Page 57 of Sebastian's Secret

Standing, he fired off a response to Balthazar and watched as she complied.

Rebecca was a revelation. The woman who seemed to break all of his steadfast rules. She was flawless; everything he had ever wanted and assumed he would never have. It was only a shame that she was a Monroe—a member of a family that his brothers seemed doomed to despise.

Very Romeo and Juliet, he thought dryly as she collected her possessions. He could be a Montague, while she, a Capulet.

But there was one critical difference from his Shakespearean analogy. This was a love story, and Sebastian would obliterate anyone who tried to reduce it to tragedy.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Rebecca

It was official. Rebecca couldn’t think while she was this turned on, her arousal was a simmering thrum of desire incessantly inciting as she tried to focus. Squirming on Sebastian’s expensive leather upholstery all the way to the house, she was surprised by how little anxiety she felt as he pulled up outside. Gazing out at the open iron gates, all she could think about was how good it would be to come apart, preferably with him inside her at the time.

Her father barely crossed her mind. He would be at the office, maneuvering the pieces of his business around like a game of chess. That was how life was with Jonas. Each of them was just another piece he played. That was why she’d spent days booked into the Ritz-Carlton and why she had spent nights stalking the V.I.P sections of the most expensive clubs. The only thing her father had ever given her was money and Rebecca had been happy to spend it.

“Are you certain that you’ll be okay?”

Genuine concern echoed in Sebastian’s voice, reassuring her that while he was happy to torment her, his heart was in the right place. In truth of course, she also appreciated the sadist in him and while she would never admit that she relished his directive not to come, it was true, nonetheless. She loved how bold the instruction was and how he trusted her to observe his rule even though they would be apart.

That faith inspired something more than only hedonism. It created a new kind of compliance that meant she wanted nothing more than to please Sebastian and see the pride in his eyes when he realized she had behaved. Her breath hitched as she realized how significant the shift was. She had spent a lifetime kicking and fighting, and when that failed to work, running and hiding. Rebecca had waited so long to meet a man who could handle her sass in ways that stirred her soul rather than crushing her spirit. She dared to dream that Sebastian could be that man.

“I’ll be fine.” She smiled, realizing that was how she felt—fine. Sure, she yearned to splinter all over his cock, but she’d survive the anguish. Hell, she would probably learn to enjoy it. “I’ll message you when I’m ready to leave and see how it works with your timing.”

“Okay.” He turned to her, those deep pools of his eyes still beckoning her to dive in. “But let me know if you need me earlier.”

“I need you now,” she purred, actively resisting the urge to thrust her hips in his direction.

“Really?” Chuckling, he threw her a delicious wink. “Well, let me see. If you’re a good girl, then perhaps sir will take care of your needs later.”

“Do you promise, sir?” Her heart galloped as he leaned closer, his spicy cologne wafting past her nose.

“No.” His laughter deepened as he claimed a gentle kiss. “I don’t promise. I said if you were good, little girl.”

Rebecca’s sex contracted at the hot little name he’d concocted for her. “How will you know, sir?” she asked teasingly. “How will you be able to tell if I’ve been good?”

“I’ll know.” There was absolute conviction in his tone. “Because you won’t lie to me, will you?”

Staring into his inviting eyes, she realized that Sebastian had complete faith in her, although she wasn’t sure why.

“No,” she murmured as her chest rose and fell. “I won’t.”

It was the strangest thing, but she actually meant every word. Rebecca had never put much credence in honesty. It wasn’t well-respected in the Monroe household, but even a brief time with Sebastian had started to change her perspective. Even the little they had shared had value. It meant something—to them both and Rebecca wanted more of it.

“There you go then.” His lips curled as his hand rose to the side of her face, his thumb stroking her skin. “If anything changes or if you feel threatened even in the slightest, I want you to get in touch.”

His voice had such solemnity that she truly believed this man who she hardly knew would drop everything and come running if she called. It should have been ludicrous, but it was entirely plausible.

“Okay, sir.”

“I mean it.”

His gaze widened a fraction as he sought to convey the seriousness of his point and Rebecca was reminded of the way he had acted on their way home from the Italian restaurant. Sebastian had moved with unnerving speed. It had almost been more than human, as if he possessed supernatural abilities, but she knew that was stupid. He was a mortal man. She was thankful to have enjoyed every inch of his splendor.

“I know.” Pressing her lips to his delectable mouth, she sighed.

Rebecca wished they could just spend the day in his bed. She was sure she could have found a way to weaken his will about the sexy new punishment, but she understood why it wasn’t possible. Sebastian had a life, a family and business of his own. She also had a messy situation to clear up, and as she peered over her shoulder, the first fingers of doubt clawed at her insides.

What if her father was there? How would she manage his rage? He had been angry enough when she’d fled, but his multiple messages since revealed the welcome she would receive.