20. Sebastian
CHAPTER 20
sebastian
I 'd been staring at these financial records for hours, papers spread across my bedroom floor. Something didn't add up about the timing of Carlos's death and the company's sudden shift in assets. The numbers blurred together under my desk lamp, but I couldn’t shake the feeling we were missing something obvious.
A soft knock interrupted my thoughts. Maxine slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind her. The moonlight catching her dark hair made my heart skip.
"You missed dinner," she said, setting a plate next to me. "Brooklyn could only cover for you so long before David started asking questions. She told them you had a migraine, by the way. Very convincing performance—she even did your brooding face."
"I don't brood," I protested, pulling her down next to me.
"Please," she scoffed, settling against my side. "You're the king of brooding. It's part of your charm."
I pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Did you see how weird your mom was acting today?"
"When isn't she weird lately?" Maxine picked up one of the papers. "She practically jumped out of her skin when I asked about the old Mountain View property records. Actually dropped her wine glass."
"Speaking of which"—I shuffled through some documents—"look at this. Three days before Carlos's accident, there was a massive transfer of funds from that property's account."
"To where?"
"That's the thing—it just vanishes. And guess who authorized it?"
"My mom and your dad." She sighed, leaning against my shoulder. Her fingers traced the signatures at the bottom of the page.
"Bingo." I wrapped an arm around her waist. "And there's more. The insurance policy changes, the sudden board meeting schedules..."
"You know"—she turned the paper sideways, squinting—"Dad always took that mountain road home. Said it was peaceful, that it helped him think. But that night, Mom was practically begging him to take it, even though there was a storm coming. I remember thinking it was strange..."
My blood ran cold. "Max..."
"I know what you're thinking." She turned to face me, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I've been thinking about it too. I just... I can't let myself go there. Because if it's true..."
"Hey." I cupped her face, my thumbs brushing her cheeks. "We'll figure this out. Together. You're not alone in this."
"My hero," she teased, but I could see the fear behind her smile.
"More like your incredibly handsome and brilliant partner in crime."
She rolled her eyes. "And so humble."
"You love it."
"Do I though?"
I tackled her backward onto the papers, tickling her sides until she squealed.
"Sebastian!" She tried to squirm away, laughing. "Stop! These are important documents!"
"Say I'm brilliant."
"You're impossible."
"Wrong answer." I increased the tickling.
"Fine!" she gasped between laughs. "You're brilliant! And handsome! And — mmph!"
I cut her off with a kiss, soft and sweet. When I pulled back, her eyes were serious again, all traces of laughter gone.
"What if we're right?" she whispered, her fingers tracing my jaw. "About them being involved in my dad's death?"
"Then we'll prove it." I helped her sit up, brushing papers off her. "But you need to be careful. If they suspect we're looking into this..."
"They'll move faster to get my shares." She nodded, reaching for her locket. "I know. Brooklyn said she overheard them arguing about some email this morning. David was furious—she said she's never seen him like that."
I gathered the papers into a folder, my mind racing. "Someone else knows something. We just need to figure out who."
"Detective Sebastian on the case?" Her attempt at lightness didn't quite mask her worry.
"Hey." I pulled her into my arms properly this time, breathing in her familiar scent. "I won't let anything happen to you. You know that, right?"
"I know." She fingered my shirt collar but didn’t meet my eyes. "Just... be careful too. If they really killed my dad... Sebastian, I can't lose you too. I couldn't survive that."
"You won't lose me." I pressed my forehead to hers. "But we're going to make them pay for what they did to Carlos. I promise."
"When did this get so complicated?" she murmured. "Sometimes I miss when my biggest worry was hiding my crush on my annoyingly attractive stepbrother."
I couldn't help but grin. "Annoyingly attractive, huh?"
"Shut up." She pushed my chest, but I caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm.
"For the record," I murmured against her skin, "I was pretty annoyed by how beautiful my stepsister was too."
A floorboard creaked in the hallway. We froze.
"Just me!" Brooklyn's voice came through the door. "But Dad's heading up, so..."
Maxine jumped up, straightening her clothes. "I should go."
"Meet me in the stables tomorrow morning?" I caught her hand. "I want to check something in Carlos's old office. He kept a second set of books there, according to some notes I found."
She nodded, squeezing my fingers before slipping out. Brooklyn gave me a knowing look as she passed.
"What?" I asked my sister.
"Nothing." She smirked, leaning against my doorframe. "Just thinking about how screwed you two are when this all comes out. The star-crossed lovers investigating a potential murder? Very noir."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence; sometimes I regret telling you,” I said with a smirk.
"That's what sisters are for." She tossed me a chocolate bar. "Also, you might want to fix your hair before Dad comes in. You look like you've been doing more than reviewing company documents."
I chucked a pillow at her retreating form. "Love you too, brat."
"Whatever. Just be careful, okay?" Her expression softened. "Both of you. This isn't just about the company anymore."
She closed the door just as Dad's heavy footsteps reached the top of the stairs. I quickly spread the papers back out, trying to look focused on work rather than thoughts of Maxine's lips.
But my mind was racing. The money transfer, the mountain road, Ciara's strange behavior, the mysterious email... Something dark was lurking in our family's past, and I would find out what it was. For Maxine. For Carlos.
The taste of her last kiss lingered as I turned back to the documents. No matter what it cost me, I'd make sure justice was served. Even if it meant bringing down my own father in the process.
I just hoped we were strong enough for what came next.