Sebastian nodded, peeling the tape from his hands. Aside from the first time he’d acknowledged me being there, he wasn’t making eye contact, and I knew he was upset. He had seemed just as concerned that morning when I’d reminded him that we were going to get together tonight to talk to everyone. Apparently, his mood hadn’t changed with the passing hours. I knew he probably didn’t understand why I had made the suggestion, but Sebastian had to realize that this was the only way we could figure this out.
As it was, we hadn’t made any strides on our own, but mostly because I had no idea what we were supposed to be looking for. We needed someone who knew what they were doing. Someone like Leif’s mother’s boyfriend. The detective.
Granted, we could’ve just asked to talk to him directly, but after the phone call I had received that afternoon, I was more hell-bent on clearing the air once and for all. As much as it pained me to do so, I had to reveal to Sebastian just why I was making this request.
Leaning against the wall, I kept my eyes on him as I spoke. “Something happened yesterday.”
His head lifted and his eyes pinned me in place. There was concern reflected in his golden gaze, but he didn’t say anything. “Yesterday?”
“Yeah. I didn’t want to ruin dinner with my parents, so I didn’t tell you last night.”
I had debated on how I would tell him about the incident with Conrad, mulling over it in my head for the last several hours. At one point, I had opted not to tell him anything, but I knew I had to. Sebastian had lived with too many secrets his entire life. The last thing I wanted to do was keep something from him.
“Your father confronted me yesterday morning,” I said, keeping my voice even. “Before you get upset, hear me out.”
I noticed his hands were balled into fists at his sides and his eyes had narrowed on my face.
“He asked me if I knew you had moved. I told him yes. Then he asked me if I knew you’d quit your job.” I cocked an eyebrow. Sebastian hadn’t informed me that was happening, and I could tell he realized that. “I told him no.”
“I’m sorry, I—”
I held up my hand. “You have nothing to apologize for. And that’s not the point, anyway.”
Sebastian dropped his head and paced in front of me before stopping just a few feet away. When he was paying attention to me once again, I continued. “I told your father that I was uncomfortable with the conversation. What I do in my personal life is none of his business. And what you do in your personal life does not affect my job.”
Sebastian nodded, apparently understanding.
“I walked out of the meeting with your father without letting him finish. I didn’t want to hear what he had to say.”
“Shit.”
I stepped forward and put my hand on his arm. He was hot to the touch, his skin slick from his sweat. Oddly, I found that incredibly sexy.
“Trevor was there when I left Conrad’s office. He spent a couple of hours behind the closed door with Conrad. I don’t know what they talked about. I don’t care. But there is something else I need to tell you.”
Sebastian was the one to lift an eyebrow in question this time. I couldn’t look at him when I told him the next part. I had informed Lauren that I would not relay her message, but as I’d thought more about it throughout the day, my fear had gotten the best of me. Especially after she’d called me again.
There was something about her. She terrified me.
“Lauren called. Yesterday and today.”
That got Sebastian’s attention, and he moved closer to me, lifting my chin and forcing me to look in his eyes.
“What did she say, Payton?”
His eyes raked over my face, and I knew he was trying to figure out if I would lie to him or possibly omit some of the facts. I wasn’t going to do that. I had no reason to.
“When she called yesterday, she said—” I swallowed hard, blinking rapidly to hold back the oncoming tears. I was pissed and the tears were proof. “She said that now that you have severed ties with her family, she wants you to keep it that way. She said your volatile behavior has no place there. In her family.”
“Her family?” he asked.
I nodded.
“And what did you tell her?”
“I told her I wouldn’t relay the message and I hung up on her.”
“Fuck.”
Yep, in one word, Sebastian had pretty well summed it all up.
“She called again today. I knew as soon as I heard her voice why she had called. She wasn’t looking for your father, because he’s in California for two days.”
“Shit.”
“She told me that Conrad had told her about what had happened. She wanted to check in with me, make sure I was okay. I told her I was fine. She asked if I had told you what she’d said. I told her no. She told me that if I wanted to come to work tomorrow, I had to tell you.”
A minute passed. Long, painful seconds ticked by while Sebastian simply stared at me. I wanted to know what was going through his head, but I was scared to ask.
Finally he spoke. “And that’s why you wanted to talk?”
I nodded again. Putting my hands on his biceps, I met his gaze head on. “Sebastian, we need to figure this out. If you have concerns that your father might’ve somehow played a part in your mother’s death, we have to find proof. Someone needs to be brought to justice. Our friends can help us.”
“How do you figure?” he asked, releasing my chin and turning away from me. My hands slipped from his arm as he did.
“Leif’s mom’s boyfriend is a detective,” I told him firmly. “We might be able to leverage that. Get him to check into the reports of the accident.”
“Okay. That’s a compelling argument for bringing Leif in. But what about the others? Why do we have to tell them?” Sebastian stared at me from across the room.
“If we start digging, Lauren and Conrad are going to figure it out. Especially if there is something they’re trying to hide. We’re gonna need all the eyes we can get to watch our backs. I know this sounds crazy, Sebastian, but I want to figure this out as much as you do.”
