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Chapter 12 - Delilah
Yesterday, I sent the account details to Sebastien, and was shocked when he sent me a receipt showing he had paid twenty million dollars, just in case they claimed interest. Between going back to my apartment and having a civilized conversation with him at the kitchen table, Sebastien almost seemed human, not like the Mr. Cranky I had gotten used to. He was concerned, supportive and always found subtle ways to touch me.
But, do you mind him touching you, though?
I sighed.
Then, I spent most of my day sleeping, thanks to the sleep medication Rex had brought me. When I finally went down to the kitchen, I found boxes of Chinese takeout from my favorite restaurant on the counter with a family-sized bag of candy bars. After dinner, I packed the leftovers in the fridge, washed up my dishes, grabbed the candy bars, scribbled a quick thank you note to Sebastien on a writing pad stuck on the fridge, and went back to bed.
Today, I woke up with my shoulder still sore, but manageable, and my headache was gone. I was more than ready to get back to work to keep my mind busy.
My phone rang and Sebastien’s name lit up the screen.
“Hi.”
“Hi, Delilah.”
God, why was this man’s voice so sexy over the phone?
“I’ll be there at nine to pick you up.”
I sat up and leaned against the headboard and checked the time on my phone. It was half-six.
“Why are you calling? Couldn’t you just come knock on my door?”
“Would you have preferred if I did?” His voice dropped to a low, husky tone that sent an electric shock straight to my core. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
I cleared my throat, trying not to sound affected by the sudden change in his voice. “I’m just saying, if we’re in the same house, it’d be more convenient. That’s all.”
“I’m already at the office.” His voice was back to normal. “And I wanted to let you know you’re not coming in today.Wehave a few errands to run.”
My jaw twitched. “Mr. Quantum, I have a debt to repay. I can’t afford to be missing work.”
“Don’t worry, I know the boss,” he said coyly. “I’ll put in a good word for you to ensure you get paid for the days you’ve been home.”
Wait, was Sebastien trying to be playful? I smiled despite myself.
“Fine. I’ll be ready by nine. Are we going to get the marriage license?”
“No. I’m taking you shopping for some dresses.”
“Dresses? Why?”
How in the world could Sebastien be thinking about shopping when the main reason I came to this house was to get married to him?
“A party will be thrown to announce our engagement.” His tone darkened. “It will be used to send a message so yourenemies will know to back off. No one is going to take you away from me. I’ll be there at nine.”
Sebastien cut the call, and I exhaled the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. The unmistakable possessiveness I heard in his voice made me uneasy. But was it because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he’d never let anyone hurt me, or was it because if I read too much into it, I’d end up hurting myself?
My brain knew that none of this was real. That Sebastien was really just doing this for Dean's sake. When all this was over, Sebastien would find a perfect, thin supermodel to marry and have beautiful babies with. But, my heart…it wanted…more.
I tried to convince myself that Sebastien was an evil son of a bitch, but my body constantly betrayed me. I just couldn’t understand it. But one thing my body, heart and mind agreed with was if I got too close to Sebastien Quantum, he could leave me shattered in ways I’d never be able to pick up the pieces from.
I sighed, got off the bed and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead.
A few hours later, Sebastien and I stepped into a high-end fashion store. The salesgirls wore black uniforms with gold name tags and greeted us with plastic smiles.
Classical music played softly in the background as several women rustled through the clothes racks. They wore designer dresses paired with stilettos, their hair in elaborate updos and their makeup was flawless. I couldn’t help but notice the lust in their eyes and how their smiles broadened when Sebastien passed by.