Chapter 12

"I really, really shouldn't be here ..." I giggled as Sebastian leaned me on the sofa.

He smiled gently. "I couldn't let you walk with that ankle."

I stupidly slipped and twisted my ankle while we were walking. Third date, and I'm already making a fool of myself. "I'm sure it's fine." I half blushed, embarrassed of my clumsiness. The date had barely started, we haven't even eaten yet, when I tripped and fell. Luckily, Sebastian caught me. It would have been a really romantic moment, hadn't we been in the middle of a busy street, and you know how New Yorkers can be.

"It's swollen," Sebastian told me, gently caressing my foot after having removed the shoe, "I'll get you some ice." He didn't wait for me to agree, just placed a pillow under my foot, and headed to the kitchen. That gave me time to look around.

The living room was big, full of windows, except for one wall. Even without standing up from the huge sofa, I could awe at the mesmerizing sight of Soho's skyline. On the side of the entrance, there were a couple of other doors, one of which led into the kitchen. There were also stairs that presumably would bring to the bedrooms. This whole place makes my cozy apartment look like a shoe box.

Sebastian returned a few seconds later, a bag of ice in one hand, a bottle in the other. He grinned, coming to sit beside me. "Ice calls for champagne, it goes without saying."

"We haven't even eaten yet." I chuckled.

"Oh, I can fix that." He claimed, putting the bottle on the coffee table. "I'll whip something up."

"You cook?" I may have sounded more surprised than I intended to, but it was also because I winced a little when he placed the ice on my ankle.

Sebastian chuckled. "I get by."

"I can see that." I hinted at the fancy room we were in. "I didn't know gardening paid so well."

"Who said I'm a gardener?"

"When we met, you were in Mrs. Woods' garden." I thought about it for a moment. "Then again, I also saw car grease on your jeans, so maybe you're her ... mechanic? She looks like the kind of rich person that would have a whole garage of cars she doesn't use and a personal mechanic she doesn't need." I laughed to myself.

Sebastian fainted a smile. "I am more of a ... jack of all trades, so to speak."

"Meaning?"

He slid closer to me, enough to smoothly leave an arm on the back of the sofa, right behind me, as if he were hugging me – and in fact his face did come really close to mine. "Meaning I do anything and everything Mrs. Woods requires."

"Does that pay enough to afford this place?" I inquired. "I mean, even only the living room is the size of my whole apartment, I can only imagine the rest."

Sebastian half smirked, inching closer, enough to graze my skin when he spoke: "I'm sure you'll get a chance to see the whole place soon enough."

That sounded way too alluring even for me to miss the innuendo. I had to do my best not to giggle like a silly girl. I licked my lips, eyeing his – they were so close and so inviting, it was difficult to resist. My mouth parted slightly as Sebastian smiled. Before I could find the courage to lean in enough to finally kiss him, he pulled back. Cue the booing in my head.

"Why don't you watch some TV while I prepare dinner?" He suggested, standing up.

I didn't even speak, I merely nodded, still too inebriated by the whole situation. I don't know what perfume he uses but it feels made to confuse my senses. Or I'm just so rusty when it comes to this type of thing, that I get easily carried away. While Sebastian headed back to the kitchen, after having turned on the TV for me, I made myself more comfortable on the sofa. The ice seemed to be working, my foot hurt less.

I didn't really pay attention to the TV, I just left it on a random channel. I was more curious about what was Sebastian preparing, and even more about his apartment, or rather penthouse. Three dates, and he hasn't really told me much about him. He said he does whatever Mrs. Woods needs, does that mean he's her right-hand man or something of the sort? And whatever he does, does she pay him that well as to afford a whole penthouse in Soho? The way people seem to owe him favors, how did he earn them?

The more I think about it, the more it sounds suspicious. What if he isn't who he says he is? Beth swears he is Julia Woods' son, the new CEO of Woods Inc., he just doesn't want me to know right off the bat because he wants me to like him for who he is, not for the money he has. But he did just bring me to his freaking penthouse ... pretending to be poor or even only averagely employed like me is out of the question, I'd say.

