“Wow,” I say, folding my arms as I glare at him. “I guess I’m quite the bargain. Buying the team outright would have cost a few extra zeroes over that purchase price.” A sour smile curves my lips. “Sounds like you didn’t win, after all. You got taken, bigtime. Got to hand it to Ted for getting the package deal at a rock bottom price. I guess it’s good to know my future baby daddy is frugal and financially savvy.”
Picking up the remote, I point it at the flatscreen but don’t hit the play button.
Ted bought the team for ten million dollars. I was just some cheap bonus material. I can’t believe my father let his beloved baseball team go for so little, but then again, when he signed with Sebastian’s company, he knew he might not get the dollar amount he was expecting. That’s how auctions go. Knowing my father, he’ll have another pet project to work on soon, but sadly for him, he won’t have a daughter to auction off as a free gift when he gets bored of it again.
“You can leave now,” I say.
Sebastian moves closer, then kneels in front of me so we’re eye to eye.
“I guess you didn’t hear me when I said you can leave. Bye-bye, Sebastian.”
“It was me,” he says.
“I know it was you. We already covered this.Youset the whole thing up,youarranged all the damn meet-and-greets, andyouaccepted the auction bids. I fucking get it. Goodbye.”
I gesture for him to go and then drain the rest of my wine glass. But he’s still there. Crouched on the floor, watching me. Waiting.
“What are you waiting for?” I ask irritably, even as my heart flutters in response to his nearness. As he looks into my eyes, all the memories we made on the island rush me all at once. I push them back with all my willpower, but my rage is gone now.
All I feel is empty. Hollow and numb.
“I won the auction, Blair,” he says, measuring his words. “It was me. I was the highest bidder.”
The corners of his mouth twitch with the promise of a smile. But I feel nothing.
“Oh,” I say.
Looking away from him, I grab the remote and unpause the episode.
My life is in shambles. Nothing he can say is going to change that.
33
BLAIR
“Let’s go,”Sebastian says.
The television turns off, and I whip a glare in his direction.
“Hey! I was watching that!”
Practically lunging off the couch, I thrust out a hand for the remote, but he doesn’t hand it over.
“Come with me,” he says, and the growl in his voice sends a shiver down my spine.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I level him with a look that would shrivel the testicles of any other man. Though Sebastian doesn’t look intimidated in the slightest.
“Let me guess,” I say sourly. “You want to go to the stadium and gaze out over the field from the owner’s skybox? Maybe gloat some more over the great deal you made? No thanks.”
Despite my salty attitude, I feel a sharp pang of grief in the center of my chest. I don’t want Sebastian looking out at the field from the skybox. I’ve always loved sitting up there with my dad, dreaming of the day when I’d be the team owner, and now I can’t stand thinking about the fact that the box is now Sebastian’s. It’ll never be mine.
Meanwhile, Sebastian probably doesn’t even care about the Rockets. He just cares about how much money he’s going to make off the team.
“We’re not going to the stadium,” he says. “But we are going to be late if you don’t hurry.”
“Then I guess I’d better grab my purse. Wouldn’t want to make you late,” I say sarcastically.
I throw my bag over my shoulder, slip into my shoes, and glower at him.
