Chapter 26
Sebastian
“Congratulations once again, Mr. Lancaster!”
Everyone kept congratulating me as I walked Olivia to the car. She clung to me done.
-clearly drunk–and even though the gala hadn’t ended, I was
The night felt like it had dragged on for hours. Every person, every conversation, every flash of a camera had become nothing but noise and fleeting images in my mind. Olivia was the only one that held my attention tonight, she rarely attended social events with me so tonight was special in every way. I could still see flashes from the cameras, but as we drove farther, the lights faded, and it was just us.
I looked over at Olivia, who seemed half–asleep, her head resting against my chest. She was beautiful, even in that state. Her blond locks, once neatly pinned in a sophisticated updo, had fallen free and framed her face in soft, effortless waves. I couldn’t resist–gently, I swiped a few stray strands from her face, tucking them behind her ear.
Eventually, she lifted her head, her dazed eyes meeting mine.
“Hey,” she said with a goofy smile, her words slurring slightly as she hiccupped. “We did it!” She giggled, her lipstick smudged beyond recognition. “The look on Philip’s face was priceless! I had the best seat in the house, and he didn’t even know I was there.” She giggled again, the sound light and carefree, and it made something inside me soften.
I chuckled softly. “Thank you,” I whispered, leaning in slightly.
“Don’t thank me, silly. Just kiss me.”
Her voice was playful, but there was something desperate in it that made me hesitate. I couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol speaking or something else.
One of my brows arched, a smile tugging at my lips.
“Please?” she added, giving me those big, puppy eyes, making it impossible to ignore her.
“You’re drunk.”
She playfully hit me, rolling her eyes like I was the one being ridiculous. “No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. I’m barely restraining myself, Olivia. Behave.” I warned her softly, my voice gentle but firm. Watching her cheeks flush, I could feel the warmth of her skin radiating even through the air between us.
“I’m sorry.” She buried her head in my chest again, her hands gripping at my shirt like it was the only thing grounding her.
“I know this was supposed to be a high–profile event, but Kaylee and Philip just got on my nerves.”
“Kaylee attended?” I frowned, confusion flashing through me. “I didn’t see her”
“Well, I did. She’s the woman Philip’s been fucking,” Olivia said flatly, her voice muffled against my shirt, a tinge of bitterness seeping through.
“What?” My fingers froze in her hair, and for a second, I was speechless.
“Yeah,” she replied quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
“But how did you-”
“Seb…” She cut me off, meeting my gaze with a rawness in her eyes that made my stomach churn.
“Forget them for now,” she murmured, her breath warm against my skin. “I want you to distract me.”
Her words were like a flicker of fire, igniting something within me. There was something raw in the way she looked, the pain in her eyes was impossible to ignore.
My chest tightened uncomfortably, a sharp sting of jealousy twisting through me. She still cared about Philip–too much, maybe. The thought twisted in my gut, gnawing at me, but I forced it down, pushing the uncomfortable feeling aside for the moment.
I wanted to touch her, to make her forget, but something told me that wasn’t what she needed, not like this at least.
Her finger gently traced my lips, sending a shiver down my spine. I could feel the heat building inside me, but I held back, swallowing the desire that clawed at me.
“Kiss me, Sebastian,” she said, her voice breathless, pulling at the buttons on my shirt.
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“Olivia, what are you doing?” I chided with a resigned sigh.
“I’m going after what I want. And I’m not that drunk. I’m half–sober,” she said with a small laugh, her fingers still working at my shirt, desperate and eager.
I caught her wrist gently, halting her hands mid–motion.
“Olivia…” Her name left my mouth softly, and I couldn’t stop myself from gazing at her face, watching the way her eyes held that familiar stubborn gleam.
Her lower lip trembled slightly, her frustration palpable. “You don’t want me?”
“That’s not it.” I let out a breath, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, my fingers lingering there, tracing the softness of her skin.
“You have no idea how much I want you, Olivia–but not in this state.”
I wanted to rip her out of that dress, to feel her soft body tremble under my touch–but not like this.
Her brows pulled together, and she pouted. “Why do you always have to be so damn responsible?”
