CHAPTER 84: FIGHTING URGES

Julian’s POV

The moment I walked into the dining room and saw Catherine sitting there in the hoodie I had bought for her, my chest tightened and I froze mid‑step, staring at her longer than I should have, longer than someone like me, who was trying so damn hard to keep distance, should ever stare.

She was wearing the exact gift I’d planned to give her, the one I didn’t deliver because the night I’d planned to hand it to her, I checked her room twice and couldn’t find her. I waited, paced, and even rehearsed the stupid explanation in my head—"I want to apologize for not coming back that night. I got to my room and found Lucy there. She had a bad dream and needed me to stay with her,"—she would probably find it stupid, but I would be honest.

But that night, I saw her walking out of Gabriel’s room, and a possessive, irrational rage took over me, making me let Lucy take the gift.

But now? Now that the hoodie was stretched across Catherine’s body.

Lucy, having problems with reading the room, kept on bugging me about her stolen gift. This time she leaned closer. "Julian, someone stole the gift, I am so sure."

Last night, she’d also walked into my room looking frantic, asking if I had seen it. She even had to turn my room upside down. I’d told her to calm down, told her maybe she misplaced it but seeing it on Catherine now? I swallowed hard and forced myself to keep my expression flat.

Lucy was still talking, and laying accusations. "I know I didn’t lose it. Someone must have gone into my room!"

I finally dragged my eyes away from Catherine and looked at Lucy, who was now standing with her arms crossed like she was queen of the world. "Give it time," I muttered. "You probably dropped it somewhere."

"No," she snapped immediately, shaking her head hard. "I didn’t. Why is no one listening? I left it in my room but when I returned, it wasn’t there."

I couldn’t help it, my eyes moved back to Catherine. She was already looking at me. It felt like guilt crowded her eyes.

But if she really felt guilty, why did she wear it? What childish game was she playing? Why would she steal something from Lucy and wear it publicly like she wanted me to see?

Before I could open my mouth, Lucy spoke again, pushing her luck. "Jules. What exactly was the gift?" she demanded.

I had to lie. If she knew it was a hoodie, she would ask for more details, like the color and brand, so I forced a shrug. "It was just a pair of Gucci sneakers."

"Gucci? No way, Julian. I can’t let it go!" Lucy’s eyes widened. I moved my eyes to Catherine, whose eyes were spread open a bit. She was probably shocked that I lied... to save her but I pretended not to see her reaction.

Gabriel must’ve been tired of Lucy’s tantrum because he suddenly spoke with a firm voice. "Enough of the gift talk already, we are here to eat. Just ask the staff to look for this gift, Lucy."

She turned to him instantly, her eyes burning. "Shut up if you don’t have anything reasonable to say." Her tone was sharp and cold enough to make someone feel disrespected.

Gabriel jerked back slightly, surprised and offended. "Easy now. Don’t talk to me like that."

"Only if you mind your business," she shot back.

That was enough.

"Both of you, stop," I snapped, letting authority slip into my voice naturally. Growing up with Richard Vaughn as a father made it impossible not to inherit that tone. I looked at Lucy. "Come on, apologize to him."

She opened her mouth to argue. "But Gabriel..."

"Don’t. Just apologize."

She finally sighed dramatically, turned to Gabriel, and muttered, "Sorry."

Satisfied, or at least done with the conversation, I told her, "Just look for the gift again. If you don’t find it today, I’ll get you something else tomorrow."

That brightened her up instantly. She squealed, hopped toward her seat, and started grinning like a child getting her birthday wishes granted.

Gabriel, however, wasn’t having it. He pushed his chair back. "Y’all can enjoy yourselves, I’ve lost my appetite."

He walked away, and Catherine immediately stood up. "Gabriel—"

He didn’t respond.

She looked worried. And that irritation and jealousy clawed into me again. Since when did she run after him for walking out of a room? She had never once followed me after I stormed out.

Before she could leave, I called her name. "Catherine."

She stopped and turned.

I stood, walked toward her, and said, "Don’t worry. Finish your breakfast. I’ll talk to Gabriel."

Then I turned, fully expecting her to listen but behind me, I heard her scoff, heard the annoyed breath she released before she shoved my shoulder and walked right past me.

