17. Stevie
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
STEVIE
I’m stepping out of the shower when I get a call from Kristine. I’ve been on the phone with her for the last thirty minutes, reassuring her of my confidence in her and Noah’s ability to run their first official funeral service this evening without me.
“You both will do fine. And if you have any questions or need anything at all, I’m only a phone call away,” I remind her.
Kristine has been texting nonstop since they got their first client.
Kristine blows out a nervous breath. “Thanks, Stevie. And you’re right, everything will be fine.”
I laugh. “That’s right. Keep reminding yourself of that. You’re more than capable.”
“I can do hard things,” she recites, like a personal affirmation.
“You can. And remember, the most important thing is our client lying in that casket. As long as you have their best interests at heart, everything else will fall into place.”
“Okay.”
“Good luck,” I encourage once more. “I’m going to let you go. Guests will begin arriving soon.”
“We’ve got this. Take care,” she says before we end the call.
It was a moment of escape speaking to Kristine about all things Nevermore, but now I’m back to face everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours.
The late afternoon sun shines through the window as I lie flat on my bed with my arms spread across the sheets.
I slept better last night than I had in a long time.
Remembering what it was like to have Sebastian’s warmth pressing against me, and the way his body commanded mine, was insane.
He was protective, even possessive, in those moments we were together.
It was intoxicating. Unfamiliar emotions bounced around my body as we arrived back at the manor last night, and it scared me.
This is all for show. It’s fake. We’re here to do a job, and I can’t let irresponsible fantasies get the best of me.
So, I detach, like I always do when I’m working on one of my clients.
I think about death, and I certainly can’t think about how bad things can go.
I’d rather not feel anything at all than feel things that could eventually hurt me.
I glance at the clock on the wall and remember I haven’t even spoken to Lux since she left for France. Not wanting to bother her, I’ve tried to give her space from all of this, but I need to speak with her about what happened between Sebastian and me last night.
I grab my phone again and immediately swipe to her name.
“Stevie!” Her upbeat tone is further evidence of her happiness.
“Hi, how’s it going over there?”
“Oh my god. It’s beautiful! River knows one of the US diplomats out here, and he’s letting us use his villa for the next few weeks, and it’s…” She pauses. “Wait, a minute. Why are you calling me?”
I chuckle uncomfortably. Lux is better at hiding things from me than I’d ever be with her. “I always call you.”
“This is different.”
“You and your Spidey senses.” I laugh.
“And they’re always spot on.” Her tone changes. “What’s up?”
I roll my eyes because my sister knows me too well. “We got in.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? River told me he spoke with Sebastian earlier, and he said everything is going well.”
“Did he say anything else?”
“No, why? What happened?”
I sigh. “As part of a sick initiation, Sebastian and I had to have sex in front of them.”
There’s a beat before she says, “I’m sorry. What?”
“They said it was the only way.”
“God, Stevie.” My sister gasps in disbelief. “I’m so sorry that happened. How are you doing?”
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” Sure, knowing that we were being watched was jarring, but the sensation of being in Sebastian’s arms made me feel strangely protected.
“Wait? What do you mean?”
I flip onto my stomach. “Well, he was sweet…” I pause. “And gentle.”
“He was?”
“Yeah. And we kept our clothes on the whole time. Sebastian made sure they couldn’t see anything. Which I appreciated.”
“Good ol’ Sebastian,” she muses. “Well, I’m glad he protected you, but I’m not surprised he did.”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, I can’t believe they made you have sex with Sebastian.”
My fingers pick at a loose piece of fabric on the comforter. “I know. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing.”
“Gosh, Stevie, I’m so sorry.” Her words turn back to concern. “Are you sure you want to continue working on this project after what happened last night?”
“I can’t leave Sebastian now. He needs me. And more importantly, I need this for myself.” My tone is filled with more conviction than intended, and I immediately regret when Lux says,
“I’m sorry for asking.”
