I’ll play for him.
CHAPTER 14
REMI
As soon as Sebastian reappears on stage, my heart starts racing. Now that I’ve seen what he’s capable of, what kind of magic flows from his fingertips, I find myself even more drawn to him, more enchanted by that quiet, enigmatic aura he carries like a second skin.
Sebastian is a riddle made of contradictions. Just when you think you’ve begun to understand him, he shifts, unexpected, disarming. He’s the only person I know who can be sharp-witted and sensual, sarcastic and tender, sweet and unguarded one moment, then fierce and resolute the next.
The thought of getting closer to him still sends a shiver of vertigo through me, but I’m starting to think it’s inevitable. I don’t believe there’s anything in this world strong enough to keep me away from him now.
When his delicate, slightly trembling hands return to the keys, the spell resumes. I’m swept away by the music, by the depth of feeling he pours into every note. Time dissolves. The room fades.
It’s as if we’re suspended in a bubble, just the two of us, adrift in a world made of sound and light and something else entirely. Something he conjured. Something I never want to leave.
At one point, the rhythm grows faster and faster, almost hypnotic. I blink out of my trance and realize everyonearound me is holding their breath. The audience is completely captivated. It feels like an enchantment has settled over the hall.
Seb plays feverishly, drenched in sweat, his hair flying wildly across his face, his gaze lost somewhere far away. And yet, he hasn’t lost a shred of that grace that seems to belong only to him.
Then, suddenly, his hands freeze over the keys.
Silence.
For a heartbeat, there’s only deafening stillness, then the hall erupts into applause. Bit by bit, the entire audience rises to its feet. Sebastian stands, bows with a stunned expression, and thanks the crowd again and again, until an assistant hands him a massive bouquet and escorts him backstage.
All of us are on our feet, clapping. Then we turn to each other, speechless.
Jamie is the first to break the silence, his voice buzzing with excitement. “Well, guys, Sebastian absolutely nailed it. I mean, wow!”
Not exactly the technical review I expected from him, but honestly, I think it sums up how we all feel.
Noah chimes in right after his boyfriend. “Scriabin, or whatever his name is, our Seb totally won that bet! That piece was insane. I’ve never heard anything like it.”
He sighs dreamily and leans into Jamie, who kisses the top of his head with casual affection.
Amid the buzz and chatter, Anne elbows me in the ribs to get my attention. “Remi, look! That woman getting up down there in the front row, that’s May Morris!”
“The curvy brunette? The one who looks like a Kardashian?” I ask, laughing.
“Yep, that’s her. But don’t let the sexy looks fool you, she’s a shark. She’s had Sebastian on a leash for years, with help from his parents…”
I frown. “What do you mean, Anne?”
“That boy’s been squeezed dry since he was a child. I’ve always thought that his parents would realize they had a little genius on their hands, but they got blinded by the prestige, by the potential… and by the money that came with it.”
She bites her lip, looking uneasy, like she’s suddenly worried she’s said too much. But knowing Anne, I trust her instincts. And if she’s concerned about Sebastian, there must be a reason.
Most of the audience has started to trickle out, but we’ve been invited to a private reception in one of the upper rooms, along with a handful of other guests. Sebastian was kind enough to put us on the list, so there’s no need to rush.
I take the opportunity to ask her more.
“But Sebastian’s not a child anymore. How can his parents and that agent still have so much control over him?”
Anne’s eyes narrow as she thinks. “From what I know, the Arnettes have always managed his finances. And May Morris takes a hefty cut from the gigs she books for him. I hate gossip, you know that, but I find it absurd that even now, as an adult, Seb doesn’t have full access to the fruits of his own work.”
And suddenly, it all clicks.
That’s why, despite being a successful musician, Sebastian is still living frugally. Why he’s been searching for a cheap room during his time in London. Why he never talks about money, not in the way someone with his career normally might.
