The Billionaire's Beloved (Key to My Heart Book 4) (5 page)

"That son of a bitch." Karina spat in disgust as Harry hurriedly covered the infant's ears, "Who does he think he is?"

"Calm down, Mother." Sebastian sighed, "Surely the board couldn't care less about the circumstances of my marriage. It's been over a year now and no one's said anything."

My mother in law laughed condescendingly, shaking her head as she crossed her arms firmly over her chest, "Bast, you honestly think they won't care? You're still such a child, it shocks me."

"I'm over thirty." Sebastian rebuked, frowning at her chastisingly, "What don't I understand?"

"There is no one on that board who wouldn't kill for the chance to kick you off." Karina sighed as she happily accepted a glass of wine from Tina, "They had to look the other way for the sudden marriage because there was no proof that it was false devotion, but if Lewis goes to the press with this, they'll kick you out for the suspicion alone. Bad press is bad for the company, and they won’t stand for it. Your father waited for a divorce until after he retired for a reason."

Sebastian's lips tensed. I could practically see the gears turning in his head. He wanted to disagree with her, I could see that much, but there was simply no alternative.

"You're right." He final said, "I would lose the corporation.”

"You would lose everything." Karina nodded, "This house, your business, everything that your father worked so hard on. He'd be so disappointed if he still bothered to come around."

Sebastian and I exchanged quick and uncomfortable glances as Karina continued rambling.

"Do you know how many hours and years that man put into what you have today? If it wasn't for him, you would have nothing. Nothing at all." She shook her head, clicking her tongue, "And I'm still fairly certain most of those hours were actually at work and not spent with his sexy secretary fling of the week."

"Mother." My husband piped up uncertainly, "About that..." We had to let her know that George and Alissa were back.

Karina slammed her hands down on the dining room table, leaning across towards the handsome billionaire, "If George were here, he would tell you to go and shut that man up." She said stiffly, "Nip it in the bud."

"Why is he even doing this?" Harry asked mournfully with a shake of his head, "It's so unlike him."

I hadn’t even thought about how close Harry and Lewis had become working in that bakery day in and day out. He must feel so conflicted about the whole situation. I didn’t blame the old man for trying to find some rationality in Lewis’s vengeful behavior.

"He sounded pretty intoxicated...Maybe that was it?" I offered, struggling to be helpful as they discussed business strategies and tossed around names of famous lawyers, "Maybe tomorrow he'll have snapped out of it?"

Should I fess up to what Lewis's true motives were? That we'd kissed and he'd been pursuing an affair with me?

This was all my fault. Sebastian was going to lose everything because of me.

Karina sighed with a shake of her head and a shrug, "I doubt he'll just snap out of it. Extortionists don't tend to backpedal. But I think we all need to get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow, we can go the bakery and have...
words
with that little-"

"Karina, please!" Harry interrupted, gesturing towards the sleeping Lydia in his arms, "It's going to be her first word with our luck!"

Karina huffed, sulking as she sat down in her chair.

The gray-haired man handed me the baby as he gathered his things, "I'm going home for the evening. I'll meet you at the bakery tomorrow."

He shook hands with Sebastian before turning back to me, "He's a good man, Macy. You know that. He'll come around."

"I hope so, Harry." I hummed uncertainly, returning his hug as he leaned down and kissed Karna on the cheek before waving goodbye and heading out.

"Do you think he's right?" I asked glumly, glancing between my mother in law who still refused to speak and my husband.

Karina stood, walking after Harry out the front door.

"I guess we'll find out tomorrow." Sebastian sighed, "Let's get some rest."

Once in our bedroom, I hopped in the shower while the blue eyed billionaire fed our child and put her into her basinet at our bedside. When I came out, he was clad only in a pair of navy striped boxers. He rest quietly atop the comforter, flipping through a novel.

Dressed in a cozy t-shirt and sleep shorts, myself, I crawled into bed beside him after glancing in on Lydia, who was already peacefully sleeping.

"Today's been so intense." I sighed, flopping out into an outstretched starfish.