“Why?” Sebastian barked. He didn’t move closer, but his eyes were locked on mine. “Why do you want to be part of it?”
“Because I love you, Sebastian,” I said simply, my voice soft. “I love you.”
I don’t think that was what he’d expected me to say, and whether it was the words or my honesty or just the heat of the moment, something had Sebastian stalking me until my back was against the wall. His mouth landed on mine. Hard.
Throwing my arms around his neck, I held him to me, meeting the firm thrust of his tongue in my mouth. When his rock-hard thigh pressed between my legs, I moaned into his mouth. This was the Sebastian I knew. The one who lurked beneath the cool exterior. He was on emotional overload, and when he released some of the pent-up energy, he had the ability to overwhelm me in the best possible way. Without words, he conveyed to me exactly what he was feeling.
He unhooked the button on my jeans and slipped his hand down into my panties, his fingers sliding through my slick folds. I writhed against him, unable to fight the sensations that soon swamped me. I had to break the kiss because I needed air.
“That’s it, Payton. I want you to come on my fingers.”
Well, he was going to get his wish if… “Oh, God, Sebastian.” The words were barely heard, drowned out by the moan that accompanied them as he curled his fingers and thrust two inside me.
Right there, against the wall in Sebastian’s workout room, his eyes locked with mine, his fingers driving me to absolute, perfect madness, I shattered.
And just like always, he was right there to hold me together.
When I said I loved him, it truly didn’t do justice for the feelings I had inside.
Sebastian Trovato was my everything.
Chapter Fourteen
Sebastian
I don’t know what overcame me or why I did what I did, but the chaos had come back with a vengeance, even t
hough Payton was right there with me. I think it was the conversation, the blind rage that I felt when she informed me that my father and his wife had confronted her. I had needed to console her, needed to release the tension that had ratcheted up inside me. The next thing I knew, I was driving my fingers inside her, making her come with the sweetest moan I’d ever heard.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” I asked, stepping back and allowing her to fix her clothes.
“No,” she told me. “That was actually kind of…”
“What?”
“Kind of fantastic,” Payton whispered, smiling.
God, she was so damn beautiful when she smiled.
For the better part of the afternoon, the noise in my head had intensified. Louder than it had been in a while. I knew it was likely due to the conversation I’d had with my father early yesterday morning, the same conversation that had probably spurred him to confront Payton. When I hadn’t showed up for work at his house yesterday morning, Lauren must’ve called him. In turn, he’d called me.
“Why aren’t you at work?” Conrad questioned as soon as I answered my cell phone.
“Good morning to you, too,” I snarled, switching the phone to my other ear.
“Sebastian—”
Rather than listen to him rant, I interjected. “Look, I’m sure you’ve known this was coming for a while now. I know that you brought Trevor on board, and I’m sure he can be your puppet better than I can. So, if it’s all the same to you, I’m done.”
“Done?” Conrad questioned.
“Yes, done. I’m sure you haven’t noticed because I don’t think you give a shit what I do, but I’ve moved out, and now I think it’s time that I move on.”
“What are you saying?”
“I quit. That’s what I’m saying.”
I was pretty sure I could’ve handled the confrontation with Conrad better. I should’ve sat down with him face-to-face to have the conversation rather than wait for him to call me when I didn’t bother showing up for work, but I just couldn’t find it in me to keep working for him. After I’d informed him that I quit, Conrad had told me I would regret it, that he would make sure I didn’t walk away with a single penny.
I’d informed him that it was too late. He couldn’t touch my money, and now that I’d moved out of his house, he couldn’t touch me, either.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t considered the fact that he might confront Payton. Now that I knew just what lengths they would both go to in order to screw with my life, I knew Payton was right. It was time we figured this out.
“Have you called your sister?” Payton asked me, drawing my thoughts back to the present.
“No.”
“Do you think we should?”
I didn’t know the answer to that question. Hell, I didn’t know the answer to a million questions running through my head.
“We need to tell her about Leif. I think she’s gonna want to know.”
I agreed with her there. But I also knew she was going to be pissed when she found out I’d kept it from her. Although I had managed to brush her off on many things, Aaliyah wasn’t going to forgive me for what I’d done. Keeping the accident from her, not confirming that I was moving, and not bothering to tell her that I was quitting my job... Those were relatively big deals. She had every right to be angry. However, for whatever reason, Lauren was trying to keep Aaliyah away from me, and as much as I wanted to have my sister in my life, I wasn’t sure now was the right time.
“Sebastian,” Payton said softly. I slid my eyes up to meet hers. “I think we need to tell her about Leif. We won’t say anything about the other stuff yet. But I don’t want her to think we were keeping it from her.”
She was already going to think that, but I didn’t say as much. Payton would realize it soon enough.
“Okay. I’ll call her tonight. After everyone leaves.”
“Fair enough.”
I glanced down at myself. I needed a shower before everyone arrived. I also needed a few minutes alone. “Why don’t you hang out with Leif while I shower? Dinner’ll be delivered soon.”
