Chapter 95: Caught Again??

I bout leaped out of my skin. *No!* Of all the people to catch us doing something more intimate, it just had to be my mother. My wide-eyed expression was enough to say that I had been caught in the act of doing something I wasn’t supposed to be doing. She had seen that look on my face since I was a troublesome brat, still in my single digits.

Julian, on the other hand, just played it off as if nothing odd was going on here. When he released me, he had the mirrored worry look she had on her face in the dining room. “Sukia wasn’t feeling good. I just wanted to see if she was ok.”

My mother’s bewildered look relaxed, but her smile remained awkward, as if she had just walked in on something she shouldn’t have. “Oh! Um, well thank you, Julian. That’s very nice of you.” there was a brief pause before she spoke the words that she had said multiple times before. “I’m very happy that you’re always taking such good care of my daughter.”

Julian’s handsome smile was enough to hypnotize anybody off of the topic, whether it’d be out of seduction or admiration. He gave my shoulder a gentle pat. “Grace doesn’t need assistance as much as my other sister here does.”

“Wh–” I could feel my cheeks burn as I gave my hotheaded bark. “Fuck off! I don’t need assistance!”

Mom snorted when she saw my infamous temper, and her previous doubts washed away fairly quickly. She was almost as naïve as Gabriel, seeing only the good things in the world. She had to. Or she’d be reminded of the darkest days the world gave her.

“I see. Yes, I believe you have a point. She hasn’t been, how do I say this, on the map?”

“MOM!”

Mom chuckled as she watched me get flustered further. “I hope you both come back to dinner soon.”

“We will, Isabella.” Julian’s comforting but confirming tone was enough to satisfy my mother, and she went on her merry little way back to the stupidly giant dining room.

“We will?” I grumbled once my mother was gone. “Who said I was going back?”

“I did.” my temper’s fire got smaller and his tone turned firmer. He looked down at me when his grip became just as strong. “Your mother is worried about you, Sukia. I know you don’t want to make her worry more.”

I swatted his hand off of my shoulder before heaving a grouchy sigh and crossing my arms. “Yeah, fucking yeah, I know…”

*Still reading me like a fucking book. Awesome. And to think I missed this basta–*

Julian pulled me back into another hug, continuing where we left off. His touch was gentle and I could’ve easily shoved my way out of his grip if I wanted to. Part of me felt that was the reason his embrace wasn’t squeezing the life out of me because he wanted to see whether I’d allow him to.

“What’re you doing? Didn’t you just say we needed to get back to dinner? That it’d be a bad idea to keep Mom waiting? Hello??”

“Did you miss me?” Julian’s question caught me off guard. The question did cross my mind now and again, but I tried my hardest not to think about it. I didn’t want to acknowledge it. But now that he’s flat-out asked me the question that I’ve been trying to avoid answering myself, I had no choice but to admit it.

*Yes.*

But I still couldn’t get the word to come off my tongue. I was too prideful to do something like that. Yet my lack of ‘colorful language’ might as well be the answer he was looking for, because his embrace tightened around me while whispering in my ear. “I’ve missed you too.”

He was so much taller than me and his muscles made me feel like I was caged in. As much as I hated the feeling, his body heat was always so comforting. My head had no choice but to press up against his chest, and I heard the familiar thumping noise of his heartbeat. I also heard its rhythm increase its speed as he deeply inhaled the scent of my hair. His hug turned into his hands running along my body. “I’ve missed you so much.”

My blush wasn’t going away anytime soon, but I finally found the willpower to squirm my way out of his tight grip by ducking under his arms and catching my breath. “Not like THAT!”

“Are you sure about that?”

“I–” my stuttered voice proved his point and I grind my teeth in frustration. “Motherfucker, just get back to the dining room!”

Instead of obeying me, he stepped closer to me and I prepared myself to kick him in the kneecap if he tried to force himself onto me again. But instead, his big hand rested on my stomach still ached from vomiting up everything I ate today. “Are you sure you’re ok?”

His gorgeous blue eyes had that familiar sparkle in them that reminded me of a begging puppy wanting scraps, and I looked away from him before I could lose my willpower. “Yeah, I fucking said so. Will you lot stop worrying about me? It’s just some puke. Besides,” I gave him a fierce stink-eye, “You’re probably the one that made my stomach upset in the first place!”

Julian winced at the realization. He knew that I was probably right. The next step that he took closer to me ended with his lips pressing against my forehead. “I’m sorry.”

He didn’t call me Babe, and he didn’t call me Beautiful. He gave me no reason to be angry with his concern. If anything, it made me feel better… but I wasn’t about to admit that.

I turned my head away from him again while rubbing my forehead. “... Let's just get back already.” with another grouchy mumble, I led the way back to the dining room. Both Mom and Gabriel looked overly delighted to see the two of us return while Grace just texted away on her phone. Julian may have worn the perfect mask, but I, on the other hand, had to avoid eye contact with everyone. As much as a natural liar I was, I knew I couldn’t lie my way out of this one. Julian had a habit of working me up and making me trip over my words.

*Fucking hell.*

The rest of dinner felt… different. The delightful conversations and laughter continued on like normal with Grace’s occasional comment. I started to realize that it felt different in here this time because Julian was finally smiling too and even spoke every now and again. Everybody noticed the atmosphere felt off because of his silence, right? Or… was that just me?

I think I already knew the answer, and I wasn’t about to acknowledge my frustration question. I was still hung up on him despite how much I wanted to part ways and leave him in the dust.

*Why can’t I just leave things the way they were?! Life was so much easier!*

But was it? I was starting to feel sad and lonely without Julian’s watchful eyes following my every move, as weird as that sounded.

As dinner concluded and the twilight hours were approaching; my mom gave me her usual lovey-dovey, overly affectionate mother’s love while continuously sweeping my bouncy bangs behind my ear.

*Somebody missed being a mom… sheesh.*

“By the way,” Mom’s sweet compliments and encouragements turned into something more questionable when the look in her eyes changed to worry again and there was hesitance in her voice. “About Julian… and you,” my heart immediately began to race away in my chest. Those were the words that were about to begin a conversation I was dreading to have.

*Oh fuck. Oh, no. Fuck no. NOOO.*

“Is there… something more than just brotherly affection, Suki?” She gave a tilt of her head, the worry in her eyes increasing. “You know you can tell me, love. If you need my help, I’m always in your corner.”

*If I need your help? Do you think I wouldn’t stoop this far and that I’m being forced?*

Honestly, I didn’t even know anymore. My relationship with Julian was more complicated than ever. We weren’t dating, but by the way he was touching me earlier, I could tell that he still wasn’t thinking of me as his sister. So have things gone back to the way they used to be? Just two people who were extremely attracted to each other fucked at the tiniest thirst of horniness?

The look on my mother’s face, the look of worry and hesitation. *Fuck…* I would even say fear. What is she afraid of? Why is she so hesitant? What is she worried about? Which answer was she dreading? Did Gabriel say something? Did he tell her what he saw?