Page 25 of Sebastian's Secret
“Are you okay?” Cole shook his head as his brother padded past him into the warmth of the family’s lodge.
Lodge didn’t really do the property justice. Fitted with all modern conveniences, including a hot tub with views over the range, the building was comprised of five enormous bedrooms and its own helicopter landing pad. It had been their parents’ baby, a place they’d come together before their mother had died, but now it belonged to the four brothers.
“I don’t know,” Sebastian answered, tugging on a pair of blue joggers. He wasn’t sure who they belonged to, but didn’t much care.
“Intriguing.” Closing the doors to the hostile outside world, Cole wandered over to him. “Especially after your abrupt departure from the meeting earlier.”
For a moment, Sebastian wasn’t sure what Cole was talking about, but just as quickly, recollections of his anxiety at Drakon Finance washed over him. Shit, he’d stalked out of Balthazar’s meeting without a word of explanation and hadn’t been in touch with any of them since.
“Bal and I tried to call you multiple times.” Concern flickered in Cole’s eyes. “Seriously man, what’s wrong? Do we need to call a doctor?”
“I’m sorry.” Sinking into one of the lounge chairs, he dragged his fingers through his hair. “I left my phone at the hut so I could shift and fly up here.”
“And you didn’t see our missed calls before then?”
Well, did I? Wracking his brain, Sebastian tried to think. He’d been so dead set on communicating with Rebecca, that he hadn’t even noticed the fact his brothers were worried.
Definitely not very Sebastian-like.
He was the reliable one, the softly-spoken dependable one of the four brothers—not the one who went rushing off into the day incommunicado.
“Apologies if you were worried.” Sebastian blew out a breath. “I’ve had things on my mind.”
“Yeah.” Cole joined him in the lounge area. The reception area of the lodge was open plan, and always warm from the huge roaring fire. “I noticed. Hell, I think even Draco did.”
The third of the four, their brother Draco was traditionally the callous, unthinking one. If he’d noticed Sebastian’s absence, then things were bad, indeed.
“Okay.” Edging forward on his seat, Cole’s green eyes bored into Sebastian. “What’s going on?”
“Who else is here?” Dodging Cole’s question, Sebastian’s attention darted around the place. He hadn’t sensed the presence of Draco, Balthazar, or anyone else, but he needed to be sure. Sebastian had always got on well with his youngest brother, but to be able to confide his secrets, he needed assurance of total confidence.
“No one,” Cole implored. “Just you and me, brother. Come on, spill.”
“I met someone.” Sebastian’s confession was like a long, protracted sigh, conveying nothing of the passion and excitement simmering in his stomach.
“A woman?”
“Yes, a woman!” Sebastian retorted.
“Hey!” Cole threw his palms into the air. “No judgment here. I don’t assume anything.”
“There’s no bloody choice, is there?”
Staring into the raging flames, Sebastian tensed. This was what it all boiled down to, the invisible and impossibly strong tethers that his father had secured—the pact that ensured all four of his sons married and encouraged them to have children to protect the Vaughn bloodline.
“Father’s contract?” Cole probed.
“What else?”
Sebastian compelled his focus toward his brother, regretting his snide response. Whatever this was, it wasn’t Cole’s doing, but it appeared to bother the youngest the least. Balthazar was the dutiful elder sibling, determined to do the right thing, while Draco was hellbent on sending one middle finger to his father’s legacy at all costs. That just left Sebastian, with all his confused resentment. What a freaking mess Michael Vaughn had created.
“It’s put me off relationships for years.” It was strange to admit it to someone else after so many years wrestling with the dilemma alone. “I could never see the point of getting involved if I was bound to marry. I loathe the finality of it all…” Hesitating, he glanced away, wondering if he was making sense. “Like I didn’t have—”
“A choice.” Cole finished the sentence for him, his green gaze knowing by the time Sebastian looked back. “I get it, Seb.”
“Yeah.” Sebastian had never thought of it before, but he guessed Cole did. He might be eight years Sebastian’s junior, but the same future loomed ahead of him as it did all of them.
“And now there’s someone special, it’s thrown all of this into a different perspective, right?” Cole’s brow rose.