Chapter 16
Chapter
Sixteen
JADE
I manage to escape the clutches of Stephan Silver’s perilous company, stepping into his modern eclectic mansion and up the white sandstone spiral staircase leading to the second floor where I know Sebastian’s room is located. My heels clatter against the stone echoing through the empty house as I ascend and come to the long hallway leading into the upstairs bedrooms. It doesn’t take me long to realize which one belongs to Sebastian, as I easily spot the open door of the room at the farthest room at the end of the right corridor. I slowly strut down the hall, the anticipation making my palms sweat and my stomach churn. I still have time to turn away and leave. He doesn’t know I followed after him. He doesn’t know I've come upstairs to look for him. But although what I really want to do is turn around and run back the way I came in, my body doesn't get the memo.
“Come on Jade,” I whisper to myself, having clearly lost my mind. “You can do this. You’ve gotten yourself into plenty of dangerous situations, Sebastian is harmless. ”
I reach out and push the bedroom door further open as I step inside and find the room empty. I’m slightly relieved I have a chance to think straight before seeing Sebastian, but the room seems nothing like I’d imagined his childhood bedroom to look. I mean compared to his room at the Silver’s family beach house, this one has black walls and curtains shedding no light whatsoever into the room. The bed takes up most of the space in the room, except for a dresser and drum set in the far-right corner. Posters of various iconic bands are splattered against the wall of his headboard.
I walk further into the room running my fingers over the soft comforter atop the bed, as I take in the sights around me. “Looks like someone was quite the musician,” I mumble quietly to no one in the room.
“Have we succumbed to madness and are hearing voices or are you finally talking back to the ones inside your head Jade?” Sebastian utters, his deep voice making the room feel eerily cold. I refuse to turn and face him, allowing myself a few more seconds of peace before all hell breaks loose.
I reinforce the walls around my ticker, concealing my nerves and replacing my anxious scowl with a shield of indifference. “Haven't we already established I’ve lost my mind. I mean I fucked you didn’t I,” I sneer, a clear dig at him that doesn't seem to faze him if his deep chuckle is any indication.
“Oh darling you made that choice perfectly sane and repeatedly I might add. But if it makes you feel any better,” he mutters, inching toward me. His chest is at my back as his fingers trace the skin of my arm sending a shiver of excitement through me, “It sure as fuck drove me into madness.”
Now it’s me who chuckles as I brazenly turn to face him. But instead of finding his usual domineering stare that ignites a deep desire inside me, I find him watching me intently as if my vulnerability might cause me to lash out or fall apart. It’s scary how he’s aware of my moods and reactions and is expecting a full-blown mental breakdown. He definitely would have gotten one of those under any other circumstance but, if only he knew I’m all out of those.
“Yeah I guess I must have been in full control of my sanity, thankfully I no longer am because I can't imagine falling for your imperious charm once more,” my hand travels up his chest and I curse internally for allowing myself to lay a hand on him once again knowing well enough how hard resisting him is going to be. Even if I’m still fucking pissed at him.
“You say that as if you have a choice Wolf,” he says as his hand moves to grips mine upon his chest holding it tightly in place. “But we both know when it comes to me, your ability to make choices is futile.”
“Only the right ones,” I sneer, the irritation clear in my voice as I yank my hand out of his hold and move to sit atop the dark comforter of his bed. I run my hands against the soft material, vivid memories of me tied up and panting, sprawled out on his black silk sheets flashing in my mind. The temperature of the room rises or at least my internal one does as I recall that night. The night that led to this very moment, to my current situation .
“I can practically see the wheels turning in your head as you try to come up with some half assed excuse as to why you and I aren't happening right now.”
“Oh trust me cupcake, I don’t have to think awfully hard, the answer is simple. The list of reasons why I’d be a fool to fall into bed with you again is endless, not to mention reasonable. Starting with the elephant in the room, Roman.” My voice turns shaky as I mention my brother's name, remembering the look on his face as he stood there beside Bass that night. Sebastian’s face softens for a moment, his lips turning down into a deep frown before a satisfied grin appears in its place.
“Last time I checked your brother wasn’t in the room, not any of the ten plus times,” he says rather smugly .
