Chapter 3
I stormed off, avoiding the urge to turn back and look at Sebastian. But I knew I needed to get away from him, from the situation, from everything. I needed to figure out what the fuck I was going to do. The manor loomed ahead of me, a grand old building that reeked of old money and extravagance. I felt so out of place as I pushed through the large wooden doors, my heels clicking on the polished marble floor. The foyer was filled with people, all dressed in their finest. Designer gowns, tailored suits, and sparkling jewels adorned the elite crowd. Laughter and chatter echoed off the high ceilings, mixing with the soft strains of classical music. Even in the beautiful, but now very tainted, dress I felt like a fish out of water. I kept my head down as I navigated through the throng, searching for a bathroom. The decor was opulent, with gilded mirrors, antique vases, and priceless works of art lining the walls. It was a far cry from the dingy flat I called home, a reminder of the world I didn”t belong to.
Finally, I found a bathroom, slipping inside and locking the door behind me. I leaned against the cool marble sink, trying to calm my racing heart. The bathroom was larger than my entire now former flat, with a clawfoot tub, plush towels, and a vanity stocked with expensive toiletries. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, my carefully applied makeup smudged from my tears. I looked like a child playing dress-up, a cheap imitation of the women outside. I didn”t belong here, and I knew it. I pulled out my phone, hands trembling, and dialled Jade”s number. She answered on the second ring.
”Lily, where are you? The car should have dropped you off by now.” Jade”s voice was sharp as usual.
”Did you know?” I asked, ignoring her question.
”Know what?” I could tell by her tone that she was taken aback.
”Did you know who the client was?”
”Of course we did.” Jade even sounded offended. ”We don”t take on new clients without a full background check, you should know that.”
”But did you know who he was to me?” I was already suspicious when they had told me the client wanted to remain hidden.
”To you?” Jade asked. ”Wait, do you have prior relations with Mr Lynch?” I let out a laugh that was bordering on hysterical.
”Prior relations?” I laughed again. ”Strangely if I had agreed to that then my life wouldn”t have been the shit show it is now. Jade, Sebastian is the reason I was expelled from Regents.”
”Oh,” Jade said, her voice faltered a little. ”Lily, I had no idea. The client, Mr Lynch, never disclosed that he knew you.” I believed her. Jade was a hard ass, but she wasn”t evil.
”Jade, I can”t do this. I can”t spend six months with the man who ruined my life.” Jade sighed heavily.
”Lily, you don”t have a choice. You signed the contract, and you know what that means.” My stomach twisted as she spoke. ”If another contract gets cancelled, you”ll have to pay back every penny the agency has spent on you.” I squeezed my eyes shut, panic rising in my chest. I hated this; I hated that I was in this position.
Despite being with the agency for the last three years I had never actually had a complete contract. Each time something had happened, and the client had cancelled. At first the agency had simply said that it sometimes happens, but after the third or forth time I could tell that they were getting annoyed about it. I had even had a call with the owner, Miss May, herself. After this last contract came in, I was warned that they couldn”t lose any more money on me. This was my last chance. I knew that when I signed the contract, but what were the odds that the one contract that went through was this one?
”Jade?” I asked as something occurred to me. ”What does the file say on Mr Lynch? Like what does he do for a living?” I heard tapping on the other end.
”There isn”t much obviously,” she replied. I knew that not all of the clients were upstanding members of society; I mean there was a reason why the whole agency was so discreet. ”All I have is that he is the CEO of Lynch Pin Industries. First time client. No previous marriages, no children.” Lynch Pin Industries, I knew they sounded familiar, but I wasn”t sure what they did. But I was sure that Sebastian was studying something to do with computer science in university.
”Why, what are you thinking?” Jade asked.
”I don’t know if I am being paranoid, or something,” I started. ”But I am starting to wonder if Sebastian had something to do with my bad luck these last few years.”
”You think that he has been sabotaging you?” Jade didn”t sound too convinced.
”Jade, I was kicked out after I rejected Sebastian,” I said.
”I”m sorry, what?” Jade certainly sounded interested now.
