Page 57 of Vicious Little Princess

It had me tensing majorly when Julian squeezed his eyes shut again and tried to bite back emotion that was rising up once again.

But then some of that was alleviated when he uttered on a pained rasp, “I know. Can you reach out to Roslynn for me?”

“Doctor Williams? Yeah, of course.”

As much as it killed me that it had come to that, it was actually a really good sign.

“You’ll need to stay here in the hospital tonight,” Nico informed him. “But tomorrow I can move you. This room will be well guarded, so you don’t need to concern yourself with that.”

“I’malso not going anywhere,” I spoke up.

“Yeah,” he said, taking everything in. “Thank you.” He shifted his weight in the bed. “If you get a lead on Angelo, you’ll tell me, yes?”

“Are you sure that’s what you want, what you need, J?” Nico asked worriedly.

“Yes. I’m sure,” Julian answered.

So he could obsess about it and be stuck in the nightmare of it all? I went to protest, but Caterina pulled a Nico Marchetti and held up her hand. Then she said, “Information is also comfort, right?”

Dammit.Her words to me the other night.

They sure packed an emotional punch.

Especially given the subject matter in question.

“Yeah, okay.”

Julian smiled out at her.

Then he placed his new phone down on the covers and sank back against the pillows, clearly tiring.

“We’re gonna head out,” Nico said, noticing. “Let you get some rest, all right?”

“You need anything, you text us, or let Milo know, okay?” Caterina told him.

He smiled weakly. “Yes, and yes. Thanks.”

Nico gave my shoulder a squeeze as he passed on by, and told me quietly, “Rocco will be arriving in moments. He’ll supervise security on Julian throughout the night.”

“Got it. I’ll liaise with him.”

“No need. I’ll take care of it. You just worry about Julian. And try to get some sleep when he sleeps.”

I nodded, and he walked to the door, holding it open for Caterina.

She threw her arms around me and held me tightly to her. “Do you want us to bring you anything? We’ll be bringing a change of clothes for Julian by tomorrow, but anything else?”

“Nah, all good,” I said, stroking her back. “And now he’s got his phone, he’s good to go on his end. I wantyouto get some rest and eat properly, though. Do you hear me? Don’t make me pull a Nico.”

She chuckled. “You don’t need to.”

“Good. I’ll text you and keep you posted on Julian.”

Satisfied with that, the two of them headed out, closing the door quietly behind them.

“I’m sorry,” Julian uttered, sleepily.

“Sorry?” I asked as I walked to the chair beside his bed and sat down. “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for, Sunshine.”

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