11. CHAPTER 11
ARIA
“ H ow’s your mum doing?” Sebastian asked.
“She’s good. I miss her, though.” I sighed, taking a sip of my vodka and Coke.
We had decided to get drinks after work, and Sebastian had taken us to some upscale bar in the West End where he had a private room.
It didn’t even look like a bar from the outside.
You walked in and it felt like the hallway was leading you down into the basement, where all of a sudden, there was soft music playing in the background of a room filled with modern, stylish décor and a bar.
Everyone looked like they were part of the corporate world with their tailored suits. It somehow reminded me of the places I’d end up in back in Leeds—but there was nothing corporate about those.
“Do you not get to see her much?”
“She’s in New York now. I haven’t been able to visit since she left.”
It wasn’t by choice. I hadn’t been allowed.
“I’m sure you’ll get to see her soon, Nyx.” He smiled, squeezing my hand.
“You remember when she saw you carrying me in through the front door? She looked like she was about to commit murder.”
“Well, you were seventeen, completely wasted, draped all over me.” He chuckled, then took a sip of his whisky.
“I was not all over you,” I protested, nudging him with my arm.
I’d missed him. We’d had a connection back then that felt as easy as breathing.
“Well, your mum thought something was going on between us. She had words with me after, and I had to reassure her there wasn’t.
She was quite scary, actually.” He leaned back on the black velvet sofa and rested his arm behind me.
“Just admit it, Nyx. I was pretty irresistible. I’d completely understand why you were obsessed with me,” he teased.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Clearly you’ve got a big head. You really aren’t that good looking.”
Who was I kidding? This man was pure perfection. He looked like he’d just walked off a supermodel shoot in Milan. I used to fantasise over him doing things to me that I should never have thought about.
I shifted, crossing my legs. His eyes flicked to them at the movement, then back to meet mine.
“Don’t worry, little sis. I won’t tell anyone you’ve got a thing for your big brother.” He winked.
I wacked him in the chest, and he chuckled. “Stop calling me that! Our parents aren’t even married anymore.”
He smirked, resting his hand on my thigh, then leaned into my ear. “That’s a shame. I like forbidden things,” he whispered.
My breath caught, my heart skipping a beat, and that heat spread straight to my core, melting all my senses at once.
He squeezed my leg. “You’re looking a little flustered there. The alcohol getting to you?”
My hands found my cheeks. They were burning hot. This guy had me weak for him with just a few words.
“Erm, yeah, probably.” We’d been here for a few hours, and I had drunk more than I’d intended.
“Never could hold your liquor.” He laughed, swirling the amber liquid in his glass before downing the remainder.
Sebastian gripped my waist as he guided me out of the main entrance. The cool May air hit me, sobering me up slightly.
“Let’s go to Soho.” I looked up, smiling at Sebastian. It was only around the corner.
“I don’t think so.”
I pouted at him. “Since when did you become an old man?”
He laughed to himself. “Fine, but don’t go getting yourself into trouble.”
A mischievous smile came across my face as we started walking, and we soon entered another bar. The staff seemed to know Sebastian, and drinks were brought over to our table. The vibrations of the music snaked through my veins, and the spotlights flickered a mix of blues and reds.
I sipped my vodka and Coke, ready to take on the dance floor.
I leaned in to Sebastian. “Come dance with me.”
“I don’t dance, Nyx.”
“First time for everything.” I smiled, pulling him up from the chair, and he rolled his eyes at me.
We made our way to the dance floor, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands soon rested on my hips. I started swaying my hips to the beat, and Sebastian was right there in time with it all.
I turned, fitting my back against his body, resting one arm around his neck and the other by my side.
He slid his hands around my waist, resting on my lower stomach.
I moved my hips, and his body followed, staying glued to mine.
My heart was racing, and the heat between us was electric.
His citrus tones flooded my system, heightening everything at once.
My breathing became shallow. I could feel his warm breath on my neck, his stubble rough, but his lips were smooth as they traced over my skin.
“Nyx,” he whispered in my ear, turning me to face him.
