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That I could answer. I’d seen a newspaper at the train station, so I knew I had a birthday just two months ago without realizing it.
“I’m twenty. What about you?”
“Older.”
I rolled my eyes. “The whole mysterious guy thing is getting old. Can’t you just answer the question?”
He considered it for a moment longer, as if I was asking for state secrets.
“I’m forty-two.”
Older than I thought. Not that it mattered either way.
“And where did you come from?” he asked.
I hesitated. “I… I was born in Chicago, but I haven’t been there for a very long time.”
As he waited for me to elaborate, I could sense his growing agitation. Unfortunately, as I remained tight-lipped, the interaction spiraled into an uncomfortable silence.
A knock interrupted our awkward standoff, and a butler-like figure entered the room. He froze in his tracks, staring at me with an expression of shock and disbelief. It was more than just a fleeting moment of surprise—his eyes flicked back and forth between me and Sebastian, almost as if he couldn’t fathom that we were standing there together.
But why?
“Sir, should I order security?”
“I’m fine,” Sebastian replied, making it obvious that he didn’t want to discuss whatever the man was worried about. “What are you doing here?”
“You have a delivery.”
Sebastian cast a glance in my direction before turning away and leaving the room. Just like that.
I spluttered. We were in the middle of a conversation…
I didn’t know what else to do, so I followed him to the foyer. There were people here, servants and men delivering whatever it was Sebastian bought. All eyes turned to me with my bare feet and filthy dress. I knew my appearance was terrible and at the moment, I wished that I had risked taking a shower or something. Anything to not feel like a pile of trash ready to be thrown out on the curb.
As the imposing front door creaked open, a frigid blast of air whipped past me, causing goosebumps to erupt across my skin. I rubbed my arms in a vain attempt to generate warmth, realizing that this was a foretaste of the cold reality that awaited me if I couldn’t persuade Sebastian to let me stay.
He retrieved a sleek black trench coat from the hook beside the door, his already magnetic presence enhanced by the striking garment. As he slid his hands into a pair of gloves, his piercing gaze flicked toward me, then he strode out the door, leaving me to admire the opulent electric car that awaited him. The deep-blue vehicle gleamed in the daylight, and I watched with interest as Sebastian signed for it, his staff busy returning to their duties and ignoring my presence all together.
When he turned to me, there was a coldness in his eyes. “I think it’s time for you to leave.”
“What?”
As I stood there, my surprise at Sebastian’s insistence that I leave gave way to a begrudging acceptance. After all, I had broken into his house, and while the door had been unlocked, I knew I wasn’t welcome there. Still, I clung to the hope that he would recognize my precarious position and offer some assistance in finding a place to go.
With a menacing edge to his voice, Sebastian delivered an ultimatum that left me feeling uneasy and vulnerable. “And you’d better do it soon, or else you’ll be walking twelve miles back to town in the dark.”
Despite the churning in my stomach, I refused to give up. I couldn’t, not with no money, identification, or strength to walk such a distance in the cold. “I’m not going anywhere,” I replied, determined to persuade Sebastian to let me stay.
His dismissive, belittling gesture as he walked past me only spurred me on, even if I wasn’t sure where all this newfound optimism was coming from.
I trailed after him as he made his way to the dining room, where the scents of cured meat and seasoned soup made my mouth water. The table was overflowing with delicious food, and despite my predicament, my stomach growled. Sebastian raised an eyebrow at me as he sat down and flung open a cloth napkin. I waited, expecting him to continue our conversation, but he ignored me and began to eat.
After a moment of hesitation, I took a seat across from him. The legs of the chair scraped against the tile as I shifted in my seat, wincing at the sound. I wasn’t foolish enough to believe this situation could have gone differently, just hopeful. Sitting across from him, uninvited, only increased his disdain toward me. However, with no other options, the urgency to survive trumped the risk of his disapproval. I couldn’t resist the temptation of a turkey sandwich on the table, even if it meant pretending not to notice his laser-like glare. It was a small decision in the grand scheme of things, but going hungry was not an option.
“Are you enjoying your last meal in my castle?” he asked as he raised his fork to his lips.
This guy had a heart of stone, but I needed to get on his good side. I tried to think on my feet.
