Chapter 45

When Chris left Cloudridge Valley, his head buzzed, his mind a whirlwind. Kevin waited downstairs. Seeing Chris's dark, bruised face, he gasped.

"So, Miss Giovanni still refused, huh?" he asked.

Refusal was one thing, but violence? Kevin shuddered, picturing Stephanie's fiery temper.

Chris shot him a sharp glance. Kevin instantly recognized another failure.

Sighing, Kevin muttered, "You can't force these things. Women need coaxing."

"Coaxed?" Chris sneered, the word dripping with sarcasm.

Kevin fell silent. Honestly, with Stephanie's stubbornness, coaxing wouldn't work. People perceived her as fiery—small in ability, large in attitude.

Chris ignored him, his eyes narrowing. "Find out who that man she's been with is."

Kevin blinked. "What? Another man?"

He stared in disbelief. "Miss Giovanni with another man? Impossible! She's always alone. Even if someone's with her, it's Miss Turner."

In Kevin's view, Stephanie rarely left the house. She was a homebody, reliant on others, too proud to venture out. How could she have another man? Without the Hart family, she likely wouldn't even have Chris.

Seeing Kevin's disbelief, Chris's gaze grew colder. "I met him. Do you think I'm lying?"

Kevin froze. "You… met him?"

Chris's mind flashed to Sebastian's cold eyes and strangely familiar face. Then there was the gun… the man was dangerous.

"He's probably underworld," Chris said slowly, determined to uncover this person's identity—someone like that existing in Long Harbor. Whoever it was, he'd destroy them.

Kevin's confusion deepened. That can't be right, he thought. With Miss Giovanni's temper, how could she be with someone like that?

Upstairs, the chaos shattered Stephanie's nap. Her thoughts were jumbled, especially concerning Sebastian's menacing aura. She sat in his lap, feeling the rising tension.

Sebastian seemed to love holding her close, as if she were still the little girl he once spoiled. But she wasn't a child anymore. His every move now radiated danger.

Stephanie lowered her head. "Can you just ask what you need to? Please?"

She blamed Chris. She'd explained everything, and now this was all for nothing.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "You were protecting him?"

Stephanie shook her head. "No, I just didn't want my home, where I've lived for two years, ruined."

She felt the deadly seriousness in his presence. He was capable of killing without hesitation. She'd seen it during her kidnapping years ago, realizing his soft exterior hid a predator's heart. If Chris hadn't left, he would have done the same.

"You can't carry a gun around in Long Harbor," she said quietly, almost apologetically.

Sebastian smirked. "Are you lecturing me, Stefi?"

Stephanie pursed her lips. "I'm just saying, the reason I agreed to marry Chris… Just don't hurt anyone, okay?"

Revenge was one thing, but murder was another. She couldn't stomach the thought of blood on her hands. She stiffened, remembering the kidnapping's trauma and how easily the Casalini family's threats had intimidated her.

Seeing her fear, the coldness around Sebastian's mouth softened, replaced by brotherly gentleness.

"Alright," he said softly, smiling slightly. "We'll be good citizens. Happy now?"

Stephanie wasn't entirely convinced. She hummed in response.

Sebastian tousled her hair. "Still not sleepy?"

"No," Stephanie shook her head. Sleep was the furthest thing from her mind.

"Alright," Sebastian said. "If you're not sleeping, let's go."

"Go? Where?" Stephanie asked, glancing out the window. It was pitch black outside; the clock read 6 a.m.

Chapter 46