Page 1 of Bastian

Prologue

Past

“Sebastian,” My father sighs before continuing. “You know that what you did was wrong, right, son? Us Kenton men treat people better than that.” He looks down at me sternly but still lovingly as we wait outside for security to pull up with our car. Thank fuck father decided to leave the event early. Socializing with those brainless pricks exhausts me, both mentally and physically.

On more than one occasion tonight, I had to suppress the overwhelming urge to roll my eyes and call them out on their stupidity. Grown men with bird brains and egos as big as their empty heads.

The cold wind hits me, causing me to shiver. Shit, it’s cold.

I rub my hands up and down my arms, but even the heavy coat I am wearing over my suit does very little to protect me from this weather. I normally don’t mind the cold, but something about the atmosphere today doesn’t feel quite right.

Perhaps I am tired, and my desire to get home and away from these people has me imagining this eerie feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Yeah…maybe.

But then there’s the night.

Starless but with a full moon.

A small smile appears on my face when I think about how mom hasn’t stopped spitting facts about the cold moon all evening. Hell, she even sat down at the table with other politicians’ wives and talked about it. Something others on our table didn’t quite appreciate.

Those women are as thick in the head as the men they married.

Most people would find mom’s nerdy facts annoying, but not me.

Never me.

She could do no wrong in my eyes.

Nothing

“Mon soleil…” Mom sighs softly in French making me look up at her. My sun.

I love my mother.

I love both my parents dearly.

They are all I have, and I am their only child, so that makes me all they have.

They are stuck with me.

Bless their souls.

And even though they are both successful in their fields and have busy schedules, they always make time for me and do their best to include me in whatever they are working on. Whether that is political business or one of my mother’s benefit projects.

Therefore, it is nothing new that I am here today with them.

Our family opened a children’s hospital in Detroit, and the purpose of this event is to help raise money for sick children and their families in neighboring communities, but not everyone in attendance has a selfless heart like my mother. No, most people in attendance tonight are here for selfish and self-centered reasons.

But not Vivienne Kenton.

The world should bend its knee to my saint of a mother. She gives, gives, and never asks for anything in return. Like tonight.

All she asked was for me to be her good boy, but my temper and my tongue had a mind of their own.

In my defense, it is not my fault half of the people inside the gala are idiots who only got to where they are because of their money and connections, not their brains. Not hard work.

That was proven when the asshole congressman felt attacked when I pointed out how incredibly idiotic it was of him to pass a bill that does nothing for his people or his campaign.

---