Page 60 of The Starry Knight

“Thank you for this room. It’s better than anything I could have imagined,” She says.

“Happy birthday, Angel.” I reply, kissing her forehead and pulling her body closer to mine. I pull a blanket over us, and we lay there watching the snow fall from the windows across the room. Within minutes, I hear a soft snore coming from Stormy. I know she had a long day. First with shopping and then with everything that happened after she found that article. I’m sure shewas physically and emotionally exhausted. I push the hair from her eyes and rest my head against one of the many pillows under me. Sleep eventually pulls me under as well.

Chapter 30

Stormy

I wake to the sound of Sebastian shouting at someone. I don’t hear the other person so he must be on the phone. I look around, trying to reacclimate myself to the room. I find my discarded clothes and go to the en suite bathroom to clean up and get dressed. Looking around for a brush, all I find is a comb again. “I’m going to have to stock all these bathrooms with brushes.” I think to myself. I finger comb through my hair and wipe the makeup from under my eyes. Shrugging at the woman looking back at me, I exit the bathroom, gathering my boots and go off in search of Sebastian. It’s not hard. I can hear him clearly as day as I follow his voice.

“That’s not what we agreed on. She wasn’t the one that did the interview. It was her fucking roommate,” Sebastian yells into the phone.

“I’ll go seventy-five thousand and not a cent more. I will deal with this Lana person myself,” he says.

“Yes, I will contact my attorney and have them draw up new papers. Do you still agree to keep her name out of your mouths?” he seethes.

“Good. Then this conversation is over. My attorney will be in touch,” he hangs up the phone and throws it to the couch. Scrubbing his hands over his face, he looks out the window at the snow or maybe just looking at nothing as he stands there motionless.

I drop my boots at the bedroom door and walk down the stairs. Sebastian turns and looks at me and his face goes from livid to happiness in one glance. I love having that effect on him, but I need to know what he was talking about and who he was talking to.

“Who was that?” I ask, gesturing to his phone.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.” He replies, dodging the question. Now I really want to know who he was talking to.

“Sebastian, tell me now. I know you were talking about me, and I want to know why,” I hiss.

“Alright, come here.” He sits on the couch and pats the seat next to him. “I didn’t want you to find out like this, but I couldn’t control my anger when he called and started accusing you of shit.” My stomach drops and I know who he is talking about before he even says it. “I have been taking to Dennis Jacks. I called him to get him to stop talking to the press about you. I had to bargain with him for fifty thousand dollars.” He takes a breath and continues, not taking his eyes off me. “I wanted to take care of this for you, but then he was made aware of the article circulating now that Lana put out and he thought you had gone to the press and thrown them under the bus.” I don’t even know what to say, but Sebastian isn’t done speaking. “He called me furious this afternoon. He wants more money and I finally agreed only because I want to put this behind us. Please tell me you aren’t mad. I hated the things they were saying about you, and I knew it was all fake news. I just want you to have the clean slate you wanted when you moved here,” I sit and try to take in everything that he said.

“Wow, I don’t know what to say. You shouldn’thave gone behind my back, Sebastian. If we are going to be a couple then we have to talk things out before we do them. I’m not necessarily mad at you just aggravated that I didn’t know anything about it. And I don’t want you to pay them that money. It’s my responsibility. I’ll pay for it with what I have left of my parents’ and Blaine’s insurance policies,” I reply, thinking of the amount of money that I have left. I have just enough to cover it, then I’ll have to work my ass off to finish paying for college.

“No. That’s out of the question. I’m paying him. End of discussion on that. As for him talking to the press, he will give a statement saying that what he’s previously said was false and that’ll be the last time he speaks to the tabloids without having legal repercussions. He’ll be signing paperwork binding him to that agreement and also an NDA about the money he’ll receive.” Sebastian has everything figured out. The only thing I disagree with is that he wants to pay them the money. They wanted the insurance money from Blaine’s death and so it should be me that pays that.

“I’m glad that they won’t be able to speak out against me again, but I am still paying them. They’re my problem and I’m the one that needs to deal with them. It’s sweet of you that you want to help me.” I say. He holds out his hand for me to take and when I do he pulls me flush against his side and then pulls me into his lap. Damn him and his strong everything.

“Listen to me. I’m not going to say this again. You are my responsibility now. I want to be that for you. It’s not a burden for me. I actually want to protect you, but you have to let me. You have to trust me to take care of you. Trust me that I will make the right decisionsfor the both of us. And we will talk things through together, but with this, I wanted to take that pain I saw in your eyes away. This money is nothing to me and you are everything. Please let me carry the weight you have been carrying for far too long. I want to shoulder that for you.” His words bring tears to my eyes. They begin to run down my cheeks before I can answer him. I want what he said more than anything. I want to be free of this weight on my shoulders so damn bad but that is trusting someone fully with everything I have been through. What if it’s too much for him?

“Sebastian, what if this is all too much for you?” I question.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“I mean, what if this is all too much for you? I have been through so much shit, Sebastian. Even my childhood was shitty. That’s a lot for someone to carry. I should know. I don’t want to be a burden, especially to you. I guess I’m scared that everything will get fucked up. And I don’t want that to happen. I love you.” I sigh as I rest my head on his chest.

“Angel, look at me.” I pick my head up and look at his beautiful shining green eyes. “You trust me with your body, now it’s time for you to trust me with your heart. Trust that I will keep it safe for you. Let me past all the walls you have constructed around your heart. I want to see the side of you that you don’t let other people see. I promise you that I will love you even more for it. Let me do this for you. I know what I’m getting in to. Believe me when I say that I can handle it. I know you’re scared to be vulnerable because you’ve had to be so strong your entire life. But it’s time for you to rest now. I’ve got this.” He leans his forehead against mine,looking into my eyes. I let out a deep breath and nod.

“Okay. I trust you, Sebastian. I know you will take care of me.” I give him a little smile before I take his lips in mine. I need the connection right now. I need the feeling of his flesh against mine. I open up for him and his tongue dives into my mouth. Wrapping my arms around his head, I pull him closer to me. He grasps my hips and begins moving me along his hard cock. I think he is always hard when I’m near. I think he is always ready to take me. He pulls away.

“Thank you.” He cups my face with his large hands and kisses me again. This time with fierce possessiveness. I can feel the love he has for me in the way he touches me. I know that everything will be okay.

“Wait! What are we going to do about Lana? I never want to see that bitch again. And all my stuff is there. What am I going to do?” I ask, not meaning to have cut the kiss short but those thoughts just came to me, and I need to know what our plan is going to be. We haven’t figured everything out yet.

“I will hire movers to go over there and get your things. I will accompany them so I will be able to show them your room. I will take care of Lana. I’ve already asked my lawyers to look into what can be done about her. They will get back to me next week. Don’t you worry. She’ll pay for this.” He replies.

“Thank you, for everything. You think of it all, don’t you?” I question.

“That’s what I’m here for, baby.” He says with a smirk. I playfully slap his chest as he scoops me up and throws me on the couch. “I guess I will be peeling this dress off of you for a second time today.” I bite my bottom lip and a growl leaves his mouth.

This powerful, commanding, sexy man is all mine. His heart speaks the language of my soul. He’s the person I never saw coming that is changing my life. I love him.

???

---