Page 154 of Always: A Legacy Novel

She didn’t see them being happy about it.

Or proud.

But it was fun. She had control, more than she ever did before. She also was wanted, but by her choice, and entirely unobtainable, also by her choice. Like a game. That was addicting.

The whole thing was addicting.

“I’m going to tell him to screw off soon,” Catherine said.

Liliana hid her smile in a cup of her own. “Shame.”

“Right?” Catherine rolled her eyes, adding, “I was talking to someone in the hall the other day, and Derik had a fit about it. It’s the same shit like before when we did actually date. I’m a possession in his pocket, or something. I’m over it.”

“That someone you were talking to wouldn’t happen to be Cross Donati, was it?”

Catherine wet her lips. “So what if it was?”

“Okay, so Derik is a complete asshole, and how he ever gets laid by any girl who knows him, I will never understand. But …”

Why did there always have to be something else?

“But, what?”

“Like, I’ve been around you when Cross comes over to talk or whatever,” Liliana said, “and it’s not a friendly kind of chat, Catty.”

“We are friends, though. Just friends.”

Who occasionally fucked when they met up at parties, or out somewhere, and neither of them were with other people. But they were just friends.

“He calls you babe,” Liliana pointed out.

Catherine shrugged. “So?”

“Cross literally has a flock of girls that chase him around. They might as well just keep their panties pulled down and their legs spread. He has never called any of them his babe, sweetheart, or any of the other things he calls you. At least, not that I’ve heard. And he hugs you.”

“Again, so?”

“Catherine, I’ve seen him bite one of his guy friend’s head off for giving him a smack on the shoulder. He doesn’t like to be touched by people, unless he invites it. He lets you grab his arm, I’ve seen you tap his cheek when he wasn’t looking at you, and he hugs you, like I said.” Liliana sighed. “He also talks just to you. No one else when he’s talking to you. He doesn’t talk like friends do with you, okay. It’s … I don’t know, like closer? No, like, intimate. Yeah, like that.”

“What are you talking about?”

Cross was just Cross. Catherine was just Catherine. That’s how they were. She couldn’t help that, and she didn’t see anything wrong with it. They were just friends.

“You’re seeing things that aren’t there. Get Aunt Jordyn or Uncle Lucian to get your eyes checked.”

“You know what, you can’t be helped,” Liliana said, flicking her wrist at Catherine with attitude. “Don’t say I didn’t try, though.”

“We’re just friends!”

“I bet you do way more with Cross when you’re just friends than you do with Derik while you’re kind of, sort of going out.” Liliana tipped her drink in Catherine’s direction, adding, “And if you deny that, you’re a goddamn liar. Marcellos don’t lie, Catty.”

“You know what, shut up.”

“Ow, my heart.” Liliana put a hand over her chest, and grinned. “I’m right, though, aren’t I?”

Yeah.

Technically.