Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Darcy
A ntonio’s food was spectacular, as usual. I wasn’t the type to cope with my frustrations through food, but with El Diablo sitting across from me at dinner—taken out by the pool as he requested—I couldn’t help but eat away all my irritations about the man. It was a good coping mechanism, though, because stuffing my mouth with carne asada, beans, rice, and guacamole restrained me from saying anything that would embarrass my mother further and piss off my dad.
I guess what was bothering me the most was that my parents were catering to the guy’s every damn need. Why was it that wealthy people always seemed to make others kiss their asses? It's a stupid question, I guess. The answer in this case was obvious: my parents needed his money, and they were undoubtedly rolling out the red carpet to get it.
It aggravated the shit out of me.
“And you, Darcy?” my dad’s humored, three-margaritas-deep voice interrupted me as I stared at the different colors illuminating the custom-shaped pool to my right. “What are your thoughts about this?”
I stared at my dad, not understanding why he would poke the demon inside of me that wanted to tell Mr. Aster to take his pompous ass back to New York, where it belonged.
“Whatever works,” I said dismissively, bringing my attention to the pool’s rock waterfall.
“This is interesting,” Sebastian smoothly said, sounding like the devil coaxing an innocent victim to sell their soul.
My eyes darted to him, but I pinched my lips tightly to not snap at the rude man. He wasn’t worth the discussion, and I wasn’t in the mood to make a fool out of myself trying to put him in his place.
Mom was right. The fucker owned the business now. It was best to keep a lid on it and not put my parents under unnecessary stress.
“Have another margarita, honey,” my mom said. She was smiling, but I could see the concern on her features.
“I’m good,” I smiled at her, then looked at my dad. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m not in the mood to discuss the house remodel anymore.”
“You appear upset with me?” Sebastian spoke before my parents could. “In no way have I meant to insult?—”
My eyes fell on his handsome features. “I’m not insulted, Mr. Aster,” I fake smiled at him. “I’m just?—”
“Disgusted,” he said, pretty much reading my mind.
I heard my mom sigh again, but it wasn’t my fault this time. This dick was the one starting the latest round of bickering over bullshit.
“Wouldn’t you be?” I said, turning it around on him.
“I’m not sure I follow you,” he answered.
“I don’t suppose you could follow me or even understand,” I said, folding my arms and leaning against the table. “Have you ever had anyone come into your home and start listing demands that need to be met for them to be comfortable there?”
“No one would think to do that,” he answered like the cocky bastard I was quickly finding out he was.
“Of course, they wouldn’t,” I said, our eyes locked in a stare-off.
I wasn’t in the mood for this shit. In fact, his expensive tequila wasn’t even working like I’d hoped it would. I’d taken two extra shots before dinner, but it didn’t loosen me up, it just amplified how pissed off I was. Safe to say, it wasn’t my most brilliant move of the day, but it was too late to debate that now.
There was no way I would allow this man to believe I was some spoiled bitch from California. I was far from that, but my decision to down tequila whilst in a bad mood would probably reflect poorly on me if I didn’t drink some water and leave the dinner table while I was ahead.
I turned to the pitcher of water, poured a glass, and started chugging it like I was putting out a fire in my stomach.
Now what, Darcy? I thought, putting the empty glass down and hoping I didn’t look up to see everyone staring at me as if I’d lost my damn mind.
No such luck. My dad looked utterly confused, my mom looked embarrassed, and Sebastian Aster looked amused.
“You know what?” I smiled at their silent gazes.
“Are you going to tell us what is going on with you?” my dad said, concerned by my weird behavior.
“I’m going to head to bed,” I said with a smile. I looked at Mr. Aster, narrowing my eyes at his still amused expression, “It was lovely to meet you.”
With that, I had to get the hell out of there. I was known for being opinionated—I was a Capricorn, after all—but I also had manners, which I hadn’t displayed much of tonight. Honestly, I felt a bit embarrassed about what I was putting my mom and dad through. I didn’t think I was being obnoxious, but I was crossing lines with my irritation about this man being in our home. I couldn’t care less if I did a write-up on him or not anymore. What I did care about was my parents’ home and dream, and I wasn’t about to fuck with that, regardless of how I felt about them bending the knee to this smug son of a bitch.
“Darcy,” I heard the devil himself say from behind me.
You have got to be kidding me…
I turned, acting nonchalant about this man following me away from the dinner party.
