Chapter 3
Sebastian
After confessing his affair with Meredith to Armand, Sebastian excused himself to meet with Peterson and Vidal.
Both men provided very clear visions of how they wanted the visit to Minsk to proceed.
Sebastian listened and offered little in the way of changes, though he irritated Peterson by going with Vidal’s specifics over his.
Unfortunately for Peterson, Vidal’s personal efforts saved Sebastian’s life.
Twice. His actions lent weight and credence to his word over any other, even if the other person was the head of Armand’s U.S.
security forces. After the meeting, he walked into another with Anna and the Dagmar Foundation to go over a list of appearances they were hoping he could commit to, and a follow up meeting with the specifics of the foundation’s goals in Belaria.
Six weeks was not a tremendous amount of time to plan a visit which would hopefully achieve Armand’s agenda.
The rushed nature of the planning sessions, coupled with their desire to limit the visibility of his public schedule all played an important role in the design.
They didn’t want to give anyone the idea of the visit’s importance.
He wished they could scrap the whole damn thing, but Armand was right. The family needed him to act.
By the time he returned to his suite, he was not in the best of moods. When his calls to Meredith’s cell phone continued to go to voicemail, he ordered Vidal contact O’Connor. The call had gone less than well, though he’d been profoundly grateful to hear Meredith’s voice.
The sadness in her tone cut deeper than the assassin’s blade, which nearly killed him so many months before when it nicked his ribs and punctured his lung.
Rubbing a hand against his side as if to soothe tentacles of remembered pain, Sebastian paced over to the window.
He needed to go to Boston. If she required groveling to let him in the door, then he’d bloody well grovel.
But they needed to talk.
Why the hell is she having dinner with O’Connor? It made no sense. The man provided security. It was his job to oversee her general protection and to maintain a low profile, but he was there for her protection.
Furious and frustrated with the whole debacle, he was through with O’Connor stepping out of line.
He’d all but sacked the man over the phone, and she’d rushed to his defense.
Even her anger had been preferable to the tears shedding in her voice.
He’d infuriated her on purpose, but it proved too easy.
Regretting hanging up nearly as soon as he’d done it, he reached for the desk phone to order the plane.
The phone rang before he reached it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t merely ignore it. He picked it up on the second ring. “Yes?”
“Come up to the penthouse.” Armand didn’t leave him any room to refuse because it wasn’t an invitation. “We need to discuss your earlier matter.”
“Of course.” He didn’t sigh or scowl. His brother expected his cooperation, so he would acquiesce.
At least when he’d explained all of it to Armand earlier, his sibling actually listened to the whole sordid story without comment.
If he’d summoned Sebastian, perhaps he’d come up with something to say on the matter. “I will be right there.”
Disconnecting, he picked up his discarded jacket and checked his tie.
Pausing for a moment, he adjusted the tiepin.
A gift from Meredith their first Christmas, it was his favorite.
Silver, it didn’t quite fit with most of his ties, but his valet always managed to find one to match it.
The penthouse was one floor above and the elevator opened as soon as he stepped out of his suite.
Security released the elevator to ride to the top floor.
The family owned the Petersburg Tower and no one passed the thirtieth floor without clearance from security to access the family’s private apartments.
Kyle Johnson stood outside the penthouse door along with another man.
Their presence warned Sebastian. Armand and Anna must be entertaining.
Security did not maintain a presence on the floor when the couple was alone.
Not even if Anna began throwing things.
Johnson inclined his head and opened the door to admit him.
However, not even the men at the door could have prepared him for the room full of people awaiting him.
In addition to Armand and his bride, George lounged in one chair, while Alyx and her husband Daniel occupied one of the sofas.
Richard took up another chair with his fiancée, Kate, perched on the arm.
Stopping just inside the room, Sebastian frowned.
“Come, join us, Sebastian.” Armand rose and walked over to the bar.
“Good evening.” He paused to give Armand a bow. Straightening, he nodded to their family, but kept his gaze trained on his eldest brother.
Armand poured two tumblers and offered one to him. “I considered your tale from this afternoon at length. I’ve decided, in order to facilitate the best outcome, we should crowdsource your issue to the family.”