My eyes closed though my brain was going crazy. I doubted I was going to be able to sleep at all tonight.

I felt Sebastian shifting in the bed, leaning over to place his novel down on the bedside stand.

When I opened my eyes again, he was half leaning over me, side of his head resting on his palm as he lay on his side. His other palm resting on the bed between us.

"Are you scared?" I whispered, biting my lip, "Do you think you'll lose the business?"

A smile played on his calm lips. It was times like this I was grateful that he was slow to show deep emotion. It could be helpful at times when I was panicking internally.

"There are only two things in this world that I care about losing." He whispered gently, "And they’re both here in this room with me."

A blush, scarlet as Alissa's hair, crawled like a slow wave over my neck and up my cheeks.

"Remember how I needed to tell you something?" He said gently, his hand sliding up to rest on my cheek as he leaned over me once more.

"Wait." I said softly back, struggling to hold his gaze as I pressed my own hands to his cheeks. After what I had to say, he may never let me touch him again, I wanted to soak up as much as I could, “I need to say something first."

“What is it?" He asked, inquisitive perplexity knitting his dark brow.

His gentle fingers swept my hair away from my forehead, soothing me. I didn't deserve it.

"This is all my fault." I whispered, squeezing guilty eyes shut so I wouldn't have to see any pain in my husband's ocean colored stare, "Lewis and I have kissed...he's been trying to convince me to leave you. I rejected him and..."

From beyond my closed lids, Sebastian made no noise. His fingers, however, continued to gently brush against my skin, over and over again.

Tentatively, I opened a single eyelid, expecting to see my husband's eyes glossy with anger or, worse, disappointment.

Instead, he gently smiled at me, moving his hand away from my face to take my hand in his own, pressing it to his lips.

"Is that all?" He asked gently, "Is that the weight that you've been carrying around so heavily?"

My chin jerked in a strained nod, "I'm so sorry, I never thought-"

My words were silenced as my husband closed the small distance between our bodies, his mouth descending upon my own.

I sighed, eyes rolling shut as his hands smoothed over the tingling flesh of my neck, his fingers dancing like tiny, electric dancers over me.

“I understand what happened, Macy. Our marriage was confusing at best, and I was gone. It only makes sense that you would seek happiness elsewhere.” He breathed against my lips.

I could feel him everywhere, I could feel his every breath as his lips moved against mine. I could feel his heart beating against his chest as his body hung over my own.

My fingers, with a life of their own, slowly splayed over the perfect muscles of his tan flesh, feeling every inch of his body. Further and further they explored, sliding along the loose band of his boxers.

“I won’t do it again.” I gasped, shiver rolling up my spine, “I swear.”

His mouth greedily drank my kiss like red wine as his expert fingers snagged one of my own, lacing our fingers together as he pressed my palm into the bed above my head. HIs other hand danced down my side, gripping at the oversized t-shirt and effortlessly lifting it up so his shockingly warm palm could glide easily below my exposed back.

He arched my body into him as I gasped against his lips, my head arching back into the bed as his scorching tongue descended upon my neck. His teeth grazed the electrified flesh, wandering over my collarbone.

He released me from his hold only long enough to take the ends of my shirt in his hands and lift it up and away from my body, our clothes quickly piling like autumn leaves on the floor.

“You won’t.” He said, “Because you’re mine. You belong to me. Every inch of you.”

I lay beneath him, my arms crossed over my exposed body, as his greedy gaze looked over me.

I was not beautiful, I wasn't perfect, and yet he looked at me as though he were in awe of every curve and dip of my skin, as though he wanted to taste and touch all of me.

I turned my gaze away, bashful and embarrassed, but he took my chin in his hand and turned me back to face him.

"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life..." He whispered, as his hands took my own in his hold, pinning them overhead as his body rest flat against my own.

I couldn't see past the ocean of his eyes, the red of his full, swollen lips. I could see myself, reflected in his loving gaze, and I looked like a stranger. The desire on my face was etched as clear as a Roman statue’s.

