Page 210 of Sebastian's Baby

Loss of Game

If a player pockets the black ball before all the balls in their group, the player loses the game.

Loss of the game may also occur due to interference from a spectator. Where a spectator has become involved, new rules may be implemented, causing the game to become more complicated.

A player may need to adapt quickly to new rules, which can often cause some discomfort and frustration for the players.

33

LEVEL 25.2 – Fashion Distraction

We’re sittingin the SUV as Daryl drives us to Serenity. The appointment today was as shitty as ever. I’m worried about Mirabella and whether she’s going to be okay, but Lita’s new rules have made it so much worse.

She’s sitting quietly next to me, looking forlorn. I want to hug her, but I’m not allowed to.

I smile at her instead and ask, “Are you okay, princess?”

“Yeah. It feels like I’m just waiting for the Sword of Damocles to drop, though.”

“No point in thinking about it until Friday,” I say and try to smile at her again, but it feels fake and slides off my face quickly.

“Easier said than done,” Lita sighs.

I nod but don’t say anything more because she’s right, and we’ll both be thinking about it a lot, no doubt. I kick myself again for being so in love with her, because this is the worst. It’s so hard not to touch her. She lets me hold her bump and feel Mirabella kick sometimes, but I want more than that.

I went out on Friday and Saturday with Hayden. Blake’s off in New York doing some bullshit, so I crashed at Hayden’s both nights instead of getting a hotel. I miss her when we’re apart, but it’s easier not to be around her at the moment.

We get to Serenity, and there’s a bunch of paparazzi hanging around out the front. I’d almost forgotten about Heather’s shit with everything that’s happening with Mirabella.

“I guess they’re here to hassle Heather some more about that reporter,” I say darkly.

“I would’ve thought that it would be dying down by now.” Lita purses her lips.

“I don’t think it will ever die down; there’s always some reason for them to want to come after us.”

Daryl opens the door to the SUV with a frown on his face. “Are you guys ready for this?”

“Sure, let’s go,” I tell him.

Ben and Daryl escort us toward the building, and it isn’t long before questions are being yelled at us.

“Do you think Heather will go to jail?” someone asks.

I don’t reply, but I’m surprised by the question. Cooper dealt with it, and the guy isn’t pressing charges. Something has happened to cause them to be here, but I don’t know what it is.

“Are you going to tell us what’s wrong with your baby?”

I hate these questions. Not for me, but for Lita, because I know they upset her.

“Is there an engagement in your future?”

And there’s the question that upsets me. Yeah, dude, I would propose to her in a second if she was even the slightest bit interested in me doing it.

We make it inside, and I ignore Heather’s bodyguard, as well as her receptionist. I need to talk to her and find out what the fuck the reporter meant about her going to jail. I go straight to her office and open the door, but it’s empty.

I shrug and turn around before I head to the main floor of her building while Lita follows behind me. I scan the room when I reach the sewing floor, and there are lots of women at sewing machines making clothes. Finally, my eyes land on Heather. She’s standing near a pregnant mannequin, talking to one of her employees, who I think I might have met before.

“Heather!” I call out, and she looks over at me. “Why do the reporters outside think you’re going to jail?”

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