Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 96404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Still, I hold on to my strength, even when my stomach tightens. “Why?”
“My gift should’ve reached him by now.”
“What type of gift?”
“No bombs, don’t worry. Just expensive Japanese essential oils that I’m sure he’ll appreciate since he was born in Japan. He’ll love the note more than the oils, though.”
“Wait. What? Sebastian was born in Japan?” How come I didn’t know that? I was aware that his grandparents shunned his parents and they had to go away, but I didn’t know it was to Japan.
“Maybe you’re not as tight as you think you are if he never told you he was Japanese-born. He lived in Tokyo for six years until his parents died.”
“Why do you know all of that?”
“I like the power it gives me. But that’s not the end of it.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You might want to pay more attention the next time you’re in your father’s office.”
I spend the entire day obsessing over Akira’s words. Sebastian’s origins. The note with the essential oils.
My husband was a damn asshole and refused to divulge more—no surprise there.
As I sit behind my desk at Mom’s company, I contemplate calling Sebastian and asking, but the way I left this morning stops me.
I practically snuck out like a thief. Besides, he’s probably still groggy with the cold. The fever had gone down when I checked it before I left, but he could still be sick.
Shaking my head, I attempt to focus on the documents in front of me, but I end up sketching instead.
The whole day is spent in an unproductive funk and even Amanda shakes her head at me due to how unfocused I am. I call it a day around seven p.m. I’m really not in the mood to face Akira again, but I can pester him, make his life hell, and even cockblock him until he gives me the answers I need.
I’m driving on a secluded road when I notice a car following behind me. Its headlights are blinding, so I can’t make out the model or the color.
Rolling my eyes, I step on the brakes, drawing my car to a halt. I’m really in no mood for Father’s and Akira’s guards tonight.
I told them not to follow me as if I’m a sheltered little princess.
After closing my car door harder than needed, I march to the other car, which unsurprisingly stopped right behind mine.
I knock on the Audi’s tinted window. “Open up.”
No answer.
“Ren, is that you? I swear to God, I’m going to start getting really nasty really fast if you don’t stop playing around.”
The door opens and I startle, my heel catching on the asphalt as I meet those tropical eyes. He’s dressed in a black hoodie and sweatpants, and the early evening’s lack of light casts a shadow on his face.
“Sebastian? What are you doing here?”
“Following you, obviously.” I don’t like the coldness in his voice, even though I know where it’s coming from.
“Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“Maybe. But you were also supposed to stay this morning.” He reaches out and grabs me by the wrist, then yanks me over. I yelp as I land on his lap.
“Sebastian! What are you doing?”
His eyes rage as he whispers in threatening dark words, “I asked you nicely to stay, but you don’t want nice, Naomi. You want me to fucking kidnap you.”
34
Sebastian
You might be fucking her, but I’m the one she comes back to every night.
Mori A.
That’s the card I got with the package of essential oils that showed up at my apartment this morning.
Right after Naomi fucking left.
I didn’t think she’d stay just like that, but I’d hoped she would at least talk to me about it, not disappear like she did seven fucking years ago.
She won’t be disappearing now.
I slide my attention to her as she grabs the seatbelt with both hands while watching the road.
When I followed her from her company, I meant to go all the way to her house and kiss her in front of the fucker before I kidnapped her.
There’s been a slight change in plans, but my intention still stands.
Aside from her initial fight, she’s been quiet all the way here, just watching the road with her dark, haunting eyes.
“We…did we just pass the sign to Blackwood?”
I remain silent, tapping my forefinger on the steering wheel.
“Sebastian! Why are we back in Blackwood?”
“This is where it all started. Seems like a perfect crime site, don’t you think?”
She pushes back in her seat, her delicate throat bobbing with a gulp and her cheeks paling.
Fear radiates off her in waves.
Good. She needs to be fucking scared.
“What are you going to do, Sebastian?”
“Have you ever seen a kidnapper share his plan with his victim?”
“Is this about how I left this morning? I…couldn’t just stay.”
“Yes, you could have, and I don’t just mean today. I also mean seven fucking years ago.”