Page 111 of Bared Betrayal
“I think we all need to calm down,” Elenor starts. “Let’s go into the living room and discuss this like adults.”
“That’s a good idea,” Sebastian agrees. “Once you calm down and think more clearly, you’ll realize I did this because I love you. Because I want the best for you.”
“Screw you, Sebastian.” I try to move away, but he grabs my arm and pulls me back.
In a flash, Gabriel is there, grabbing Sebastian’s shoulder and yanks him back. “I suggest you let her go right the fuck now.”
“I’m a little tired of your presence, old man,” Sebastian drawls out, his voice light despite the proximity of Gabriel’s fists.
“Touch her again,” Gabriel warns, “and you and I are going to have ourselves a problem.”
“Why the fuck do you care? I don’t even understand why you’re here. You abandoned me and my mother while she was pregnant. You don’t get to come back now and leech off my success.”
“Oh, I’m not the leech here. But your grandmother, on the other hand—”
“Excuse me?” Elenor gasps in shock, and Gabriel smirks at her.
“Your little private investigator told me everything, so cut the crap. You’re fucking broke, which is why you’ve been pushing Sebastian and his fame so damn hard.”
Her lips pull into a snarl, her eyes blazing pools of anger. “You have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.”
“I know you’re using my son for your own personal gain, and trying to dig up dirt on me so you can leech off my fortune, too.”
“That’s a blatant lie,” she protests, and my mind is about to implode.
“How’s this for a lie?” Gabriel cuts his glower to Sebastian. “I didn’t abandon you or your mother. Your grandparents took you from me.”
“Don’t listen to him, Sebastian.”
“They threatened me. Forced me to stay away from you, mindfucked me into thinking I’m no good for you.” He glares in Elenor’s direction. “Until I managed to make something of myself, and your grandmother started seeing dollar signs.”
“You could have come back for me,” Sebastian yells. “You could have told me the truth.”
“I did come back for you! I wanted to tell you everything, but you were happy. You loved your grandfather, and I just couldn’t take that away from you—not after you lost your mother.” Gabriel takes a breath, raking his fingers through his hair. “And I thought your grandparents were raising you right. But I can see now that I was wrong. I should have gotten you away from their poisonous bullshit.”
“At least they raised me, which is more than you can say.”
“Are you going to tell him, Gabriel?” Elenor crosses her arms, her thin lips pursed. “Or should I?”
“Tell me what?”
Elenor smirks. “Tell your son about your dirty little secret.”
“What secret is she talking about?” Sebastian asks, confused.
Elenor knows. I can see it in how she looks at me and Gabriel, her evil intent radiating off her.
I step closer, studying her. “How do you know?”
“The engagement party. The balcony,” she says simply. “I heard everything.”
Oh, God.
“The photographers were asking for you, so I went looking.” She leers at Gabriel with disgust. “Then I found you out on the balcony with him.”
“Why…why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because she was waiting until after the wedding,” Gabriel says as he steps in next to me, staring at Elenor as if he’s slowly putting the pieces together. “She was going to use it to blackmail me after the wedding. She knew I wouldn’t risk breaking up my son’s marriage.”
