Julian’s POV
"You look like you are going home to crash your dad’s head into the wall. You need to chill a bit, man. You are raging," Ethan stood, moving to the door to block me.
"You don’t understand what’s really happening and I don’t have all the time in the day to start explaining but trust me, I won’t attack anyone unless I’m attacked first. I just need to get home and understand why Richard brought Lucy."
His lips moved to a side together, then after a few seconds, he spoke again. "But what’s wrong with Lucy staying over? She’s your friend, right? I mean—-"
"Ethan?" I called swiftly, cutting him short. "Like I said... you won’t understand."
A smirk curled up his lips and I knew what that meant, either he figured out I was lying or he had come up with a stupid idea.
"I’m not cut out for your stupid shit. I have to run along, get out of my way."
"It’s Catherine, right?"
"She’s the reason why you don’t want Lucy at your place."
I had no idea how fast my reflexes were but I had already shoved Ethan aside, pulled his door open and ran out.
That guy was something else. How could he figure me out so easily? Yes, of course, we are best friends but even at that!
I got into my car and drove off.... More like flew off. The tires of my car screeched against the asphalt of the driveway, a sound as jagged as my nerves.
Right now, I had replaced my thoughts of Ethan with Catherine. I texted her back but she hasn’t opened the message or reached out to me. Thoughts of Lucy offending her kept coming to my head but I blocked them out by shutting my eyes tight and hitting my steering wheel.
Within some minutes, I reached the mansion. I got out of my car, slammed the door hard and stormed into the house. The first thing I saw was a stack of expensive leather suitcases sitting at the base of the grand staircase. What the hell? She was still moving her things in?
"Master Julian, you’re back early," one of the maids whispered, scurrying past me with a stack of fresh linens.
"Where is she?" I barked.
"Who, sir?" She replied in a shaky tone.
"The guest."
"In the East Guest Wing, sir. Your father ordered that....."
I didn’t wait for her to finish. I took the stairs two at a time, my blood roaring in my ears. I found Lucy in the doorway of the suite. She was holding a silk scarf up to the light, a mocking smile on her lips.
"It’s a bit gaudy, don’t you think?" Lucy asked, not even turning around. "But I suppose when you have this much money, taste is optional."
"What are you gaining from this?" I hissed, stepping into the room.
Lucy turned, her eyes bright with a manic kind of triumph. She looked with cold calculation. "I may need you to provide a backstory for that question, Julian."
"Don’t play dumb. Why are you here? What’s your deal with my dad."
"Hmm, your father was very clear. He told me this house needed a bit more... authenticity. And he thinks I’m the perfect person to provide it."
"Thats not true, Lucy. He’s only using you. You think he’s giving you a home? He’s giving you a target on your back. The second you aren’t useful to him, he’ll get rid of you."
"Maybe," she said, walking toward me until she was inches away. "But until then, I get to watch you. He told me you’ve been ’confused’ lately. He thinks there might actually be something going on with you and—-"
She paused, not completing the word.
"And what?"
"Nothing," the reply came fast. "He wants me to make sure you stay on the right path, since I’m your closest female friend."
My hands curled into fists.
"Whatever gave the two are playing, please do not involve Cat because she’s innocent," I whispered, my voice vibrating, "if you even breathe in Catherine’s direction the wrong way, Richard won’t be able to save you from me."
Lucy let out a sharp, ugly laugh. "You’re so protective of the little bird. It’s almost sweet. But remember, Julian... I’m the one who knows where you were on the nights you were ’reflecting.’ I’m the one who knows exactly how much you’re willing to lie to keep her. Does she know that?"
I turned on my heel and walked out before I did something that would land me in a padded cell. I needed to find Catherine. I needed to fix the unfixable.
I found her in the library, staring out the window at the darkening gardens. She looked so small, so isolated against the backdrop of the shelves.
"Catherine," I called with a cracking voice.
She didn’t turn around. Her reflection in the glass was pale, her jaw set in that thin, angry line I had seen earlier. "You said you’d handle it, Julian."
"I tried. I didn’t know he’d—"
"You didn’t know your father would send her back here?" She finally turned, her eyes flashing with a cold fire. "You didn’t know he would use your ’Lucy’ to insult me in my own home? She’s in the room next to yours, Julian. She will eat at our table. I will wake up to see her face everyday, for as long as she lives here. You didn’t handle it. You invited the devil to dinner."
She’s right, I thought, the weight of my failure pressing down on my lungs. I should have sent Lucy away long before they returned.
"I’ll get her out," I promised, though the words felt hollow even to me.
"Don’t," Catherine said, walking past me toward the door. She stopped, her shoulder brushing mine, but she didn’t look at me. "Don’t make promises you don’t have the power to keep. It makes you look weak."
"Cat—"
"Please stop. If you feel like doing anything, maybe you can kindly ask your IMPORTANT FRIEND to stay away from me."