“I know you’re worried about me. And I appreciate it,” I say. “But I promise, I’m aware of the decision I’ve made. I’m going to keep a level head, even if all this terrifies me.”
“Of course I am. You’re my little sister. I know you’re in safe hands. Not to mention staying in the safest place in the world.”
“Thanks, Lux. Talk tomorrow?” I ask.
“Of course. I’m always here.”
As soon as I end the call, my stomach growls.
I need to head into the kitchen to grab something to eat.
But first, I walk into the bathroom to check out the dark circles under my eyes.
I’m not used to the lack of sleep, and I can’t live with these bags.
I pull open the makeup drawer, sifting through the contents until I find the concealer.
After two small drops on my skin, I’m looking marginally better.
“This is gonna have to do,” I mumble to myself while flipping my tousled curls to the side. Then I slip on some shoes and exit the bedroom, bound for the kitchen.
The chill from the empty walls and high ceilings dust across my cheeks as I make my way from the East Wing to the main part of the house. The anticipation of seeing Sebastian again creates a flurry of butterflies in my stomach.
We have to work together, and I need to keep things professional.
Since he texted me before I fell asleep, I knew his goal was to make sure things remain good between us, possibly desiring the closure I needed, too.
“Good evening,” Sebastian greets me as I round the corner into the kitchen. He’s standing at the large range oven with a black apron tied around his body and a wooden spoon in his hand. My heart flutters.
“You cook?”
“No. That’s what our personal chef is for.” He shoots me a slight smirk. “I’m heating the prepared pasta from Ben.”
“Ah,” I say, climbing onto the high softback chair at the large island. “I was impressed for a split second.”
“Don’t get too excited,” he quips. “But I am good at other things.” He walks over with a plate of spaghetti and places it in front of me. “I’m sure you know which things by now.”
I laugh. The food smells delicious, and my stomach growls, so I don’t even respond to his comment. I simply grab my fork and take a bite. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” He smiles, coming around the counter to sit next to me with a plate of his own.
We eat in silence for a beat before he speaks. “Silas contacted me earlier this morning.”
My ears perk up, but so do my nerves. “Already?”
Sebastian nods. “The next event of the killing season will be in wine country.”
“Wine country?”
“Yeah, so, tomorrow afternoon we’ll be headed out to the country to stay at some old family estate for the weekend,” he tells me, as if this is a simple conversation about a work trip.
“We’re leaving Seattle?” I ask. “Is that safe?”
Sebastian’s dark eyes capture mine with a heavy seriousness I feel inside my bones. “We will be safe. You will be safe, Stevie.”
His words force a hard swallow. “Okay.”
“Since River and Lux have our plane, we’ll have to charter one,” he says, returning to his food. “I have Aunt Mae working on that as we speak.”
“Do you know what this event will be about or what we’ll have to do?”
“I’m not sure.”
“The unknown of it all is unsettling,” I state.
“I think we should be prepared for everything,” he says. “You remember Christian, my FBI contact?”
“Yeah, of course. He’s like your and River’s right-hand man,” I confirm, showing I’ve been paying attention to the workings of their operations.
“That’s right. He’ll be moving into one of our guesthouses to help us since River is busy boning your sister,” Sebastian jokes, but there’s annoyance in his voice.
I chuckle. “Yeah, they’re pretty obsessed with each other.” Sebastian flashes me a soft grin at our mutual ick. “I didn’t know there were more spots on the property.”
He takes a bite of pasta, then leans back in his chair. “Yeah, we have three. Nightrose Hall, which is where Christian usually stays, Hayden, the lead of the night crew, lives in Hollow House, and Thornfell Lodge usually remains empty unless we need it for emergencies.”
“Impressive. I wonder how much more you have on this property I don’t know about.” I play.
“Maybe one day I’ll show you where some of my favorite places are.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“But only if you’re a good girl, that is.”
