Cecilia’s pov
He suddenly laughed.
In my eyes, was he the forbidden path I shouldn’t take?
I couldn’t bear to et his gaze anymore.
The intensity there was far too much, raw, and tempting.
"I have things to do this afternoon," I said, keeping my eyes fixed on the floor. "I should go eat lunch."
This ti, I didn’t ask for his permission to leave. I simply turned and walked out of the room, feeling his eyes boring into my back with every step.
He was incredible, in every way a woman could desire. His kiss had nearly drowned in sensation.
But of course he could make won fall for him—that was Alpha Sebastian Black’s specialty, wasn’t it?
When he set his sights on a woman, how could she possibly resist? He could take or leave anyone without a second thought -- effortless for an Alpha of his status.
But ? I didn’t have the strength to fight the world for a man again. Not after what Alpha Xavier had put through.
----
When I returned to the dining room, I imdiately reached for a glass of water, desperate to cool the lingering heat his lips had left on mine.
His intoxicating scent still clung to like a spell.
As I drank, still half-dazed from our encounter, Harper’s disappointed voice floated to my ears.
"Only twenty minutes? Is the great Alpha Sebastian... that quick to finish?"
I choked on my water, sending it down the wrong pipe.
Tang and Beta Sawyer exchanged horrified glances that clearly said: Is she making sexual jokes right now? She definitely is!
"Oh!" Harper waved her hand with a smile that fooled no one. "I just ant their conversation was surprisingly brief. Don’t be dirty-minded."
The awkward silence that followed was deafening.
Your explanation just made it worse!
WAY worse!!
Tang, ever loyal to his Alpha, jumped to Alpha Sebastian ’s defense. "I can absolutely vouch that it’s definitely longer than twenty minutes! Right, Sawyer?"
When Beta Sawyer didn’t respond, he nudged him. "Co on, back up here!"
Beta Sawyer looked like he was in physical pain.Vouch for what, exactly?
Harper was thoroughly enjoying herself, her earlier stomach discomfort apparently forgotten. "Wow, you guys are quite knowledgeable about this. That’s... impressive. Have you both... experienced it firsthand?"
Tang visibly shuddered at the implication.
The table fell into mortified silence.
"Don’t be shy, Tang." Harper reached over to pinch his cheek.
"Harper!" Levan grabbed her hand and pulled it back. "Have so dignity. You’re embarrassing !"
"You little brat!" Harper retaliated by pinching her brother’s cheek instead. "You think you can lecture now?"
I continued sipping my water, torn between laughter and second-hand embarrassnt. Thanks to my "lively" friends, I was now fully alert, any lingering effects from Alpha Sebastian ’s kiss completely dispelled.
By the ti we were nearly finished with our al, Alpha Sebastian still hadn’t returned. He probably wasn’t coming back.
Tang’s phone rang. He answered, exchanged a few words, then stepped outside the restaurant.
Inside the restaurant, I slid into the seat next to Beta Sawyer and tried to sound casual. "So if the Alpha wasn’t here for a date, what was he doing? Did he say? eting so mysterious big shot?"
Beta Sawyer gave a tired look. "Would you believe if I said I’m just as confused as you?"
I nodded. "Of course. You have no reason to lie to ."
He turned the question back on . "Then what are you doing here with Harper and her brother? Liam saw you all getting into the car this morning and assud you had a boyfriend. We all did."
"He’s practically a child!" I protested. "And to be honest, I need to keep my business in Boulder confidential too."
Beta Sawyer stared at blankly.
Fine, we’re both keeping secrets then!
----
After lunch, we left first.
I stopped by the front desk to pick up dication, then we headed out of the hotel.
Just as we pulled out of the underground parking garage, we spotted a familiar handso face waving at us from the curb.
"It’s Tang," I said.
Harper had Levan pull over.
Tang sauntered up to the car and climbed into the front passenger seat with unearned confidence. "The Alpha sent to protect you all, so..." He flipped his hair with dramatic flair. "You’re now in extrely safe hands, ladies and gentleman."
I exchanged a glance with Harper in the rearview mirror. We both fought to keep straight faces.
Levan looked thoroughly unimpressed.
Tang’s excessive confidence needed treatnt, seriously.
But considering his skills—high-speed driving, tracking, lock-picking, even that ghost impersonation stunt—Harper and I silently agreed his help was welco.
Levan clearly felt challenged. "I can protect them too."
Tang didn’t argue, just smiled indulgently. "Sure, you protect them, I’ll protect everyone. No conflict there."
From the back seat, I asked, "Does the Alpha know what we’re doing?"
"He absolutely... has no idea," Tang replied smoothly. "But he did say to let you do what you need to do. Just don’t push yourself too hard or get hurt. If things go south, he’ll handle it."
With that, he settled comfortably into his seat and closed his eyes.
A warm feeling spread through my chest.
Even after how coldly I’d treated him, Alpha Sebastian was still looking out for .
Harper leaned close to my ear. "That man has amazing intuition. He knows what you want and silently supports you, even sends his best bodyguard to protect you. And let’s not forget he’s incredibly gorgeous... How can you not be falling for him? Are you even human if you’re not?"
I sighed. "Stop, or you’ll make cry."
"Tears of joy?"
"No, tears for him. Because I’m a cold-blooded woman—colder than Denver in the dead of winter."
Harper fell silent.
----
We drove halfway across the city to reach an ordinary residential community.
There was a security guard at the entrance, but the iron gate stood wide open, allowing cars and scooters to freely co and go. We drove in without any trouble.
Inside, cars were parked haphazardly wherever there was space. Levan pulled onto a patch of grass near the building we wanted.
The four of us got out.
Harper and I walked in front, with the two n following behind.
We took the elevator to the sixteenth floor.
Apartnt 1603.
Harper pressed the doorbell.
After a mont, the door opened to reveal a young woman. She was thin to the point of frailty, like a paper doll. Though her skin was fair and her features delicate—she might have been beautiful once—a centipede-like scar ran down the left side of her face.
"Who are you looking for?" she asked nervously, her hand instinctively moving to cover the scar.
"You’re Nicole, right?" Harper asked.
Harper had clearly recognized the girl.
She looked much like the photos from school, except for that scar.
All we knew was that after Mason’s incident, this girl had imdiately withdrawn from school. We hadn’t known she’d been injured.
In that mont, both Harper and I had the sa thought: Could Cici have given this girl the scar?
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