17. CHAPTER 17
ARIA - PRESENT
I sat on the sofa, staring blankly at a page in the book I was reading. No matter how many times I read it, the words wouldn’t go in—even though I’d read them a thousand times before. Romeo and Juliet was my favourite, but right now, all I could think about was Sebastian.
He hadn’t been at work all week; his diary said he had a business trip, but I was sure it hadn’t been there last week.
Was he avoiding me after our kiss?
It had sent a spark through me, igniting all my senses at once. I had never felt such burning passion before—not since the kitchen, four years ago. I ran my finger over my lips, wondering what it would have felt like if it had gone further.
I quickly stood up, trying to shake off that feeling. I shouldn’t go there. He was my boss—not to mention my ex-stepbrother.
Even if he was an ex-stepbrother I’d once had a silly crush on.
A knock on my door interrupted my thoughts.
I hesitated for a few seconds before creeping over and opening it.
A lonely bouquet of roses sat there. I glanced down the hall to catch a glimpse of anyone, but it was empty.
I picked them up and closed the door behind me, placing them on the table before searching for a note.
There it was—a little envelope tucked behind the thorns.
Even though I’m not here,
I haven’t stopped thinking about you.
I flipped the note over to see if there was anything else on it, but it was blank.
Were they from Sebastian? I liked roses, just not red ones; they reminded me of something dark and sinister.
Sebastian had known that once, but maybe he had forgotten.
He was also one of the few people who knew where I lived.
I couldn’t quite get rid of this small feeling of dread in the bottom of my stomach—the possibility that it could be him made me feel nauseous. But no, it couldn’t be. He was on remand and wasn’t allowed contact. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind and jumped as my phone buzzed with a text.
Serfina: Hey girl, we need some retail therapy!
I smiled to myself; Serfina was such a vibrant, beautiful soul. I was glad for her company.
Aria: When do I need to be ready?
Serfina: I’ll be by in about an hour! See you soon! X
I needed this—to get out of these four walls and enjoy myself for the day. Then maybe my mind wouldn’t keep wandering to Sebastian.
I spent most of the afternoon on Bond Street with Serfina.
It was a vast contrast to the café we were in the other week, but Serfina could afford to shop here.
There was everything from Burberry and Louis Vuitton to Tiffany Co.
I didn’t want to know how much she spent, but I was sure it was more than my annual salary.
We were now enjoying a coffee at a quirky little place nearby. She looked exhausted after all that excitement, but she still managed to look stunning. Her curly brown hair was tied in a high, messy bun, decorated with a bandana-type bow.
I took a deep breath, unable to keep the words to myself. “Seen much of Sebastian lately?” Then, I took a sip of my cappuccino.
She peered up from her latte. “He’s away on business, isn’t he?” She threw the question back at me.
“Oh, yeah. I just didn’t know if you’d heard from him.” I tried to smooth it out the best I could.
“He doesn’t tend to make contact at all on those trips.” She shrugged it off.
Maybe I was thinking too much into it.
A small, playful smile suddenly appeared on her face, and she leaned forward.
“Why are you so interested in Sebastian all of a sudden?” she teased.
I could feel the blood rising to my cheeks as I shifted in my seat, unsure how much to say.
“There’s something you’re not telling me.” She smirked, then sipped her coffee. “Spill.”
What did I have to lose?
“We kissed,” I said quietly, taking another sip to try and hide my face with the cup.
Her gasp turned straight into a smile as she eyed me.
“I knew there was something there.” She tapped my arm playfully.
Was there something there? I mean, he pulled away and had now been on a business trip for a week.
“Is that why you were asking if I had heard from him?” she questioned.
“Yes,” I replied sheepishly.
“Ah, I see. Look, Sebastian is like a brother to me.” She placed her hand on top of mine. “He’s got issues, but he’s got a good heart. I’m sure he’s just had things to deal with on his trip,” she reassured me.
I smiled back at her, although I still couldn’t help but wonder if he was avoiding me.
We’d probably been gossiping in the coffee shop for about an hour when Hayden turned up, and of course, he went straight over to Serfina and kissed her before sitting in the chair next to hers.
“Looking better than the last time I saw you at a café,” he joked.
“Safe to say I have fully recovered.”
“I heard Sebastian dragged you to one of his boring work events?”
I looked up at them. “Yeah, he did. I met one of his old business associates. What was his name? Nick? Nicholas Rossi?” I said, like I was trying to remember, but I remembered it all too well. There was a history there, and I wanted the tea.
Serfina and Hayden’s eyes met for a second; it was minor, but I saw it.
Then, Hayden shifted in his chair, clearing his throat. “I don’t think I’ve met him before.”
“Oh. I just thought you may have known him, as you and Sebastian have been friends for so long.”
There was a short pause.
“Yeah, the name doesn’t ring a bell. But then, I don’t know everyone Sebastian has worked with.” He shrugged it off.
“Shall we get going? I need to get all these clothes away,” Serfina said, rustling her bags playfully.
I gave her a small smile, but my mind was elsewhere. They both knew exactly who I was talking about.
I just wasn’t sure what they were hiding from me.