Chapter 9
Gianna
Sebastian is leaning against a large black SUV, his arms folded across his chest. His dark t-shirt shows off the defined muscles in his biceps, and I can’t tell what type of pants he’s wearing, but they are fitted and delicious.
My stomach swoops at the sight. Even now, I don’t understand how someone so fucking hot is supposedly obsessed with me.
Black sunglasses hide his face, but I can feel his eyes on me.
When I stop a few steps away from the car, he unfolds his arms and holds out the contract he had hidden, and he taps on the dotted line.
My tongue works my cheek as I walk over, snatching the paper and pen from him and signing it before shoving it back into his chest. His lips quirk as he slides the sunglasses up to the top of his head. He doesn’t say anything as he rolls the papers up and tucks them into his pants.
Nico smiles, walking toward me and grabbing one of my bags.
I raise an eyebrow, then look back at Sebastian. “Not going to help?”
He sighs and pushes off the car, grabbing my other bag off my shoulder.
“A gentleman like always,” I mutter under my breath. Fingers grasp my chin, tilting my face up to his icy eyes.
“Check your attitude, Gianna. You waited twenty-four hours past my deadline, and I’m pissed. Don’t push me any further.”
I grit my teeth, yanking my head away to glare at him. “I can’t just disappear without preparing things first. You didn’t give me much time.”
Sebastian studies my face with a stoic expression. “You work contract graphic design, you don’t have any pets or plants, and your brother has been in and out of your apartment all week. What did you have to prepare?”
“My last will and testament in case you murder me,” I retort in fury. He makes my life seem so insignificant, but he’s the reason it’s like that to begin with.
A growl from deep in his throat has me stepping back. His jaw tics before he squeezes his eyes shut briefly, then blows out a breath. “Get in the car, Gianna.”
I bite back my words, knowing I’m reaching his limit, and climb into the back seat. Sebastian catches the door before I can slam it closed and slides onto the seat next to me. Nico is upfront, glancing back at us through the rearview mirror with amusement.
“Wait,” Sebastian commands as Nico pulls away from the curb. He snatches my wrist, yanking the bracelet off before I can even react.
“Hey!”
He rolls the window down and tosses it out before turning back to me.
“I was going to let you keep it, but then you acted like a brat. Nico will be searching your bags for any tags too.”
My heart rises into my throat, and because I can’t think of anything to say, I let out a frustrated scream and lunge at him.
He catches my wrists as I attempt to punch him before pulling me into his lap, wrapping his arms around me and pinning mine to my sides.
Nico snickers from the front seat and the car starts moving forward again.
“Let go of me!” I squirm in his hold, tears gathering in my eyes after a minute with no progress. Years of training, and I blew it before I even had a chance again. I feel like a fool, falling right into his trap like a fumbling idiot.
“Calm down. Don’t you care about Jeremy’s life?” he whispers in my ear.
My breathing staggers as my chest rises and falls in quick pants. Sebastian’s fingers caress down my back and I shiver.
“Please let go of me,” I say lower, a soft plea that rests on the edge of desperation. He drops my arms and I scurry to the other side of the car, fixing my clothes back in place.
“You promised when you accepted my deal that you would be here willingly, did you not?” Sebastian asks. His attention is on his phone, as if he can’t bear to look at me.
I swallow down the emotions building in my throat. “I did. I just—that bracelet was the only thing keeping me grounded. I liked knowing that my brother knew where I was. He would never intervene unless I asked him to.”
His gaze rises to meet mine. “That’s the problem, Gianna. I can’t trust you not to ask over the smallest of things.”
My heart is struggling to beat regularly while air barely pushes out of my lungs as he shifts closer to me.
“Do you trust I won’t hurt you?”
The lie is on the tip of my tongue, the one my mind is screaming at me to say even if I know it’s not true. Instead, any logic drains from me and I nod.
“Good. Then you don’t need a panic button, nor do I need to hurt your brother for attempting to take what’s mine again.”
I grind my teeth, turn away to face the car window, and give him my back.
