CHAPTER 28: LOSING CONTROL FOR EACH OTHER

Catherine’s POV

"Julian." His name escaped me before I could think. I quickly shot up from the bed. "What the hell are you doing in my room? Get out."

He didn’t answer. He just stood there for a second, breathing hard like he’d run all the way here. His jaw flexed once, and then he shut the door behind him.

"Why are you shutting the door? I saidddd, get the fuck out!"

He ignored me and scoffed. "Nice performance tonight," he finally spoke, his voice cutting through like a blade. "Very commendable."

I clenched my jaw. Of course, he’d start like that.

"You missed the encore, though," I fired back, narrowing my eyes. "Should’ve stayed longer."

My words seemed to hit him because his smirk immediately faltered. He crossed the room in two strides, and before I could move, his hand shot out, not rough, but firm, catching my wrist and yanking me closer.

"Are you trying to provoke me, Catherine?" He asked with a low, tight, dangerous voice. "You’d better stop. You are taking it too far."

His grip tightened so hard they they hurt, making my pulse thud hard enough to shake through my ribs. I hadn’t expected him to tick that fast.

Unknowingly, I began rationalizing things in my head. Is he jealous? He has to be. Why else would he be acting like this?

But another voice cut through coldly and cruelly. Of course not, girl. Don’tflatteryourself. He doesn’t give one damn care in the world about you. He just can’t stand losing control or losing to Collins.

"Why’d you kiss him?" Julian demanded, his rough voice pulling me back from my thoughts. "To provoke me?"

I stared up at him, my pulse pounding in my ears. "Nope," the word came out like poison on my tongue, before I forced out a chuckle. "I kissed Collins because I like him. Get a hold of yourself."

His fingers twitched, but he didn’t let go. For a split second, something cracked in his expression, the tiniest flicker of hurt, before he masked it with that damn smirk again, tilting his head.

"Guess you were right about calling me easy," I went on, forcing the words through the lump in my throat. "I know for a fact that it wasn’t hard watching me give what you didn’t want to someone else."

That did it. Julian’s teeth pressed together, his muscles ticking at the corner of his face.

He lowered his face, so they were inches from mine. "You really think I do not want these lips of yours?" each murmured word came out deliberate. "You think it’s easy staring at you every day and pretending to—" He stopped himself, his eyes burning with something unreadable. "You have no idea what you’re doing to me, Catherine."

My throat went dry. For a second, I forgot how to breathe. The way he said my name was low and hoarse, like it hurt him and it threw me completely off balance.

"I’m supposed to have control," he continued, dragging his hand through his hair. "But whenever I’m around you, I lose it all."

He broke off, exhaling sharply.

I met his eyes. "Then maybe you should stop controlling the way you feel," I whispered. "If you want to kiss me, go ahead and do it."

He bit down on his lower lip, shaking his head with a tensed jaw. "No. You’re my stepsister," he let out a breath. "And you’re eighteen, Catherine. I’m twenty-four. This—this is wrong."

I laughed softly but bitterly. "Enough of this age thing. I am adult enough and this means I can do what I want, with whoever I want."

"Stop," he uttered, almost begging. "You don’t know what you’re saying."

"I do," my voice snapped. "Maybe you are the one who has no idea of what he is saying or what he wants. You say one thing and do another. You say you want me, but you act like—like you don’t."

There came a thick, heavy silence.

He stopped saying anything. Right! What was I expecting?!

I swallowed, forcing myself to look him straight in the face. "Just leave, Julian."

"I don’t want to," his reply came fast.

What did he really want? He was confusing me.

I shot my eyes tight, squeezing in all the emotions, the conflict, the rage, the want, the hunger, the sadness.. till I felt him step closer, slow and controlled.

Every inch he moved felt electric, until his breath brushed against my cheek. My chest began to rise and fall too fast.

This was the part where he would finally kiss me but his lips never took mine.

My eyes fluttered open, and my muscle at my jaw ticked. "Are you going to kiss me or not? You can’t keep doing this to me."

"I’m sorry, maybe you should stop letting me."

How could I stop him?!

My head tilted with a half sneer. "Selfish much? Do you think you are the only one who loses control of yourself whenever we are together?"

"Catherine?" He cupped my jaw, turning my face to him again, with his thumb brushing just under my chin. "You have no idea of the bad things I want to do to you."

The way he sucked his lip after he said that, did a lot of things to me.

Air stalled in my throat as his lips moved to my ear. "I want to kiss your lips, bite them till they have marks enough to let anyone know that you are mine."

"I want to squeeze those cheeky ass of yours, while sucking your perky boobs. Damn, I can’t stop thinking of how you would moan for me when I stroke your pussy."

"Julian..." I slowly called out. "Please."

He ran his tongue on my ear. "What are you begging for?"

My fingers dug deep into his shoulder, I needed support because my legs were starting to weaken out. "I want you."

He pulled back a little and our eyes locked. I could see the raw fire in his eyes.

Neither of us moved, both of us waiting for the other to break first.

Then a sharp knock came and I froze.

Gabriel’s voice filtered through the door. "Catherine, I need your help with something."

Julian’s lips thinned. He took one slow step back, eyes still locked on me.

I turned with panic, glancing toward the door. "Gabriel, I’m about to sleep," I replied, trying to feign a sleepy tone.

There was a pause, until his voice came again. "Sorry, but it’s urgent. I’m coming in..."

I looked at Julian, whose eyes were darkened with fury and what seemed like frustration.

"Stop standing there and hide somewhere."