Natasha's POV
The crisp London air filled my lungs as we stepped out of the car. The breeze caressed my hair, dancing across the skin of my bare arms, wrapping me in its vice like the tender arms of a lover, and I shivered involuntarily, causing Sebastian to look over at me.
He wore a smooth button down shirt, tucked in at the waist, unbuttoned at the top, making for a playful touch to a classy look, paired with black pants and a black formal jacket, which brought out the striking blue hue of his eyes even further. The ensemble was clearly made for him, it was a perfect fit, and its solid colour radiated finesse.
"Are you cold?" he asked, to which I shook my head. "I'll be fine," I murmured, turning my gaze to the throngs of people making their way to the hotel entrance. "I'm not entirely fond of events like these. Not that I don't like socializing. It's just, the laughter, the polite conversations, they feel fake and entirely futile. It's not something I specialize at."
"Yes, you're one to call a spade a spade, aren't you?" he smirked. He stepped closer behind me, and I felt his arm make its way around my waist, pulling my back into his chest. "Don't worry," he murmured into my ear, as i felt his fingertips lightly trace my waist through the fabric of the dress. "There are ways more than one for me to keep that smart mouth of yours occupied."
I felt the heat rise to my cheeks, and he let me go, as I released shakily the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. He let his hand graze to the small of my back, before giving me a smug look. "Do you plan on standing outside all night, Cara Mia?"
"Asshole," I murmured, before stalking away towards the entrance, where Kim, Meg, Noah and Amelia were waiting. Noah smiled his classic Noah smile, as he pushed himself off the wall to wrap me in a hug, while I glowered at Meg, shooting her death glares with my eyes for being the reason I was stuck in this stupid situation in the first place.
She smiled back at me innocently.
Ugh.
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People mingled, many dancing to the swinging jazz music played by the band at the other end of the room, as waiters walked around with trays of champagne.
As we walked through the crowd, I noticed quite a few familiar faces, and I nodded and smiled at them. After weaving though people sharing drinks, laughter and dances, we joined the others at a table, where I spotted Jason and Aiden, and groaned internally. Aiden smiled at me in what I guess he presumed was a flirtatious manner, coupled with a huge wink, before his gaze shifted to Sebastian, and he rose to speak to him.
"Seabass!" he exclaimed happily. " How's everything going?"
Meg almost choked on her food, and Noah snorted into his champagne. I pressed my hand against my mouth just in time to stop my giggle, and everyone at the table shook in silent laughter at the absolutely murderous look on Sebastian's face.
Jason approached me hastily, a look of surprise on his face.
"Natasha? Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you for days," he said, before taking my hand in his, and leaning in to press a kiss to my cheek. I stiffened, but tried not to let it show as I pulled my hand out of his grasp.
"I've been busy with work," I said, dropping my gaze.
"Busy enough to not return even one of atleast a million calls I made?"
"What do you want, Jason?" I snapped, slightly irritable. His eyes widened, the hurt in them evident, and I hated the fact that I felt guilty, that I felt anything for this bastard who humiliated me so, all those years ago.
"I want to apologise," he began. "It's like a weight on my chest. I didn't get a chance the other day, and I've been trying to reach you ever since."
"For?"
"For-" he bit the inside of his cheek, a habit of his when he got nervous. As soon as the thought left my mind, I cursed myself. There was so much about him that I knew, inside out, so much that I wanted to forget."
"For walking into your life unannounced, wishing that you'd welcome me back. For the kiss in the bar. Ignorantly thinking that you'll be okay with it, for failing to realize your discomfort." He reached out and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. "Let me make it up to you. Please."
"You'll make it up to me?" My voice sounded hollow, detached.
"Yes. Anything."
"Turn back time seven years ago, and grow the balls to tell me that you like me after making love to me, instead of tossing the last shred of my self esteem into the dustbin along with that used condom, and walking out of my life like the goddamn coward you are." His jaw hit the floor, as I turned around and walked off, blindly striding away to put as much distance as was possible between him and me, only to barrel headfirst into Sebastian.
"Easy there, sweetheart," he smiled, before his gaze fell on my face, taking in my shining eyes and my body shaking with anger, and all the humour drained from his expression, only to be replaced by a cold, steely rage.
"That son of a bitch you were talking to," he growled. "What did he do? Did he touch you?"
I shook my head gently. "No," I whispered, looking down at the ground.
Sebastian cursed lowly under his breath, and I was sure he hadn't even heard my response as he wrapped his fingers around my wrist, as he started making his way toward Jason, pulling me along with him.
"Sebastian, no, please," I pleaded, but he ignored me as he kept walking. I stepped in front of him, pressing my free hand against his chest. "It's nothing I can't handle. Please, please don't."