”He asked me out, and I went on a couple of dates with him. But then I said I wasn”t interested. He didn”t take it too well.” That was an understatement. Sebastian had been very persistent after I had turned him down. He would turn up outside class, try and give me expensive gifts, at first, I wasn”t too concerned. A guy like him had no shortage of opportunities. But when I started finding threatening letters in my dorm room, promising me all sorts of horrible things I knew I had to protect myself. Could he really have been that obsessed that he continued to destroy my life these last few years. I wanted to think that I was being dramatic, but the way Sebastian spoke to me outside, wasn”t the words of someone who had fond feelings.
”I can look into it,” Jade said. ”But it”s going to take time. And if it is a coincidence then you really can”t risk this contract, Lily.” I knew she was right, but I felt sick anyway. ”You are going to have to continue as planned until we can get proof of anything else, if there is something.” I looked at myself in the large wall length mirror and tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to spring up. I nodded at myself.
”Okay,” I said, trying to sound strong.
”Lily, I know it’s hard, but use this time. You are at the party with his friends, right?” Jade asked. ”See if you can get more information on him from them. And we all know that men talk more in the bedroom.” Oh god, I was going to have to sleep with him. Could I do it? I really didn”t have a choice. And he had already said something about sharing me. I remembered seeing in the contract that there would be a possibility of kink related activities. Jade must have taken my silence for compliance as she spoke again.
”Okay, well it”s settled. I will make some inquiries and if you get anything then come and let me know. But in the meantime, you have a contract and the reputation of the company to uphold.”
The beep of the call ending sounded before I even had time to respond. I looked at the phone in shock. I guess that was it. The reality of the situation crashing down on me. I was trapped, at least for now. That was, if Jade could find something incriminating enough on Sebastian. But until then I would have to try and pretend to play the dutiful wife.
I took a deep breath as I watched myself in the mirror. I looked shocked, my skin paler than usual and my eyes were wide, the green bright with the tears that seemed to hold at the edge. I nodded to myself again and put my phone in my little bag. I grabbed some tissues and tried to clean up the smudged makeup and reapplied my eyeliner and lipstick. I knew it wasn”t perfect, and anyone who looked too closely would be able to tell that I had been crying. But somehow, I doubted anyone would even care about me to notice. I took another breath as I put my lipstick back into my purse and forced a smile on my face. It was now or never.
I turned towards the door and unlocked it. I pulled it open quickly and stepped out before I had chance to change my mind. I crashed straight into a warm body.
”Oh my god,” I exclaimed and quickly stepped back away from whoever I had stepped into. ”I am so sorry about-” I started but then I saw the man’s face and stopped.
”Alec?” I couldn”t believe what I was seeing. Alec McIntyre was one of the people at Regents University that I was actually sad to not see any more. We had become friends after we had been paired as partners in class. Alec had been the one support that I had at the school and had even tried to argue with the school when he heard I had been expelled.
”Lily, what the hell are you doing here?” he replied.
”What am I doing here?” I asked him. ”What are you doing here?” I knew Alec was a part of that elite crowd, but he wasn”t anything like them. He was friendly and warm and always willing to help people. A lopsided grin appeared on his face, and his blue eyes sparkled with humour. His hair was still the floppy unruly light brown it had been four years ago.
”Lily, I live here,” he said. I could feel my eyes widen as he waved an arm around him.
”What, here? Like this is your party?” I asked and Alec snorted a laugh.
”Well, it”s my father”s party.” He looked up as a couple headed pass us. He nodded politely to them as I smiled. ”But yeah, when this place isn”t masquerading as a sex dungeon then yeah it”s where I call home.” I lifted an eyebrow.
”Sex dungeon?” I knew that the kink subculture was pretty prevalent in this crowd. I just wasn”t aware it was so obvious.
”Yeah,” Alec said, his tone indicating that he wasn”t exactly happy about it. His eyes narrowed on me. ”Which is why I am surprised to see you here.” I looked at the floor and pursed my lips.
”Well, that is kind of complicated,” I said and looked back up into Alec”s concerned eyes.
”Complicated how?”
”I”m here with Sebastian,” I whispered. Alec”s eyes widened and I could see something flash through them.
”Sebastian Lynch, as in the dick who stalked you?” I nodded quickly.
”Like I said, complicated.” I shrugged. We weren”t allowed to disclose that we were Agency unless the client did, and I had no clue how to explain it otherwise.
