Page 8 of Secret

IZZY

“You’re completely crazy, Sebastian. I mean insane. I can't accept any more,” I plead to him after he bought me over twenty bags of clothes and a beautiful, bright-red Land Rover. Which he says he will be able to see me anywhere in. It’s being delivered tomorrow. Sebastian goes even farther by buying me a new iPhone with an unlimited contract and a new laptop. When I think we are done, he just laughs, dragging me to a salon. They wax me head to toe, do my eyebrows, add blond highlights to my long, blond hair, which falls to my mid-waist, now in layers.I never knew shopping could be a form torture.

While the salon tortures me, Sebastian opens my phone and fills it with contacts I will need. This includes a screen saver of Sebastian’s face and a Facebook page he makes for me, which he states I need. He even adds people I don't know, telling me I will meet his friends soon. I secretly hoped Blake was one of those friends he added, but he isn’t.

“Sebastian, can we call it a day on the shopping and do some more tomorrow? Right now, I need to collapse into a bed,” I say with a long sigh, catching his arm and stopping him from dragging me into the next shop.

Sebastian agrees, with a roll of his eyes and a smirk, before we head back to the car. We chatted all day, and I’ve learnt he loves himself, a lot. Sebastian takes good care of himself—his hair, his looks, and his clothes—but I think he is looking for the perfect woman to complete himself. Despite his cheery attitude, I can sense a sadness that I don’t want to ask about.

“So, what are you studying at school?” I ask as we put the stuff into the car.

“Art, Math, and English, but, honestly, I like working with numbers. I’m hoping to get into the local university to study math at a higher level before finding a job. I applied a few months ago, so, hopefully, I’ll know soon,” he states, shutting the boot.

“That sounds good. I never thought about what to do after school, but I guess I would want to apply to a university to study art more. I love art therapy, so maybe a course like that.”

“Why art therapy?” he asks, leaning against the closed boot next to me.

“When I was younger, I would get so angry about my dad not being around, and my mum used to make me draw. I’m glad she did because it stopped me from getting into fights with bullies over me not having a dad. Later, when my mum died, drawing was the only thing I had left. I could have gone off the deep end with anger and sadness, but every time I felt lost, I drew. It helped me, and I want to help other people.”

“Wow. That sounds good. How about I get you some brochures for the local university? It would be nice to have you near.” He smiles that killer smile at me, making me just want to hug him. I’m happy he doesn’t ask any more questions about what I told him.

“I would like that,” I say, feeling happy and enjoying that close-family feeling I haven’t had in a while.

Sebastian grins at my answer, and we get into the car to drive back home.

As we enter the house, with all the clothes and stuff between us, he tells me to follow him up to my room as the new stuff should be there by now. He grins, looking pleased with whatever surprise he has waiting upstairs.

I silently follow him, and we take a right at the top of the stairs. The first door we come across, Sebastian swings open, and all I can think is, it’s lovely. It has a white, four-poster, queen-sized bed with white linens and a white bedside unit in the room to match. The white walls and dark-wood flooring make it feel homely. There is a seaside picture above a white dressing table by the window. The window has white curtains with little silver boats on them, and it’s picture-perfect.I can’t believe it’s mine.

“It’s a little plain now, but we can change that,” Sebastian says as he stops near my bed.

I drop the bags near the door to run and hug Sebastian, who is tense for a second in what I believe is shock, but then he swings me around as I exclaim,“Thank you, it's amazing. And, thank you for today.”

“No need to thank me, you’re my family now,” he says with a smile.

A deep, seductive voice interrupts whatever I was going to say.“You could thank me. I helped sort your room out, beauty.” I inwardly want to sigh hearing his voice, but I remind myself not to.

Letting go of Sebastian, I turn around to see the smug asshole leaning against my door with his legs crossed in front of him. I quickly look at his dark jeans and tight, black top, which shows off all of his impressive muscles, before I meet his blue eyes, his face hiding a smirk.

“Like what you see?” He winks as he speaks, and I want the world to swallow me up right there as he catches me drooling over him. At least I’m not literally drooling.

I blush and manage to stutter out, “Thanks for doing my room. You can leave now.” I then clear my throat and turn back toward a now angry Sebastian.

“Oi, no hitting on my sister, Blake,” he nearly shouts across the room, patting me on the shoulder and then walking past me to shove Blake out of my room.

“See you tomorrow, sis. We’re out tonight,” Sebastian says and shuts my door behind him.

I sit on my bed, letting out a sigh before grabbing my bags and pushing them into the wardrobe. I grab my new lacy underwear, silk shorts, and a Cami top before I jump into the shower. I dry my hair before returning to my room, my thoughts go to Blake again, picturing his blond, wavy hair, which looks as if it’s come straight off a surfing ad. I wonder what it would be like to run my fingers through it. I shake my head from the thoughts of my brothers’ best friend because they should make me feel guilty, but they don’t.

I decide to pop downstairs and grab some snacks before watching a little TV in my room. I grab the new bunny slippers Sebastian thought were cute–which they are–and run down the stairs into the kitchen where I stop dead as three pairs of eyes stare at me.

“Holy shit, this is your sister, Elliot?” the male, red-haired stranger says to Elliot, who is still avoiding my gaze.

Of course, Blake is sitting on a stool by the counter looking me up and down very slowly. I blush as I realise I should have worn more clothes.

“Shut the fuck up, man. Come on, let’s go out,” Sebastian says as he appears behind me and practically drags the red-haired man out the door, with Elliot following while he shouts for Blake to come with him.

“You look insanely gorgeous in your pyjamas, Izzy,” Blake seductively whispers as he walks over to me, and I walk backward until my back hits the wall. Blake puts his hands on the wall, boxing me in, and I shiver from the heat he is giving off. I can’t help but stare into his sexy, blue eyes as my heart beats faster than I can bear.

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