All I know is that Sebastian is the most handsome man I've ever seen, and part of me wonders why should I wait for more dates before sleeping with him. It's been four freaking years since the last time. Horny me cannot remain caged for much longer, not with a man like him.

✨✨

Well, I guess either he's not keen, or horny me doesn't want it that bad. Even after a whole evening spent at his place, Sebastian and I did nothing. Not even a kiss. It was the most romantic night ever, we talked about anything and everything, we enjoyed ourselves 100%. But nothing more happened. He didn't even kiss me goodnight, or rather he did, but only on the cheek.

I can't deny it's disappointing. I don't know whether to blame it on him being too much of a gentleman, or on my own inhibitions, or worse, on that loyalty that keeps me chained to someone that will never want my heart. It's just inevitable. Part of me wants to take the reins and kiss the hell out of Sebastian. The other mentions one single name, and I everything immediately stops: Chris.

Speaking of whom, because I mostly avoided him the past two days, only answering his texts just not to make him suspicious, I thought I'd go see Chris. It was past midnight, but usually on Saturdays he stays up late, unless he went out. But Shane had a date, and Nick had a dinner with a friend from high school that's in town – Laura was kind of weird about it, but I didn't have time to ask for details.

I wondered whether I should get changed before seeing Chris. He would certainly ask a lot of questions. Part of me wanted to test that theory, see if my dream could possibly come true. But the most rational one decided against it. Hence, I changed from my black dress that was unconsciously meant to half-torture, half-seduce Sebastian throughout the date – and I'm not even sure it worked –, into fitted jeans and a crop top, namely the kind of outfit I would wear for a night out with the girls, which is what I told him I would do tonight.

He was suspicious, but he didn't really inquire. Actually, Chris seemed a bit preoccupied this morning. I guess that's one more reason to go see him. I kept my heels and my bag, just to maintain my cover, and I even locked my door. Then I headed to his place.

Oddly enough, Chris' front door was unlocked. Not just unlocked, it was partly open. Worried something might have happened to him – a burglar or worse –, I let myself in, careful to remain quiet, because nobody in their right mind would make their presence known in the face of danger. I did grab my phone from the purse, though, in case I needed to call the cops, or worse, an ambulance.

"Chris?" I murmured. There was nobody in the kitchen, and no one in the living room. The latter one was a bit messed up, though. Not the burglar kind of messed up. Just ... oh, God. My own defense mechanism immediately set off an alarm, pinpointing the bag on the couch as Karen's, but I stupidly decided to go make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

Chris could not possibly fall back into that trap. I know he's painfully oblivious when it comes to some things, but he cannot possibly be blind to that witch's dangers. Karen messed him up so bad, he would not willingly go back to her, would he?

As I neared the bedroom, I heard unmistakable noises. Nobody could possibly misunderstand the situation. The loudest sounds were clearly female moans. Clearly. Yet I stupidly went further, and peeked from the open door. When I say the sight killed every single fiber of my being, making me weak to my core, I'm not kidding.

I dropped against the wall, my breaths hitching, as if the wind had been knocked out of me. Her screams were deafening to my ears, and I'm pretty sure she saw me agonizing right outside the bedroom, because Karen started moaning even louder. Nevertheless, they or any rate he was so into it that he didn't hear a thing other than the witch's earsplitting noises.

I knew I had to force myself to move, remaining there was not healthy, but my feet wouldn't hear it of listening to orders. I was frozen in place, condemned to listen to the love of my life not only make the worst mistake of his own life, but unknowingly rip my heart to pieces.

I could even hear Karen tell him all sorts of things I know I will never be able to delete from my mind. She knew I was there. She had to know. I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my skin, shutting my eyes as tears started falling, but nothing could stop those noises from reaching my ears.