Chapter 15
The atmosphere felt awkward–Sebastian was right beside me, and Philip had just called him a psychopath.
The air between us felt thick, like walking through fog made of tension. My heart hammered in my chest like it was trying to break out and run away from the mess I was about to make. I glanced at Sebastian, wondering how he would feel if I overplayed my role. I had just promised never to hurt him, and yet here I was, about to do it again.
But what Sebastian did next took me by surprise–he took my hand in his.
Warmth radiated from his touch, gentle but grounding, like he knew I was on the verge of spiraling and he refused to let me fall. For a second, my breath caught. My brain screamed to yank my hand away, to retreat into the safety of guilt, but my body? It leaned into him. Traitor.
I wasn’t sure whether to move or just stay in that moment. His touch was warm, and it comforted me.
He gave me a small nod and a reassuring smile. He really knew how to read people. I felt so nervous about what I was about to do–and he understood.
“Philip…” I said in a shaky voice. “Sebastian…”
“Liv, what happened? Talk to me.”
His pretentious act was good–I had to give him that. But I was better.
“He just found out I took the file and… and he left without a word. Angry. I’m scared, Philip. What if he does something bad to me?”
Cue the damsel in distress–trembling voice, watery eyes, the whole performance. I looked at Sebastian, a pleading expression on my face, hoping he wouldn’t take this the wrong way.
He caressed my hand in a comforting way.
“Liv, you need to call the police if he tries to hurt you,” Philip said, his tone laced with worry.
A+ for fake concern. Gold star. Oscar–worthy.
“The cops won’t get here in time. I need you to hide that folder.”
“I promise, I’ll protect it with my life.”
Of course you will, I thought to myself.
My lips twisted into a sinister smile.
“Can you come get me, please? I don’t think I can stay here anymore–I’m so s–scared.”
Sebastian looked at me, raising an eyebrow. I caught it in the corner of my eye. I was pretty sure he was wondering where I got my acting skills from, but revenge had a way of revealing hidden potential.
“Hey… hey… take a deep breath. You’re going to be fine.”
“Philip, you don’t get it. There’s something seriously wrong with Sebastian. He could kill me.”
“He wouldn’t dare.”
I was almost certain he was making faces while pretending to be protective. Probably rolling his eyes,
too.
“You’re going to be fine, okay? Don’t overthink anything. He won’t hurt his wife. The almighty Sebastian is too good for that, he wouldn’t even hurt a fly.”
There it was–the arrogance and jealousy. He could never mask that part of himself, Philip wore his envy like cologne–strong, suffocating, and impossible to ignore.
I shifted my gaze to Sebastian, who still held my hand.
He looked at me with eyes that sparkled with silent laughter and arched a brow, clearly entertained by what was happening. Oh, he was loving
this.
“I love you,” Philip’s voice came from the phone. I didn’t reply to that.
“You know I love you, right?” His voice came again–sharper this time.
“Yeah,” I replied, my voice low, I couldn’t stomach repeating those words back to him.
Chapter 15
The atmosphere felt awkward–Sebastian was right beside me, and Philip had just called him a psychopath.
The air between us felt thick, like walking through fog made of tension. My heart hammered in my chest like it was trying to break out and run away from the mess I was about to make. I glanced at Sebastian, wondering how he would feel if I overplayed my role. I had just promised never to hurt him, and yet here I was, about to do it again.
But what Sebastian did next took me by surprise–he took my hand in his.
Warmth radiated from his touch, gentle but grounding, like he knew I was on the verge of spiraling and he refused to let me fall. For a second, my breath caught. My brain screamed to yank my hand away, to retreat into the safety of guilt, but my body? It leaned into him. Traitor.
I wasn’t sure whether to move or just stay in that moment. His touch was warm, and it comforted me.
He gave me a small nod and a reassuring smile. He really knew how to read people. I felt so nervous about what I was about to do—and he understood.
“Philip…” I said in a shaky voice. “Sebastian…”
“Liv, what happened? Talk to me.”
His pretentious act was good–I had to give him that. But I was better.
“He just found out I took the file and… and he left without a word. Angry. I’m scared, Philip. What if he does something bad to me?”
Cue the damsel in distress–trembling voice, watery eyes, the whole performance. I looked at Sebastian, a pleading expression on my face, hoping he wouldn’t take this the wrong way.
He caressed my hand in a comforting way.
“Liv, you need to call the police if he tries to hurt you,” Philip said, his tone laced with worry.
A+ for fake concern. Gold star. Oscar–worthy.
“The cops won’t get here in time. I need you to hide that folder.”
“I promise, I’ll protect it with my life.”
Of course you will, I thought to myself.
My lips twisted into a sinister smile.
“Can you come get me, please? I don’t think I can stay here anymore–I’m so s–scared.”
Sebastian looked at me, raising an eyebrow. I caught it in the corner of my eye. I was pretty sure he was wondering where I got my acting skills from, but revenge had a way of revealing hidden potential.
“Hey… hey… take a deep breath. You’re going to be fine.”
“Philip, you don’t get it. There’s something seriously wrong with Sebastian. He could kill me,”
“He wouldn’t dare.”
I was almost certain he was making faces while pretending to be protective. Probably rolling his eyes, too.
“You’re going to be fine, okay? Don’t overthink anything. He won’t hurt his wife. The almighty Sebastian is too good for that, he wouldn’t even hurt a fly,”
There it was–the arrogance and jealousy. He could never mask that part of himself, Philip wore his envy like cologne–strong, suffocating, and impossible to ignore.