”Lily, what is going on,” Alec demanded. ”I might not have seen you for a while, but I do know you, and I know that you wouldn”t intentionally interact with that bastard.” I tried holding it together, but I could already feel the tears forming again. Alec”s face softened and he looked around before taking my arm and pulling me back into the bathroom.
”Okay, tell me what the fuck is going on,” Alec said as he handed me a tissue. I shook my head and tried to smile.
”It”s nothing,” I said and even I could tell I wasn’t convincing anyone.
”Bullshit,” Alec snapped. ”What does he have on you?” I closed my eyes and tried to control my breathing, I didn”t want to cry anymore.
”It”s fine Alec, honest.” I felt the brush of his fingers on my cheek before Alec cupped my chin and lifted my head up to face him. I opened my eyes and looked at him.
”Please Lily, I can tell you are lying. Let me help you.” His voice was soft and pleading.
”I”m not sure you can,” I said. ”I can”t tell you, not without…” I trailed off. Even saying that I couldn”t tell him was too much information. Alec stepped back and looked down at my hand. His eyes narrowed on something, and he grabbed my hand and lifted it. The sparkle of the diamond on the rings seemed to laugh at me.
”Wedding ring?” he growled. ”Oh Lily, please don”t say this is an Agency contract.” My eyes widened.
”You know about the Agency?” I asked and he snorted again.
”My last two stepmothers were from that place,” he growled. ”I knew you were registered after my father had tried to get me to use their services.” I opened my mouth, unsure of what to actually say. But Alec shook his head. ”I wanted to reach out, but after the last time we spoke, I got the impression you wouldn”t want to hear from me.” I nodded, remembering our last encounter. It was about two months after I had left the university. Alec had offered to try and help but I had still been angry and had lashed out at him, telling him that I was done with that whole group of people.
”How long is the contract?” Alec asked.
”Six months,” I whispered. ”Not that long, right?” I didn”t know if I was trying to convince him or myself.
”Six months?” Alec looked horrified. ”Lily, that man is dangerous. He is so much worse than he was at Regents.” I caught on to his words. Could I get what I needed from Alec.
”Dangerous?” I asked, ”How?”
”He”s the guy people go to if they need things fixing,” Alec said and then laughed. ”It”s not just the irony that his company is called Lynch Pin. It seems it’s a blood born heritage for him.” Alec looked down at the ring and then back up at me.
”End the contract, it”s too dangerous for you to be involved with him, even like this,” he said, and I shook my head.
”I can”t,” I said, and I briefly explained the hell that I had lived over the last couple of years, and how I was starting to think that Sebastian had been more involved than I had thought. Alec nodded, his face grim.
”I hate to say it, but I think you might be right,” he said. My stomach lurched. This wasn”t exactly what I wanted to hear.
”So, you need proof that he was manipulating things then?” Alec asked and I nodded my head. He had a firm look on his face as he nodded. ”I think I might be able to help.”
”Seriously, how?” I asked. I tried not to feel a spark of hope, but if there was even something small that would help, then I would take it.
”I knew Sebastian would be here,” Alec said thoughtfully. ”He has some sort of business thing with my father and with a few other men here. I could see what I can drag up. If we could get enough, it could help with showing his intentions with you.” Alec shrugged. ”It might be nothing, but it”s worth a shot, right?” I nodded quickly, trying not to get too excited.
”Oh my god, Alec,” I said as I threw my arms around him. ”That would be amazing.” I felt his arms tighten around me as he responded to the hug.
”It”s no bother,” he whispered in my ear. ”I would do anything to protect you, Lily.” I pulled away to see a sincere look on his face. His face then slipped back into the goofy grin. ”And if it means taking that dick down a peg or too, well that is a bonus.” I responded with my own smile. I felt more hopeful, knowing that I had Alec to help me. I glanced at the door again and frowned. But I would still have to bide my time.
”I better get back to him,” I said quietly. Alec took my chin in his hand again.
”I swear I will be as quick as I can,” he said. ”We”ll get you out of this, I promise.” I nodded and forced a smile on my face. I opened the door again and stepped back out into the hallway.
”Just give me a day, two at most,” Alec said as he closed the bathroom door and I nodded again. I could handle a couple of days, right? I just needed to hold out till then. Then a look crossed over Alec”s face as he looked behind me and I already knew what I would see before I turned around. I took a deep breath and turned to see a very furious looking Sebastian standing at the end of the hallway.