Chapter 2
Sebastian Sterling
Guilt sits heavy on my chest. Penelope’s ring barely dents my breast pocket, but the memory of her expressive hazel eyes shining with betrayal and hurt sits like a pile of bricks on my sternum.
“Who are you and what did you take from my friend to make her so upset?”
I peel my attention away from the entrance where my best friend’s little sister just ran out onto the sidewalk and slip my hands into my pockets before relaxing my shoulders and meeting the woman’s eyes.
“I saw you put something in your pocket, so don’t try to say you didn’t,” she demands.
Taller than most women but still over a head shorter than I am, the lady glares up at me.
Even though my hackles rise, I approve of her tenacity and bravery as she stands up for her friend.
“Penelope’s ring flew off her finger. I promised to keep it safe until tomorrow,” I say.
She stiffens. Several other ladies join her, and for a moment, I can’t help but feel like an oversized bull in a china shop. One wrong move and I’ll break too many delicate things.
“You did what?” the woman hisses.
Like an idiot, I open my mouth and repeat myself.
“Her ring—”
“You took her ring?! She never takes that off, not even during class,” a different woman exclaims.
Confusion worms through me.
“Class? Why would she need to take it off during class?” I ask.
“Self-defense class. That’s where we all know each other from. She always spins the gem toward her palm so she doesn’t hurt anyone instead of taking it off,” the lady who approached me first fumes.
“Who did you say you were again? And how do you know our friend?” asks the other woman.
“My name is Sebastian Sterling. I’ve known Penelope for a long time. We went to school together.”
“You went to Columbia University, too?”
My brain short-circuits, and for an extended moment, I stare at the group without knowing what to say.
Samuel never told me Penelope was attending the same college as us.
I knew when she graduated high school since her parents invited us back for a celebration, but I had too many projects underway to drop everything and visit.
She graduated only three years after we did, so she took an accelerated route and somehow squeezed four years of study into three, and with grades so excellent she earned a full scholarship to her dream university.
I never thought to ask which college, but Samuel certainly would have met up with his sister if she were at the same campus as us, right? They may have had a horrible case of sibling rivalry, but I never once doubted their love for each other. Their family was always tight knit.
As an only child raised by my mom and nana, I marveled over their family dynamics. They could be so vicious one second, then join together and create an unbreakable unit the next.
I envied them. Still do.
How did Penelope attend Columbia University without me knowing?
In my third year of college—which is when she would have started college—I’d already started building my dream business while working a part-time job and studying for my bachelor’s degree, but I was also very active on campus. I attended every seminar and pep rally as I grew my web of influence.
I couldn’t have missed her. Maybe this woman is mistaken.
It doesn’t matter. I’ll do my own research and get to the bottom of it.
“I met Penelope long before college. Her brother and I have been friends since middle school,” I say.
The ladies shift and look at each other as though gauging each other’s reactions.
“So you’re picking on her like a big brother?” The tall woman shakes her head as she continues. “Do you really think you have that right? She’s never mentioned you. When was the last time you saw her?”
I can’t reveal the truth without looking like a complete asshole.
Which I am.
“It’s been a few years,” I say with a lame shrug.
She props her hands on her hips and glares at me. “You chose the wrong thing to tease her about. I don’t know why it’s important to her, but she’s worn that ring—and only that ring—ever since I met her six years ago.”
The weight on my chest triples.
“If she decides to never forgive you, we’ll support her one hundred percent. You messed up.”
Awe overflows my heart.
This. This unyielding devotion and unshakable dedication is exactly what I expected from Penelope’s friends. She drew them to her with her pure aura and brutal honesty. They embody the unabashed curiosity and impertinent logic she possesses, which I became enamored with back in high school.
Penelope was still a child—she must’ve been only twelve or thirteen my senior year—but her sharp mind and wicked insights never failed to capture me. She’s the only reason I passed my computer classes and graduated with a GPA high enough to attend Columbia.
She’s not a child anymore. I almost didn’t recognize her when she walked in the room.
