The Secret (The Evolution of Sin 2)

“Seb, my boy.” He beamed when he noticed my brother and stepped forward to grab him in a rough hug. “How the hell are you?”

“Fine as ever, Tate.” Sebastian’s lips twisted in a reluctant grin. “I was just introducing your lovely wife to my sister, Giselle Moore.”

Savannah flinched slightly at Sebastian’s casually spoken truth and I realized then why Sebastian had said tonight held its own hardship. They were obviously in love, or, at least, they had been and it had ended on less than auspicious terms.

“Giselle, the artistic one, right?” Tate grabbed my hand between his two mitts and squeezed it gently. “Tate Richardson. Media mogul, producer, director and the lucky bastard married to this beautiful lady.”

Savannah straightened and any softness I had seen before vanished. She was suddenly the kind of New York matron I expected, haughty and beautifully aloof as if nothing could touch her. Sebastian scowled at the change and something flicker in her eyes. It was pretty obvious to me that he was the only one who could touch her.

“You haven’t been by in far too long, son.” Tate had turned back to S

ebastian. “What ever happened to our family Sunday dinners?”

Sebastian shifted slightly away from me, as if the slight distance would make it harder for me to hear this conversation.

“I didn’t know you two were in New York and I’ve been busy working on a new project.” He finished his flute of champagne in one long draught and reached behind the bar to grab something stronger, an expensive brand of whiskey that he poured into a short glass. The bartender eyed him warily but after a quick wink, she let him be; she was only human after all.

“Well, I’m sorry to take my brother away from you but I see our sister over by the windows and she will kill us if we don’t check in,” I said with a huge smile.

Tate nodded his head and said something in his booming voice to Sebastian so I took the opportunity to lean in close to Savannah and pressed my hand to her arm. She looked at me sharply but softened when she saw my slight smile.

“He’s okay?” she whispered.

I hesitated before responding. “I think you’re better equipped to answer that question.”

She sucked in a quick breath before looking away. I knew I was dismissed but I forgave her sudden coldness because it was obvious she wasn’t dealing well with her separation from Sebastian.

I badly wanted to ply him with alcohol and attack him with questions about their relationship but as we left the older couple and Sebastian became more and more relaxed with each step away from the mature blonde, I knew I couldn’t. Not only would it be awkward and painful for him, it was hypocritical of me to question his apparently sketchy relationship when I couldn’t even face my own.

“Where did you say they are?”

“I didn’t actually see them.” I shrugged when he shot me a sidelong look. “Insieme, Sebastian. We needed to get out of there.”

He looked at me for a long second before nodding curtly. “We did. Should we find our table then?”

We headed over to the table displays and found ours in the middle of the vast venue, far enough away from the live band not to have to shout over the music but essentially front and center given the layout of the room.

“Why would we be at such an important table?” I murmured as Sebastian weaved between the round tables and future diners.

He shot a look over his shoulder. “A movie star, a business tycoon, a lawyer from one of the best New York City law firms, an up and coming artist, and a politician? I think that group warrants a good table.”

“A politician?” I asked, but we were already at our table and the sight of the people sitting around it made me forget my question.

Before I could even digest the sight of Elena or Sinclair, someone was in my arms, wrapping me in an embrace that made my heart ache for an earlier time.

“Candy,” I breathed as she squeezed me tighter.

“Candy,” she agreed, releasing me only enough to smile her buck toothed smile into my face. “I can see you’re shocked that I’m here so I’ll give you a second to get over it and be excited to see me again. Although I’m not going to give you too long because I’m furious with you for not getting in touch with me after three long months of separation.”

“Two months,” I corrected automatically.

She blinked before tossing her head back and laughing. “Okay, the fury lasted for a much shorter time than I anticipated. You are officially forgiven. But you’ve got to make it up to me by sitting beside me.”

She took my hand and finally had the wherewithal to see Sebastian standing beside us, staring bemusedly down at her. She stopped mid-step and gaped openly at him before turning back to play-whisper, “And introduce me to this guy.”

It was my turn to laugh and the distraction of their introduction was a welcome one as the three of us took our seats. I felt warm and safe with the two of them beside me so when I finally looked up at the rest of the table, I did so with a faux confidence I didn’t really feel.

My eyes landed immediately on Sinclair, which wasn’t surprising given the fact that I had known where he sat at the table as soon as we were in its vicinity. He was already staring at me, those blue eyes electric with intensity as they swept over my body, taking careful inventory of everything about my person. When they reached mine, his mouth softened into something close to a smile. God, he was gorgeous.