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The prospect of being invited to dinner, even if Sebastian was grudging about it, was thrilling. This time, I wouldn’t have to sneak food out of a hot pot with my bare hands, and I needed a more substantial meal. Although the room filled with chocolate was delicious, it wasn’t exactly a filling dinner.
When I entered the dining room, the grand feast that awaited shocked me. It was more food than I had seen in one place in such a long time that I wanted to cry. However, I restrained myself, not wanting Sebastian to think less of me, and sat down across from him at the table.
I took a moment to appreciate how handsome he looked in his dark-green sweater that matched his eyes. I couldn’t help but think about him pushing up the sleeves of that sweater to clean my knee earlier. His touch was unexpectedly gentle.
And being that close to him while naked? It sent a shiver down my spine, making me feel both nervous and aroused. I had never felt that way about being with a man before. All of my previous sexual experiences had been nightmares, and I couldn't imagine anything different. However, sometimes when I met Sebastian’s gaze, my body reacted as if it somehow knew that sex with himwouldbe different.
What would he look like naked? How extensive was his scarring? How did it happen?
The enigmatic man intrigued me, and I was certain that his secrets would forever remain shrouded in mystery. It was evident that he deliberately kept himself closed off from the world, or at least from me. Despite this, I knew I would always be curious about him.
Shifting my gaze away from Sebastian, I focused on the spread of food before me. My hands felt clumsy as I hesitantly picked up the elegant gold-plated utensils, struggling to remember how to use them. With a determined swallow, I steadied my trembling fingers and ran them over the intricate designs etched into the handles. The golden plate and wine glass seemed strange and out of place to me, given that I had spent the last three years eating off a plastic tray on the floor like an animal. Although the urge to dig in with my hands was strong, I opted to use the fork and knife and began cutting into my steak.
“That’s your salad fork and butter knife,” Sebastian said disapprovingly. “A grown woman should know better. Sometimes it’s like you’re a caveman.”
Asshole.
I resisted the temptation to tell him I had been trying my hardest, even though I had been imprisoned in cages for the past three years. Rather than be brutally honest with him, I opted to send a falsely sweet smile his way.
“Well, I’mso sorrythat I’ve offended you. I guess you don’t realize that not everyone has the privilege of growing up in castles, eating their fancy meals with gold forks.”
I didn’t know that he came from a wealthy family, but it was a lucky guess. The look on his face told me I was right.
Sebastian glared, and I met his gaze. I wasn’t going to back down to this man. He was clearly used to getting his way at all times, but I was tired of being pushed around by every man I encountered. Plus, he needed me. He wasn’t the only person who held power.
Finally, he looked away, and a thick tension settled over the table. I tried to focus on eating, but I hated the uncomfortable silence. Yes, he was being a jerk, but I decided it might be a good idea to extend an olive branch. The guy clearly lived here in the middle of nowhere alone, so maybe he just had bad social skills.
I knew that was a stretch, but I couldn’t understand. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“Thanks for this,” I said after we spent most of the meal in silence. “The food, I mean. Oh, and the dress.”
“I’ll take you into town tomorrow to get you some of your own clothing,” he said as he severed the line of his glare.
His words were strained, as if he was holding back deep-seated frustration. His shoulders tensed and then relaxed, as if he was releasing a weight that had been pressing down on him. The heavy sigh that escaped his lips filled the silent room with an air of melancholy, but it didn’t dampen my spirits. Shopping for clothes used to bring me joy, even when I was younger and had little money to spare.
“Thanks,” I replied, smiling slightly, but telling myself not to get too excited. This whole thing wasn’t supposed to be fun. He was providing clothing, food, and shelter because he needed something huge from me.
And I only agreed because I needed the money so much. It would help me find my sister, and that was my top priority. After everything I’d been through, the idea of transactional sex made a pit form in my stomach, but I knew I didn’t really have a choice. If he kicked me out, I wasn’t sure I’d survive. It was winter out there and I didn’t even have a proper coat.
As I contemplated everything that had happened, our meal ended. The butlers, including Barclay and another whose name I hadn’t learned, cleared away our dinner plates and replaced them with a delicate, poached pear on a transparent plate. I couldn’t resist admiring the shiny glaze that coated the fruit, and I could feel my mouth beginning to water. However, I quickly regained my composure and used my fork to spear the pear. A hush fell over us as we savored the dessert, but I couldn’t help noticing that Sebastian’s gaze remained fixed on his plate, even as I tried to catch his eye. My mind raced with questions, and the longer I waited, the more restless I grew.
“So, when exactly will I be receiving the payment we talked about?” I asked, breaking the uneasy silence.
Sebastian made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. “It was all laid out in the contract. You really should’ve read it more carefully.” He chewed slowly, and his jaw muscles formed a rigid line as he swallowed down the pear before cutting his gaze from mine.
I blushed. I was so mortified that I had to force myself to skim the document.
Sebastian sighed and continued, “I'll give you the first half of the payment when your pregnancy is confirmed. The rest comes when the baby is born.”
“Oh.”
This suddenly felt very real. It was one thing to look at Sebastian and fantasize about his big hands on my body, but actually discussing him getting me pregnant was different.
“Are you a virgin?” he suddenly asked.
Oh god, did he want that?“No.”
He smirked. “Good, because I fuck hard and I hate the sound of screams, so if you don’t want a pillow smashed into your face, then I highly suggest you take my cock in silence. Do you understand?”