He stilled, looking down at me with that same steely anger. I dropped my gaze, letting my fingers trail across the skin of his collarbone. Letting go of my wrist, he grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to meet his eyes.
"He's the guy from the restaurant, isn't he?" his voice was gravelly. I nodded. "What did he do?"
"I - he - it's a long story," I said faintly.
He sighed, before taking a step back, running his fingers through his hair.
"Dance with me," he said suddenly.
"I-what?"
Without waiting for a response, he took my wrist again, and dragged me along to where other couples swayed to the music. Most people had made their way to the dance floor. Kim and Noah danced a few feet away, engrossed in each other, not giving a single care about the world, and I couldn't help but smile.
The music changed to a ballad, and I raised my eyes to meet his gaze, before wrapping my arms around his neck, stepping closer to him. His arms came up around my waist, and I pressed a small, chaste kiss at the corner of his mouth before resting my head on his chest. We swayed to the music for a while, but his unasked question hung in the air.
And so I told him. All about Jason. His fingers stroked slow circles on my waist, but when I got to the night we were both insanely drunk, his grip on me became rougher. I did not look up, not sure about what I would find in those eyes, as I proceeded to tell him about my twenty eighth birthday, and by the time I was done, his fingers were digging into my waist hard enough to leave bruises.
A new song began, and for a while we danced in silence, before I mustered up the courage to say, "Please tell me you won't do anything."
"I'll sort him out," he said calmly.
I pull back, and stare at him with incredulous eyes. "What? No, no, please."
His left hand came up to tilt back my head. "Hush, now," he murmured softly as he leaned in, brushing his lips gently against the base of my neck.
"No-"
"I said, hush, baby." He kissed the skin below my ear gently, and I pressed my lips together to refrain from making a sound. "You will really have to learn to listen to what I say."
"You're not the lord of me, Sebastian."
"You're feisty," he smirked, as he gently took my earlobe between his teeth, before his voice dropped to a growl. "You have absolutely no idea how much I'll enjoy teaching you to submit to me, Cara Mia."
Oh god. Every fibre of my being trembled at his words. I mustered every ounce of determination and pushed him away, removing my arms from around his neck.
'I-I-um."
So intellectual, Natasha.
"I think I'll have something to eat now," I finished, as I trained my gaze to the floor.
"Hungry all of a sudden?" he teased, amused.
It was my turn to smirk. "Well, I heard the sea bass they're serving is excellent, so I thought I'd have a taste." His eyes darkened, and I turned and practically ran before I met an untimely death at his hands, joining Kim and Noah as we made our way to Meg.
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As it turns out, the sea bass was genuinely excellent, and I made it a point of conveying this to Sebastian, although I was practically signing the warrant to my own death by doing so. The rest of the evening passed relatively smoothly, with Jason having gone a long time ago. The auctions ended, and I was more than ready to go home as I blearily rubbed my right eye with my fist.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, and another one played gently with my hair. "Come on, sweetheart," Sebastian coaxed gently. "Let's get you home."
I said my goodbyes, and then the four of us stepped towards the doors through which we came, where stood the mayor, Mr. Williamson, and his wife, thanking people for coming. On seeing Sebastian, he smiled and nodded.
"Mr. Davis, thank you for coming. A pleasure to see you, as always."
"The pleasure's all mine, mayor." Sebastian extended his hand for him to shake.
"And who may this lovely lady be?" he smiled at me.
"This is Dr. Natasha Olivia Usbourne. She's a neurosurgeon at the Wellington hospital." replied Sebastian.
"Such a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Usbourne," he said as he shook my hand. "Thank you for attending."
"Please, call me Natasha," I said.
"Natasha," he smiled. "Doctors are the pillar which support the prosperity and well being of a nation, so without people like you, all these attempts would be futile."
I thanked him and made some more conversation, and it became evident to me what a warm person he was. That he was adored by the people was already known to me, and with his modesty, grace and humility, I could certainly see why.
As we stepped out into the biting, chilly London night, I shivered again, causing Sebastian to throw a disapproving glance in my direction, before taking off his jacket and wrapping it around my shoulders.
"Cliché male chivalry?" I rolled my eyes mockingly.
He stepped closer suddenly, wrapping his fingers around my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. "You do that one more time, Cara Mia, and I'll show to you that even though this dress looks beautiful on you, it'll look even more beautiful lying on the floor at the edge of my bed."
I swallowed hard, my heart beating a mile a minute, almost failing to register the loud crash behind me.
I whipped around, as did everybody else.
The mayor lay on the floor near the steps of the hotel. He was lifeless and limp, his body unresponsive, the ghost of his last smile still etched upon his face.