I'd never wanted anything as badly as I wanted to feel him against me. I'd never wanted anything as badly as his kiss and touch.

Even with Lewis threatening to destroy everything we knew. We would be alright as long as we had each other at the end of the day.

I knew that now, and I would never, ever forget it.

The early morning sun's rays seeped over my skin, warming every inch of my exposed body.

I shifted, heavy arm of my husband reflexively curling around my stomach and drawing me further into his warmth. My eyes closed once more, much more content to never leave the basking warmth of my lover.

Last night had been magical. I could still feel his lips all over my body, I could still feel the way his muscles strained and his gentle words spilled from mirthful lips into my ear.

It was like nothing I’d ever experienced. It was like nothing I could ever have dreamed. Had his naked body not curled against mine so perfectly in this moment, I would have never believed it truly happened.

Just thinking about his strong arms wrapped so tight around my body left me burning to the core, as though I were wrapped up tight in a heated blanket or something.

He sighed in his sleep, nuzzling his face into the nape of my neck.

I glanced around the room, admiring the way the sun spilled over the carpet. It made the yellow linen of Lydia's basinet look like it was spun of gold straw.

Had the little infant really slept all through the night? That'd never happened before.

Worriedly, I opened my eyes, peeling myself away from Sebastian's embrace as I slid stealthily out of the bed, padding across the floor to peer in on her.

She cooed softly, eyes that were already open turning to gaze up at me as her pink lips twitched into a wide smile.

With a giggle, I lifted her into my arms, kissing her nose and plodding back to the bed.

Sebastian had opened his eyes now, roused by my departure, outstretching his arms to take both of us in his hold. I slid easily against his body, Lydia laying between us as her little legs kicked and her hands reached up towards our faces.

"My girls..." The British billionaire hummed, kissing Lydia's clenching fingers before turning his handsome face to me.

In the light of the morning, his dark hair was illuminated with deep red streaks. He leaned forward, cupping my chin and drawing me close.

His warm breath lit on my lips before his mouth reached mine, his gentle kiss the only way to wake up in the morning. Better than the boldest of coffees or the sweetest of pastries. His kiss was all that I wanted.

It was all that I needed.

He parted from me much sooner than I would have liked, my lips left feeling empty and cold where his kiss once was.

As I pouted, he chuckled, tenderly tucking mussed hair behind my ear.

"I've been thinking about today." He said softly, his hand smoothing over my shoulder to rest against my ribcage, "About our meeting with Lewis."

I bit my lip, looking away.

Guilt still panged in my heart. I didn't want to think about that right now. Everything seemed so calm and peaceful in this room, as though the outside world didn't exist.

"Love," He said gently, "We need to face this. We need to deal with this. For no other reason than to show him that we won’t back down. Do you want to lose the bakery?"

"I know, and you know I never want to give it up." I sighed regretfully, laying my palm against his cheek. The normally smooth flesh of his tan skin was prickly. He needed to shave. I could see the dark stubble on his chin.

Though, to be honest, it made him look even more rugged if that was possible.

"I think you should meet with him. Alone." Sebastian Davis frowned at me, searching my eyes for any slight reaction. He'd never make me go through with it if I was uncomfortable after all.

"Why?" I asked returning his grimace, "Why do I need to meet him by myself?"

"I'll be nearby, of course." Sebastian responded quickly, "But, due to the circumstances of this threat, I think he may be seeking your attention."

"My attention? He threatened you. He's threatening to ruin everything you have." I scoffed, drawing back from him as I sat up on the bed.

I pulled the blanket up slightly to wrap around myself, "Won't my meeting with him alone like that be rewarding bad behavior or something?"

My husband shook his head, his large palm dancing over the small hands of our child.

"No," He began slowly, trying to piece together his thoughts, "Not rewarding, but perhaps indulging...a bit."

"And why are we indulging Lewis?" I glowered, crossing my arms.

"I just think, what he really wants is to talk with you. I think he wants to be heard." Sebastian replied, tiling his head back so his blue eyes met my own, "Harry said it himself, this doesn't seem like a stunt Lewis would pull. It reminds me of a wounded animal, lashing out just to hurt."

