Chapter 17
Ilet Sebastian lead me to the center of the room, where couples have started to twirl slowly, in something too simple to be called a waltz, but I’d bet everyone here had formal ballroom training.
I follow in silence, grateful for the break in the conversation to let my brain catch up with the information thrown at it in the last few minutes. Try to understand it.
At first, I assume he just wants to dance, but Sebastian asks, “Can you talk yet?”
I blink up to him in surprise. Does he know I have trouble processing surprises too fast? That I need time and space and to be left alone for a bit?
“I didn’t want to shock you tonight, promise,” he says, still leading me in slow circle. “If that wanker hadn’t turned up, I would have given you a lot more time. Days. Weeks, maybe.” His hand slides along my spine, settling on my shoulder. “Well, maybe not that many weeks. I’ve wanted to touch you since that very first day.”
I blink as he brings his mouth down, so very close to my skin. To my ear.
“When you watched,” he whispers. “And looked like you were about to come just from looking at my cock.”
I can’t help a gasp. Did I really look like that? I don’t know what I remember from that day. I was in shock at first. And then I certainly watched him. I can barely remember the other guy, actually.
“I…” I start, not knowing where to go from there. What I’m going to stay.
I close my mouth and open it again.
“My mother controls every aspect of my life. And if she believes she’s in control, then I get some leeway. When I push back, I get?—”
I don’t want to say what I get. I don’t walk to talk about the cupboard, about the threats on my brother, about being dragged away screaming, and losing everything I care about.
“Punished.” I flush, deeply embarrassed. I’m twenty-two. I shouldn’t have to follow anyone else’s ideas about how to live my life.
If I were more courageous, I”d tell my mother to shove it, and live my life as I see fit, but it”s not that simple, given the stakes.
I had more spunk when it was just about me. Since she brought André into it, I’ve just bided my time.
What’s three more years when I’ve had to live with this for the last twenty-two?
“Senator Cole is never going to get her hands on your again, Hestia.”
“It’s not about me.” I wince. “Not just me, anyway.”
“Right. Your little brother.” He sighs. “Let’s talk of something else tonight. Like the fact that some little green-eyed pervert might have had a little crush on me.”
“I don’t,” I blatantly lie, making him chuckle.
“You do, Hestia. But that’s all right, isn’t it? Because I have a humongous, monumental, all-consuming infatuation with you.” Those lips that always say the right thing now press along the sensitive skin of my neck.
“You don’t,” I argue, because he can’t. “You just want to get into my pants.”
That makes him laugh out loud. “Oh, Hestia. If that were all I needed from you, you and I both know I could have taken it.” Before I can think of a retort, he adds, “All I had to do was to promise you secrecy. Tell you I’d fuck you behind closed doors and no one would ever know.”
My entire body tingles with raw need at these words, uncovering a desire I haven’t admitted to myself. I can’t help it; my eyes cut to his, searching them, trying to detect deception. All I see is heat, matching what’s burning under my skin.
I shiver as his fingertip caresses a path from my shoulder to my waist.
“Sadly, darling, hiding isn’t my thing.”
Oh.
So much for that.
“Don’t look quite so sad, my little pervert. I’ll screw you into next year like you so clearly want me to,” he promises. “Just not unless I can scream it to the world. I like to show off what’s mine.”
“I’m not yours.”
“Not yet.”
“Hey, coz,” some guy in a white tux calls. “We’re upstairs tonight after the auction, if you and the lovely lady want to join us.”
His date, a beautiful brunette in black, grins as he twirls her away from us.
“That was my cousin Marius, and his Sarah. Which you would have known, of course, if you’d come last week. Everyone wanted to meet you, you know.”
“I doubt that.” These people don’t know me from Adam. “What’s the auction everyone’s talking about?”
His chest rambles as he laughs. “Well, there are two versions of it. I’ll give you the official one. Members of the Raventhorn Society are auctioning valuable items, and the funds raised will be used to build facilities for the youth club in southie—a ramp is the primary goal, but if we reach a high enough amount, which is likely, they’ll extend it to a gym.”
”What’s southie?”
“Thorn Falls is divided into a few areas; we’re in the riverside now, and there’s west side, across the river—a poorer neighborhood. And of course, you know the campus. Most businesses’ head offices are located in southie. And so are the night clubs, the prostitutes, the druggies. It’s rather quiet during the day, but at night, it’s another story. There aren’t many residential areas in southie, but most of them tend to be a little unsafe. Hence the need for a youth club, to get the younger residents out of the gang, drug, and illegal fighting circus.”
“I would never have guessed Thorn Falls has that sort of thing. The town just seems so posh. What I’ve seen of it, anyway.”
“You’ve stayed around campus and the riverside. A night in southie and you’ll change your tune.”
A part of me I didn’t even know existed is strangely intrigued. Gangs and drugs or illegal fights don’t sound like my cup of tea, of course, but I’ve never really had a night out at a club. I didn’t realize it was an option here. Maybe I can convince Ari to take me.
And Sebastian.
It sounds like it might not be safe; having a colossal guy with us wouldn’t be the worst idea. That’s the only reason why I’m considering him. Not the nonsense he’s peddling about wanting me. I know that’s a trick. Something to get me to trust him and?—
And what? What could he possibly gain from it?
“You’re considering it, aren’t you?” he observes. “Well, well. I guess you’re not as much of a scaredy-cat as I assumed.”
“I can handle a night club.” I think.
Everyone my age has been to one, no reason why I wouldn’t.
“Very well. I’ll take you, soon.”
“Please.”
“It’s a date.”
“It’s really not. We’ll take Ari, and Tanya if she’s free.” Before he can retort something flirty and unsettling and likely completely false, I add, “And don’t think I haven’t noticed you said the auction was twofold. You only gave me the official side. What’s the other?”
Sebastian crooks an eyebrow. “I’d tell you, but you’d have to sign an NDA first.”
I snort and roll my eyes. “Right.”