Chapter 19 - Saint
It took me almost anhour to get over the fact that Levana was Dean’s daughter. Did that complicate things? Yes, in a big way. I’d almost fucked his daughter, spurted my come all over her beautiful body and tasted her mouth-watering pussy. The sick part. I wanted more.
How do I sit across the table from the man and pretend none of that happened? I was his friend and while we might’ve lost touch over the years, I should respect him and keep away from his daughter. That was going to be a hard sell. Knowing what divine decadence lay beneath her clothes and openly wanting her required unerring strength to stay away. I was a strong man. Usually.
“So many years later and you’re still a bachelor, Sebastian.” Sandra placed a chocolate cake in the middle of the table, retook her seat and touched my hand in a way that would suggest we knew each other intimately. We didn’t.
When Dean invited me to dinner, I readily accepted but never let on that his wife, who I believed was separated from him, would be joining us. Judging by Dean’s annoyance every time she’d opened her mouth during dinner, I figured he hadn’t expected her either.
“What would it take to crush your heart?” she asked.
“Shouldn’t you be asking what would make his heart flutter instead?” Levana asked, surprising me. After out little unexpected meet in her hallway, she’d stayed in her room until her father arrived. Now, as if sensing both mine and her mother’s stares, she glanced up from the steak she’d been pushing around her plate since dinner began. Frowning, her gaze shifted between her mother, me and back to her mother who was now scowling. “What?” She shrugged. “I just think crush is such a violent word if you want a man to fall in love with you.”
“What would you know about love, Lee? You’re just an obnoxiously curious child who couldn’t even seduce a man into taking your virginity,” her mother gritted through clenched teeth, further startling me.
Levana’s gaze snapped from her mother’s face to mine then dropped to her plate. But she wasn’t quick enough to hide her tear glazed eyes. Something ignited inside me, as if someone was pouring salt on an open wound without mercy and I felt the burn over every inch of my skin—a reaction I’d never experience before. There was more to that night she’d found herself at the Winthrop ritual. Perhaps her mother had a hand in her being there. I never bothered to find out why Levana was there and now I wish I had, just to wipe the agonizing look off her face.
“Sandra!” Dean snarled, cold vehemence echoing in his tone. “If you cannot respect the rules in my house then maybe you should see yourself out.”
“Why don’t you make me,” she taunted, her smirk widening.
Instinctively, I knew there was secrets between these two that I wasn’t privy to. Her open flirtation now made perfect sense.
“Can I be excused, dad?” Levana’s whisper pulled my attention as well as her fathers.
“Sure, sweetheart.” He reached over and squeezed her hand lightly. “Take a slice of cake with you.”
“Really, Dean. The girl’s already overweight, must you encourage her,” Sandra mocked.
With a soft gasp, Levana dropped the plate she’d picked up and hurried from the room. The tell-tale stiffness to her shoulders a clear indication she was restraining her tears. Eliana shot up from her seat and ignoring her mother’s stern gaze, she ran after her sister.
“Christ, Sandra, do you always have to be such a bitch to her,” Dean grunted. “I’m sorry, Sinclair, that you had to witness my wife’s clear lack of motherhood.”
“How dare you,” Sandra stood.
I followed suit. “I’ll give you two a moment.” Picking up the plate of chocolate cake and a fork, I walked away before either of them could stop me. I headed for the stairwell that led to the bedrooms upstairs. On the landing, I paused, my graze drifting over the closed doors, when the one on my far left opened, and Eliana peeked out. Her lips curved in a shy smile before she pointed out Levana’s room. When I winked my thanks, she covered her giggle with a hand and slowly drew her head back to hide. At Levana’s door, I knocked softly.
“Leave me alone,” her muffled voice came through the white wood.
Hoping it wasn’t locked, I turned the knob and when the door swung inward, I just managed to avoid the pillow flying toward me.
“Get out—”
“Levana?” I identified myself while leaning in with just the top half of my body lest another pillow met my face.
She sat at the window seat, her back resting against a bookcase built into the alcove, one leg stretched out in front of her, the other bent at the knee as she opened a bottle of bright pink nail polish. “What do you want?” There was less vehemence in her tone now. Red rimmed eyes searched my face before she dropped her gaze back to the nail polish. I figured the tears blinded her, because she attempted to paint one toenail, missed and cursed under her breath. She wiped at it with her fingers then watch them stick and unstick.
“Can I come in?”
“Whatever.” She shrugged without looking at me.
With my hands behind my back, I walked further in, glancing around the white bedroom broken occasionally by midnight blue décor. Unlike typical teenagers her age, the room was neat with everything nestled perfectly in place. Her distinct scent of wildflowers with an underlying hint of cinnamon, circulated over me as I moved toward her. “Are you okay?” When she ignored me, I tried again, this time bringing the chocolate cake around to my front. “I brought you something.” I held out the plate to her.
Her eyes moved in my direction before she turned fully to look at the cake then her gaze lifted to meet mine. “Are you here to feed the cow?” she scoffed before shifting her gaze down to the nail polish and trying to paint the same nail again.
“I haven’t heard of a cow eating cake, have you?” I kept my voice light hoping to get a laugh out of her. Nothing. “Shall I fetch you some grass instead?” The corners of her mouth twitched slightly before she reached out and took the plate from my hand. “It’s a no on the grass then?”