Responsible? That word had never felt like such a burden. But with her in my arms, looking so lost, so tangled up in her feelings for Philip and Kaylee, I couldn’t be anything but.
“I just don’t know why I always trust the wrong people,” she murmured, her voice quiet and raw, pressing her forehead against my chest again.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, holding her close, trying to calm the storm I could feel brewing in her chest. “I’m sorry.“.
But I wasn’t sure if I was apologizing for what I’d said or for the whole damn mess that she’d been dragged into. I could feel my mind racing— Kaylee, Philip, all the things that had been left unsaid. How had she not told me sooner? How had I not noticed how much she was holding in? “You know I couldn’t have done this without you, right?” I cooed, my fingers grazing her chin to gently lift her gaze to mine.
If it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t have known what Philip was planning. I would have lost the project. I had my people track Philip, but that man was a slippery bastard, always one step ahead. I hadn’t trusted Olivia at first–hell, I still sometimes wondered how she’d known so much before it happened. But now? This new version of her? She was a force, and I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world.
Philip never deserved a woman like her. And the fact that he cheated on her with her best friend made my jaw clench, the anger bubbling in my chest again.
I watched Olivia carefully–my wife, my world. She was everything to me. And I’d do anything for her.
Pulling down the partition between us and the driver, I was informed that we’d arrived home. I carried her inside, shooing away the staff who came to welcome us, then made my way upstairs. Gently, I laid her on the bed, watching as she drifted off to sleep.
“I’m hungry,” I heard her sleepy voice murmur, a small frown between her brows.
I paused, thinking she must be talking in her sleep. But no, she wasn’t.
“I thought you were sleeping,” I said softly, almost chuckling at her odd timing.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes in the cutest way possible. “I’m hungry.”
Glancing at the clock beside her, she muttered, “Shit, it’s 1 a.m?“,
“I’ll make you something. Don’t worry about it.” I smiled, though my heart twisted seeing how grateful she looked.
She stood up a little unsteady on her feet. “Can you help me get out of this dress?”
She wore a long, form–fitting gown that hugged her curves with such grace that I couldn’t help but stare. The delicate embellishments caught the light, turning every movement into a quiet dance of elegance. She was stunning.
Istepped behind her slowly, unzipping the fabric with deliberate slowness, letting the dress fall to the floor. Standing before me in only black lace lingerie, I forgot how to breathe for a second.
She didn’t turn around–just stood there, waiting, almost as if daring me to make a move.
The silence stretched between us, thick with everything unsaid. My fingers brushed against her back, and I had to force myself to look away.
“I’ll… uh… go make you something,” I stammered, unable to ignore the heat that was crawling up my spine.
She turned to face me, a teasing smile plastered on her lips. “Like what you see, Mr. Lancaster?” Her voice was playful.
Chapter 26
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“Olivia, what are you doing?” I chided with a resigned sigh.
“I’m going after what I want. And I’m not that drunk. I’m half sober,” she said with a small laugh, her fingers still working at my shirt, desperate and eager.
I caught her wrist gently, halting her hands mid–motion.
“Olivia…” Her name left my mouth softly, and I couldn’t stop myself from gazing at her face, watching the way her eyes held that familiar stubborn gleam.
Her lower lip trembled slightly, her frustration palpable. “You don’t want me?”
“That’s not it.” I let out a breath, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, my fingers lingering there, tracing the softness of her skin. “You have no idea how much I want you, Olivia–but not in this state.”
I wanted to rip her out of that dress, to feel her soft body tremble under my touch–but not like this.
Her brows pulled together, and she pouted. “Why do you always have to be so damn responsible?”
Responsible? That word had never felt like such a burden. But with her in my arms, looking so lost, so tangled up in her feelings for Philip and Kaylee, I couldn’t be anything but.
“I just don’t know why I always trust the wrong people,” she murmured, her voice quiet and raw, pressing her forehead against my chest again.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, holding her close, trying to calm the storm I could feel brewing in her chest. “I’m sorry.“.
But I wasn’t sure if I was apologizing for what I’d said or for the whole damn mess that she’d been dragged into. I could feel my mind racing- Kaylee, Philip, all the things that had been left unsaid. How had she not told me sooner? How had I not noticed how much she was holding in? “You know I couldn’t have done this without you, right?” I cooed, my fingers grazing her chin to gently lift her gaze to mine.
