The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy (54 page)

After hearing that Seb was to be in tonight, courtesy of the queen bitch herself, I knew that it was now or never - a chance to hash out the whole situation, move forward as more or end things as friends; both put the fear of God into me.

Maybe it was the hormonal cocktail I’d downed at the beginning of the week but I’ve been a wreck - all over the place really and I needed to know if we are potentially going to continue as friends (and if so fix our friendship) or become…
well…
more! The lovely way he’d supported me on Monday night at first, was a distant reminder after the atmosphere had quickly burned with stubborn arrogance. Then he’d given me the night of my life, as promised at Scarlet House - my mind if filled with images of sexy Sebastian naked; strawberries, champagne and that sizzling hot mirror sex. I still can’t control my breathing at just the thought. We’d become distant to achieve great sexual peaks but now I’m not sure where we sit - we’re totally unbalanced. Great together - awful apart.

The problem is that if this had happened with any other man, we’d be taking it slow; I’d be going with the flow, certainly not being so overwhelmed by thoughts of the man in question at every bloody waking moment. I feel totally and utterly consumed by Sebastian.
 

I haven’t yet decided if this is down to our history, our friendship and that is why my feelings have escalated so fast or if its just because the chemistry is so powerful with this one individual man. The latter scares me the most.
 

Could he be The One? I think bloody so and it frightens the hell out of me!

At the front door I pause for a moment and taking the plunge ring the doorbell.
 

My heart is beating so fast as butterflies dance around my tummy. The light above the porch comes on, and I can hear someone scrabbling around inside when a voice hollers.
“Just a minute!”

Wait… didn’t that voice sound female and rather familiar?

Toni?
 

She’s here after all.
My fears are confirmed as the door is yanked open and the shell shock on my face, must have been a picture, as I am now face to face with the navy blue doe eyes of Toni, the bitchy PA – but the biggest issue by far is that she is wrapped in nothing but a large fluffy graphite coloured towel.

Appearing blasé, she drinks in my discomfort and smiling slyly blurts. “Yes?”

“Oh hello Toni. Is Sebastian in?” I try to look past her scantily clad body, as she leans her wet head, against the frame, holding the door ajar just enough to let the light from the hallway protrude.

Noticing my attempts to see inside, she opens the door further and sweeping her arm out in a gracious welcome, she steps aside.
 

“Do come in Lucia.”

God this woman was hardwork. She was acting like it was her bloody home and why was she just showered?
 

I already know the answer to my question but I’m desperately trying to find another reasonable reason for this scenario - something, anything!

Walking into the foyer I follow her semi-covered form, until we reach the luxury hall; I can hear
Adele’s
Set fire to the rain
, playing on the Bose surround system and my fears deepens. Very romantic!

“You wish to see Sebastian? I saw you earlier today I could have passed on any message on your behalf?” Her arms are crossed over her towel-clad body.
 

Hang on didn’t she gaily tell me to pop in?

Through gritted teeth I maintain my resolve to kill her with kindness but ignore her nosey questions.
 

“Is he in?” I say a little more forcefully this time, making it more than apparent that she is not the reason that I’m here.
 

Why hadn’t I just text him? Saved myself this hassle. I should never have listened to her.

She watches me, carefully dragging out the uncomfortable atmosphere, over several seconds and grinning with her invisible raised knife she delivers the first blow.

“He’s in the shower – I left him, to get the door. We thought you were the delivery guy with
our
pizza.”
 

I can tell from her evil glare, she is proud of her archery skills. Her words have pierced my heart and splintered it into a million pieces.
 

“Sebastian does get hungry after sex.”

Seriously? What a cow – like the first blow wasn’t enough!

I clench my jaw, lift my head and force a weak smile and through gritted teeth manage the words.
 

“Sorry to have disturbed you. Would you tell Sebastian that I’ll speak to him later.” I can hear my voice tremble slightly.

“I’ve told him no more work today Lucia, just pleasure. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do, as he’s been away a few days.” She raises her brows. “If you know what I mean. But I’ll pass the message on.”
 

I take in her stance, a look of deep satisfaction embedded upon her face.