His low laugh washes over me like a soft caress, hardening my nipples, and I fold my arms across my chest to hide my reaction.
When we were younger, Sebastian was a serious guy, the laughs I pulled from him were few and far between.
He usually only softened when it was the two of us, and his ever present frown would drop.
Now it seems like he puts on a never-ending performance that I’m not sure I like.
“Did you want us to grab food before the flight? Or do you want to eat when we get home?”
I face him again, alarmed. “Flight? I didn’t know we were leaving the state.”
Sebastian stares at me incredulously. “I can’t stay in Jersey or New York. Chicago is my home.”
My heart twists at the thought of returning to Chicago.
Our college hadn’t been far from the city and Sebastian took me whenever I wanted.
When I ran from him, I never thought I’d return because I knew that’s where his father’s business was.
At least what I had assumed was his father’s business when we were younger.
“I thought your office was in Manhattan,” I say, confused. There’s nothing else I can say to counter it. It’s the only place I visited, and I’m not sure where he has been staying any other time.
“Yeah, an office space I don’t particularly enjoy being in.”
I frown. “Why?”
Sebastian’s lips pull up in a taunting grin. “The neighbors are not very friendly.”
“How many offices do you have? I thought your father’s business was in Chicago? And I assumed yours was in New York?” I ask, trying to calm the fear growing in my belly at being states away from my brother.
He mulls over the questions, staring through me as to poke at my curiosity. “It’s always been my business. Chicago and the UK. The New York office is simply… for federal requirements due to a very specific tax. My father invested when I was eighteen, but otherwise, he has his own things to handle.”
My mouth drops open. “Your business? But you were in college.”
His eyebrows raise. “And? You learn more from experience than you ever do in a classroom. I simply needed the piece of paper to display on the wall for some old hacks who like reassurance. And I grew fond of a pretty girl on campus who made my days less dull.”
The back of my eyes burn at his words and I go back to the window. I hold my breath to not give away how much my heart is racing. It’s been years, and I was sure most of my feelings have lessened, and yet a simple sentence has my head spinning.
“Don’t,” I whisper, twisting my fingers in my lap.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t fucking say things like that,” I snap with a glare.
Sebastian narrows his gaze as Nico parks the car, climbing out to give us privacy. I glance out the windshield and realize we’re already at the airfield.
“Want to explain that little outburst?”
I roll my eyes with a sarcastic huff of laughter. “Don’t be obtuse. You know exactly what I mean.”
His cold fingers grip my chin, pulling my face to his. I shiver at his touch, hating how it burns all the way down my body before settling between my legs. “I wouldn’t ask if I knew.”
My tongue peeks out, licking at my dry lips and the tips of his fingers. His eyes drop to follow the movement and his hold tightens in warning.
“How many times did I ask you to tell me how you felt, Sebastian? How many years did I crave those three little words you refused to give? And now you’re saying things like that, as if your world spun around me…
” I yank my head back, ripping away from his touch and rubbing at my jaw.
“You’re a liar and I don’t want to hear it.
I don’t deserve to have my heart played with like that. ”
I don’t wait for his response, climbing out the car and moving to stand next to Nico as I wrap my arms around myself, rubbing to keep warm from the cold night. Wind tunnels around us, whipping my long hair in different directions and across my face.
Nico puts out his cigarette, crushing it with his shoe, then moves a step closer to me. “Gianna, don’t push him.”
I scowl. “I’m not—”
“You are, and for what? Haven’t you heard actions speak louder than words?” Nico shakes his head, opening the trunk to grab the bags. My eyes fall to the empty seat and I realize Sebastian is walking toward the plane stairs without a glance back at me or Nico.
I grab the small backpack, full of my important documents and a few books. Nico scowls at me and I stick out my tongue in childish annoyance. I move to head to the plane, but pause closer to him.
“Actions only speak louder when the truth is apparent. Some actions do not make sense without knowing the clear intention behind it. So yes, I do need those words because some actions led me to believe the exact opposite.”