“Oh please it wasn’t that many times,” I scoff, shaking my head and rolling my eyes back at him.
“If we’re counting orgasms it was.” My jaw drops open at his brash comment, but it doesn’t surprise me.
This is Sebastian Silver we’re talking about, insatiable womanizer, infamous playboy, and one hell of a kinky fuck. His arrogance may seem appalling to some, but fuck if his huge cock isn’t enough to justify it, then there’s all the sexy as fuck twisted kinks he’s so fond of. I admit sex before him was rather uninteresting. Usually required finishing myself off back at home or once whichever douche I fucked went off to clean himself off. That and my battery-operated boy toy was usually the one to provide me with an endless array of orgasms. But with Bass, well he’s never been selfish. When he comes, I come, and then I come again. I’m tied up, spanked, fucked roughly, and fucking choked all adding to the ecstasy of my orgasms. Not to mention the dominating starved look in his eyes as he watches me fall apart for him. I’m unsure if all his past fucks have been like that, but something tells me that isn’t the case. Because as far as I know, if rumors are to be true, which in this town they usually are, Sebastian Silver doesn’t go back for seconds. Well, other than Kinsley but fuck if I want to picture that. Just thinking of the spoiled bitch makes my blood boil.
“Got lost in your own head reminiscing on all the mind-blowing orgasms have we Wolf?” he mocks, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Don’t try to be cute Sebastian, it doesn’t suit you. And stop trying to distract me from the fact that I’m fucking pissed at you!” Abruptly, I stand up pushing past him and moving to stand beside the old set of drums in the far corner of the room. I run my finger over the golden cymbal and collect a cluster of black dust on my fingertip. Raising a brow I turn back looking at him questioningly.
“It’s been awhile,” he answers, running a hand through his dark wavy hair, “I haven’t stayed here in over a year. ”
“Clearly,” I sneer, continuing to walk admiring the various vintage vinyl records neatly stacked up in a tall bookcase. “You don’t listen to these anymore,” I ask, picking up one of my favorite Billy Joel albums, The Stranger.
“Now who’s the one changing the subject.” He slowly struts over to me, taking the record from my hands and moving over to play it on the record player tucked neatly into the bookcase. The harmonizing melody of She’s Always A Woman , starts to play as he turns and faces me. No words are spoken, just eyes staring deep into each other’s souls trying to find an emotion, anything inside which might give any indication of what we’re feeling. My heartbeat starts to increase its pace as we allow Billy Joel to hypnotize us both.
“I didn’t betray you the way you think Jade,” he whispers, reaching out to tuck a stray tendril of hair behind my ear. “I didn’t know Roman’s relation to you until after,” he pauses, clearly nervous and I realize he’s about to say something that will further bury him deeper into the hole he’s dug for himself.
“Until after what Sebastian?” I ask stepping into him, my eyebrows meeting angrily in the middle of my forehead.
He takes a step back once again, running his fingers through his hair before meeting my penetrating gaze with one of his own. “He shot and killed your father.” I still at his admission suspecting that was what he was going to say but hearing them out loud hits differently.
“How long?” I ask, and he understands exactly what I’m asking.
“A few days before the cabin.” My blood rushes to my extremities as I hear the words come out of his mouth. I didn’t expect to feel this way having already discovered what my brother did, but I can't help the bile rising in my throat. I turn around noticing the open door of the ensuite restroom he must have been hiding in when I first walked in, and rush over toward it, locking the door when I'm inside, barely making it in time before I hurl over the toilet seat, puking whatever liquids I managed to keep in this morning into the bowl. In my peripheral vision I saw him rush after me as I ran off, but I was able to slam the door in his face before he caught up.
“Jade open the fucking door?” he shouts, banging his fist against the locked door, my heart beating loudly meeting every thump. “Fuck Jade, are you okay? Just open the goddamn door.”
He’s quiet for a moment as I finish vomiting nothing but phlegm and spit into the toilet, which is made of some kind of expensive as fuck marble of course, when suddenly the door is pushed open. I don’t bother turning around, knowing well enough it’s him standing behind me watching what a fucking mess I’ve become.
“Must have been the chili I had before coming here and the insignificant detail of my father’s murder,” I joke, quickly standing and pushing him away as he reaches for me and walks over to the equally expensive looking sink bowl rinsing my mouth and spitting into it.