My feet are rooted to the spot, as though stuck in concrete and I look around briefly and take in the Jo Malone candles burning on all surfaces, the two glasses of red wine on the table and the scattered clothing on the floor. Bringing my eyes, which threaten to spill over at any second with hot tears that would be likened to Niagara falls, back to smug bitch Toni with an
‘i’
, I watch as she attempts to re-fasten her towel, letting it purposely slip and in the process almost completely drop to the floor. I am allowed an entirely deliberate and carefully planned exposure of her extremely fake breasts and completely shaven haven. I’m annoyed that I even give her the reward of briskly assessing her naked body but I begrudgingly admit to myself that she is
very
toned.
 

Her look is one of pure feline confidence in her own physique and her eyes literally glitter with the burn of success.

“Whoopsies!” she pretends to appear bashful. “Sebastian likes me stripped bare -everywhere!”
 

Copious amounts of false eyelash fluttering, add drama to her outlandish statement and pouting, she provides me with a bored sigh.
 

“Well, if that’s all Lucia?”
 

I can’t even look at her, let alone respond. It’s taking all my resolve not to grab her by the hair and throw her naked arse out on the doorstep. However, I breathe in through my nose, and exhale, mentally poised. Then woodenly manage to move my leaden feet, making my way back towards the doorway and on a heavy heart open the door – I honestly don’t know what to say
or
think. I just need to get out of there, fast before I see Sebastian.
She pushes the final nail in the coffin gleefully. “Thanks Lucia – have a good night.
I
most certainly will.”
 

The door slams behind me, it’s finality echoing and bouncing against my bruised and battered emotions. I think I stand on the porch for a few minutes in shock, mouth open, before I force my legs to put one step in front of the other and cocoon myself inside my car.
 

Oh. My. Word. Colin and I were completely off the mark with this one. Toni and Sebastian know each other exceedingly well, I conclude miserably. How could I have been so stupid?
 

How many fuck buddies did this guy have?

I take a second to compose myself and jumping, do a quick about turn in the direction of the large conifer tree at the bottom of the drive. I could have sworn that I saw something there; someone maybe, watching – there was definitely a noise? But upon thoroughly perusing the surrounding area, in the dusk lighting there is no one, nothing. I shiver with that
someone’s just walked over your grave,
sensation that always gives me the creeps and turn the key. I’ve had this feeling often of late. I’m seriously acting ridiculously paranoid – for all I know it was Toni getting her kicks from the window, at my misery!
The minute the engine starts and music filters through the speakers I break.
Clubbed to death by Rob D
, blasts through me, every beat hitting me over and over again, only adding to my crushing anxiety. I turn the volume up full whack and let the emotion of the song, wash over me and drive away from Hugh Hefner’s mansion in a rage of hurt, tears, and utter devastation.
The one thing at the centre of all my thoughts of the moment
 
- the shower
– the fact that he’d been getting down and not so dirty, with his playboy bunny, after our own monumental soapy sexual encounter, less than a week before. That was our
thing
. How could he?
I drive so fast I’m in danger of losing control and take a moment to wipe away the uncontrollable flurry of wet tears from my face, with my forearm. I need to clear the fog away and focus on the road.
 

“I can’t fucking believe it!” I scream into an empty car, hitting the steering wheel with the heel of my palm and wince as pain instantly reverberates throughout my arm.

Oh why not there too - everywhere else hurts right this minute!
 

Why would he do this to me? I know we weren’t a couple but surely I deserve better than this?
 

At the same time, my inner voice reminds me that this is what Sebastian
is
- what he does and has always been - a player.

I knew this when I propositioned him.
 

I knew this when I had sex with him the first time and I know this now, whilst we dance around this sexual affair. My own ego allowed me to expect that I’d be special enough to him, to be unique enough to be treated differently than his plethora of sexual partners. I hang my head in shame at my own stupidity.
 

You want more Lu - that’s the problem - he’s only given what you agreed.

 
Fuck, he’s given a hundred percent more than that - yet still you want more - you want his heart, his soul; his everything. You want him to love you.

Well not anymore! Not after he’d been with that skank Toni; they were welcome to one another.
 

If only it were that simple.