28. Sebastian
Chapter 28
Sebastian
Lil lies beside me, her naked body pressed against mine. I run a finger along the curve of her hip, my cock twitching to life at the memory of our night together. She shifts with a soft murmur of my name, and I brush a strand of hair from her face to kiss her forehead.
I should stop this before things spiral completely out of control, but the truth is, they already have.
I’m in too deep, captivated by her quiet grace, her sharp mind, and the way she calms my nerves.
I know I have to tell her the truth, but the idea of facing those consequences twists my stomach into knots. How will she react and look at me after that?
Disgusted? Angry? Sad?
It’s a wonder she didn’t know to begin with. A wonder that let me experience her smiles, laughs, moans, and the admiration in her eyes when she looks at me.
She stirs again, her movements causing her body to grind against my erection.
“Shit.” I stop her hips from moving with my hands. As much as I want to lose myself in her again, she must be sore.
And first, I need to tell her.
Lil’s eyes blink open, taking in her surroundings and then landing on me, clutching the sheets to her chest.
“Good morning, princess.” I chuckle and draw her closer.
She ducks her head. “Morning.”
I run my fingers through her hair, content to hold her like this forever.
“What time is it?” she asks.
“Get some more rest.”
“But it’s already morning.” She tries to sit up, but I tighten my grip on her.
“Stay. Just a little while longer.” Because I don’t know how long or how many times I have left with her like that.
“Gemma might come in. What if she already knocked on my door to check on me?”
It’s cute how she worries. I already told Gem that Lil’s with me. Her answer was, ‘Ugh. Thanks for the images, dear brother.’
“Stay with me.” I kiss the inside of her wrist.
She hesitates, and I don’t miss the way her gaze darts to my lips or how she shifts closer to me. At last, she settles against my chest with a contented sigh, and with that, a profound peace and rightness settles over me .
Here, with Lil, I’m home.
“Why cupcakes?” I always wondered. Especially since my father reacted like that.
She clads the sheets tighter around her bare body. “They remind me of my mom. She used to bake a lot.”
“I’m sorry, princess.”
She shakes her head. “It’s okay. Baking makes me feel close to her somehow. Do you think… do you think it’s possible to love or miss someone you don’t even remember?”
“I think it’s possible to love the idea of someone. The possibility of what could have been.”
“Maybe you’re right. Sometimes I wonder what they were like.”
“Did your uncle ever tell you about your parents?”
“Yes, and your mom.”
Good to hear I’m not the only one trying to make peace. “And what did they tell you?”
“That she was warm. Kind. Always made everyone feel welcome and loved. And her laugh… it was infectious.”
The mini Lil tottering around the kitchen with her mom, flour on her face, must be a funny scene. “She sounds a lot like you.”
A pretty blush colors her cheeks. “You think so?”
“Mhmm. Beautiful, inside and out.” I brush my lips against hers softly. “Though I doubt she ever punched a quarterback.”
Lil groans, burying her face against my chest. “Are you ever going to let me live that down? ”
“Not a chance, princess. It’s not every day a girl socks me in the jaw and steals my heart.”
“Steals your heart?” Her fingers splay across my chest, directly over the organ in question.
Fuck it. There’s no taking it back now. And I don’t want to. “Yeah, you did.” I cover her hand with mine. “I mean it, Lil. This. Us. It’s not just physical for me. It never was.”
“Same.” She smiles up at me, and it’s the most beautiful thing.
I capture her mouth in a kiss, pouring every ounce of emotion into it. She responds with equal need, her body molding to mine.
“Now I really have to go,” she murmurs after a while but makes no move to leave.
“Fine, I’ll see you soon.” Reluctantly, I release her, and she rises from the bed. “Lil?”
“Yeah?”
“Nice ass.”
She laughs, putting that damn bunny costume back on. Fuck, the way it hugs her curves, teasing me with glimpses of her creamy skin. I’m half tempted to rip it right off her again.
But I stay put, lounging on the bed as she approaches. There’s a shyness to her movements that wasn’t there last night. A pretty deeper shade of pink colors her cheeks, and her gaze rakes over me. Progress.
She leans down and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “I’ll see you downstairs. ”
“Run before I drag you back into bed.”
She giggles and heads out the door, leaving me alone in the tangle of sheets that still carry her scent.
The room is cold and empty without her.
I flop back on the bed with a groan.
Fuck. What am I doing? This girl isn’t some conquest. She’s… everything. And I’m lying to her with every breath.
I drag a hand down my face. I need to come clean, but the thought of losing her… I can’t. Not yet.
By the time I make my way downstairs, I find Gemma and Lil in the kitchen, chatting over mugs of coffee and toast.