“Jade,” he whispers, his voice gravel and showing a hint of worry.
“Fuck off Bass, you don’t get to all of a sudden care what I’m feeling when you sure as fuck didn’t care before.”
“Jade, that's not what...”
“Like hell it isn’t,” I shout, glaring furiously at him not giving a rat's ass that I probably look like shit. “You knew my brother, who had been MIA for years, was back and killed my father. And you chose to keep that little detail to yourself for months, months Sebastian.” I manage to push through him rushing out of his bedroom, down the hall and staircase before his arm reaches and grabs me, turning me around harshly, my chest slamming against his.
“Don’t fucking run from me Jade,” his voice is thick and coated in fury, but his gaze seems oddly apologetic. But it’s too late to say sorry. There’s a reason I have trust issues and I don’t take betrayals lightly. I’ll have to forgive Scarlett someday, I mean she’s my fucking sister and the only family I have left but Bass, I cringe inwardly as the memory of what I’ve recently discovered. Bass is the father of my little monster, and if that doesn’t tie us together with ironclad shackles then I'm not sure what does.
I’m too far gone in my own mind that I don’t realize his lips are slowly inching closer to mine until it's too late. His lips come down on mine is a rush of fervency, consuming me whole and taking with them my worries, my pain, and my fury. His tongue pushes me open frantically as if he can’t hold back any longer, as if like me, he’s been dying to do so since the moment he saw me. My hand involuntarily comes up to his chest, feeling the rapid beating of his heart beneath it, his mouth continuing its sensual assault on me inviting itself into every inch of my mouth. I can’t allow this need to be near him, overpower my will to keep away. For my sanity, for my health, for my survival, I need to push him off and run as far away from here as possible.
So I do just that. With my hand already on his chest I push him back, our lips disconnect and mine immediately miss his sensual caress. “I can’t do this Bass, I can’t just forgive and forget, I’m not hardwired that way.”
“Fuck that Jade, you can’t hold this against me, it wasn’t my place to speak about what I saw, what I knew...”
“Right because you and Ace can’t think for yourselves, you follow orders, obey commands and all that bullshit,” I turn to walk away, not wanting to hear anymore bullshit excuses or justifications from him. Why can’t men just accept when they’re wrong? Am I being a bit harsh? Fuck maybe, but it’s not like I’ve been set up with the best male role models. How am I supposed to trust him when disappointment is all I know.
“That’s not fucking fair Jade, but that’s exactly what I’m trying to make you see. Wesley’s gone, we're done following orders, I’m done lying to you, hiding things from you,” he advances, reaching out to pull me closer but I continue to back away until we’re almost to the door heading back into the party .
“You’re wrong Bass, you’re father...” I stop myself before confessing the confrontation I had earlier with Silver Sr. there’s no need to cause problems where there obviously already are. This time I won't be the one to stir the pot.
“What about him?” he asks bitterly, clearly catching on to my blunder. I sense there's something deeply wrong with that relationship.
“Nothing. I have to go.” Before he can respond, I turn and push through the back door, crashing into a hard body almost falling to the ground at the harsh impact. But before my ass is planted on the floor, strong arms come around my waist catching me and hauling me forward. The clean and crisp classic masculine scent overwhelms me as my face tucks into my hero’s chest. I look up and find golden blond hair, the bluest eyes, gorgeously tanned skin, and a gleaming white smile watching me carefully.
“Liam,” I mutter in a hushed whisper. His smile widens as he helps me to my feet. Small lines form around his eyes and I swear to god his eyes twinkle as the light above us reflects off of them.
“Hey there gorgeous,” he says, not removing his arm currently wrapped around my waist. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
Before I can respond, I hear Bass step behind me grunting loudly as Liam’s eyes move from me to him and I turn back to face him. His eyes are dark and radiating intense fury I’ve never seen before as he looks from me to Liam’s arm around me. Liam must also see it because he slowly drops his arm and steps back. I roll my eyes at Sebastian’s less than subtle gesture.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing Walker?” Bass shouts, causing the few people standing nearby to turn and gawk at us. Great as if nearly falling on my ass wasn’t bad enough now this?
