Page 3 of Seal My Fate

“… Be there soon.”

“Ashford emergency?” I ask lightly, as he gets out of bed and stretches. Even in my anxious state, I can’t help but admire the sight of his body, lean and powerful, carved like one of Rodin’s finest masterpieces—and capable of bringing me to the heights of pleasure over and over again.

“It’s all an emergency these days,” Saint replies, playfully rolling his eyes. He catches me to him for another quick kiss, before grabbing some clothing for himself. “All hands on deck,” he reports, dressing. “Apparently, the peer review results for the Alzheimer’s drug trials are publishing in a matter of days. And his sources at the review board say, it’s good news.”

“That’s huge,” I blink. Wren worked on an early phase of the drug trials, and I know that Saint’s family company, Ashford Pharmaceuticals, has everything riding on its success.

“Huge? It’s going to change the face of modern medicine,” Saint enthuses. “I mean, not just for the millions of families who won’t have to watch their loved ones slip away from them, but beyond that, the roads it opens up for treating other neurological diseases…” He looks thrilled. “You know, all this time I’ve been pushing back so hard against my family legacy, resisting being the dutiful son and heir, but now… Now I feel proud that Ashford could be making a difference like this. Actually doing good. And, of course, making a stinking great profit, as I’m sure my father would remind me,” he adds with a wry smile.

“Can’t forget about that part,” I agree. It’s amazing news, and I wish I could be more present to celebrate with him, but a part of me is already anxiously eying the clock, counting down to my meeting with Wren.

“You want to get lunch?” he asks. “I’m sure I could sneak away long enough to toast with you.”

“I, umm…” I rack my brains for an excuse, still distracted.

Saint notices. He steps closer, and tenderly cups my cheek, searching my face. “Are you OK?” he asks, concerned. “You’ve been quiet since the party last night. Not too overwhelming, I hope? Everyone was just teasing, talking about boring domesticity,” he adds. “I promise, there’ll be nothing boring about our living together.”

I quickly force a laugh. “I know. I’m fine,” I lie, glancing away. “There have just been a lot of big changes for me recently, I’m still catching up. Dropping out of my studies at Oxford, moving in here with you, starting full-time at the Ambrose Foundation…”

“And giving up on your quest to avenge Wren,” Saint finishes softly.

I jerk a nod, feeling guiltier than ever for keeping this from him. The whole reason Wren spiraled, the whole reason I thought she’d killed herself, was because of a brutal, twisted attack that happened last year in Oxford. I swore I would find who was responsible, and Saint has been by my side every step of the way in my search for Wren’s attacker. He’s risked it all to investigate his friends and help me bring about justice for her death.

And now she’s not dead… Everything in me wants to tell him.

But I promised her. Pinky swore.

And until I know what’s going on—how this impossible situation has come to be—I owe her my loyalty, even if it’s eating me up inside.

“I’ll settle in soon,” I tell Saint brightly, and he must be reassured by my act, because he smiles, and releases me.

“How about we go shopping this weekend?” he suggests, buttoning his shirt. “We can pick out some furniture and things for this place together.”

I frown. “But it’s already furnished,” I say, looking around. Saint’s mews house in Kensington is the height of understated luxury, full of artistic, vintage pieces and gorgeous textiles.

“I want you to feel at home,” he smiles over at me. “Like it’sourhome, not just mine.”

“Even if I want to paint the living room bubblegum pink, and replace your beloved record player with a pinball machine?” I manage to tease, touched by his determination to open his life to me. Saint was a wild and reckless playboy for long enough, I’m guessing he’s never thought about a woman’s design preferences in his life.

He laughs. “Whatever you want, darling. Chicken coop in the back garden. Sex swing in the library. Now, on second thought, that last one sounds like a must-have for us…” he adds with a smolder, and I can’t help but smile.

“I love you,” I say softly, even as guilt curls in my gut.

“Good,” Saint says with a playful smirk.

I laugh. “Arrogant, much?” I smack him lightly on the arm as he sweeps me into a hug.

“Grateful. Very, very grateful…” Saint kisses me slowly, until my legs are jelly and my heart is beating fast. “And I plan on showing you just how much tonight,” he adds with a low rasp. “Hint, it involves those silk ties I absolutely refuses to wear to the office. Because I think they’d suit you far better, tied down and spread wide on that bed like a good girl, while I make that tight pussy clench until you see God.”

I seeSaint off to the office with a final breathless kiss, and then look around the house, feeling restless. I still have hours to kill before the meeting with Wren, and I know I’ll go crazy if I stay cooped up here with all my questions, so I grab my jacket and laptop, and take the Tube over to Shoreditch, where the Ambrose Foundation headquarters are based.

“Tessa, good to see you,” my boss in the fundraising department, Priya, greets me with a smile as I step into the converted warehouse, buzzing with energy and chatter. “I hear we’ll be seeing a lot more of you, too.”

I nod. I’ve been working part-time, mostly remote while I juggled my studies in Oxford, but now that I’m living full-time in London with Saint, the plan was to become a full-time employee, too. “I hope that’s OK.”

“Of course!” Priya smiles warmly. “Your influencer campaign is shaping up so well. We’re all so excited to launch it in the new year. And I have a number of other projects where I’d love your input. I’m just about to jump on a call, but how about I swing by your office later to discuss?”

“Maybe yours would work better,” I reply. “Mine’s a little hectic.” I nod to the desk in the middle of the open-plan floor where I’ve been working. Except today, someone else is sitting there. I pause.

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