Chapter 34 #2
Still, I managed to find a stockpile of metal water bottles and decided that would be good enough. I grabbed a white one that had a mostly matching lid and headed toward the fridge in the corner.
I pressed a few buttons on the water dispenser to turn it to ice and placed the bottom underneath. The machine growled to life, spitting crushed cubes into the narrow top, and just as I went to flip it to water, the air behind me shifted.
Inhaling sharply, I turned to look over my shoulder, only to see Sebastian mere inches away from me. I jumped, not because I was scared, but because where the fuck did he come from?
My mind struggled to process the sudden interruption as he turned me around, back to the fridge, caging me in.
His shittily dyed hair was damp with sweat, and his pupils stood like pinpricks in his sky colored eyes.
“Why the fuck are you here?” His whisper was low and dangerous.
I paused and sucked my teeth.
“What?” I asked, playing dumb.
“I’m done being nice.”
My head tipped to the side. Had Sebastian ever been nice?
“Why do you keep hanging around Mason?” he continued. “Who the fuck are you working for?”
I tried to laugh off his outburst in hopes of making him feel crazy. “It’s a little rude that you don’t think anyone can just like–”
“No. I know people can just like, or even love, Mason. Don’t get it twisted. But, people don’t hang around her, tell her that I kill people, and then follow her three hours away.” Sebastian leaned in, almost pressing his nose to mine. “Who. Do. You. Work. For?”
I let an easy smile hang from my lips even though I did feel somewhat intimidated.
“Who do you think I work for?” I whispered. “You’ve seen me in the pews of Saint–”
“Bullshit!” He snapped, maybe a bit too loud considering Mason was fast asleep about a room over. “I called Dale; he didn’t send you.”
“Did you ever think that Reverend Cole maybe, lied to you?”
Sebastian shook his head. “He doesn’t have a reason to. I’m not fucking dumb. Don’t treat me like I am.”
My lips parted to tell Sebastian that, if he didn’t want me to treat him like an idiot, he shouldn’t act like one, but my comeback was interrupted by stumbling footsteps.
Ones Sebastian apparently didn’t notice.
He remained zeroed in on me, while I watched Mason tiptoe into the kitchen.
Her hair was wild with sleep, and her eyes were red-rimmed and glassy, like she’d spent the last few minutes crying, even in her dreams.
Mason's lips parted and quivered like she had something to say, but words didn’t come out. And, I wondered if there was a slight chance she was sleepwalking.
After a moment, Mason's breath hitched, and she started for us, and I prepared to shove Sebastian out of the way so I could comfort her, but she didn’t want me.
Instead, she crashed into Sebastian’s back with enough force to knock him forward, almost causing us to kiss.
Thankfully, he caught himself before his head snapped back, and he looked at her with a downright satanic expression.
Mason clung to his back, burying her face in his shirt as she breathed him in with unsteady breaths.
“And you,” he snapped, pushing her back far enough so he could turn around. “I need to have a word with—”
“I’m sorry.” She spoke through sobs as she once again pulled herself into him.
Sebastian’s chest collapsed as his jaw flexed. In his eyes, I could see the silent war he had with himself, like he wanted to hold onto his anger but couldn’t.
“I’m so sorry. Don’t leave,” she begged, tightening her grip on him.
Yeah, there was no way in fuck she was awake, not fully. And I prepared to peel her off of him and guide her back to the couch, but slowly, Sebastian wrapped his arms around her.
It was hesitant at first, awkward even, like he wasn’t sure how to do it anymore.
But then Mason let out a broken little sob, and something in Sebastian just… cracked.
His shoulders curved protectively around her, head dipping until his cheek rested in her messy hair. One of his hands splayed between her shoulder blades, the other coming up to cradle the back of her head like he was afraid she might shatter if he let go.
“I’m here, Princess,” he breathed, so soft I almost didn’t catch it. “I’m here.”
But that didn’t seem to help, and Mason cried harder.
“I love you, don’t leave.”
“I’m not leaving, princess. I promise,” he crooned, kissing the tip of her head.
What the fuck was going on?
Sebastian Castillo was a danger. He was the Sons of Christ’s new prophet. He’d killed over a hundred people with S.H.A.D.E., and now… he was picking Mason up so she could be that much closer.
He lifted her like she weighed nothing, and her arms looped around his neck as she buried her face under his jaw. He rocked her softly, like maybe if he moved gently enough, she wouldn’t break. Like that alone could fix it, and just a hint of the tension in Mason’s shoulders dropped.
No, what the actual fuck was this?
This was wrong.
I needed him to be a monster and push her away, tell her she wasn’t good enough to carry his child, to send her to Dale so she could be sacrificed.
That was Sebastian’s job. And it was my job to stop him.
“I love you. I missed you. Please, no more tears,” he peppered her temple in kisses, and she sniveled against him. “I hate seeing you sad, don’t do this.”
Mason let out a small, hiccupy sob and clung tighter, and Sebastian just held her.
“Okay, I’m going to take you upstairs and tuck you into bed for a bit,” he said, now walking away as if I wasn’t even there.
“Don’t leave.” Mason held onto him so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
“I’m not leaving.” He sighed. “Since when are you so clingy?”
I could practically hear the smile in his voice, and I stood stunned at what I’d just seen. Unable to reconcile who I needed Sebastian to be with who he was with Mason.
Was this an act?
Would she be okay if I submitted enough evidence to have him killed?
And, if I did have him killed, would it be justice? Would it be for the greater good of protecting others?
Or… was S.H.A.D.E. using me to justify a murder because they were mad that he set himself free?