CHAPTER 16
Sebastian
ONCE I WAS BACK IN NEW YORK, I THREW MYSELF INTO finalizing the recipes for the frozen foods launch. These were in addition to the ones I’d created based on Derek’s notes, and they were a welcome distraction from the mayhem eating at my thoughts.
I was still struggling with perfecting my scallops, but these came easily to me. The pressure of creating a mass production line didn’t weigh as heavily on me as that of a handcrafted dish. I wanted the frozen foods to be perfect too —our reputation and millions of dollars were at stake. But I didn’t feel the samepersonal investment. It was like the difference between delivering a heartfelt speech in person and sending it to someone via text.
With Margaux’s guidance, I finished all ten recipes the morning of Maya’s birthday party. I’d considered skipping the party for the same reason I’d canceled our North Carolina trip—going would be too dangerous.
Our relationship had shifted in Vermont. It was a small but seismic change, and until I found my footing, I didn’t trust myself around her.
I’d already done too much by sending her the cake and
milkshake at Brasserie M, but at least I’d had a go-between there. If I attended tonight, I’d have to see her myself. But if Ididn’t attend, it would be a huge fuck-you. We never skipped each other’s birthdays, and I didn’t want to torch that bridge.
Plus, I needed to keep an eye on Killian.
The billionaire bachelor took in our surroundings with a low whistle. “Impressive. I’ve been missing out.”
We were standing in the ballroom of the Singhs’ Westchester estate, which had been transformed into a giant big top for tonight’s party. Aerialists swung from silks attached to the ceiling; staff manned a gourmet popcorn bar and multiple carnival food stands. Fire dancers performed alongside contortionists, fortune tellers, and a world-famous magician who made people “vanish” in front of a delighted crowd.
“You haven’t been missing that much,” I said. Maybe if he thought this kind of extravagance was the exception rather than the rule, he’d stay away from Maya’s parties in the future.
I didn’t know why he’d RSVP’d yes in the first place. He’d never shown an interest in these types of parties before, so his sudden appearance was suspicious. What was he up to?
Killian gave me an odd look, but he didn’t call me out on my somewhat rude response. “You and Maya are old friends, right?” he asked as I ordered two Lion Tamers at the bar.
“You should introduce us. We’re acquainted, but I’ve never had a proper conversation with her.”
My irritation sharpened. “I wouldn’t say we’re friends.
We’re working on a collaboration together, but that’s it.” I took the drinks from the bartender and handed one to Killian. “If you’re already acquainted, you can talk to her yourself. You don’t need my endorsement. I doubt it’ll help anyway.”
“I don’t need your endorsement, Laurent,” he said dryly.
“I just figured it’d be less awkward if a mutual acquaintance
reintroduced us.”
“Seb! Good to see you.” Thankfully, Xavier showed up at that moment and saved me from having to respond. He clapped me on the shoulder and arched an eyebrow at Killian. “Katrakis. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Like I told Laurent, I needed a change.” Killian’s gaze coasted over to Dante, Vuk, Kai Young, and Dominic Davenport, who came up behind Xavier with varying expressions of curiosity, enjoyment, and apathy. “Where are your better halves?”
“Vivian’s the event planner, so she’s busy all night.”
Dante didn’t sound happy about having to share his wife with work, but his eyes glittered with pride as he glanced
around the room.
“She did a great job,” I said.
“Of course she did,” he said, his tone matter of fact.
“She’s the best.”
It was a surprisingly heartfelt sentiment for a man who’d once hated his arranged marriage so much he’d sought to destroy his father-in-law, but time and love did strange things to people—even ones as surly as Dante Russo.
“Alé and her friends are getting their palms read.”
Dominic gestured to where Alessandra was sitting at the fortune teller’s table with Sloane, Ayana, and Kai’s wife Isabella. “It’s pseudoscience, but she thought it would be fun.”
“Do you think the fortune teller will advise her to leave you again if you keep referring to her hobbies as pseudoscience?” Xavier asked innocently.
Laughter rang throughout our group. Even Vuk’s mouth lifted for a second as Dominic scowled at us. His divorce and subsequent remarriage to Alessandra was a perennial sore spot.
“That is not one of her hobbies, and I’ve never referred to anything else she’s liked as pseudoscience,” he said coolly.
“At least I’m not forced to watch shitty rom-coms every other
night so my girlfriend can eviscerate them in her reviews.”
“Those rom-coms aren’t shitty.” Xavier paused. “Well, some of themare shitty, but they’re still fun, which is something you need more of in your life. Don’t let Bea grow up in a joyless household.”
Bea was Dominic and Alessandra’s daughter.
“We have plenty of joy in our household,” Dominic grumbled. “We took her to a Christmas market last weekend.”
“She’s one and a half years old,” Kai said. His aristocratic British accent made his words sound more pointed than he’d perhaps intended. “I don’t think she cares about Christmas markets.”