There was a man wearing a sharp, black suit standing next to Sebastian. He was around six foot, with dark eyes that almost looked black. His light brown hair was cut short, shaved at the sides, and tattoos covered his hands.
“I need to go deal with something. I’ll just be at the table if you need me.”
I nodded and watched as they disappeared through the crowd, my brow furrowed. Everyone around was still dancing and enjoying themselves, so I decided to do the same. I’d ask Sebastian about it later.
It wasn’t long before arms wrapped around my waist again, but they felt different. I turned and pulled away, shaking my head to let him know I wasn’t interested. Then the lights flickered over his face, fully revealing his identity.
A face I knew.
He grabbed my wrist, tugging me back. My eyes darted around at everyone laughing and dancing with each other. Acid swirled in my stomach, and my breathing became heavier with each deep breath. That sick feeling was rising as I swallowed to try and keep the burn down.
“Get off!” I shouted, struggling to free my wrist. My heart was pounding, and the adrenaline took over, so I pushed him with all the force I could muster.
“You always were a little cunt,” he hissed, backhanding me across the face.
I gasped, the sting taking my breath away, and touched the side of my lip. My fingers came away with spots of red on them. My heart was racing, getting quicker with each breath I tried to suck in. The room was spinning, and I couldn’t focus on a single point to try and steady it.
Then I saw those familiar blue eyes looking straight at me.
Sebastian.
His mouth was moving, but I couldn’t hear a word he was saying. I squinted, and then all of a sudden, everything was loud again.
“Nyx, what happened?” His fingers took hold of my chin as his eyes fixed on my lip.
His touched grounded me as I saw flickers of primal rage run through his eyes. Mine darted to the guy Sebastian had gone off with; two other men now stood behind him.
“Who did this to you?”
I couldn’t get my words out, so I just pointed at the man backing away into the crowd.
Sebastian gestured to the two men, and they rushed in the man’s direction. Sebastian’s eyes met mine again. They were filled with burning rage, almost primal.
Knots formed in my stomach, and I grabbed his tense arm.
“Sebastian, please,” I begged. “Leave it.”
He cupped my cheeks, and I felt the tension leave his body as he gazed into my eyes. “Not a chance.”
I watched in horror as Sebastian stormed over, the man already being held steady by the two men.
Sebastian swung for the man, knocking him to the floor.
He then grabbed him by his collar, pulling him up slightly, and he went for him, one punch after another, crimson droplets spraying across the floor.
I felt frozen, rooted in place. I couldn’t move. Didn’t know what to do. A sick feeling burned in my stomach.
I felt hands on my arms, and I turned to see the first guy Sebastian had been with. He gently pulled me away from the scene, until I couldn’t see Sebastian anymore, couldn’t hear the crunch of bone.
The cold air hit my tears, and I took a deep breath, but the air was harsh, piercing my lungs. Goose bumps crawled over my skin.
“It’s Aria, isn’t it?” the man said, turning me to face him.
I nodded.
“I’m Logan. I work for Sebastian.”
I fixed my eyes on the door, praying to see Sebastian walk out.
“Aria …” I felt Logan’s hands touch my shoulder, and I glanced back. “Everything will be fine. I promise you.”
Somehow, I could see in his eyes he was telling the truth.
It felt like a lifetime before Sebastian finally came out.
My heart skipped a beat, and my breathing steadied. He paused, straightening his suit and brushing his hair back, then walked over. As soon as he arrived, I wrapped my arms tightly around him, taking in all his warmth.
Back when our parents were together, Sebastian would come home with cuts and bruises more often than not, and I’d fix them up for him.
It wasn’t him that frightened me; it was the memories I’d buried deep resurfacing.
All I saw amongst that blue flame in his eyes was protection. Safety.
He tilted my chin, looking at my lip. “It’s split.” His eyes then met mine. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
I shook my head.
“Let me take you home.”
“I’m fine. I was worried about you,” I said quietly.
I pulled away, taking his hands. A few grazes covered his knuckles, but they looked superficial.
“I’d never let anyone hurt you.” He pulled me back in to him and pressed a kiss to my forehead.