Page 65 of Mr. Aster
“I met his wife before, and not to speak ill of the dead, but that man got cut off from the watering hole at least a year before she passed,” she said with a shrug. “She was a smart woman who knew how to put a man like him in his place. Sadly, he’s a stubborn, inflexible asshole, and when you combine his stubbornness with hers, you’re in for a Sahara-level dry spell. It’s written all over him.”
“Good God,” I said, glancing around, hoping desperately that Sebastian didn’t hear any of thisgirl talk.
“Look at you,” she smiled. “Worried about something?”
Fucking hell. How and why was I up against a woman who was relentless as hell in trying to get the truth out of me?
“Don’t play coy with me, honey. I mean this as no insult to you, but Sebastian Aster would never dip down from his high and mighty social status to date a woman who,in his mind,didn’t complement the powerful man he believes himself to be.”
“I can’t imaginewhyI would take that as an insult,” I laughed, knowing her intentions were good.
“It’s not one. If the man did have the balls to match his brains, he would date you and, yes, immediately snatch you off the market before someone else did by proposing marriage. But he doesn’t, obviously,” she said, reclining as if she were soaking up the moonlight. “He worries about power, money, and status, hence the reason his wife could weaponize sex and get away with him not cheating on her for the entire year that she cut him off.”
“Shit, that’s pretty horrible.”
“Well, they were a horrible couple,” Nat said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Seriously. She was as wicked as I’m sure you believe he is.”
Was she a fly on the walls of my parents’ estate for the last few weeks?I thought, shocked Nat was talking to me as if it were a given that Sebastian and I hated each other.
“Word gets around like wildfire in those upper circles, and I have a lot of East Coast friends who love filling me in on all the gossip about their enemies. Trust me, the Asters hold themselves so high above everyone else that their enemies are abundant, not that any of them would ever let on. They’re too afraid of them to speak out of turn. Sebastianthe Thirdis quite the mother fucker.”
I laughed probably louder than I should’ve. “You’re right about that much,” I said, “but we probably shouldn’t talk about his late wife.” I knew Nat was coming from an honest place, but a weird part of me felt like Melissa was listening. I had enough trouble with people stirring up shit in the physical world; I damn sure didn’t need anyone fucking with me from beyond the grave.
“Fair enough,” Nat answered. “Why don’t we get the truth out of the way, then? That way, I don’t have to watch you bothactso ridiculous all week long. You’re both shitty actors, by the way,” she chuckled. “So, tell me why you’re doing it?”
“Oh, my God,” I said, rubbing my forehead and wondering if we’d slipped somehow. “I can’t believe this.”
“Believe what? Honey, it takes a lot to fool me. I’m sure Spencer bought into your bullshit enough that I’ll have to stomach his remarks later about how happy he is for Sebastian when you and I both know that man is not happy.”
“True,” I finally admitted. “Okay, listen,” I said, knowing this wasn’t good, butIwasn’t the who one invited everyone to Mexico for a vacation, Sebastian was. He was one hundred percent confident that we could pull this off, and somehow, Nat saw right through it like a human lie detector. “He and I have an arrangement, and our fake relationship is part of that.”
“How in the hell did you manage to make a deal with the devil?” she questioned.
“Funny, that’s what I call him, too,” I chuckled.
“I know. You had a bit of holy fire in your eyes when you spoke about him on Jake’s yacht, and I don’t blame you because Sebastian Aster is a world-renowned dick. That is also why he’s a vital asset to his family’s fortune. His parents are going todestroyyoufor coming along and interfering with him, you know, likemaking him niceand things of that nature,” she said with a laugh. “For the record, even though the relationship between you two is fake, I watched both of your mannerisms as you walked up to the table tonight. I noticed that he seems a lot lighter in your presence. Do you know what I mean? He’s typically such a heavy, foreboding guy, but he wasn’t his usual pensive and broody self.”
“The reason we’re doing this is because of my bold move to get him back for being a raging asshole and constantly insulting my parents, their home,and mewhile he’s been here. I thought it would’ve been hilarious to watch him get a taste of his medicine and get auctioned off to the people he is accustomed to lording over.”
“That’s why I loved the idea when you mentioned it on the boat,” she softly laughed. “So, let me guess, after he found out your plan, he made you an offer you couldn’t refuse.”
“Well, I didn’t just bend over and take his first offer—or threat,” I said with an eye roll. “The deal is that I help him pull off this fake relationship to stop from being auctioned off, and then he’ll give me a story to write about him. After that, we end it. No one gets hurt because we aren’t attracted to each other. We’re just doing thisbusiness deal,and once the event is over, we go back to our lives as usual. I have to say,” I went on, barely catching my breath while Natalia listened, “I’m relieved that I can talk to you about it because I’ve been having the hardest time lying to everyone I care about. But that’s part of the deal.”
“Your secret is safe with me, sweetie,” she reassured me. “However, you must be extremely careful getting close to him like this.”
“I am, trust me. I want nothing to do with him outside of this.”
“You say that now, but sometimes the heart will go after what it wants, leaving your brilliant mind in the dust. The second your heart takes over, you’re fucked. And withthatman, you’ll be a shattered mess on the ground, and we may never put Humpty Dumpty’s pieces together again.”
“I’m very well aware that falling in love with him is a nightmare scenario because he’s more about finding happiness in money than love.”
“Exactly, but remember, your mind is still in the driver’s seat, so keep it there.”
“I will.”
“And whatever you do,no sex,” she advised.
“You think I’m going to let that man charm me into bed?”
