Chapter 3
Sebastian
I survey the crowd, my heart racing when I can’t find her. I tell myself that this is what I wanted to happen, that I wanted her to run, but I can’t escape the initial fear of her disappearing again.
“You okay?”
Brittany’s shrill voice almost makes me flinch, and it takes a lot of control not to fling her hand away when her long fingers curl around my bicep.
“Yes, I need to take care of something,” I say, waving my phone in my hand.
The blonde frowns. “Work? Can’t you—”
“I’ll be right back,” I interrupt her, and excuse myself from the barnacle that has attached itself to my side all evening before heading to the lobby of the hotel.
My call to Nico goes unanswered for the second time and my heart beats faster. Before my mind can latch onto the idea I’ve been double-crossed, I shake my head. He’d never betray me, he’s my brother. My family.
The elevator opens, and my stomach turns when I find the lobby empty except for Gianna’s tossed shoes abandoned by the door. I leave them there as I head outside, dialing my most trusted advisor again. I hang up when I see him in the short distance.
Nico is rubbing his throat as he walks down the sidewalk toward me.
My eyebrows raise. “You okay?”
The plan wasn’t to engage with her security, only observe. I also wouldn’t put it past a random citizen of New York to punch a stranger.
He nods, his lips lifting in one corner. “She punched me.”
“Gianna?” I ask, stunned.
Nico laughs. “Yeah. I grabbed her arm and barely got her name out before getting a solid fist to my Adam's apple.”
I snicker, rubbing my mouth with my fingertips. “Well, that’s certainly… a surprise. How far did she get?”
“Security caught her before she got to the station.”
“Hmm. So about five minutes?”
He shrugs. “Give or take a minute. Drake said she was fumbling with her bracelet in the elevator. May have a locator on it.”
“If not, then it’s just an emergency signal,” I ponder aloud.
Nico watches me carefully. “What’d you do up there to make her run like that?”
I can’t stop the smirk that pulls at my lips, the taste of her still on my tongue. “Just reminded her of how good we are.”
He rolls his eyes, shaking his head gently. “You’re a menace. What happened to your date?”
“Don’t know, don’t care. I told her previously it wasn’t a date.”
Nico sighs, then looks behind me. From the sound of tapping footsteps, I can guess exactly who is walking up to us. “So, you don’t mind if I take my shot?” he asks, his gaze dragging down the length of her appreciatively.
I frown. “Why would I mind? I don’t give a shit about her.”
He doesn’t have to give a snarky comment back when the annoying blonde reappears at my side.
“Sebastian? Are you leaving?”
Breathing through my nose sharply, I glance down at her. “I told you I had to take care of something. This is my business partner, Nico.”
Brittany looks over at him, the same appreciation she had for me lingering in her eyes. “Hello.”
Nico smirks. “Sorry to take him away. We had something urgent to discuss.”
“Are you coming back up to the party?” she asks, giving Nico a soft smile before facing me.
I shake my head. “No. We need to take care of this.”
“If you need a lift home, you’re welcome to join us,” he says. I glare at him and his need to get his dick wet.
Brittany glances at me shyly before nodding. “Thank you. That would be great.”
We lead her to the SUV parked by the curb, climbing into the open back seats that face one another. She relaxes as soon as our driver takes off.
“Ugh, I wish they made all the pretty shoes more comfortable. It kills me to stay in them for so long,” Brittany whines as she starts rubbing the harsh red lines on her feet from the heels she dropped on the car floor.
My nose crinkles in disgust, and even Nico looks a little put off.
“It was nice to see Gianna all dressed up. She’s my boss's girlfriend. I don’t know if you got to meet her before she left," Brittany says when we don’t acknowledge her complaint.
She’s clearly uncomfortable with silence.
I find the accusing tone in her voice humorous. “She’s always been beautiful,” I retort.
Brittany stiffens. “Do you know her?”
“I did once,” I muse with a chuckle, pulling on the lapels of my jacket and sitting up straighter.
Gianna is my obsession. I can’t get her out of my mind.
They aren’t healthy or loving thoughts. My body physically burns for her.
It craves her to survive, but I know it isn’t love.
I don’t know what it is, but it’s not that.
“Well, she loves Jeremy. They’ve been together for years now, and I know for a fact, considering I helped him pick out the ring, he’ll propose soon. Probably even have kids,” she says and then sneers with a twist of her lips.
My fists clench together, and I turn my withering stare on her.
Propose? Kids? There’s no fucking chance of that happening.
I will kill that skinny motherfucker before allowing that. Gianna is mine. MINE.
Brittany flinches, looking away with a slump of her shoulders. I can see the hard swallow as her throat bobs and her body shakes. She’s afraid, probably even a little embarrassed that she’s provoked me out of her anger and jealousy.
Nico laughs, but it rings hollow. “He took you ring shopping? You two must be close?”
Her attention turns to him, her eyebrows flickering in hesitant confusion. “I guess? I’m his assistant.”
“So you’re at his beck and call? For whatever he needs?” Nico leads with a tilt of his head.
Her cheeks stain pink. “Nothing like that has ever happened between us.”
“Like what?” I ask.
Brittany’s eyes ping pong between us. “We’re just coworkers.”
I hum. “Because workplace romances are frowned upon, no?”
The driver parks in front of her building and she bites down on her lip nervously. “They are… but like, I’m not interested in Jeremy like that. He’s too far gone for Gianna.”
“It would be a shame if people believed such a nasty rumor, though. Imagine if it got back to Gianna too. Poor girl would be heartbroken,” Nico says with a click of his tongue.
I nod. “It would be such a shame, so it’s probably best that you keep that little tidbit about me knowing Gianna to yourself. You get it, right?”
She grabs her shoes, her face paling and her answer coming out meekly. “I understand.”
She exits the car, standing unsure near the open door.
“Thanks for the invite… It’s been eventful,” I say, wanting to be alone and confirming I wouldn’t be calling her again. I slam the door shut before she can respond.
As soon as we pull away, I undo my jacket, throw it to the side, and unbutton the top of my shirt.
Fuck, I’m pissed.
“What are you thinking now?” Nico asks.
My eyes lift to catch his. “Get Knox on the phone. Do we have a judge who will push something through overnight?”
Nico is momentarily silent before clearing his throat with a grimace. “Depends on what you have in mind and where. Jersey, perhaps. New York, I don’t think so.”
A malicious grin stretches across my face.