“Relax mate, I was just helping Jade, if it wasn’t for me she’d have fallen on her ass,” Liam says, taking another step back as Bass steps into him.
“Well lucky prince charming was nearby to save the damsel,” Bass snickers, his early semblance of remorse now replaced with his usual unapologetic demeanor. So the arrogant asshole is back in business.
“Fuck you Bass,” I say, coming to stand between him and a terrified Liam who stares into the crowd..
“Everything okay Jade,” Liam asks, a worried expression taking over the unease as he places a hand on my shoulder.
“Everything’s fine,” Bass utters, rather clipped.
“I was asking Jade,” Liam answers, his body inching closer to me clearly realizing he’s pissing Bass off by being near me. Instantly his demeanor changes and he’s no longer stepping down. He meets Bass’s angry glare with one of his own, straightening up to meet him, not caring he’s still obviously outmanned.
“Get your fucking hands off of her Walker?” Bass growls, his stance domineering and his voice strictly authoritative. Liam quickly obeys, understanding he is in no place to challenge the man of the house, dropping his hand to his side.
“Sorry mate, I didn’t realize you guys were a thing,” Liam says, apologizing when he is in no way accurate.
“We are,”
“We’re not,” we both shout out simultaneously.
“Like fuck we’re not,” Bass shouts out.
I turn to Liam who watches me intently trying to understand what the hell is going on between Bass and me. Well that makes two of us. “I need to get out of here, Liam, do you mind giving me a ride back to campus?” I ask, knowing it’s probably not one of my brightest ideas but essentially my only option.
“Yeah of course, I was actually about to head out,” Liam answers, taking a step back asking me to join him.
Bass reaches out and grabs my arm vigorously pulling me to him. “Fuck no you’re not leaving, especially not with this fucker.”
The crowd around us has now doubled in size but I am quick to spot Scar, Ace, the other two horsemen, and the rest of my friends, watching us with wide eyes and shocked expressions .
“It would be my pleasure Jade, I actually was about to head out and grab something to eat, that's okay with you?” Liam says rather ballsy.
I smile at him, a genuine smile and not one of those fake grins I give everyone else. I actually like Liam. His easy-going personality is one I find myself attracted to. It’s exactly what someone who is as impulsive and reckless as me needs. But of course it’s not what I really want. No, I go for the damaged, manic, and emotionally unavailable ones. “That sounds perfect Liam. I’m famished not to mention I’ve had quite an appetite lately,” I lie, but Sebastian doesn’t know that. I turn to Bass, “Goodbye Sebastian,” I add, grabbing onto Liam’s extended arm, turning, and walking away from him. We make it all of three steps before I’m hauled out of Liam’s hold and Sebastian’s furious fist slams into the unsuspecting and undeserving chiseled jaw of Servite’s star quarterback. I hear a loud crack as Liam is slammed against a cocktail table, before Sebastian tackles him to the ground, pouncing on him. The crowd around us gasps, oohing and aahing as the popular jock and the rebel bad boy wrestle like a pair of fucking temper tantrum throwing children before falling headfirst into the swimming pool, taking down a cater waiter walking by. What a fucking shit show.
I run my hand through my hair as I turn away from the chaos, angry tears threatening to spill out of my eyes as I watch the scene before me. Way to come back and keep a low-profile Jade.
“Jade,” Scarlett mumbles as she reaches for me grabbing onto my elbow.
I turn and meet her gaze, as deep blue eyes, apologetic and melancholic, plead for me to give her a chance to explain herself. But I can't handle that right now, I'm barely keeping my shit together. “Not today please Scar,” I whisper, my voice quavering and unsteady. “I know we need to talk, but please, not today. I just need to get out of here.'' She nods her head accepting my plea as I turn and walk away leaving both Liam and Sebastian to deal with whatever pissing contest they’ve initiated .
“Wait up Jade, I’ll drive you,” Drake says as he appears behind me. I simply nod and follow my friend out toward the front of the property. But just as we are about to exit the large steel gate, a movement to my right catches my eye, and of course as expected, Stephan Silver stands behind a sandstone pillar watching me with a satisfied I told you so look across his face and a smug as fuck smirk.
Well this could have gone better.