Page 63 of A Wild Darkness

“Stevie!” Her upbeat tone is further evidence of her happiness.

“Hi, how’s it going over there?”

“Oh my god. It’s beautiful! River knows one of the US diplomats out here, and he’s letting us use his villa for the next few weeks, and it’s…” She pauses. “Wait, a minute. Why are you calling me?”

I chuckle uncomfortably. Lux is better at hiding things from me than I’d ever be with her. “I always call you.”

“This is different.”

“You and your Spidey senses.” I laugh.

“And they’re always spot on.” Her tone changes. “What’s up?”

I roll my eyes because my sister knows me too well. “We got in.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? River told me he spoke with Sebastian earlier, and he said everything is going well.”

“Did he say anything else?”

“No, why? What happened?”

I sigh. “As part of a sick initiation, Sebastian and I had to have sex in front of them.”

There’s a beat before she says, “I’m sorry. What?”

“They said it was the only way.”

“God, Stevie.” My sister gasps in disbelief. “I’m so sorry that happened. How are you doing?”

“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” Sure, knowing that we were being watched was jarring, but the sensation of being in Sebastian’s arms made me feel strangely protected.

“Wait? What do you mean?”

I flip onto my stomach. “Well, he was sweet…” I pause. “And gentle.”

“He was?”

“Yeah. And we kept our clothes on the whole time. Sebastian made sure they couldn’t see anything. Which I appreciated.”

“Good ol’ Sebastian,” she muses. “Well, I’m glad he protected you, but I’m not surprised he did.”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, I can’t believe they made you have sex with Sebastian.”

My fingers pick at a loose piece of fabric on the comforter. “I know. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing.”

“Gosh, Stevie, I’m so sorry.” Her words turn back to concern. “Are you sure you want to continue working on this project after what happened last night?”

“I can’t leave Sebastian now. He needs me. And more importantly, I need this for myself.” My tone is filled with more conviction than intended, and I immediately regret when Lux says,

“I’m sorry for asking.”

“I know you’re worried about me. And I appreciate it,” I say. “But I promise, I’m aware of the decision I’ve made. I’m going to keep a level head, even if all this terrifies me.”

“Of course I am. You’re my little sister. I know you’re in safe hands. Not to mention staying in the safest place in the world.”

“Thanks, Lux. Talk tomorrow?” I ask.