Heading straight to her room and not Gabriel’s.

That should’ve been my cue to keep moving. To go to Gabriel like I said I would. To not get caught in whatever pull I kept pretending I wasn’t feeling but I ignored that sane voice in my head and followed her instead.

Before I realized what I was doing, I was already inside her room. She turned around sharply, her lips parting to speak, but I cut her off before she could get a single word out.

"Why the hell did you take the gift?" I demanded. "Are you trying to offend Lucy?"

She folded her arms across her chest, lifted her chin, and scoffed. "Of course. My stepbrother is here to defend his precious darling."

Her stepbrother. Why the fuck did she call me that!

It snapped something raw in me, something messy and complicated. "Don’t call me that," I snapped.

She stepped closer, taking three slow, deliberate steps. "Why? Does the name make you feel guilty about what we’ve been doing?"

Her voice was a challenge, even her eyes. Everything about Catherine was a damn challenge.

I swallowed hard, feeling heat rise in my chest and my jaw, everywhere. "I mean it. Don’t ever call me that!"

She smiled, not sweetly. "You hate the label?" She whispered, tilting her head. "Does it make you look like the bad guy? I mean... a stepbrother sneaking around kissing his stepsister."

I stepped forward without thinking and instead of replying, I changed the topic back. "You shouldn’t have taken it from Lucy’s room."

"But you got it for me," her chin shot up.

She was close. Too close. Close enough for me to catch the faint smell of her shampoo. Close enough for my hands to grab her waist and pull her closer. Fuck! It’s been two fucking days since I kissed those lips.

I immediately shook the thought of my head and narrowed my eyes. "I didn’t give it to you."

"Why?"

"You chose to spend the whole damn day in Gabriel’s room while I waited for you."

Her breath hitched, just a little but then her expression turned cold. "You have a problem with that?"

I clenched my jaw. "Of course, what was I expecting from you? Loyalty?" A scoff followed suit.

"Isn’t this too much coming from you? A guy who dumped me in the middle of making out to go be with his LOVER," she emphasized on the last word.

Whoa! She knew I was with Lucy?

My chest tightened. "I can explain. You got it wrong."

"I got it all wrong?" She laughed under my breath. "I saw her in your room that night. And you lied about it the next day."

"Catherine," I slowly called her name, moving closer but she flinched back like she was scared of me and it pricked my heart. "I swear I wanted to come back but Lucy was in my room when I got there. She had a panic attack..."

"Wow. So let me guess. You chose to be with her because of her panic attack."

I let out a breath. "No. Not it. I couldn’t come back, because I was scared of her finding out."

"Aww. You are so good with your mouth, they even make the best lies."

"Catherine, believe me. I made the customized Hoodie for you, so I could properly apologize."

Her eyes dropped for a second to the hoodie, fingers brushing the fabric lightly.

"I saw the Wildcat name on it and knew it was mine," she murmured. "I can’t believe you were really going to let Lucy have it."

I was silent for a while. It was indeed stupid of me to give it to Lucy. "I’m sorry. I was just jealous."

"Jealous?" She repeated. "Julian, are you crazy? My relationship with Gabriel is completely different from yours. We act like real siblings, but with you it’s different. Why on earth would you be jealous?"

I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself. "I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking."

Then my legs suddenly began to move, until I was standing right in front of her. My hands wrapped around her face and lifted it. "I’m sorry for not coming back that night."

Her eyes looked into mine in a puppy-cute way and before I could stop myself, I bent and kissed her.

She broke the kiss a second later and stared intently at me. "I can’t forgive you this easily."

"What can I do to have you forgive me?"

I didn’t know how this question left my mouth but it did. Was I becoming a simp for the very girl I wanted to use to destroy my father? Oh, Catherine Brown, what are you doing to me?

"Can’t tell for now but we will start with you leaving my room. Any other thing will be communicated via text messages."

That wasn’t what I wanted. What I wanted was to push her into the bed, kiss her, and restore that magical night that I ruined but I respected her wish by nodding and turning back.

I reached the door, hand on the handle, pulse thrumming too fast.

"Leave before you do something stupid!" I cursed under my breath.