My heart twisted painfully at the sight of her—my beautiful, strong Julie, reduced to tears because of me. A deep, burning anger flared inside me, hot and possessive, but it was quickly overshadowed by the raw vulnerability in her eyes. She looked so small, so fragile, her usual confidence shattered by whatever had brought her to this moment.
I squeezed her tighter, one hand cradling the back of her head while the other slid down to grip her ass through her pencil skirt, squeezing hard enough to make her whimper.
The warmth of her body seeped through the fabric, her trembling form pressed against mine as if she were trying to merge into me. I could feel her heartbeat, rapid and erratic, as if her very soul were trembling.
"Julie… what happened?" I growled, my voice rough with a mix of fury and concern. "Did anyone say anything to you? Who bullied you? Tell me their names right now—I'll make them regret ever looking at you the wrong way."
