Page 32 of Bared Betrayal

“Shit, Kal, what time is it?” Sebastian’s standing in the doorway, one eye open, hair a mess, and clutching the side of his head as if it’ll fly off if he lets go.

Oh, God, he looks like him. He looks like his father. Shit. Now I can’t unsee it. Not even a hangover can make Sebastian look any less like Gabriel now.

“Ten-thirty.” I pour him a cup of coffee. “Here, this will help. My guess is you’re feeling as shitty as you look.”

“I look that bad?”

“Well…”

“I need aspirin.”

“I think you need more than aspirin.”

“You have any horse tranquilizers lying around?”

“I might,” I tease while slowly dying inside. I can’t even look at my fiancé without seeing the man who had me pinned against a wall last night, our connection crackling even though he spat threats at me.

“It was great,” Sebastian says, popping two pain pills. “My grandmother did an amazing job pulling it all together. Pity Gabriel ruined it.”

There’s that horrible pang of guilt again, poisoning my soul little by little.

I clear my throat. “Did you ask your grandmother if she invited him?”

“No.” He drags a palm down his face. “I was too busy having a conversation with my friend bourbon. Shit, I have to pack, or I’ll be late.”

Another trip. Another week apart. Or is it two this time? I’m losing count because it’s been impossible to keep up with his schedule lately. Maybe I should just tell him I’ll see him at the wedding…if there’ll be one. Gabriel made it clear how he felt about me marrying his son and that he’ll destroy me if I do.

I follow Sebastian to our room, then lean against the doorframe while I watch him pack. “Tell me about him,” I say before I get a chance to stop myself. I take a seat at the counter next to him. “I know Gabriel wasn’t a part of your life while growing up. Do you know why?”

“Because he couldn’t give two shits about me or my mother. My mom was his shiny new toy with a rich family while he was nothing but trash from the wrong side of the tracks.”

“He doesn’t look like he comes from the wrong side of the tracks.” He wears Armani suits, for crying out loud.And has a private suite at Club Myth.

Sebastian shoves a pair of sneakers into his suitcase. “Right place at the right time, I guess. He got lucky, and now he owns his own shipping company.”

“I doubt that it’s luck.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Sebastian snaps. “What matters is that he bailed on my mom the second he found out she was pregnant. Then has the balls to show up at her funeral, pretending to fucking care, and now,” he scoffs, “now he shows up again right when my career is taking off. Coincidence? I think not.”

I narrow my eyes. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I don’t believe in coincidences, Kallie. He didn’t just wake up one morning and decide he suddenly wants to be a part of my life. I’m fucking famous, and Gabriel wants to take advantage of it.”

I choke on a laugh. “Are you serious? You think Gabriel wants a piece of yourfame?”

“It sure will get more eyes on Sterling Shipping.”

I’m flabbergasted. When did Sebastian turn into this pretentious, egotistical asshole? “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe that.”

“Don’t believe what?” He zips up his bag and slips on his jacket.

“That your dad wants a piece of your fame. If that were true, he would have been in front of all the flashing cameras last night. But as far as I remember, the only two people who enjoyed the attention were you and your grandmother.”

“Are you defending him?”

I straighten. “What? No. Of course not.”

Sebastian picks up his suitcase and drops it by the door. “Stay away from him, Kallie.”Too late.“He’s a smooth-talking fraud who is way too charming for his own good. And the last thing I need right now is for drama featuring Gabriel King to upstage this wedding.”