Chapter 20

“You seem distracted.” Sebastian noted, eyes on me.

“I’m just taking in the view.” I kind of lied. I was awing at the mesmerizing view of New York’s skyline, but my head was miles away. When he said we would have dinner on a yacht, I thought he was kidding, but indeed, he rented a whole yacht for us. Yet I couldn't fully enjoy it.

Sebastian wrapped his arms around me. “We both know that’s a lie.” He claimed, studying me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Vivian …”

I sighed, trying to relax a little in his arms. “I just have a lot on my mind, that’s all.” That's the understatement of the century. I kept replaying in my head the last conversation Chris and I had, wondering whether I overreacted, whether I could have been more understanding.

“A problem shared is a problem halved.” Sebastian mused.

I half smiled, turning around in his arms. “You’re so kind.” I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. “Maybe too good to be true.” Yet I'm here thinking about a man that's lied to me for ten years.

“You think I’m hiding something?”

I pursed my lips, unsure whether I should even bring up the subject, since it’s more than likely that this … whatever is it, is going to end the moment I tell him I leave for London in about 10 days. I couldn’t even blame him. We’ve only been going out for a little more than a week. Who would wait 4 months for someone they’re not even calling their girlfriend yet? “Well, I still don’t know what you do for a living.”

Sebastian laughed. “You assume it’s something criminal?”

“I mean …” I raked my hand through his hair on the back of his head. “You have a penthouse, you can go pretty much anywhere even on short notice. And now you rented a whole yacht for us.” I shrugged. “My friend Beth thinks you’re a Woods.”

Sebastian clouded over for a moment. He may have not intended for me to see it, but there was something odd in his eyes at the sole mention of the Woods family. As if brushed a raw nerve. Maybe he’s really Julia Woods’ son but they don’t get along? Or maybe he’s the cadet son, the one that gets nothing because everything goes to the firstborn – nah, that’s a Jane Austen era kind of mess.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” I said, afraid I’d made him think of unpleasant things.

He shook his head, and a smile slowly crept up on his face. “You never have to be sorry, Vivian.” He kissed me a little deeper than before, his hands sliding down my back, until they reached my buttocks, which he caressed gently. “The time with you has been the most wonderful I could ever ask for.”

Why did that sound like foreshadowing for a breakup? “Same here,” I smiled, “it hasn’t been long, but it’s certainly been nice.” No lie there. Even with the whole mess with Chris, spending time with Sebastian pretty much kept me sane.

Laura is my best friend, but her rants against Chris did me no good, and because her fiancé is his close friend as well, and they were starting to argue about this whole thing, I decided I would make myself scarce for some time. Shane didn't want to take sides, so he hasn't asked questions, and Beth's sole response was trying to convince me to go clubbing, get super drunk and move on. Says that's her heartbreak remedy.

I’d have slept at Beth’s, she offered, but truth is, I’ve mostly been with Sebastian. I barely even went home, in fear I’d see Chris, even though Adam says his brother hasn’t been much around either. It’s only been 4 days, a lot of water under the bridge needs to pass until I can even consider reopening communications. Right now, my door is completely shut for him.

“How about … we go away for the weekend?” Sebastian suggested, pulling my hair behind my ears. “Actually, why not take the rest of the week off?”

“Don’t you have to work?”

“Nah, I can call in sick.”

I smiled, my hands raking through his hair on the back of his head. “Where would you take me?”

“Wherever you want,” he pecked my lips, “we have the yacht for the whole week.”

“What!” I chuckled. “You’re crazy.”

He kissed me deeper. “Crazy about you.”

I didn’t know how to reply to that. I felt flustered, but also a bit guilty. Before I could get too carried away with his kiss, I pulled back. “Uh … I need to tell you something.” I guess this is really it. I could have used a whole week relaxing on a yacht with such a wonderful man, but it would be unfair, wouldn’t it? I’m leaving for London in 10 days, that’s pretty much a death sentence for such a young relationship.

Sebastian left his hand between my neck and my cheek. “Is it the reason you’ve been so downcast lately?”

“Not quite …” I pulled away from his touch, starting to pace around. When I stopped, I took a deep breath, and braced myself. “Okay, well … I told you I quit my job, right?”

“Yes. You did the right thing.” Sebastian nodded. “You should never bow to such tyrants.”

I half smiled. Sometimes it’s odd, he’s so understanding and so calm all the time, yet so passionate, so … wild in other circumstances. “Well, one reason why I did it, is because I was offered something else.” I mentioned. Sebastian looked at me, curious. “In London.” I finished.

“London?” He repeated, predictably marveled.

“My friend Adam, he recommended me to his old employer over there, and they agreed to give me a … probation period.” I blurted out fast. “Four months.” No answer. “I-uh … I’m supposed to leave in 10 days.”

Sebastian’s eyebrows arches in surprise. “Ten days? Wow, that’s quite the short notice.”

“Well, uh … technically I’ve known for … a couple of weeks, I just …” I bit on my lips compulsively, nervous and guilty. “I’m sorry, I … I should have been upfront with you.”

“Did you know when we met?”

“Oh! No, no I … no, I mean, yes, when we met I had just been offered the position,but I was mostly sure I was going to refuse." Yeah, if that’s any better. “But that, of course, doesn’t excuse me.” I shook my head. “I should have told you immediately, I’m sorry.”