“You spent last weekend building new bookshelves for your wife’s dinosaur erotica, so please forgive me if I don’t listen to your opinion on, oh,anything,” Dominic countered.
Dinosaur erotica? I wasn’t going to ask. There were some things I didn’t need to know.
“You did not build those shelves,” I said, skeptical.
Kai was a born-and-bred scholar. The man translated books into Latin for fun, for Christ’s sake. He wouldn’t dabble in carpentry in his free time.
“As a matter of fact, I did,” he said. “I wanted to learn something new, and it was a good bonding activity for us.”
“Uh-huh.” Xavier didn’t look convinced. “What percentage did you build and what percentage did Isabella build?”
“Ninety-ten,” Kai said after a begrudging pause. “If you saw her with a nail gun, you’d understand why.”
Killian had been quiet this whole time, but he shook his head now with visible disgust. “This is why I’ll never marry,” he said. “It sounds like a nightmare.”
“You’ll never marry because you’re emotionally constipated and have unresolved trauma that prevents you from forming meaningful relationships with the opposite sex,” Xavier said, drawing stares from everyone except Vuk,
who appeared to have completely disassociated from the conversation. “Sloane’s new client is a famous relationship expert,” Xavier clarified. “He has a new book coming out. I’ll send you a copy.”
“No, thanks.” Killian grimaced. “I’d rather be emotionally constipated.”
The topic shifted to the Legacy Ball, an ultra-exclusive gala that was returning to New York after years of being held in other cities. It wouldn’t be back until the year after next, but the city was already buzzing about its return.
“Gentlemen, good evening.” Maya’s grandmother approached us, decked out per usual in enough jewels to make the Louvre weep. After everyone said hello, she turned to me. “Sebastian, darling. Can we speak privately?”
“Of course.” I set my drink down and followed her into the hall, ignoring my friends’ curious stares and whispers.
For a group of grown men, they were nosier than a pack of raccoons digging through an unlocked cooler.
“I need your help,” Maya’s grandmother said once we were alone. “I was in the conservatory earlier and lost one of my diamond earrings. I had to swap them out for a new pair.” She touched the teardrop-shaped sapphires dangling from her lobes. “Could you be a dear and find it for me? I’d go myself, but my eyes aren’t what they used to be, and everyone else is obviously busy.” She gestured at the ballroom.
I paused, waiting to see if she was joking. Her expression was dead serious. “You want me to… find a missing piece of jewelry for you in the middle of your granddaughter’s birthday party?”
“If you wouldn’t mind.” She patted my hand. “You’ve always been such a dear, and I trust you not to steal the earring if you do find it. My late husband gifted the pair to me for our ten-year wedding anniversary. They hold a special place in my heart.”
I softened. “Of course, Mrs. Gupta. I’m happy to help.”
It was a little strange that she’d singled me out, but she’d always been eccentric, so I didn’t think much about her request as I headed toward the conservatory.
A velvet rope and a PRIVATE AREA ONLY sign guarded the entrance, but no one stopped me when I slipped under the barricade and into the glass-enclosed space.
I guess the invitees were vetted enough that the Singhs didn’t have to worry about them trespassing.
I made it only a few feet when I realized I wasn’t the only person here. A woman with long dark hair stood by the windows, her head bowed and her back facing me.
Maya.
I walked over, my heartbeat syncing with the echo of my footsteps against the pale oak floors.
The noise drew her out of her trance. She pivoted to face me, her eyes widening with surprise. “Seb? What are you doing here?”
I stopped less than two feet away. “You invited me, remember?”
That earned me an exasperated sigh. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I know.” I allowed myself a small smile. “Your grandmother lost an earring in here. She asked me to help her find it.”
“Of course she did.” Maya muttered something inaudible under her breath.
I silently took her in. We’d skipped our last two meetings since I needed to focus on the recipes, so we hadn’t seen each other in person since the Vermont trip.
I’d hoped the time apart would dull my reaction to her, but I feared it’d only made things worse.
Everything about her hit me all at once—the softness of her skin, the silkiness of her hair, the sweetness of her perfume and the way her gold sequined dress clung to her curves. Every feature was sharper, more vivid, and they delivered a thousand small cuts that were infinitely more
agonizing than one large one.
Seeing Maya on a regular basis was tolerable, but after a short break, the experience ofher—her face, her voice, her scent—was so potent it was painful.
I breathed through the ache gripping my chest and let my shoulders fall into their usual, casual stance. “The question is, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be out there celebrating?” I nodded at the exit.
“I am. I will. I just… needed a moment alone.” She smoothed over her verbal stumble with impressive
quickness.
“Stressed?”
“No.”
Despite her denial, a telltale bit of chocolate smudged the corner of her mouth. My hand seemed to act of its own accord as I reached out and rubbed a gentle thumb over the
spot.