I shifted my gaze to Sebastian, who still held my hand.
He looked at me with eyes that sparkled with silent laughter and arched a brow, clearly entertained by what was happening. Oh, he was loving
this.
“I love you,” Philip’s voice came from the phone. I didn’t reply to that.
“You know I love you, right?” His voice came again–sharper this time.
“Yeah,” I replied, my voice low, I couldn’t stomach repeating those words back to him.
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I wrinkled my nose in disgust,
Philip finally ended the call as whispering his dumb sweet nothings. I hoped he bought it, because he was very smart, and any little indication that this wasn’t real, he would be able to detect.
1 let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and I slowly raised my head to look at Sebastian, my fingers still trembling in his grasp out of sheer nervousness. My brows knitted together as I met his gaze with soft, sorry eyes, like a little girl caught sneaking cookies from the jar.
“So, uh, how much of that did you hear?”
“Uhmm, I’d say pretty much all of it.”
“Psychopath‘–I mean, that’s a new one,” he said, raising a brow, the corner of his mouth twitching like he was trying not to smile.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t… I mean… you’re not a
19
He drew me close, cutting off my rambling. “I know, I know,” he said, his voice calming and warm, like a velvet blanket thrown over a storm. My shoulders sagged in relief. I was so glad he understood. It made my heart flutter wildly, like a bird set free,
“So, how do you plan on getting back at Philip?” His sudden question made my lashes flutter.
“What?” I blinked up at him, completely thrown.
“Don’t you want to get back at him?”
“Of course I do,” I said with a small pout.
“So do 1.”
A faint smile curved his lips, devilish and unreadable. He always looked like he had a secret “And I have an idea,” he added, the smile never leaving his face.
this time, I hoped it was one we’d share.
Mischief glowed in his eyes. “Philip thinks he has the documents from my company. That can only mean one thing–he’s planning to secure the Hamilton Urban Revenue Project with a higher bid. I say, let him keep believing that what he has–I love the fact he thinks that’s my actual bid price.”
He shook his head with a low chuckle. “Then, at the Hamilton Gala, he’ll….”
The words he whispered in my ears made my eyes widen with glee. The fact that Sebastian wanted to get back at Philip for hurting me, it made my chest tighten in the most annoying, adorable way. He cared. So much.
The plan was solid, sure. But Philip? He deserved more than just being embarrassed in front of a bunch of stuck–up rich people. Oh no, baby. He was going to pay for everything.
He wouldn’t even see it coming.
A sly grin curled on my lips, eyes gleaming with sugar–sweet wickedness. “Let’s break him.”
Sebastian’s gaze softened again, his eyes locked on mine like I was the only thing in the world he wanted to look at.
He closed the distance between us, slow and deliberate. I felt his breath fan across my face–warm, minty, intoxicating. Suddenly I couldn’t focus. My brain turned into glitter and giggles.
“I want you to keep Philip close. I need to know any and everything he’s up to.”
I nodded frantically, like a schoolgirl on her first crush. “So I’m like a double agent?,” I whispered, wide–eyed and eager to please and we both chuckled
He cupped my cheek in one big, warm hand, his thumb brushing against my skin like he was memorizing the shape of my face.
“Promise me you’ll be careful,” he said, voice low and filled with something fierce,
“I promise,” I whispered, barely above a breath, nuzzling into his palm like a kitten who found her forever home.
My eyes fluttered shut as he leaned in I held still, my lips parted slightly in anticipation. And then he kissed my neck, soft and slow, before trailing up to my jawline. I almost whimpered.
His fingers danced along my jaw, delicate and intentional, and a tiny, breathless laugh slipped from me.
“Olivia, how much do you want me?” he asked, voice like honey–drenched sin, tilting his head like he was trying to figure me out.
Chapter 15
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Why was he doing this to me?
My body felt like it was made of jelly and sugar and desperate longing.
“I…need you,” I whispered, blushing as the words left my lips.
His eyes darkened with a wicked spark. A slow, devilish smile spread across his face. He brushed his thumb across my bottom lip–soft and slow, like he was savoring me.
“Please,” I whispered again, sweeter this time–softer, like a prayer meant only for him.
He leaned in closer, his nose brushing mine. I could barely breathe.
“Say that again.”
“Please…”
I had lost every ounce of pride. I was sweet, shameless, and stupid in love–and I didn’t care. Not one bit.
He didn’t kiss me, not yet. Just hovered there. Let the heat build. His hands found my waist and held me so gently, like I was fragile and sacred. Still no kiss. Just burning tension. I felt like I might cry or combust.
And then, finally–when I thought I’d melt into a puddle–his lips crashed into mine.
Sebastian’s mouth claimed mine, and I fell apart. He kissed me like he needed it to survive. Like I was his last breath.
There was nothing gentle about it. It was passion. Hunger. Chaos wrapped in a kiss.
My hands clutched at his shirt, fingers gripping like I needed to hold onto reality. My heart thudded wildly, and I was sure he could feel it.
His arms locked around me tighter, pulling me flush against him.
We finally pulled apart to breathe, our foreheads resting together, his thumb stroking my cheek.
I looked up at him, voice trembling with everything I felt. “I want you to make love to me.”
His eyes searched mine, and I saw something in them, something that made my knees weak.
Then, without a single word, he scooped me up, my legs wrapping around his waist as I clung to him like the precious thing I was.
His lips brushed my ear. “You’re mine, Mrs Lancaster”
And just like that, he carried me into the room, into the fire we’d been dancing around since all day.
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