CHAPTER 48: SISTER-ZONED

Julian’s POV

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the image of her body replaying over and over again, how she flinched at my touch, how she refused to kiss me. It all made me furious.

The worst part was that no matter how hard I tried to think about anything else, it was useless.

The only way I finally drifted off was after taking a pill but even in sleep, Catherine found a way to screw with my head.

It wasn’t the first time she’d invaded my dreams but this one was different. It was voice and consuming. I dreamt of her soft skin under my palms, of her warm lips tracing desperate kisses all over my body. She whispered my name like it meant something, like she actually wanted me the same way I wanted her. My body betrayed me completely.

By the time I woke up, I was so damn hard, my breath was ragged, and the sheets tangled around my legs like chains.

Reality hit a second later.

"Shit," I hissed, pressing the heels of my palms against my eyes.

Julian Vaughn, why are you acting this way over a girl when you can have so many others in your bed? Come on, man, this ain’t you!

I swung my legs off the bed and sat there, elbows on my knees, running a hand through my hair. The clock said 3:14 a.m. I wasn’t getting any more sleep that night.

By morning, I was still angry, not just at her, but at myself.

I needed to get her out of my head.

—

In school, she moved almost everywhere with Collins, laughing at whatever nonsense he would say. It was so damn irritating.

I didn’t even realize I’d stopped walking until I caught sight of them near the library entrance. Collins had one arm around her waist, tugging her closer as he whispered something into her ear and then, before I could even blink, he kissed her.

Right there. On the lips that she refused me last night.

My fists clenched instantly. Every muscle in my body went tight, like I’d just been hit in the gut.

She didn’t pull away. She didn’t even look uncomfortable, if anything, she smiled against his lips, like she wanted me to see.

"Fuck," I muttered under my breath.

A part of me wanted to storm over there, grab that smug bastard by the collar, and make him regret breathing the same air as her but the other part, the rational part that still had a shred of control, told me to walk away. She wasn’t mine. She wasn’t supposed to be mine.

Still, I couldn’t stop staring.

The way her hand rested on his chest. The way he brushed a strand of hair from her face. Every little gesture felt like a personal attack.

I turned away before I did something stupid. My palms hurt from how hard I’d been clenching them.

By the time I made it to my car, I was seething.

I told myself I wouldn’t think about her again but that lie lasted less than a day.

——

Later at home, Lucy found me in the sitting room and came to sit with me.

"Hey, stranger. You’ve been avoiding me."

I stirred my coffee, trying not to sound as miserable as I felt. "I’m sorry, I’ve just been busy."

With your stepsister?" she teased, her tone light but her eyes sharp.

My jaw clenched. "What exactly are you implying?"

Lucy leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. "Come on, Julian. I’m not stupid. I’ve caught you sneaking out of her room countless times. You also look really down these days. Is she the reason?"

"She’s not the reason for anything," I said sharply. "Why is she everywhere? Fuck it, I’m so tired of hearing about her."

Lucy’s smile faltered. "Don’t get upset. I’m just worried about you and you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yeah," I muttered, my eyes fixed on the mug.

She watched me for a moment, and something in her expression changed before she let out a slow and deliberate smile.

"You know," she said, her hand moving up and down my elbow, "I do not know a lot but I can help you relieve your stress..."

"Huh?" I shot her a hard, deadly stare, pulling my hand away.

She reached for me, fingers brushing the front of my shirt. "You’re so tense, Julian. Let me help you relax."

I sighed, setting the glass down. "Lucy, what do you think you are doing?"

"Being a good friend."

Her perfume was sweet, almost nauseating. She leaned in, eyes half-lidded, and for a second I didn’t move, not because I wanted her, but because I was tired.

Tired of fighting everything I wasn’t supposed to feel.

Her hands slid up my chest, and she whispered, "You don’t have to pretend you don’t want this."

That snapped me back. I caught her wrists and pushed her gently but firmly away. "Stop."

She blinked. "What?"

"Don’t ever do that again." My tone came out harsher than I intended.

Her eyes widened, then narrowed. "You’re kidding, right? You’ve been sending mixed signals for weeks, Julian."

"No, Lucy. You are wrong. You are my friend, someone I’ve always seen like a sister. We looked out for each other back at rehab. That was real, that was pure."

When Richard had sent me to the rehab, I planned to kill myself but Lucy showed up and gave me strength. She was the support system I needed and ever since, I’ve been so grateful to her.

"Exactly. It was pure love and still is," she snapped. "So what’s wrong with us doing this?"

The question hung in the air and I said nothing.

Lucy gave a bitter laugh. "Unbelievable. Just tell me the fucking truth. That stepsister of yours is who you are fantasizing about, right? She is the reason we can’t make out?"

I shook my head in disbelief. This wasn’t the sweet innocent Lucy I knew.

"Julian, answer me. That girl is only eighteen. What could you possibly like in her?!"

"Lucy? What’s gotten into you? What are you saying?"

She stood up and turned around, folding her hands. "I’m tired of being pushed aside, Julian. Isn’t it obvious? I like you but you never notice me. You even forgot about me after you returned home. If I hadn’t searched for you, you would never have remembered my existence."

She began to cry, I could hear it and before I could console her, before I could explain that I always considered her as the best person in my life, before I could let her know that I tried to find her, she stormed out.