Addicted (The Addicted Series, #1)(100)

I chuckled and looked at her. "Are you speaking from personal experience, Yuki?"

She smiled shook her head no. "Breakfast?"

I looked back at Julian, who was still sleeping soundly. "Give me five minutes to put some actual clothes on, and tell mother I'll meet her downstairs in a few."

Yuki nodded and turned to go. I closed the door and turned to watch Julian. He'd been through so much, and the stress was catching up to him. He could use the sleep. I went over to the bed and kissed his temple, where his hair was still kind of short and prickly before changing into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before going downstairs. I found Mom in the small dining alcove that I remembered she liked to have breakfast in. "Good morning Mom."

"Hey sweetie. Sorry I had to send Yuki, but John already had to go into the office today, and if I waited any longer I was going to have a serious case of the munchies. How'd you sleep?"

I was a little peeved at my mother, honestly. I understood that she wasn't exactly comfortable with my relationship with Julian, but she didn't have to send Yuki. She could have knocked on my door herself. And seriously, who asks a young woman like me in a new relationship with a sexy guy like Julian how she slept? I didn't exactly ask Mom how she slept on her wedding night to John. Still, I swallowed it and put on a smile. "It was fine, Mom. Thanks. How about you?"

"It wasn't the most sound sleep I've ever had, but overall it was okay. John and I talked long after you two went to bed last night. Krystal, it's not the fact that John and I are married that has me worried about you and Julian. It's not like you guys even knew each other before the wedding. What has me concerned is Julian's history. Let's face it, he hasn't been the most stand-up of people for most of his life."

"And you know why, Mom," I replied. "Hell, he believed a huge lie for most of his life, and he was angry about it. How would you have felt in his situation?"

"I know honey, it's just . . . he's been that way for a very long time. Are you sure he's really changed, or at least ready to change?"

One of the servants brought breakfast, and I ate in silence for a long time, barely tasting what had been prepared. Part of me was pissed off at Mom, while the other part of me was trying to formulate an answer to what she had asked me. Thankfully, in the end, the part of me trying to answer won out.

"Mom, I watched Julian for weeks. He wasn't perfect. Hell, he got me in trouble at work his second night in Chicago. But, and I still don't know why or for what reason, he's acted with a pure heart towards me the whole time. He's worked hard to become a man since coming to Chicago, Mom. You know, one time he even had a chance to seduce me, and he walked away? I was there, and yes I was willing, but he didn't think it was right, so he walked away. Now, does that sound like the Julian Castelbon that he was?"

Mom thought about it until she finished her second cup of green tea, then set it down. "You know I'm still going to worry. I haven't had the chance to observe Julian the way you have. I only know him from second hand interactions and the pain he caused John. But I also know you're a smart young woman, and if you trust him, then I'll have to give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Thank you Mom," I said, not adding like it's your decision anyway. I'll be honest, I was mad at my mother. She'd never acted this way towards any of the other men I'd ever introduced her to, although that wasn't often, and not for a long time now. It offended me that after getting through college, working my way into the line at Alinea, and doing it all on my own, she still doubted me. I wasn't happy, but I knew blowing up at her wasn't going to make it any better. She's as stubborn as I am, and it takes a lot to change her mind once she says something.

I decided instead to change the subject. "So what are you doing after breakfast today?"

Mom shrugged. "Well, I was originally going to go into the office with John to help him out on his work today, I've really come to enjoy it, but with your Aunt Gina coming, in I knew I couldn't. God knows what she's got on her mind, but she insisted on coming up. Have you spoken to her recently?"

"No, not since the wedding. You know how Gina is, Mom. She's always had a side to her that's very strategic. She likes her surprises."

"I'll say. Although I will admit at times to thinking other words to describe her than strategic."

I nodded and pursed my lips. "I know, I know. Mom, I've said the same things about Gina you have. But she is Dad's youngest sister, and she's never directly tried to pull anything on us. So, despite her Machiavellian demeanor and, let's face it, her morals of Mae West, she's not all that bad. You did have her as the maid of honor after all."

We were going to continue the conversation when Julian came in, still rubbing his hand through his hair. He was so cute when he just woke up, I wanted to cuddle with him right then and there. While he normally shaved daily, that morning he looked scruffy and scrumptious. "Good morning ladies. Sorry I slept so long."

"That's okay, it gave us a chance to talk like two girls," Mom replied. She gave me a look that I returned, then finished her last bite of breakfast, and stood up. "Julian, I hate to say it, but I think the rest of breakfast is cold by now. Do you want the staff to heat something up for you?"

"That's okay Sandra, I'll probably just go raid the fridge. Let me go see what Chef has in the leftover pile and nuke that for two minutes. I don't want to put him out any more than he is, thanks though. So what's on the agenda for today?"