Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Bel sounds like she's speaking from experience and it makes me study her a little harder. "Am I missing something? You’re talking like you’ve experienced this before?"
She waves her hand, dismissing my question, "This isn’t about me. This is about you. Now tell me, what did Sebastian do?"
I freeze, partially because I want to protect Sebastian at all costs. I don’t want anyone else to think ill of him, but if I can’t tell her then who can I tell?
Bel abandons her tea and clasps my hands in hers. “It doesn’t matter what he did, Elyse. He’s my brother, and whatever you tell me will not change that.”
I swallow around the knot in my throat, and force the words out. "He killed his grandfather while I lay dying in the foyer."
She blinks once, only taken off guard a tiny bit by such a confession. "Why? Why did he kill him?" It's not the question of a sister, but a friend. It feels like she's on my side, and I guess I didn’t realize how much I've needed that. The tightness in my chest loosens.
"I don’t know one hundred percent why he did it, but I think it was because his grandfather purchased me in exchange for my father's gambling debts."
"That sounds like a good reason, right?"
I ponder her response. What would life have been like if Sebastian’s grandfather was in control of me, in control of my well being? I don’t have to imagine but for a few seconds to know it would have been hell compared to what I face with Sebastian every day. He was just like my father, thinking he was above common decency like respecting personal autonomy.
"Do you know what kind of man he was? The grandfather?"
Bel nods and looks down at our joint hands. "He wasn’t a good man, not at all. He made it his dying mission to turn Sebastian into the perfect heir. I hate to think what would’ve become of you, or even me, if Sebastian hadn’t made that sacrifice.”
I’m startled when a loud clatter fills the space, and I jump up from my seat. Bel’s grip on me tightens, reminding me everything is okay. Nothing is going to happen. Her eyes are trained on me, and after a moment she whispers, "It's okay. It's fine. It was just the staff dropping something."
My body trembles, my heart hammers against my ribcage.
“Shhh, it’s okay. Everything is okay.” Bel soothes, and her voice helps to keep me present.
A few moments later, a young woman walks into the room carrying a few dresses and shoes, her heart-shaped face red like she’s embarrassed. She hangs the dresses and places the accessories on the display and then disappears again, and I sink back down onto the couch.
Bel smiles at me, "You know the best part of all of this?""
I shake my head, my mouth dry from the scare, and she continues. "You're my sister. And there is nothing I wouldn't do for my family. You have me, and you have Drew and those morons at the Mill, Lee and Aries. Oh, and you have Sebastian. Despite how he went about things, I have no doubt he did this with the best of intentions. After all, you’re the only thing he thinks about.”
“I don’t know about that.”
Bel shakes her head. “Is it really that difficult to think you’re worthy of attention and love? Sebastian loves you. There isn’t a doubt in my mind. He might come off as heartless, cruel, and a prick, but once you get past the icy exterior and into the underbelly you discover a different side of him. A warm and fuzzy side. If you’re someone he cares about, someone he considers family, there isn’t anything he won’t do for you. And I would know. We found out we were siblings on a whim. Our mother had died, and worst of all, he never got the opportunity to meet her, and when I say that I mean genuinely get to know her. He lost so much, and since you’ve come along it seems like he’s opened up a little more.”
I want to tell her she’s lying, she doesn’t know anything but the truth is, she’s right. I’ve seen it for myself. I nod, and she changes the conversation, jumping into what shoes go with what dress, but my mind remains stuck on Sebastian. What horrors is he trying to protect me from? And will we survive the revelation of all our secrets?
CHAPTER 14
SEBASTIAN
After the phone call I couldn’t risk causing Elyse any more stress, so I texted her father and told him if he wanted to meet all he needed to do was pick a place and time and let me know. Thus here we are. The public cafe is a smart move on the sheriff's part. If he'd been stupid enough to meet me somewhere alone I couldn't guarantee I wouldn't put a gun in his mouth and gleefully pull the trigger. Problem solved. Well, partially.