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“It was just a small vacation,” Sebastian replies. “But I’m back to work now.”
I’m positive I’m missing something here. Sebastian’s voice is now even cooler, even if his words are friendly enough.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend?” Sebastian’s mother asks, giving me an appraising look.
“Avery, this is my mother, Trudy,” he says, providing no other explanation for who I am. That’s probably for the best. ‘The woman I won and kidnapped from a poker game’ isn’t exactly the kind of thing you’d share with your parents.
“It’s nice to meet you, dear,” Trudy says, her smile bright. She seems genuinely delighted. “We so rarely get to meet any of Sebastian’s friends.”
Maybe because he’s incapable of real, human relationships?
“It’s great to meet you, too,” I smile back.
“An American, how lovely. Have you been in England for long?” she asks.
“Not at all. I’m looking forward to doing some sightseeing,” I add.
“Well in that case, the two of you should come visit us in the country sometime,” Richard suggests. “We’d love to have you.”
Us. We. Yeah, these two are definitely a couple.
Weird.
“Perhaps,” Sebastian replies vaguely. “I’ll have to see about my schedule.”
“Well, you know what they always say,” Richard jokes. “All work and no play, and all that jazz.” He chortles again, and Trudy titters along, too. “Well, lovely meeting you, Avery. Keep an eye out for my nephew, he’s a real heartbreaker,” he adds with a wink, before the two of them leave.
Wow. I have about a million questions, but Sebastian changes the subject right away, almost as if he’s trying to avoid any conversation about those two. “If you’re interested in seeing the city, I can hire a guide for you.”
“Oh, that’s OK.” I reply. “I like to just wander, getting lost. It’s the best way to explore.”
He nods, but still looks tense. I smile along, and chat inanely about exploring the city, but inside, I file the information away for later.
Something tells me, his family is a pressure point. And I mean to test them all—until he’s howling in pain.
After dinner,we don’t go home. Instead, a car whisks us through London, to an older neighborhood, where another uniformed valet is waiting outside another unmarked door. This time, it’s some kind of exclusive club, with a long bar area, dim velvet booths, and a young, stylish clientele. Music is playing, too loud to really talk, and it’s busy enough that I can relax.
I’m relieved. Being alone with Sebastian is a dangerous thing, and after the time we spent on the island together, I know he’s determined to seduce me. I need to keep him at arm’s length for as long as possible so he doesn’t lose interest in me.
And I don’t lose control, seduced by his magnetic touch.
“You like it?” Sebastian asks, seeing me look curiously around.
“I guess. I’m not really into nightlife,” I lie. I’ve kept the Barretti clubs running like clockwork since the day I turned eighteen, but that was a whole different world.
Sebastian orders us both drinks at the bar, and then is intercepted by a couple of finance bros.
“You see the FTSE tremble over those rate hikes?” one asks, ignoring me.
“I’m not worried,” Sebastian shrugs. “I’ve hedged enough.”
“Of course you have,” the other laughs, too eager. “Nobody gets around you.”
I sit there, listening. I try to pick up anything that might be useful to me, but I soon realize, it’s just macho bragging—the two guys trying to impress Sebastian while he calmly sips his drink.
“I’m telling you; you’ve got to go big on pharma next quarter,” one of them is urging him. “I’ve got my eye on Ashford Pharmaceuticals, they’re going to go through the roof with a little nudge.”
“And nobody fucks like those pharma rep girls,” the other whoops.