Sebastian frowned. “Why? You had no obligations.”

No? “Well, uh … I mean …” I pointed at the two of us, “we-uh …”

He took a couple of steps towards me and, much to my surprise, he embraced me, placing a small kiss on my cheek. “It’s only been 13 days, but even if it had been 13 years, I still would have no saying in your decisions, Vivian.”

“But …”

“You don’t need to consult me. Or rather, yes to consulting, but at the end of the day, it’s still your decision. Whichever the subject.”

That felt refreshing, in more ways than he could imagine. It hit me hard, because it reminded me of all those times Laura told me I should not let Chris bully me into making choices that suit him. I always thought she exaggerated, but maybe she was right. If I think back to these past 10 years, I realize that I've always gone his way. Whichever the decision, from which movie to watch to where to go to college, where to live, sometimes even what to wear.

I kind of isolated myself, living with him and for him. Hadn’t Laura been such a great friend, I'd have lost her, too, after all the times I bailed on her for Chris. Even now, when she's freaking out because of the wedding she needs to postpone due to the pregnancy. The fact that I heard about it from Beth this morning, is a sign I need to take a step back and make amends with Laura. At the same time, she set aside her biggest news ever to focus on my problems. If that’s not real friendship, I don't know what is.

"Are you still with me?" Sebastian chuckled.

I blinked my eyes, waking up from my reverie, to realize I'd remained quiet too long, lost in my thoughts. "Sorry, I was …"

"You have a lot on your mind, yes," he smiled, you said."

I lowered my head, feeling guilty. "You once said you knew my heart was taken." I murmured. "Well, the person, he … we had a rough argument and, we may have … in short, we're not on speaking terms at the moment."

"I'm guessing that's your major preoccupation."

"Yes, but … you know, also London, and I think I wronged my best friend." I sighed. "She didn't even tell me she's pregnant." I felt tears prickle behind my eyes, the pent up stress getting the best of me. "And of course, there's you." I shook my head, pulling back from his touch. "I was unfair, I started this knowing my heart is … and London …" I really felt like screaming my lungs out.

"Vivian." Sebastian called, grabbing my hand to pull me into him. "Take a deep breath." He suggested, a hand on my cheek. "You need to let go of the stress."

I did as he said, but it didn’t really work, at least not the first three times. At the fourth, I felt slightly better. I gulped down that frog in my throat that wanted to force me to cry, and looked at Sebastian. "I'll understand if you decide this is too much for you."

As a response, he cupped my neck, and kissed me deep, his thumbs wiping off a couple of stray tears. "You didn't lie to me," Sebastian said, "I knew what I was getting into the moment I realized your heart belonged to someone else." He claimed, taking me by surprise. It's true that he said he realized when I called him that night, but why was he so calm about it? I would run off immediately if the person I'm dating admits to being in love with someone else.

"You don't mind?" I asked, confused.

"From what you're telling me, the chances of you two getting together are pretty much zero." He smiled a bit. "It might not be fair, and I'm sorry for that, but it does mean I have a chance." He stroked my cheek. "If you wish to give me one, that is."

"But London …"

Sebastian gave me a deeper kiss that lasted a few seconds. "I can wait."

🌙🌙

SEBASTIAN

"Change of plans." I whispered, eyes on Vivian's sleeping frame. She looked so gorgeous. I couldn't have been more lucky with her.

"Why?"  Tony inquired. "We're good to go."

I rolled my eyes. "Because my alibi leaves in 10 days. It needs to overlap."

"Do we even have a chance to make it overlap? This weekend was perfect, she's going to be in the city."

I smirked, eyes on my enticing goddess. She fell asleep after sex, as usual. This time she really needed a break, though, after all those tears. "Oh but, accidents happen everywhere, Tony." I pointed out.

He snorted, predictably. He's always so paranoid. "You know that house is more guarded than a fortress."

"And yet I've been there a whole day and nobody noticed."

"Kind of thanks to your squeeze there, she distracted them."

"Don't call her that." I barked, losing control for a moment. Luckily she didn't hear me.

Tony sighed. "Here we go again … man, if I didn’t know you any better, I'd think you're falling for her."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be stupid. She's my alibi."

"Yeah, yeah, yet you go out of your way to be romantic."

"How else am I supposed to gain her trust?"

Tony remained quiet for a few moments, but I kind of sensed where his mind was going. In fact, he reminded me: "Just don’t make of her another Lola."

I gritted my teeth, the sole thought riling me up. "She was at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"She took a bullet that was meant for you." Tony reminded me, as if I could ever forget that the woman I loved was killed by mistake, only because she decided to surprise me. I took care of the bastard, though. "So, what's the new plan?" Tony wondered.

I went below deck, and grabbed Vivian's phone from her purse. Predictably, there were calls and texts, she's quite popular. I deleted every notification related to him. "Simple," I said, locking Vivian's phone again and placing it back in her purse, "I'll do it right before the flight. I'll be in London before anybody even finds the body."

"London?"

"Leave the details to me, you just make sure to be ready in time." I concluded, then hung up. I opened the gallery on my phone, and stared at her picture for a long minute. It was enough to remind me why I'm doing this. "Don't worry, mom, Julia Woods will get what she deserves. They all will."