“You’re lying again,” I said softly.
My touch lingered a second longer than it should’ve.
Maya’s lips parted, and the air between us pulsed before I dropped my arm and slid my hand in my pocket. My palm tingled with the ghost of her warmth, but I crushed it before it spread.
“I’ve had a lot going on.” She brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. There was a slight tremor in her hand. After a beat, she added, “Were you spying on me again the other
day at Brasserie M?”
“No.” It was the truth—sort of.
Maya let out a low laugh, filled with disbelief. “Who’s the liar now?”
“I’m not lying. I wasn’t there in person, but I asked the staff to keep an eye on you. If you were on a date and looked miserable again, they had instructions to cheer you up.”
“Why?” she asked. “What is your fascination with how my
dates are going?”
“I’m a connoisseur of schadenfreude.”
She rolled her eyes. “In that case, you’ll love what I have to say next.” Her expression sobered as she hesitated, as though debating whether to continue. “After that date went so poorly, my parents decided they’ve had enough. Long story short, if I don’t get engaged by next November, they’ll arrange a marriage for me.”
It took a second for the impact of her words to hit. When it did, it knocked the air clean out of my lungs.
My muscles coiled tight as I struggled to maintain a neutral expression.
Maya, in an arranged marriage? Impossible.
Such arrangements were still common in many parts of the world. Hell, Dante and Vivian’s marriage was an arranged one; they hadn’t fallen in love until months after their engagement.
But the Singhs had always allowed their daughters to date whomever they wanted, within reason, and out of all their children, Maya was the least suited for an arranged
marriage.
She was too fiery. Too untamable.
Too mine.
I squashed the last thought before it had time to take root. Danger skirted the edges of my awareness, and my hand fisted in my pocket until I forced it to relax.
“I see.” I barely heard myself over the thrashing of my heart. “Who’s the lucky guy?”
“I don’t know. I have a year before they pull that trigger, and I hope I’ll never have to find out.” A deep sigh seeped between her lips. “I guess that’ll be my birthday present if I don’t find the love of my life in the next twelve months. One husband hand-delivered to my door, whether I like it or not.”
I knew better than to ask if she’d go against her parents’ wishes. She was as independent as they came, but the consequences of defying them would be too severe. In her family, it simply wasn’t done.
“Then I guess you’ll have to find the love of your life in a
year or less,” I said. “No pressure.”
“None whatsoever.” Her tone was dry.
In a past life, I would’ve offered another solution, but that wasn’t possible now.
I wasn’t someone who made the same mistake twice.
“Anyway, enough depressing topics for now,” Maya said.
“What did you get me for my birthday? Can’t wait to see how you’ll top last year’s present.”
Our tradition of trying to one-up each other’s parties extended to our gifts. Last year, she’d gotten me a custom set of hand-engraved Japanese artisan knives while I’d gifted her a rare, autographed first edition ofJane Eyre, her
favorite Brontë novel.
This year… The small gift box burned a hole in my pocket.
Instead of reaching for it, I tossed out a careless smile. “I got you a Delamonte gift card. Twenty thousand dollars.
Spend it wisely.”
Maya scoffed. “You did not get me a gift card.”
“I did.” I lifted my shoulder in a shrug. “I figured it was time for you to choose what you want instead of me trying to guess what you want. It’s easier that way.”
She laughed. When I didn’t join in, her smile wobbled, then faded. “Oh. I—thank you.” Confusion mixed with a bit of hurt flashed across her face before she quickly covered it up.
My throat constricted. “You’re welcome. Happy Birthday, Sal.”
We lingered in the quiet, neither of us speaking. Tension rippled down my spine like electricity before a storm.
We’d reached a threshold in our relationship, and every muscle in my body hummed from the effort it took to keep me from crossing it.
“There you are.” Vivian’s voice floated from across the room, disturbing the silence. She came into view and gave us an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Maya, it’s
almost time for your entrance. Riley K.’s here, and the crew is on standby.”
“Thanks, Viv. I’ll be right there.” Maya’s eyes stayed on mine for another second before she sidestepped me and left.
Her arm brushed mine on her way past. A spark flared on my skin, and I clenched my jaw to keep from reacting.
Then she was gone, and I could breathe again.
Instead of looking for her grandmother’s earring, I stared out at the dark grounds surrounding the estate and waited for the remaining warmth from Maya’s presence to dissipate. Her gift—herreal gift—weighed heavily in my pocket.
I should’ve gotten her something else. It was too intimate for what we were; I didn’t know what I was thinking when I’d picked it.
After a short while, I roused myself from my daze and did a thorough sweep of the conservatory. There was no diamond earring in sight.
I called my assistant on my way back to the party and asked her to deliver a Delamonte gift card ASAP.
She did, and I left it in the room with other guests’ presents.
I didn’t speak to Maya again for the rest of the night.