“You really messed up,” the second lady interjects. “I think this is—what, only the third or fourth time?—in five years we’ve managed to convince her to meet us somewhere other than the gym, and you scared her away. Maybe we should talk to Audrey and discuss your involvement in her wedding.”
Every muscle in my body tightens.
These ladies are vicious.
“I’ll apologize,” I vow.
“You’d better. In fact, you’d better grovel,” the tall woman snarls.
“Of course,” I say.
I may have the physical strength to crush the entire gang with ease, but I’d never survive the guilt of knowing I hurt Penelope’s friends.
Connor Pen, a successful businessman I’ve spoken to in passing at several conferences throughout the years, leans forward in his chair and narrows his glare on the tall brunette. His eyes flash from fiery hot to deathly cold when he shifts his gaze to me.
He stands and stalks toward us, but by the hard expression on his face, it isn’t to back me up.
“We’ll be watching you tomorrow, Sebastian,” the tall woman promises. Her emphasis on my name and the warning in her tone make her threat obvious.
If they convince the bride to kick me out of the bridal party, I’ll lose my only opportunity to reunite with Penelope.
Connor’s glare sharpens on the woman.
I step back, drop my hands to my sides, and nod.
“I won’t disappoint,” I say.
Before the ladies bore holes in my face with their angry eyes, and before Connor reaches his target, I turn and stride down the hall and into the elevator. After riding down to the parking garage, I find my SUV and cram myself into the driver’s seat.
Needing a moment to process the last few minutes, I drop my head back onto the headrest and close my eyes.
Not only would I rather face an entire football team of testosterone-laced jocks in a fight than any number of small, fragile females in a verbal altercation, but running into Penelope shocked me to my core.
My cock throbs as I recall how perfect she looked when she first walked through the door. With her hair a beautiful mess and her curves apparent even through her long, stylish coat, my body responded.
Her figure piqued my interest as no other woman has in my entire life. She fidgeted and stood uncertain for a moment before rolling her shoulders back and greeting her friend.
The mix of shy and stubborn reminded me too much of the little girl I knew in high school. Younger than everyone else by at least two years—which is a massive gap when the population in question is all teenagers—she was always awkward in a group but brilliant and sweet one-on-one.
Her piercings threw me off for a moment, but her bright hazel eyes, delicate features, and naturally strawberry-blonde curls are unmistakable.
She’s gorgeous.
I sigh and adjust myself as my underwear grows uncomfortably tight.
I’ve considered Samuel my best friend for most of my life. Lusting over his little sister is wrong.
My cock refuses to listen to reason.
I groan as I recall the way she absent-mindedly sucked her lip ring into her mouth when she first bumped into me. Before she recognized me. Before I stole her ring and teased her without considering how much time has passed since we saw each other.
Guilt shrinks my chest.
I run my hand through my hair and sigh again as I pull my phone out of my pocket. After dialing my personal assistant, I hesitate, but hit send.
As CEO of the nation’s leading sports safety equipment designer and manufacturer, I ensure my company has the best employee benefits—including time off.
The last time I contacted my PA on the weekend was over two years ago after receiving a call pertaining to a tragic death that affected the following Monday morning’s schedule.
The phone rings long enough I pull it away from my ear to hang up, but before I hit the end button, Kenneth Thomas answers.
Realizing I’ll sound like a creep if I order a background check on a woman I should’ve have contact with for the last decade, I wrack my brain for a plausible reason.
If Penelope graduated from Columbia University, she must have an excellent résumé. No matter where she works or what department she chose to specialize in, she must be the very best in her field.
She knew more than the computer science teacher in high school. I bet she ran circles around most of her professors in college.
“I need a background check on a potential new hire. Her name is Penelope Miles.”
After rattling off a few pertinent facts—her parent’s names, where she graduated, her birth year—I wait for him to confirm before ending the call.
I don’t want to wait until Monday for the information, though. I need answers before I see her again tomorrow.
After pulling up my texts with her brother, I scroll through our recent messages. Self-disgust roars through me.
Beyond coordinating our regular meet ups at our favorite bar, we haven’t spoken much.
I call him. He invites me to join him at a club I haven’t visited before. I agree and hang up before starting the ignition and backing out of the parking spot.