49. Sebastian
Chapter 49
Sebastian
I’m sitting in the waiting room, my leg bouncing up and down when my mother emerges. I shoot to my feet. “How is she?”
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?”
“What about the Edmunds?”
“They’re not here.” She shrugs, waving a dismissive hand. “Won’t be for a few hours.”
Holy shit. Is this really happening?
I don’t wait for her to change her mind. I rush past her, bursting into Lil’s room like a man possessed.
And then I go rigid, my breath catching mid-inhale.
She’s lying there, her skin a patchwork of bruises and bandages.
Fuck. This is all my fault.
My voice cracks. “Lil…”
Her eyes flutter open, those whiskey eyes that have haunted my dreams for years. They widen when they land on me, a kaleidoscope of emotions swirling in their depths.
“Sebastian?” She struggles to sit up, wincing in pain .
I’m at her side in an instant, my hands hovering over her. “Hey, hey, take it easy.”
She ignores me, pushing herself up against the pillows. “You’re here.”
“I’m always here,” I say. “How are you?”
“I’m fine.” She lowers her gaze, her fingers plucking at the thin hospital blanket.
Bullshit. She’s not fine. She’s in a fucking hospital bed because of me.
I sink into the chair beside her, my head falling into my hands. “Lil, I’m so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen.”
She’s quiet for a long moment, the only sound the steady beep of the machines monitoring her vitals.
“I think I remember.”
“Lil, I…”
“Did you really kill my father?”
The question hangs in the air between us, heavy and suffocating.
I lift my head, meeting her gaze head-on. “Yes.”
“So, my dreams aren’t dreams. Their memories.” Her breath hitches, her eyes filling with tears.
“What exactly do you remember?”
Her eyes focus on me, a maelstrom of emotions swirling in their depths. Confusion, fear, anger… and something else I can’t quite put my finger on.
“You, as a teenager. You called me a princess even back then,” she whispers. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I hunch forward, my elbows braced on my knees. “I wanted to, Lil. God, you have no idea how many times I almost did. But I was a coward. I was afraid of losing you. I didn’t want to force you to remember something you didn’t want to. ”
“You should have told me. I had a right to know.” She traps her lip between her teeth.
I reach for her hand, needing to feel her skin against mine. She flinches but doesn’t pull away. “I’m sorry.”
A tear slips down her cheek, and I brush it away with my thumb.
“I’m tired of people trying to protect me,” she says.
“I know. And I’m sorry for that, too.”
“What happens now?”
I blow out a breath. “I don’t know. But I do know one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I love you. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right.”
“Are there any other secrets?”
Fuck, I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to dredge up more painful shit from our past, especially with her still recovering.
Her eyes bore into mine, unwavering. “Sebastian, are there any other secrets?”
“Yeah. There is.”
She waits, her expression guarded. She’s not going to budge, is she?
“Can we do this another time?” I ask.
“No.”
I sigh. “Back in college, your uncle and my dad… they worked together to break us up.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re both fucking control freaks who couldn’t stand the thought of us being together. They thought they knew what was best for us.”
Disbelief colors her features. “I don’t understand. How did they…?”
“My father brought me documents… That’s why I thought you told your uncle about the deal. And how I found out about your engagement to Jason.” The words taste like acid on my tongue. “And why Ju wrote you that she saw me with Blake. She got paid by Jason.”
“It was all a setup?”
“They played us. They manipulated us into thinking the worst of each other.”
She’s quiet for a long moment, processing. I observe the emotions play out on her face—shock, anger, betrayal.
“Is there anything else you want to tell me? Another secret?” she asks.
“I may have let Anne design the library with your tastes in mind. Guilty as charged, princess.”
She blinks at me for a second before a laugh bubbles out of her, and damn if it isn’t the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.
“You’re an idiot.” Her eyes soften, meeting mine. And then her arms wrap around my neck, her lips finding mine in a kiss that steals my breath.
I’m careful, mindful of her injuries, but she seems to have no such reservations. She ravages my mouth, and I groan, my hands fisting in the sheets on either side of her.
We break apart, both of us panting.
Her eyes are dark, her pupils blown wide. “I need time.”
Fuck. I knew it was too good to be true.
“I need time to sort everything out with my family.” Her hands leave my skin. “I’m sorry.”
“Will you come back?”
Suddenly, the door opens, and Levi steps in. “You should go.” His eyes narrow at me. “Before Landon finds you here.”
I want to tell him to fuck off, but the last thing Lil needs right now is more drama .
I stand, my hand lingering on hers before I retreat. “I’ll be waiting. However long it takes.”
Forever.