Page 119 of Vicious Little Princess

Holy. Shit.

I texted him back.

Caterina:You certainly went above and beyond.

Julian:Did you expect anything less, darlin’?

Caterina:You openly challenged Santino and Marco.

Julian:I’m already a target.

Caterina:Not like this.

Julian:It needed to be done.

Caterina:Where are you?

Julian:In the pool. Come join me.

Caterina:I don’t have a bathing suit here.

Julian:I know.

I rolled my eyes.

Caterina:Coming to talk to you.

Julian:Sure. We’ll call it that. Get Nico and Milo on your way. They’re in Milo’s room.

Caterina:I thought Milo wanted to be left alone.

Julian:You know Nico’s persistence better than most.

I certainly did.

Caterina:I’m not sure they’ll be in the mood for a dip in the pool. And I thought you were sleeping.

Julian:Change of plans. We all could do with some levity. You know, fun?

Fun?Right now? With everything that had happened tonight? Was he serious?

Before I could respond, he sent another text, being as astute as he always was. Unnervingly so sometimes.

Julian:More than ever, Cat.

Julian:“Right now, though, the four of us will just take a beat, be together.” Nico’s words. Remember them?

Now, who was being the persistent one?

Caterina:On my way.

Julian:*heart emoji*

I smiled to myself in spite of it all, then locked my phone and left it on the nightstand before heading out of my bedroom.

I made my way along the corridor, then down the stairs, heading over to Milo’s wing.

If we did decide to make us all living here together a permanent thing, we’d have to fix the room arrangements. I didn’t like how they currently were so far apart, the separate rooms.

---