The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy (62 page)

Her eyes screw up in anger and I know that I’ve finally hit a nerve. She continues to rant at me in her highly pitched catty voice.
 

“For your information Lucia – I didn’t fake a sex fest. I was having sex, very dirty shower sex, with...”
 

I interrupt her with a voice so laden with contempt I hardly recognise myself. “Enough Toni; stop! You’re making a fool of yourself. Regardless of what Sebastian and I are to one another, above all he is my friend and I won’t have you spread vicious lies about him to anyone.”
 

I take a breath to compose my now boiling temper. She ignores me and continues her babbling. “As I was saying… I had amazing, dirty shower sex with the resident of this house - whether
you
want to believe it or not.”

I take one last look at her. Her eyes are glistening with hatred, her mouth smug, large breasts heaving. I’m annoyed that the last of her cuts, actually stings and hits me where she intended.
 

No – It wasn’t Sebastian, Lu. You know that, don’t let her spiteful fabrications work her way in again - she really isn’t worth it.

But if it hadn’t been Sebastian who was it?
 

Suddenly my brain seems to catch up and the clink, clink of cogs can practically be heard, rotating back and forth within my head.
Oh my word how could I be so stupid?
 

The resident of the house…
it must have been Chris; smooth smarmy Christopher Booth.
He
is the
other
resident in the house and the other resident man-whore. I just hope that he had not been aware of her plan that would be too cruel to Sebastian, his supposed mate.
I glance up in her direction and move to pass her and make my way down the staircase, where I can now see a concerned Sebastian, riled and ready to pounce.
 

“It was Chris wasn’t it? You and Chris hooked up and you made out it was Sebastian?”
 

She bows her head, and has the decency to appear
caught out
but only for a second.
 

“Well you’ll never know will you - you’ll always wonder because Sebastian and always will be a player!”
 

Her petulant pout is fleeting as she storms past me, strops down the steps, stopping to annoyingly reach out to Sebastian and run her fingertip enticingly along his forearm, as she reaches the bottom, whilst bitchily assessing me, for my response.
 

His hand flies up with lightening reaction to catch hers, mid movement and stems the gesture, with a look that shows nothing but contempt. I’m too far away to catch what he whispers to her, but from the look of her childlike strop, it can’t have been good. Thank God he has finally seen her for what she truly is.
Heading tentatively downstairs, towards Sebastian’s outstretched hand, I gratefully slip my own into it and am enveloped by his warm radiating strength. I watch as Toni heads full-steam in the direction of the door, black fur coat in hand, only stopping to talk Leo, which I find odd but everything about this woman is strange. Then I glance over at Chris, who looks in our direction and shrugs at Sebastian, with a ‘
What can you do
?’ face and whilst grabbing his mobile to presumably call a cab he guides his lover outside.
 

I slump against Seb’s warmth.
 

Two weeks in and we are already experiencing some serious drama. Maybe this is how fast things happened when the person you are sleeping with is
the one
? Or perhaps this kind of thing was the norm when you are seeing Sebastian Silver?

“Wow – tonight’s been more exciting than an episode of Coronation Street.” Meg slurs and hiccups, against my shoulder. I wince at her bluntness and Abby saves me from retaliating; she’s just pissed.
 

“Come on Meg, I think its time you and Leo made a move, we’re all on our way out now.”
 

Nodding at Leo, she snuggles into Nathan, and Leo reluctantly leaves us to attend to his date, throwing out. “Good to see you again Lucia. Sebastian.” I wave at them both and have pity for Meg’s head in the morning.
 

Leo leans in close to me on his way out, still holding an exceedingly drunk Meg at his side. “Remember Lucia, the tale of the tortoise and the hare; slowly, slowly wins the race.”

He doesn’t stop to see my open mouthed shock. For a moment I stand there, completely freaked out by his very odd behaviour and strange comments. But I’m not allowed the luxury to dwell, before Sebastian returns to my side and draws me into his warmth. The slowly, slowly catchy monkey freaky moment is forgotten and I smile into his darkened sexy eyes and rest my head onto his chest.

Over the next half an hour, the guests trickle out and before long the Silver Birches house is finally empty apart from a select few; ready to stay and have a lock-in. Sebastian disappears to chat to a family member who is in need of a taxi and the extraction of his keys; he’s not too happy but reluctantly agrees, amidst a lot of slurring and wobbling. It gives me a moment to take in my surroundings and calm my thoughts, before I join my friends in the lounge but I jump as I feel a hand on my shoulder.

