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“You’ve been sneaking into my office at night?” he asked. “You’ve been a naughty girl.”
Pulling back the duvet, he slipped my legs inside and covered me up.
“I’ll be back to get you for dinner,” he said before leaving, resuming his phone call as he walked out of the room.
I laid there for a while after he left. I couldn’t stop thinking about him calling thisour wing.It was probably stupid to focus on it. I was sure it didn’t mean anything.
But my heart felt like it was swelling at the thought of it.
I sighed, frustrated with myself.
Trying to distract myself, I thought about the man that showed up here. Why did Sebastian look so mad? What was on that paper?
No matter what Sebastian said, I couldn’t “rest” while all these thoughts ran rampant in my mind.
I got up out of bed. I wouldn’t leave my wing, simply because I knew he’d order me right back here, but I could explore my space. The wing was large, and I hadn’t fully explored it since I was moved in here.
I knew this wasthewing, the one where Sebastian had lived with Charlotte. I wasn’t sure how I should feel about that, but it mostly just made me sad for him.
Moving through some rooms at the end of a long hallway, I found mostly storage space. But then, I saw it. There was a hidden door. It looked just like the surrounding wall, and it was slim, not the same size as the other doors in the wing.
Opening it, I gasped as my eyes locked on the massive library.
My gaze travelled over floor-to-ceiling bookcases that covered every wall. The white shelves made the space brighter than most of the other rooms in the castle, and I stepped into the space with a smile on my face.
This was amazing, and just the escape I needed.
* * *
I spent five consecutive hours reading, an experience that left me feeling exhilarated. Reading had always been a passion of mine, and as a teenager, it was a form of solace that didn’t cost anything. Going to the public library provided me with an escape from the melancholy of my impoverished life.
Fiona and I used to have reading competitions for fun. We would see who could read the most books in a week, and I was usually the winner. I could tear through a book a day when I was really interested in the story.
Upon discovering a beanbag chair and a cozy reading nook, I snuggled in with a plush blanket and lost myself in the pages of a steamy romance novel for hours on end. As I flipped through the pages, eagerly devouring the exploits of an overly possessive hero, I failed to notice the sound of the door opening and Sebastian’s arrival.
“Belle?”
I immediately perked up when I heard him call my name. He stood in the narrow doorway, barely fitting, and his gaze fixed on me with a look that demanded my attention.
I clumsily tumbled off the beanbag, the book forgotten as I scrambled away. We walked side-by-side toward the dining room, and I could feel the tension radiating off of him. He kept shooting me quick looks, and I could almost hear his brain ticking away as he studied me. A thick, ominous feeling hung in the air, and I knew something serious was coming. I just didn’t know what it was.
We sat down at the table and ate—more lean meat and vegetables for me. I had only taken one bite when the man that interrupted our riding session strode into the dining. He carried a coat and an overnight bag in one hand, and a cream-colored gift bag in the other.
He didn’t say anything as he stood by the table, but Sebastian cleared his throat.
“Belle, this is Maxwell.”
I looked at the man with intrigue. He was tall, nearly as tall as Sebastian. Leanly built, but muscular with a rigid jaw and jet-black hair that he parted on one side. His whole vibe screamed mafia with a hint of mystery.
He stretched out his hand, and I hesitated to shake it. I couldn’t say why, he just intimidated me.
“Go on,” Sebastian said.
So, I took the man’s hand, which was cold and large. His shake was firm, and he kept his gaze locked on mine.
“Take a seat,” Sebastian told him, and Maxwell obeyed.
As they talked about business matters, which were beyond my understanding and didn’t interest me, I observed Maxwell had an American accent. While eating my dinner, I kept an eye on them and noticed that Maxwell’s gaze kept flickering toward me, pausing every few seconds. I was unsure what to make of it, but Sebastian didn’t appear to be bothered.
