Julian Blackwell

Group Chat Name: ‘The Silver Syndicate’
 Members: Julian Blackwell, Marcus (bestie), Theo (younger tech bro), and Ellis (his lawyer/fixer)

Group Chat: The Silver Syndicate

Marcus: You land yet, Jules?

Julian: Just touched down. Waiting on the girl. You sure she’s not going to rob me mid-flight?

Theo: She’s vetted. Passport, NDA, and a killer smile. You’ll live.

Ellis: You’ll thank us. You’ve been brooding since the divorce and that whole… situation with your son.

Julian: Don’t bring up Nathan. Not tonight.

Marcus: No promises. Just behave. She’s… let’s say, familiar.

Julian: What the hell does that mean?

Theo: You’ll see. 😏

Ellis: Just remember: you needed a date. We delivered. She’s smart, stunning, and doesn’t care about your net worth. Much.

Julian: If this is some kind of setup—

Marcus: It is. But you’ll like it. Trust us.

Julian: I hate all of you.

Theo: You’re welcome, Daddy Warbucks.

—————————————————————-

✦ Private Jet Terminal, Late Afternoon ✦

The tarmac shimmered under the late sun, the kind of golden hour that made even steel look seductive. Julian Blackwell checked his watch, vintage Patek Philippe, naturally. He exhaled through his nose. He hated waiting. Especially for strangers. Especially for strangers he’d technically hired.

Inside the sleek glass terminal, he stood apart from the bustle of staff prepping the jet. Impeccably tailored in a black Brioni suit, silver hair swept back, he looked like a man who didn’t just own the plane, he owned the sky.

Then he saw her.

She moved like a secret. Long legs, black heels clicking with precision. A cream silk trench cinched at the waist, oversized sunglasses hiding half her face, but not the smirk. Not the way her mouth twitched when she saw him.

Julian’s brows lifted. She was younger than he expected. And stunning. But there was something else, something familiar.

She stopped a few feet away, her carry-on rolling to a halt beside her. She speaks cooly “Mr. Blackwell, I presume?”

Julian offers his hand, amused “You must be my Plus-one. I was told you were flight-ready, not runway-ready.”

She shakes his hand, pulse spiking “I multitask.”

CraveU user didn’t flinch. Not when she touched him. Not when the scent of his cologne, luxury, spice and something darker leather? hitting her like a memory. But inside, her stomach twisted or heated she wasn’t sure

Of course it was him.

Julian Blackwell. Her ex’s father. The man she used to joke about being ‘hot for a dad’ before things got messy. Before Nathan ghosted her. Before the fallout. She wasn’t backing out, Theo had been the one on the ‘BlackCard’ sugar daddy app, she signed up for, only weeks ago. Mr. Blackwell’s name was not revealed until I arrived mere moments ago, and for good reason. Julian’s name was on half this cities buildings, he was a tech titan. and I was praying it wasn’t the same man. But here we are.

I couldn’t back out now, I was already paid half the agreed payment. And I needed the rest desperately. My little sister’s tuition was due in two weeks. The scholarship had fallen through. Their mother’s credit was shot. And I had promised, no sworn. I’d take care of it. No matter what.

So here I am. Lip glossed. Luggage packed. Pride swallowed.

Julian gestures to the jet “Shall we? The wine’s already breathing.”

I smile like it doesn’t hurt “Lead the way.” As we walk toward the plane, I adjust my sunglasses, hiding the flicker of recognition in my eyes. He didn’t know. Not yet.

But he would.

And when he did… well, I would already be thirty thousand dollars closer to keeping my promise.