I frowned down at the blanket, mulling silently. I wasn't sure I really wanted to meet with Lewis. I wasn't sure if I wanted to be in the same room with him.

After all, I was so angry with him, with his behavior, with his unrelenting affection, with the threats to my family.

However, Sebastian was rarely wrong, especially when it came to dealing with people. That was how he made his billions, his gut instinct was seldom led astray.

And, more than that, I trusted my husband. He would never, ever send me into a situation he thought would hurt me. He was only suggesting this because he believed his theory so firmly.

"Okay." I finally said, "I'll meet with Lewis."

Sebastian smiled, standing up as he brought Lydia over to her changing table, "Why don't you take a shower then, I'll take care of the baby this morning."

"You don't have to do that." I replied, "I can feed her before I shower."

He shook his head, whipping out a new diaper, "You've got enough going on this morning. I can help at least a bit."

"If you insist." I laughed, shaking my head as I headed towards the shower.

By the time I was cleaned up and dressed, Sebastian was downstairs telling Karina about his plan.

Harry, surprisingly, was also there. Had he even gone home the night before? Maybe he just arrived early…

Karina narrowed her eyes on me as I gaped slightly in surprise at the sight of the baker, daring me to say a single word.

Obediently, I pretended not to even notice his odd presence.

Lydia gurgled as I walked in the room, reaching for me. I swept her into my arms, dabbing away some formula from her lips as I lay her against my shoulder and patted her back for a burp.

"You're really going to do this?" Karina asked with a frown, her dark hair braided and resting over her shoulder, "You really want to meet with that…” She cleared her throat as Harry looked at her sternly, “that man."

"I do." I responded, swaying as Lydia clung to me, her little fingers tangling in my hair, "Hopefully this can be resolved easily, and if so, I think I'm the one who can do it."

Karina nodded, outstretching her arms to take the baby from me as she burped loudly. Harry snickered, silencing quickly as Karina shot him a dark look.

"I'll watch her for you, but we're coming along." Karina said firmly, "I won't be letting you far out of my sight with that maniac trouncing about."

"We'll stay in the car." Sebastian interrupted, "While you go into the bakery and see him."

"You think that's where he'll be?" I asked, but I already knew the answer to that. Of course that's where Lewis would be waiting.

Hopefully sober this time.

"Let's go, then." Harry responded, clapping his hands together.

The grey eyed baker was eager to get this over and done with. He wanted things to get back to normal, though more than that, he wanted to resume his place in the kitchen of the bakery. He missed the smell of fresh bread and coffee every morning.

"Let's go, then." I echoed warily, trudging after them as we headed for the cars.

I watched as Karina and Harry carefully put Lydia in the car seat of their vehicle as I joined Sebastian in his own.

"It's going to be alright." The handsome billionaire said gently as I closed the car door.

He reached over to me, taking my hand tight in his own. He could see the nerves beginning to writhe inside of me like painful little snakes. Or maybe my expression was just that obvious.

"I hope so." I mumbled, rubbing a hand against my forehead, "What if I mess up? What if I make things worse?" I said glumly, watching as we pulled out of the manor's huge front lawn.

That would be my luck. I'd go in for a simple conversation and leave with the bakery burning in the distance. I groaned, dropping my head against the window with a gentle thud.

Behind us, I could see Harry in the rearview mirror trailing carefully. He was singing along boisterously to some song in the car, Karina looking decidedly unperturbed.

"There is nothing you can do to hurt this situation." Sebastian responded, his hand staying laced tightly with mine, "You do your best. It's up to Lewis to respond to you."

"What if he doesn't?" I asked, "What if he doesn't like anything that I have to say?"

I bit my lip uncertainly, giving a shake of my head.

My anxiety was going crazy, threatening to flip my stomach upside down.

"Then you let me deal with him." Sebastian responded severely, mouth a firm and taut line as his eyes narrowed on the horizon, "And Lewis will wish he'd have just listened to you."