CHAPTER 42: FINGERING HER

Julian’s POV

The cigarette burned low between my fingers. I’d lost count of how many I’d smoked. The night was still, cold, and annoyingly quiet, except for the constant beep of my phone on the table, each one reminding me that it wasn’t Catherine.

She wasn’t back from wherever she went.

I told myself I didn’t care. She was a grown woman. She could go wherever the hell she wanted but when the clock hit ten and the gate outside remained unopened, I found myself pacing.

Gabriel had said she went out with Collins.

That had been ringing in my head all night, gnawing at whatever patience I had left. I tried drowning it out with whiskey, but each sip only brought it back sharper.

The worst thoughts ran in my head because I knew what Collins could do. The smug bastard could force himself on Catherine and she would easily let him.

I leaned against the railing, watching the driveway. Every time a pair of headlights flashed, I straightened. Every time it wasn’t her, I cursed myself for giving a damn.

"She’s dating him now, stop acting like you give a fuck about her, just let her screw herself up," I muttered under my breath. "You’re not her babysitter."

The lie tasted bitter.

I took another drag and hell, another drink but those didn’t stop me from still glancing toward the gate.

Finally, the low hum of an engine broke the silence and a black car pulled up to the gate.

I stilled, as every one of my muscles tightened.

That was Collins’s car.

Catherine stepped out with that soft, tired smile on her face. She said something I couldn’t hear, waved, and shut the door.

That was all it took.

The cigarette snapped between my fingers. I didn’t even bother with shoes as I headed downstairs, rage boiling through my veins.

By the time the front door opened, the lights of the living room were off.

She slipped in quietly, using her phone’s flashlight to guide her way. I stood in the shadows near the hallway, every nerve on edge. She tiptoed like a thief, not noticing me until I reached out and caught her from behind, clamping a hand over her mouth before she could scream.

Her phone dropped, its light rolling over the tiles.

"Where the hell have you been?" I hissed against her ear.

She jerked, trying to twist free, her nails digging into my wrist. When she realized it was me, she spun around and glared daggers at me.

"Why the hell did you jump on me like that?" she whispered harshly, bending to pick her phone. "What’s your fucking problem and why do you stink of alcohol and smoke?"

I didn’t answer, just grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the kitchen. I didn’t bother turning the kitchen lights on, to avoid getting seen by any chance.

"I asked you a question." My voice came out low and just as rough as I intended.

She folded her arms, and tilted her chin in defiance. "I was with my boyfriend."

The word boyfriend hit me like a knife to the gut.

I stared at her, the pulse in my jaw ticking. The image of her being touched by that bastard, being fucked, being kissed, made my blood boil so hot.

I moved closer and she didn’t step back.

In one motion, I snatched her phone from her hand and slammed it onto the counter. "Tell me.... Did you do anything with him?"

Her lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "You want the details?"

"Answer me."

She shrugged, every word dripping with provocation. "It was sweet. I enjoyed every bit of it. Next time, maybe I’ll record it to satisfy your curiosity."

The air snapped. I didn’t think, I just moved.

In two strides, I caught her by the waist, lifting her onto the counter before she could react.

"Julian!" she hissed, her voice sharp but low. "What the hell are you doing? Put me down."

Her palms pressed against my chest, but I didn’t move away.

"Stop playing with me," my left hand roughly grabbed her thigh, my breath brushing her skin. "What did you do with him?"

Her voice softened but trembled. "You have no right to ask—"

"Don’t I?" I cut her off, stepping between her knees.

For a moment, the world went silent. Only her uneven breaths and the thud of my own heartbeat filled the room.

Her perfume clung to me, it was sweet and maddening. My hands moved to her waist, and I could feel the tremor in her body, the rise and fall of her chest.

I should’ve walked away. I knew that but the sight of her defiant eyes, the way her lips parted slightly did things to me.

Before I could stop myself, my fingers were already sliding between her legs, now resting on the surface of her panties. "Fuck," I groaned. "Catherine, you are so wet."

I couldn’t see her eyes clearly but with the help of her flashlight, I saw how she bit her lip in that irresistible way.

"It’s so hard resisting you," with that, I began to rub her cunt over the lace material of her underwear.

She tried to stiffen a moan and her breathing became fast. "Ju—Julian, what are you doing?"

Instead of giving an answer, I let out a low chuckle, then I pushed her panties to the side, and my fingers finally felt the fleshy rawness of her pussy. "Oh my, you are so fucking wet."

"Uhh," she moaned. She was enjoying every rub, I could tell by the sounds she made and the way she didn’t try to remove my hand.

The thought of Collins having this kind of access to her body crossed my mind and my eyes shut tightly, as I tried to fight between my anger and my urge.

"Does Collins make you feel this way?" The question came out before I even thought of it.

Just immediately, we heard a soft creak from the hallway and both of us froze.

"Hello?" Lucy’s voice called faintly from the corridor. "Is someone in there?"

Catherine’s nails dug into my shirt, her eyes darting to the door. I quickly reached for her phone and turned the flashlight off.

"Don’t move," I whispered.

We stayed still, barely breathing as Lucy’s footsteps approached. The sound stopped just outside the kitchen.

A moment later, it retreated.

Catherine let out a shaky breath, her hand sliding off my chest. "Julian, stay away from me. I’m going to bed," she whispered, trying to hop down.

Before she could, I caught her wrist. "We are not done."

She shot a hard stare at me and her lips parted to argue but then the lights flicked on.

Lucy stood at the doorway, eyes wide in confusion.

"What are the two of you doing here in darkness?"

I froze.

Catherine did too, her face flushed, her legs still half parted on the counter, my hand around her wrist.

The silence that followed could’ve killed.