At the sight of me, Lil averts her gaze.
“Morning.” I take a seat across from them.
“Morning,” both of them say.
“Did you sleep well?” My sister’s eyes hold a knowing glint, but I elect to ignore it.
I pour myself some coffee. “Very well.”
“Morning, everyone!” My mother walks in, greeting us brightly. “Everyone slept well?”
“Yes,” Gemma says.
Lil nods.
“Wonderful!” My mother fills a bottle with water. “Well, I’m off to tennis. Don’t wait up for me, and I wish you a safe trip back to college.” She turns to me. “Oh, your father wants to speak with you before you leave.”
I sigh, resigned. “Yeah, I’ll go see what he wants. ”
“Good. Have a safe trip home!” She kisses each of us on the cheek before leaving.
I notice Lil studying me, and I shake my head with a reassuring smile, wanting her to feel at ease—worry is the last thing I want for her. But it’s hard to maintain, knowing all too well what this conversation is likely going to be about.
After Gemma and Lil go off picking up Mary to fly back to college, I make my way to Dad’s study.
What can I say to convince him that Lil is different? That she’s not like the rest of the Edmunds family?
I knock.
“Come in,” Dad calls, and I walk in.
He sits behind his large oak desk, his expression unreadable. “It’s about time. Sit down.”
I flop into one of the chairs across from him. “Dad, I—”
He holds up a hand. “We already talked about the Edmunds girl, but you don’t seem to listen.”
“She’s not like the rest of them,” I say. “You don’t even know her.”
“I don’t need to know her. She’s an Edmunds. That’s all that matters.”
“Why? What if she makes me happy?”
“Happy? Please. You’re too young to understand what that means. Getting involved with her will only create trouble.”
My nostrils flare. “That’s not fair, and you know it.”
“I won’t have you mixed up with them. Don’t you remember what happened? ”
“I don’t care!” I rise to my feet. “Lil makes me happy. That’s all that should matter to you.”
“Sit down.” His gaze is hard.
I remain standing, glaring at him.
“You’re too stubborn for your own good. I’m only trying to protect you, but you never listen.”
“Because you need to let go of the past.”
“As long as the Edmunds are around, I will never let go,” he says coldly. “Now end this foolishness before it destroys you and this family.”
“Why can’t you trust my judgment for once?” I ask quietly.
He shakes his head again, weariness etched into the lines of his face. “You’re too blinded by your affection for that girl to see reason. Marc Edmunds will use your attachment to his niece against us. He’s always resented us, and now he has the perfect weapon.”
“She would never do anything like that. She—”
“Because of back then? Wake up. You’ve known her for what, a few months? I’ve dealt with Marc Edmunds for over thirty years. Do not question my judgment on this.”
I have to clench my fists to keep from lashing out. “Just stop,” I say hoarsely. “Why do you still hate them? Because she didn’t choose you? Do you even love mom?”
“Watch your tongue.” His eyes flash with anger. But he visibly reins in his temper, expression hardening into a mask. “You will end things with her today. No arguments. Do you understand? ”
I stand there seething, my jaw clenched so tight it aches. How can he be so fucking blind? So stuck in the past that he can’t see what’s right in front of him?
I want to scream, to throw something, to make him understand. But I know it’s pointless. He’s made up his mind, and nothing I say will change it.
Fuck, I can’t end things with Lil. Not after everything we’ve been through. Not after I’ve finally found someone who makes me feel alive, who sees past all the bullshit and likes me for me.
He wants me to give that up?
But what choice do I have? If I defy him, he’ll make our lives a living hell. He’ll cut me off, ruin any chance I have at a future. And he’ll go after Lil, too, to spite me.
The thought of her getting hurt because of me makes my stomach twist. I can’t let that happen. I won’t.
It’s not fair. None of this is fucking fair.
There has to be another way. One way to make him see reason is to convince him that Lil isn’t a threat.
“Sebastian, I will not ask again.” His eyes narrow.
“I can’t do that,” I say.
A flash of rage crosses his face before he masters his expression again. “You will, and you will also end that friendship between your sister and her.”
“I won’t.”
After a long moment, he sighs, tension draining from his shoulders. “Test her if you’re so sure.”
“What?”
“Test her. I’ll give you some information about our business. Something the Edmunds could use against us. If something happens, you have your answer, and I have my peace.”
“She won’t betray me. Our relationship has nothing to do with this. With you.”
He scoffs. “You’re a fool if you believe that. As long as Marc is involved, it will always have something to do with you. He won’t forget and certainly won’t forgive.”
“I…”
“Not so sure of yourself now, son?”