Payton nodded, a frown causing her forehead to wrinkle. I moved to her and pressed my lips to hers, hoping to reassure her. I didn’t bother to mention that I needed that reassurance as much as she did.
After all, in less than an hour, my friends were about to find out my deepest, darkest secret. Either they’d be on my side or they’d think I was crazy.
I wasn’t sure that I was happy about either option.
When I returned to the kitchen after I’d showered and changed, I found Payton and Chloe setting the table in the dining room. The one in the breakfast nook wasn’t big enough to hold seven people apparently. Having remembered a conversation I’d had with Payton early on, I had ordered Chinese food for dinner, knowing it was one of her favorites. I hadn’t known what to order, so I’d just gotten a little of everything.
Leif refused my help when I offered to assist him to the dining room table. He was still walking slowly, but I could tell he was feeling better. I’d never had fractured ribs, but I couldn’t imagine they’d be all that comfortable to live with while they were healing.
I refused to sit at the head of the table, thinking it seemed a little ridiculous. Toby, however, had jumped at the opportunity, referring to himself as king of the castle. In turn, I made sure the “king” couldn’t reach the food.
“So, I hear you got to meet the parents,” Chloe said, looking right at me. She was trying to create a distraction, but I caught on to her game, pushing the food farther away from Toby.
He grunted and then stood, making his way down to the other end and grabbing one of the containers.
“I did,” I told her, grabbing a set of chopsticks as Toby took his seat. Of course, I tossed his chopsticks down to the other end of the table. He glared at me, but I noticed the smirk he was trying hard to hide.
“Hold on,” Chloe shouted, passing Toby’s chopsticks back down when Leif handed them to her. “Don’t eat yet.”
We all stared back at her, waiting for her to tell us why we couldn’t have dinner since, you know, we were supposed to be having dinner.
“We’ve got to open the fortune cookies first.”
“First?” Leif asked.
“Yes, first,” she declared. “That’s the only way it works.”
“You do know you’re supposed to open them after, right?” Leif asked.
“Says who?”
Leif didn’t respond, but he did catch the fortune cookie that Chloe tossed his way. Once they were all passed out and opened, I set mine down on the table upside down.
“What does it say?” Chloe asked curiously.
“That’s none of your business,” I told her with a grin.
“Mine says…” Toby stared at the piece of paper before looking up at Chloe. “It says: lucky you. Get out your party clothes.”
“What the hell kind of fortune is that?” Garrett laughed gruffly. “Mine says: old friends make best friends.”
“That’s not really a fortune,” I told him. “In fact, it’s not really anything.”
“My turn.” Chloe interrupted the round of laughter. “Mine says: magnanimity will bring you universal respect.”
No one said anything; we all just stared at Chloe.
“What the hell does that mean?” Leif asked, his face reflecting the same confusion everyone else’s did.
Aaron spoke up. “Mine says” — he cleared his throat as he stared at the paper — “Dinner will be cold if you don’t eat now.”
Payton laughed, tossing her fortune toward Chloe before digging into the food. I noticed she kept her eye on me throughout the meal. Chloe, of course, questioned me about dinner with Payton’s parents. I relayed the events, skipping over a few of the details, but I did mention the baby book.
“Don’t you love her outfits?” Aaron asked, laughing. “It’s a good thing she developed some fashion sense as she grew up.”
“I’m not
sure that’s the case,” Payton admitted, chuckling as they teased her. “If it weren’t for Chloe, there’s no telling what I might be wearing these days.”
“What about y’all?” I asked Chloe and Toby. “Have you met each other’s parents yet?”
Chloe shook her head and her eyes fell to her plate. “Not yet.”
“How come?” Payton questioned.
“Hasn’t come up,” Chloe answered quickly, never lifting her eyes from her plate.
“Do you want to meet my parents?” Toby asked, sounding seriously shocked by the notion.
“I’d thought about it,” she said, looking at him while the rest of us stared at her.
“Well, why didn’t you say so?” he asked. That was one thing about Toby, he didn’t necessarily take hints very well. It was much easier to be blunt with him. I figured Chloe would learn that over time.
“I thought you’d bring it up.”
“I hadn’t even thought about it.”
“Obviously,” I mentioned. “But Chloe, seriously, be careful what you wish for.”
Toby’s mother was great, as was Toby’s stepfather, who had been a part of Toby’s life since he was eight. I just wanted to give her a hard time.
I glanced down at the other end of the table to see Leif eating quietly, his gaze traveling over the rest of the table.
“You hanging in there?” I asked him.
“Yep.”
I met Payton’s eyes briefly. I wondered what his deal was, but I didn’t ask. When she shook her head ever so slightly, I knew it was best that I didn’t.
“How’s school, Aaron?” Chloe asked, taking some of the heat off Leif.
“I’m ready for break.”
“That’s right, Christmas break is coming up,” Payton stated. “What’re your plans this year?”
“No idea,” Aaron said. “Not sure if Mom and Dad are gonna have dinner at their house or not.”
“I need to ask my mom what she’s planning to do,” Payton told him. “But whatever I do, I hope you’ll be there with me.”
I realized she was talking to me.
Christmas with Payton. I couldn’t think of anything better.
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