Page 79 of Twisted Elites

“I’m sorry for freezing and not speaking up, Willow. It’s my second biggest regret.” Sebastian pulled me back against his warm, hard body.

My head rested on the muscular juncture between his shoulder and neck, and I inhaled his intoxicating sandalwood scent. Sebastian had proven time and time again that he wasn’t playing the game. I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed. “I know.”

“Why did you bring this up?” Leopold walked across the room to where the cleaners had piled his and Sebastian’s mattresses on the bed.

“Ashley laughed along with those girls,” said Sebastian. “At first, I thought she was one of the queens’ followers who had gone through a growth spurt.”

I dipped my head and blew out a breath. Ashley had introduced herself, but Sebastian had been too preoccupied with the shock of seeing me.

“What kind of sister does that?” asked Sebastian.

“One you need to cast out of your life,” added Leopold. “That was only the start of her malicious acts.”

Sebastian pressed a kiss on my temple. “Did she ever explain why she hated you so much?”

I shrugged against him. “Not in a way that made any sense.”

He rubbed little circles on my back, spreading warmth through my insides. Just as the lunch bell rang, I raised my head and cupped the side of his cheek. Food could wait. Right now, I wanted Sebastian.

Chapter 20

Sebastian turned his head, so our lips met in a soft kiss that filled my empty heart. My hand on his cheek slid around to the back of his neck and held him in place. I needed him so much, needed his touch, his kisses to take me to a place where I felt safe and loved and where everything would work out.

“What will we do if the court finds him guilty?” I asked.

“They won’t.” Sebastian kissed my lips. “I signed the authorization for Mr. Pinkerton to employ a QC for the trial.”

I reared back. QCs were better than regular barristers, the courtroom lawyers who wore wigs. These were barristers deemed accomplished enough to be appointed on the Queen’s Counsel. Only the super-rich could afford lawyers of this caliber.

“You did?” Leopold blurted.

Determination etched Sebastian’s face. “There’s nothing I won’t do for those I consider family. You and Kash are like brothers.” His arm tightened around my waist. “And the feelings I have for you run so deep, I can’t begin to describe them.”

A surge of euphoria caused the butterflies in my stomach to take flight, and a breath caught in the back of my throat. I felt the same for Sebastian—for all three of the kings. But I couldn’t utter those words until Prakash sat among us, a free man.

“Thank you.” I leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, followed by another and another until we could no longer break apart, and we melted into each other like molten chocolate.

His gentle caresses made the pounding of my heart reverberate through my chest like a speaker box. Sebastian’s large palm rubbed gentle circles on my bare thigh, sending a trail of fire between my legs.

“We’ll free Kash,” he murmured into the kiss. “And we’ll all go somewhere to help him recuperate.”

“Yes.” I threaded both hands into his hair, keeping him close, as though someone might take him away, too.

Leopold watched us from his spot by the bed. Usually, at this point, he would make a saucy quip about not being left behind, but perhaps he still hadn’t calmed down from his earlier burst of anger.

I understood his frustration to a smaller extent. The restrictions his mother placed on his spending meant he was in no position to contribute toward Prakash’s defense. He probably felt even more powerless than I did.

Sebastian’s hand moved up from my thigh, over my belly, and he kneaded my breast. “Where should we go? Nice? Biarritz? The French Riviera?”

“What?” I whispered.

He pressed little kisses along my neck. They were tender at first, then grew in intensity before becoming wet and open-mouthed. Sparks of sensation raced down to my collarbone, down my chest and settled low in my belly. I threw my head back and moaned.

“We’ll spend the first few weeks of summer in the hideout before we set off to stay in the country,” said Sebastian.

“Oh.” My gaze locked with Leopold’s, who stood by the bed, staring at us through eyes that burned like blue flame. “I don’t mind where we go.”

“Kash can choose,” Leopold said, his voice breathy.