Page 33 of Sebastian

He’s visibly taken aback by my aggressive tone. He quickly holds up his hands, palms out, trying to defuse the situation.

“Whoa, calm down, man. What are you talking about seeing? Jiles told me you had a visitor in the back and needed your privacy, so I crashed here. Do you think Ms. Martha will make me some more food? That drink she made me is giving me the munchies. Did she put weed in it?”

I give him a death glare, knowing I must smooth things over with Chloe.

“This isn’t some fucking joke.”

He looks sincerely apologetic.

“I swear on my mamma’s life, I didn’t see anything. I just wanted to stay to say hi. You know how lonely I get when I’m hungover.”

I let out a frustrated sigh and run a hand through my hair.

“Fine, just . . . keep the hell away from my room. We’ll talk later.”

He nods, relief evident on his face.

“Okay, but hey, can I go ask her, or should I wait here…?”

I don’t even bother answering his stupid ass when I leave the room to go in search of Chloe to make sure she’s alright. I rush downstairs, worry increasing at every step. Reaching the living room, I see Chloe, her shaky hands working to sort her damp clothes from mine, murmuring to herself.

“Chloe,” I say softly, approaching her with caution. She jumps slightly, not having heard me approach. Her eyes meet mine, wide with embarrassment.

“You lied. You told me that no one could see us.”

Her voice wavers with anger, and her hands coil into tight fists over the fabric of her damp pants.

“You lied to get your rocks off.”

“I didn’t lie. Gio didn’t see anything, I promise.”

I tilt my head, imploring her to believe me. She would have heard it directly from him if she had stayed upstairs. Now I’m left to convince her, and I’m not sure she’ll believe me. It’s obvious she’s as untrusting of me as I am of most women. It’s something we have in common, but being on the receiving end of her distrust sucks.

“Like I said before, the retaining wall blocks the view of the hot tub.”

She fumes so hard that her chest rises and falls rapidly through the fluffy robe.

“Then how did he know?”

I rest my hand on the furniture, trying to appeal to her when all I really want to do is touch her, hold her, and kiss away the embarrassment she feels. If she knew half the shit I did in my life, she’d know this is nothing in comparison. Then again, if she knew the shit, she wouldn’t be here now.

“Jiles told him. Gio said Jiles blocked him from going out there.”

She nibbles on her bottom lip, unwilling to concede an inch, and as much as I hate it, I get it. I don’t believe anyone, ever. And if the roles were reversed, I doubt I’d believe me, either.

“Let me show you.” I tug on the clothing she’s holding. It’s too wet to wear home, even though she’s reluctant to relinquish it. “I promise if I’m wrong, then you can . . .”

I shake my head, at a loss for how to make amends if I’m mistaken.

“Kick you in the balls,” she quips, throwing her clothes back on the table and stuffing her hands in the robe’s pocket. “Show me, Sebastian.”

I give a nod and guide her from the room towards the terrace doors, keen to set things right. She traverses the length of the railing, pausing occasionally to lean over it. She scans the surroundings in various ways, confirming my assurances before she turns back to me, satisfied.

“But you said Jiles stopped him, so where was he before? Upstairs? Can you see the hot tub from up there?”

What I mistake for satisfaction is her contemplative look.

“No.”

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