You want a ride home?”

“No.”

He tried again. “You hungry? We could—”

“Definitely not.”

“You Alphas really do think so highly of yourselves, don’t you?” She went on, voice low but laced with venom. “Do you think you’re the first person to ever look at me like I was some kind of mistake?”

“I didn’t say—”

“Or some inconvenience that needed to be dealt with?” She cut in, stepping closer, her words sharper now, each one landing like a blow. “Because you’re not. But I didn’t fold into a little ball and cry over those assholes, and I sure as hell won’t for you.”

Julian’s mouth parted slightly, something flickering behind his eyes—guilt, pain, maybe both—but she didn’t give him a chance to speak.

“So,” she said, voice calm now, almost eerily composed. “You can just take a number…” Her gaze swept over him, cold and final. “And fuck off.”

She turned and walked away, the sound of her boots sharp against the concrete, each step pulling her farther from him.

Julian stood there, the weight of her words sinking deep, settling in the pit of his gut like lead. For the first time in years, he couldn’t find a single thing to say.