“Oh I’m so sorry Lucia. It’s only me.” I turn to be faced with Bitzi Silver’s pretty face.

“I’ve been meaning to grab you tonight but my son has monopolised your time,” her eyes roll in a knowing way. “He’s so like his father.”
 

Her tinkly laugh is infectious and I follow her glance in Bob Silver’s direction, whilst he is collecting their coats. He is very like Sebastian in height, looks and has that same magnetic air about him.
“Handsome isn’t he?” she raises her brows playfully with a twinkle in her chocolate brown eyes, so similar to Sebastian’s. “One look and I was a goner.”
“They are very dynamic.” I smile back at her warmly and watch Sebastian from afar.
“Darling I’ve known you for years and prayed that you and Sebastian would pull the wool from your eyes one of these days. I’m telling you now, the cashmere is down and you need to just sit back and enjoy the bumpy ride. Once a Silver man finds his woman there’s no stopping him. Honey - it’s tough but it’s also delicious. Hang in there. Fast. Furious. Scary. Exhilarating - every emotion all at once.” she rubs my arm again in sympathy.

“I never knew it could be like this. Why didn’t I ever see Seb in this light?”
 

It must be obvious to Bitzi how confused I am, as she sighs. “Lucia. Sebastian has always adored you but the Silver men, like to do things on their terms, it all about the control.”
“Boy you’re right there,” I interrupt in agreement.

“I’m proud of you, for how you handled that blonde hussy earlier - never did like her myself.”
 

It clicks as I realise that Bitzi must have been upstairs when it all kicked off.
 

Oh Crap, she’ll know about the sex.
“I’m afraid I was eavesdropping but you gave it some welly girl!” She rummages in her bag for her YSL lippy and reapplies it in two well-practiced sweeps. “Always knew she had designs on Sebastian and I hate the way she swans around acting like she owns my son’s business.”
 

I smile. Her look of distaste speaks volumes and mirrors my own views on the matter.
“You and Sebastian are made for each other Darling. I’m the only Mrs. Silver at the mo but hopefully not for long.” With a sparkly wink and happy smile she kisses my cheek and adds. ‘Enjoy this time – oh to go back forty years, it was divine and so very, very naughty.”
 

We hug briefly and I shake my head and hope that I’m as cheeky at her age – the love of a good man does that to a woman; I’ve been fortunate to see that with my own parents.
 

I watch as Bob and Bitzi make their way out. Bob nods at me over his wife’s head, his blue silver hair, eye-catching against tanned skin and blackened eyes - Sebastian in 30 years time. I wave back; the seal of approval from the in-laws, that’s something I suppose.
 

Does everyone know about us though? Is it that obvious that we are being intimate? Who am I trying to kid, it’s written all over my face and my heart and from what people are saying, Seb’s too.
 

I just wish I could hear it from him. I’m still not convinced. My heart wants to
believe
and my head is saying
get out now
before he crushes your trusting heart in a million tiny pieces and starts on the next victim, leaving our friendship in tatters.
 

We are lolling around on luxurious plumfy sofa’s, picking at leftovers, around the real fire and listening to the hisses and crackles of the logs, whilst we chat amiably with one another when I take the opportunity to peruse the scene. Sebastian is sitting to my right, lazily stroking my ankle and leg, kneading in all the right places, through my stockinged feet. Nathan massages Abby’s sore and severely reddened toes from her new
do me shoes
(they had done the trick though so I’m sure the pain was worth it!); her beaming smile lights the room.
 

Suzie, from her perch on the floor, is ensconced between Gino’s legs; her own curled beneath her, whilst he works the knots at her shoulders. All three women, have a knowing look on our faces - talk about hitting the jackpot with these guys - very attentive, very sexy, very male.

The moment is so natural and unforced. The men are discussing the latest super-bikes, and Suzie smacks Gino jokily across his knee in mock horror at the thought of yet another bike in their overcrowded garage.
 

The atmosphere is perfect. The people, the perfect mix, the man next to me -
perfect
.
 

All in all, I’m really content, apart from that nagging itch, which reminds me that he said
‘whilst you and I are having sex, I won’t sleep with anyone else’
. What did that really mean?

My fearful thoughts are interrupted when I realise that the conversation has altered and Toni has become the hot subject matter.

 
“Crazy bee…atch! I can’t believe she would pretend
Chris
was
you
!” Abby pronounces to Seb, whilst moaning in ecstasy at the taste of the beef and horseradish morsel she’s just popped in her mouth. “Mmm, these are goood! Why didn’t I get more of these tonight?”