Page 37 of Bristol

Chapter Eleven

BRISTOL

The inside of the plantation home is elegant, charming, and decorated tastefully. I make my way through the crowd of people I don’t know, excusing myself as I walk past people in a small corridor that leads to a restroom. I relieve myself and as I’m washing my hands, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. My lipstick is smeared slightly, no doubt from kissing Sebastian in front of his fuck buddy. I thought I would feel jealousy, but all I felt in the moment was amusement and almost a little sympathy for her. I’d heard her talking about how he told her he didn’t want commitment or a relationship. And I know it appears that that’s what we have, but we haven’t really discussed it.

I feel like that’s the direction we’re heading but what do I even know about how adult relationships work? I had a boyfriend in high school, sure, but it wasn’t anything serious. The only relationship I have to base anything off of other than my parents is the way that Patrick treated me and I’m pretty sure that doesn’t fucking count as a relationship considering I was a hostage and he was the hostagee — or hostager or hold-hostager?

I wipe the smeared lipstick from the corner of my mouth and wipe a black mark from beneath my eye where my eyeliner had smeared. I turn the water off and exit the bathroom with one last glance at my reflection. I almost don’t recognize myself anymore. It’s crazy how far I’ve come in such a short time.

I walk past the same group of people in the corridor on my way to the front doors when a shoulder bumps gently into mine in passing.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I say, stepping to the side.

I’m met with a familiar face that smiles wryly at me. “No, I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Agent McCreary, dressed in a similar suit to the one he was wearing the day he arrested me, stands before me.

I can feel the blood draining from my face and everything in me says I need to run far away from him before he has the chance to find some random bullshit reason to arrest me again, but my feet are rooted in place. I’m unable to move. A deer in the headlights whose brain is in overdrive and panic is slowly creeping up the back of my neck.

I reach a hand out to steady myself, but there’s nothing nearby.

“Take it easy. I’m not here to arrest you.”

“Good to know,” I quip, crossing my arms. The gesture enough to give me a sense of stability.

“Just wanted to check up and make sure you were staying true to your word and not leaving town.”

I stare at him, unfazed by his words. Now that the room doesn’t feel like it’s going to turn upside down on me like in Alice in Wonderland, a little of my fight is taking the place of some of that panic I was feeling.

“You know, I get the feeling you know a lot more than you’re leading on. We miraculously found the place you were held hostage from an anonymous tip. But we haven’t found any solid proof that you didn’t kill your entire family.”

“Agent McCreary,” Sebastian’s voice from over my shoulder is cold and harsh. He pulls me to him, one arm wrapping around my waist as he glares at the man in front of us. His greeting is a warning. A rattlesnake ready to strike. If looks could kill, Agent McCreary would’ve been dead twice by now.

“Mr. Abbott,” Agent McCreary returns Sebastian’s tone.

I realize at his words that he’s calling Sebastian by his last name. His last name that I didn’t know until right this minute.

“What brings you to my brother’s private engagement party this evening?”

“Mr. Harlem is an associate of my wife’s.”

Right on cue, a woman with a short brown bob, small stature, and a blue glittery ball gown emerges from the corridor I had just come from. She wraps an arm around Agent McCreary’s and smiles at us, clueless as to the exchange we’d all just had.

“Mack?” Sebastian asks, staring at the woman.

“Sebastian! It’s so good to see you again. I see you’ve met my husband,” she beams, smiling so big that I’m unsure if she’s faking it or if she’s really just that damn happy.

It’s agent McCreary’s turn to look between the two now, with a puzzled look on his face. Mack looks up at him and begins to explain, nervously.

“Sebastian has done a few deals with me through Kent. I’ve done some paperwork and contracts for him as a favor for Kent since he gives me so much business.”

“I see. Well, it was nice to meet you, Sebastian,” Agent McCreary says, this time his tone warmer and more welcome.

Hmmph. Well it’s clear to see there are some secrets going on in that household.

Sebastian smiles a devious smile. “Likewise… Mr.… What was your name again?”

“Walter!” Mack says, enthusiastically.

“Walter,” Sebastian repeats, still donning that smile.