“So, that’s how this is gonna go?” I set my fork down, turning to fully face him. “I’m accompanying you on this wine excursion of death, aren’t I?”
Sebastian smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes this time. “Our goal is to take one of them out this weekend. Two, if we’re lucky.”
Okay, he just dropped that bomb like it’s no big deal. He’s going to actually kill someone this weekend, and I’m going to be an accessory to the murder.
Fuck.
“Oh?” My heartbeat quickens. “Okay, um—”
“You won’t have to do anything,” Seb says when he notices my nervous stuttering. “Your job is to simply assist.”
“How?”
He clasps his hands together with bent elbows on the marble counter.
“I don’t know yet. The circumstances around the Society are kept secretive, so it makes things more challenging to plan.
But once we arrive and I’ve had the chance to assess where we’re staying and the environment, then we’ll discuss our strategy.
But just know, I won’t have you do anything you’re not comfortable with.
In my eyes, you will not take part in any of it. ”
Sebastian’s words give me an ounce of peace because there’s no expectation that I’ll be involved in any way outside of simply being there and pretending to be his girlfriend.
“Are we staying with them?” I ask.
“Most definitely.”
My eyes widen. Will there be no escape from the serial killers?
“It will be okay, I promise,” he reassures me, picking up on my slight panic.
I push my feelings aside and try to focus back on the job at hand. “Do you know what activities we’ll be participating in?” I need more information about the weekend ahead. Going in blind is unsettling, even if I trust him.
He shakes his head slowly. “Not really. Silas is always vague.”
“Do you have any idea at all?” I press, unsatisfied with his response. “Like, he didn’t allude to anything?”
“Not really.” He shrugs.
“Sebastian, I need to know what you know if we’re going to be partners,” I press, hoping there’s more information and we’re not just walking into this weekend blindly.
“We’re partners?”
“Yes, of course,” I snap, shocked he needs clarification. “What else would we be?”
“I thought you were just helping me,” he admits.
“I am, but I want justice for my clients as much as you want to give those monsters what they deserve.” I rise from my chair, prepared to head back to the East Wing to work on some administration stuff for the mortuary.
“Besides, after what happened last night…” His eyes dart up to mine at the mention.
“I think I’ve earned some type of respect from you, even if you don’t consider me a partner. ”
“Okay, got a plane!” Aunt Mae rushes into the room with a jolly smile on her face, breaking tension between Sebastian and me.
He turns to face her. “When will it be available?”
“The pilot will be on standby for the next forty-eight hours.” She walks over to me and wraps a friendly arm around my shoulder. “How did you sleep, Stevie?”
I smile. “I slept very well, thank you.”
Her eyes glance at the empty plates on the counter. “And I see Sebastian fed you? Good.”
Sebastian shoots her a side-eye. “Of course I did.”
Mae turns to me, ignoring her nephew’s flippant comment. “How is the mortuary? Business is good?”
“It’s going well,” I say. “Two of my amazing employees are actually managing their first funeral service this evening.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, it’s a big night for them. But since my phone hasn’t been going off, I assume it’s going well.” I’m not too surprised, they’re both qualified and understand how the operations at Nevermore are run.
“That’s great,” Aunt Mae replies.
I nod, smiling at her. “Yeah. They’ll do fine.”
“How are you feeling about it?” Sebastian adds, his expression softens. “Nevermore is your baby.”
“I’m okay.” I shrug—a warm flush creeps up my neck.
The three of us are silent for a moment.
“Well,” Mae starts, and I’m sure she can sense the tension between Sebastian and me. “I have work to do, so I’ll see you both soon.”
“Nice to see you,” I say.
“Bye, Aunt Mae,” Sebastian says as she strolls away.
Again, there’s a heavy silence between us.
“I’ll have everything packed and ready to go by tomorrow afternoon,” I tell him.
I want to believe that Sebastian is giving me all the details, but a part of me believes he’s keeping some of them private. Maybe to protect me, or that he doesn’t fully trust me yet.