Page 55 of Balthazar's Fire
“Who is she?” Balthazar pressed. “Someone I know?”
He searched his mind, trying to think of any women he’d met whose alliance with Sebastian would have ruffled his feathers, but there was no one obvious. In general, Balthazar got on well with women. They all did.
“Not someone you know,” Sebastian answered as if he was intentionally trying to be cryptic. “But the daughter and sister of people you know…” He paused, his brows knitting before he finished his sentence. “And don’t like.”
“What?” Now Balthazar was even more confused. “Who are we talking about?”
“That’s why I’ve been hesitant about telling you.” Sebastian shut his eyes briefly before shaking his head. “I didn’t know how you’d react when you found out about her family, but I have to tell you, Balthazar I’m serious about her whatever you say.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Seb,” Balthazar countered. “Just tell me who she is. All this clandestine shit is giving me a headache.”
“Her name is Rebecca.”
Balthazar noticed the way his lips curled at the mere mention of her name.
“And she’s a Monroe.”
“A Monroe?” The word bounced around Balthazar’s head as if it intended to taunt him.
The Monroes—architects of all the Vaughns’ misery.
“Yes.” Sebastian’s tone was serious. “She’s Oliver’s sister.”
“She’s the sister of that useless piece of shit who took Cherie?”
Fury bubbled inside Balthazar, threatening to rouse his dragon as he clenched his hand into a fist to control the anger.
What the fuck was Sebastian thinking, dating Oliver fucking Monroe’s sister? Of all the women in the city—in the world—why choose one who was a blood relation of that swine?
“Yes.” Sebastian’s answer was unhurried as though he thought he could quell Balthazar’s mood by slowing down the pace. “That’s what I just said.”
“Why her?”
It was the first polite query that came to Balthazar’s mind.
“I didn’t know who she was when we met.” Sebastian shrugged. “It was just great sex, but then when I ran into her again, I discovered she was Jonas Monroe’s daughter, and I learned all about the horrendous things both he and Oliver have put her through…” It was Sebastian’s turn to clench his fist, his tightening jaw a sign of how incensed he was.
“What do you mean?” Balthazar snapped. “What has she been through?”
“Her father is an asshole.” Sebastian shook his head as he recalled the details. “He’s coercively controlled her for years, and I mean controlled her, Bal. He manipulates and threatens her, and worse, he’s been known to use violence.”
“Fuck.”
Balthazar didn’t know how else to respond. Their father wasn’t perfect, but he couldn’t recall Michael ever so much as raising his hand to any of his children.
“Yeah.” Sebastian sighed, “exactly. I had to get her out of Monroe's house, but her dad has been throwing around menacing ultimatums ever since. He’s trouble, Bal. Just like Oliver.”
“He sounds it.” Balthazar’s brow rose as he processed Sebastian’s explanation. It didn’t mitigate the way Oliver behaved, but perhaps it clarified some of the cause. Growing up in an environment like that must have been hell.
“You can’t possibly know how fucked up the Monroe family is,” Sebastian told him. “However much you think you despise Oliver, I guarantee you that she loathes him more.”
“I doubt that,” Balthazar replied, though the resolve in Sebastian’s voice made him wonder if he was right.
“All I’m saying is, I know you hate Oliver, and you don’t trust him or his family, and I get that.” Sebastian blew out a breath. “I’ve seen some of their handiwork first-hand since Rebecca and I have been together, but don’t assume she’s like them, because she’s not.”
Balthazar had the sense that Sebastian had practiced this part of his speech, running the words through his head before he presented them.
“You really like her, huh?” Staring at his brother, Balthazar waited as Sebastian found the right words.