If it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t have known what Philip was planning. I would have lost the project. I had my people track Philip, but that man was a slippery bastard, always one step ahead. I hadn’t trusted Olivia at first–hell, I still sometimes wondered how she’d known so much before it happened. But now? This new version of her? She was a force, and I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world.
Philip never deserved a woman like her. And the fact that he cheated on her with her best friend made my jaw clench, the anger bubbling in my chest again.
I watched Olivia carefully–my wife, my world. She was everything to me. And I’d do anything for her.
Pulling down the partition between us and the driver, I was informed that we’d arrived home. I carried her inside, shooing away the staff who came to welcome us, then made my way upstairs. Gently, I laid her on the bed, watching as she drifted off to sleep.
“I’m hungry,” I heard her sleepy voice murmur, a small frown between her brows.
I paused, thinking she must be talking in her sleep. But no, she wasn’t.
“I thought you were sleeping,” I said softly, almost chuckling at her odd timing.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes in the cutest way possible. “I’m hungry.”
Glancing at the clock beside her, she muttered, “Shit, it’s 1 a.m?“.
“I’ll make you something. Don’t worry about it.” I smiled, though my heart twisted seeing how grateful she looked.
She stood up a little unsteady on her feet. “Can you help me get out of this dress?”
She wore a long, form–fitting gown that hugged her curves with such grace that I couldn’t help but stare. The delicate embellishments caught the light, turning every movement into a quiet dance of elegance. She was stunning.
I stepped behind her slowly, unzipping the fabric with deliberate slowness, letting the dress fall to the floor. Standing before me in only black lace lingerie, I forgot how to breathe for a second.
She didn’t turn around–just stood there, waiting, almost as if daring me to make a move.
The silence stretched between us, thick with everything unsaid. My fingers brushed against her back, and I had to force myself to look away.
“I’ll… uh… go make you something,” I stammered, unable to ignore the heat that was crawling up my spine.
She turned to face me, a teasing smile plastered on her lips. “Like what you see, Mr. Lancaster?” Her voice was playful.
Chapter 25
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“Seduction won’t work tonight, Mrs Lancaster. You need rest, not sex.”
“And who says I can’t have both?” she whispered, running her hand down my chest, her fingers dangerously close to my waistband.
I caught her hand gently, giving her a firm, but careful smile. “If you wanted me so badly, maybe you shouldn’t have drunk so much,” I whispered, my breath shaky despite my attempts to remain calm.
I took a step back, breaking the spell. “You should get a hot shower. Let me make you something to eat.”
“Seb…”
“Uh–uh. Be a good girl and do as you’re told, Olivia.” I deadpanned, watching her flip me off before stomping cutely to the bathroom.
Chuckling to myself, I walked to the kitchen, the cool air hitting my face like a slap in the face. It felt like I could breathe again.
She didn’t need to seduce me for me to want her. Every part of me ached for her touch. Resisting her was the hardest thing I had ever done, but she was vulnerable, and that was all the more reason for me to be strong. She needed to clear her head.
I started preparing something simple–sourdough toast with soft–boiled eggs and chamomile tea. As I worked, I tried to focus on the task instead of the image of her standing there, half–dressed and tempting.
By the time I brought the tray back, she was seated on the bed, dressed in a robe, her hair dripping wet. She looked more sober now. “Look who took my advice. How do you feel?” I asked, placing the tray in front of her.
“I feel hungry,” she replied flatly, making me chuckle.
I watched her take a bite of the toast and eggs, then sip the tea, her face lighting up with contentment.
Once she finished, she curled up in my arms, holding me tightly.
“Thank you,” she whispered, looking up at me with a softness that made my heart ache.
I cupped her face gently in my hands before pressing my lips softly to hers.
We lay in bed quietly, the world outside seeming so far away.
As my eyes began to close, I heard my phone buzz. I stretched out my hand to pick it up, hoping it wasn’t another reminder from Mark. But when I saw the message on the screen, my blood ran cold:
*Watch your back, Commander Sebastian…*
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