Everything in Sebastian went still. He’d bared his soul to Armand in confidence. “I see.”
“Do you?” His brother gave him a slow, almost lazy, smile. “I hope so. You were very helpful when I called you about Anna. One could even say too helpful. While your methods might have been questionable, your heart was in the right place.”
“Armand.” Anna rose and shook her head at her husband before coming over to give Sebastian a hug. After pulling back, she looped her arm through Sebastian’s. “Ignore him. He was right to talk to all of us. We want you to be happy.”
“Absolutely.” Alyx leaned forward. “We want to help.”
“I want to know how you kept it quiet for five years, brother.” George eyed him with a bit more respect than he usually showed.
Sebastian sighed—his discretion was something George might learn from, but he didn’t know if he would advise taking such measures—except he’d had five wonderful years of Meredith to himself.
Richard grinned faintly when Sebastian’s gaze alighted on him. “I’m just here to play billiards and have a drink.”
“I’m with him.” Kate jerked her thumb at her fiancé, her solemn expression unwavering.
“Remind me not to play poker with either of you.” Sebastian tossed back his drink.
No matter their reasons, they were all here.
It was a show of solidarity and, while Armand definitely took the time to get his lumps in, his brother didn’t tell him to deny her or end it.
“Very well. I find myself in the unenviable position of having possibly made a muck of the best relationship in my life. What do you propose I do?”
His discomfort was a negligible matter if they could help him repair the situation.
No one answered immediately. Alyx shifted and he zeroed in on the uncertainty in her expression.
Catching his gaze, she winced. “I’m sorry.
I want to ask a question, and I’m really not certain how appropriate it is. ”
“Ask.” Sebastian couldn’t possibly feel more exposed than he already did. “Considering you were all invited to assist me in this matter, I will do my best to answer honestly.”
“Why didn’t anyone know you were seeing her?”
He shrugged. “Because I didn’t want anyone to know.”
“Not even your family?” The disbelief sliding under her words carried more than a hint of a rebuke.
Sebastian didn’t look away. “Particularly not my family. I will not list specifics, however I have my reasons. While I will endeavor to answer relevant questions, I request in return you respect my privacy on all else.”
“The moment the press gets wind of her…” Anna spread her hands expansively, alluding to the range of possible outcomes and the subsequent media feeding frenzy.
She would know. She’d not enjoyed a moment’s peace once the press learned of her existence and her relationship with Armand.
“Precisely what I wished to avoid for her.” Sebastian nodded to his sister-in-law. “Not to mention the security concerns.”
“So what’s the goal?” The directness of Kate’s question carried no hint of judgment. “You were in a relationship with her. She broke up with you. Do you want her back? Do you want it all to go back to the way it was? What?”
“I want to talk to her.” It sounded painfully simple, and yet…
“Which is difficult if she will not take your calls.” Armand caught Anna’s hand and tugged her along with him.
Seating himself, he pulled her into his lap.
The very familiar and intimate ease said a great deal about their relationship as well as revealing the comfort they felt in the presence of their family.
“He could simply go talk to her,” Anna argued.
Armand smiled and brushed a kiss onto the tip of her nose. “He and a dozen or so of the diligent paparazzi? I am certain the display would be quite romantic.”
“Oh.” She grimaced. “They really are annoying.”
“Yes,” Alyx agreed fervently. “Twice this week, two have followed me into the restrooms at separate events.”
The mirth in Armand’s face vanished and Daniel frowned, but it was her husband who spoke. “We’ll talk with security. It won’t happen again.” The self-made billionaire made the statement with blunt authority. He shared a brief look with Armand, who nodded. They would handle it.
“Why don’t you make a grand gesture?” George tossed out. “Take it public. It worked when you outted Anna.”
“No.” Armand echoed Sebastian’s verbal refusal then continued, “We cannot control the variable of the press.”
Returning to Kate’s original question, Sebastian blew out a breath. “I want to talk to her. I’ve offered to send the plane and bring her somewhere private where she and I could talk. I think St. Christos would be the best location. It’s private, isolated, and…”