Page 1 of One Love
Sebastian
This is the last thingI foresaw happening. The look of heartache on Devin’s face isn’t supposed to be there, should not be there. Not because of this. That fucking picture should’ve never been taken, let alone released in some trash mag.
“Devin.” Her name slips from my lips as if she’s the only one sitting in this office with me right now.
She looks up, meeting my eyes, as her skin turns pale then green. “I don’t feel well, Sebastian. I think I’m going to be sick.”
Moving toward her, I sit next to her blocking out the fact my sister is in the room with us and focus only on Devin as she sits with her head in her hands, mumbling under her breath.
I don’t know what to say. This was her concern, her worst nightmare. I promised her this wouldn’t happen.
It doesn't matter that the only people who know that picture is of us are Devin, me, and the person who took it. Her—our—privacy has been violated in the worst way.
“It’s okay, princess,” I whisper before glancing at Madison, who is busy talking on the phone to who I assume is my father. “It’s not as bad as it seems. You can’t even see your face in the picture.”
Devin’s head snaps up, and she all but growls. “It doesn’t fucking matter, Sebastian. It is me in that picture, and whoever took it knows exactly who I am. I’m going to be ruined—my career, my name, my reputation—all ruined because of a fucking photo of me bent over your desk.”
Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, and my heart breaks with the weight of her pain.
At the end of the day, this is all my fault.
I dragged her into this mess, into the path of whoever is trying to take me down, and now they’re fucking with my girl.
This picture has nothing to do with her, but everything to do with me.
I painted the target on her back.
“I’m not going to let anyone find out that is you,” I tell her softly, holding her gaze.
“You can’t make that promise, Sebastian. It’s not your choice.” Her voice is shaky. “You don’t know what that person is going to do next. God, how did this even happen? No one was in your office with us. I don’t understand how they got that photo.”
“Listen, as bad as this is, it’s now clear this is someone who works in the office with us. It has to be, and that gives us something to go off at least. I’m telling you, princess, I’m going to fix this. I won’t let anything happen to you or all you’ve worked for. Trust me, just this one time. Okay?”
I wait anxiously for Devin to nod... smile... do anything so I know she believes in me, but she doesn’t move. She sits in a daze while her body shivers and those small tears hang in the corners of her eyes. I feel fucking helpless. This is a Devin I’ve never seen. The last thing I ever wanted was to break her spirit, but I feel as if this picture being put out there for anyone to see, on top of the pictures delivered to her last week, have done just that—broke her.
“Okay.” Madison breaks the silence and focuses on me. She looks pissed. I don’t know how to handle this situation right now. Madison is about to rip me a new one while Devin is trying to hold it together here. I don’t need her to hear all the shit Madison is about to say. “I talked to Dad, and he’s angry, but he’ll get over it.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, huffing. “He gets this isn’t your fault and you’ve been keeping things low profile, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. How the hell does this keep happening? Do you like the thrill of getting caught or something? Why do you and your random whores have to do it in public where this person can take photos of you? How do you not see them? Can’t you please just find a nice girl who doesn’t like to be banged in public places?”
Here she goes. This is what I didn’t want Devin to hear. “Madison, it’s not like that—”
Devin stiffens beside me then cuts me off midsentence, standing from her seat, demanding attention.
“Madison,” she begins with a pleading voice, “it’s not what you’re thinking.”
My sister uncrosses her arms and tilts her head in Devin’s direction, almost as if she’s confused. “Huh?”
I study Devin as small beads of sweat trickle from her forehead and her arms break out in goose bumps.Fuck.She’s going to tell Madison the truth.
“Dev—” She holds her hand out, stopping me midsentence again, and I oblige.
“Madison, it’s me.”
My sister looks at Devin again, still with the same confused look. “What are you talking about?”
“The picture,” she says, covering her face with her hands for a moment. “The whore in the photo is me.”
So many emotions collide with each other as Devin admits the truth to my sister.