“Yes?” I forced a smile.
His eyes homed in on mine, looking for something, I guess. “I did not mean to chase you off from dinner tonight,” he said cockily.
My lips twisted in response. “You didn’t run me off from anything,” I answered confidently. “It’s been quite a day, so I’m just exhausted, but I appreciate seeing a hint of concern from you. I was beginning to wonder if you had a soul to go with that expensive suit you’re wearing.”
His gaze darkened, but he was the one who chased after me and my tequila mood. I left the table so it wouldn’t come to this, but it’s like his dumb ass wanted more.
“Of course I have a soul,” he practically seethed. “Why would you think I didn’t?”
“Because, Sebastian,” I wasn’t calling him Mr. Aster right now. That would be too respectful for a man who had shown zero respect to my family since I first met him.
“Sebastian?” he said in shock as if he hadn’t permitted me to use his first name.
“That is your name, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“Well, I don’t know how people in your elite social circles in New York do things, but in California, we tend to call people by their names, especially when they’re staying in our homes.”
“Well, of course,” he said in response. “However, we typically use proper names until we are acquainted and comfortable with each other.”
“Really?” He had to be joking; that was the most ridiculous shit I’d ever heard. “Comfortable, you say? I’m so glad you’ve brought up comfort because moments ago when you called me by my name, you were comfortable. And you certainly seemed to be comfortable enough to decide on remodeling this whole fucking home after being in it for what, thirty minutes?”
“Fifteen minutes after being shown my rooms,” he said darkly.
“Oh, forgive me,” I smiled. “Even better.”
“And I offer these services not because I’m comfortable but because I’m extremely un comfortable with the hospitality extended to me.”
You have got to be fucking kidding me with this asshole.
I folded my arms defensively in front of my chest, ready to hit him over the head with one of his fancy bottles of tequila.
“You are beyond my comprehension, sir,” I said.
He smiled, “I am not here for you to figure out, so that’s fine by me.”
I grinded my teeth together in a way that should have broken a back molar or two. “I never said I wanted to figure you out, asshole,” I snapped. “I’ve just never been around anyone so entitled or rude in all my life. You make this place seem like it’s some fleabag motel, and you’ve been forced to live with filthy trash that is so far beneath you, it’s almost like a punishment to be here.”
“Feels kind of like that,” he answered, and I was horrified at the truth in his eyes with that statement.
“Why the hell did they even send you here?” I said, pissed and insulted.
“You just said it,” he answered. “It is a form of punishment for me.”
“Bullshit,” I answered. “What’s going on?”
He sucked in a breath of air and looked away.
Interesting .
“I’ll leave you to go to bed,” he said and turned to leave.
Without thinking, I grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving and instantly regretted it when his darkened gaze fell on me in a way that could’ve turned me to stone.
“Wait,” I said, trying to hold my own against this man’s stare of disgust and repulsion as he pulled his arm away from my touch. “And don’t look at me like that. You can chase me down and demand answers, but I can’t do the same with you?”
“I just gave you my answers,” he said, wholly removed from the conversation.
“No,” I said, “you just gave me a dickhead response after I insinuated that you’re here for punishment.”
“I gave you an answer I truly feel is accurate. I owe you no more than that.”
“Well, while you’re here serving your prison sentence, you can at least be nice enough not to push that punishment onto the rest of us.”
“That is not my intention, I assure you.”
“Well, it feels like it,” I said, somehow feeling bad for this miserable asshole and not knowing why.
“Is that all?” he questioned with impatience. “I need to get back to your parents to review how I’ll proceed with business starting tomorrow morning.”
“God,” I shook my head. “I feel sorry for everyone who’s ruled by money.”
“Most don’t require your sympathies.”
“You’re a complete dick, you know that?”
“I’ve been called worse. Good night,” he said, then turned to leave.
The Aster family was renowned for staring down their noses at people, even ones who shared their status, so I couldn’t imagine what this guy was thinking about my family. Sebastian was a nasty, soulless creature, and Antonio nailed it when he called him the devil. I’d been around the upper class a lot, but I’d never experienced this side of who they were until now.
Part of me wanted to pass it off as his grief and being a widower, but I couldn’t excuse his wretched behavior. He honestly thought he was some kind of extraordinary human when there was nothing special about him, although it was clear he didn’t feel that way.