SEBASTIAN’S POV
The stillness of the night felt heavier than usual, as though the air itself was holding its breath in anticipation.
I sat in the living room, my fingers mindlessly tracing the edge of a throw pillow, my ears attuned to every sound outside.
It had been almost an hour since Roland had rushed out. He had left with nothing more than a mumbled excuse about handling something “important.”
My stomach churned with unease, his sudden departure leaving behind a storm of unanswered questions.
The silence outside shattered.
The unmistakable sounds of a struggle, shouts, grunts, the dull thud of something heavy meeting flesh, echoed faintly through the walls.
I froze, my breath catching as dread pooled in my chest. It wasn’t close enough to be happening on the doorstep, but it wasn’t far either. My mind raced with possibilities. Was Roland okay? Who was he fighting, and why?
I wanted to rush to the window, to peer into the darkness and make sense of the chaos. But fear rooted me in place. If Roland was involved in something dangerous, it wasn’t my place to intervene.
I clutched the pillow tighter, my heart pounding like a drumbeat in my ears. Then, just as abruptly as it began, the fighting stopped.
The silence that followed was suffocating. My hands shook as I set the pillow aside and stood. I strained to hear something,
anything, That might tell me what had happened.
The sound of footsteps crunching against gravel sent a fresh wave of panic surging through me. I took an involuntary step back, my mind screaming for me to run, to hide, to protect myself.
A knock at the door shattered the stillness.
The sound made me jump, a scream slipping past my lips before I could stop it. My hand flew to my mouth as I stared at the door, my pulse racing.
“Sasha, it’s me,” Roland’s voice called from the other side, strained and weak.
I hesitated, my body caught between relief and fear. Slowly, I approached the door, my fingers trembling as I unlocked it and pulled it open.
The sight before me stole the air from my lungs. Roland stood there, his face pale and his shirt soaked in blood. His shoulder bore a deep, oozing wound, the fabric around it torn and tattered.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his lips were pressed into a tight line, his pain evident despite his attempts to appear nonchalant.
“Oh my God, Roland!” I gasped, reaching for him instinctively.
He waved me off with his good arm. “I’m fine,” he muttered, his voice tight. “Don’t make a fuss.”
“Don’t make a fuss?” I echoed incredulously, stepping aside to let him in. “You’re bleeding everywhere! Sit down. I’ll grab the first aid kit.”
“No,” he said sharply, his tone brooking no argument. “I’ll handle it at the hospital. I don’t want to get blood on your floor.”
I stared at him, my mouth opening and closing as I struggled to form a coherent response. Blood on the floor? What was his concern?
“Are you serious right now? You’re going to a hospital looking like that? You’ll probably pass out before you make it to the car!”
He shook his head, his expression firm. “I’ll manage. Just-just don’t tell Sebastian about this, okay? Your father’s getting discharged soon, and if he’s going to be living here, I don’t want him involved in this mess.”
I blinked, caught off guard by his sudden shift in focus. “What does my father have to do with any of this?”
“Everything,” Roland said, his tone grim.
“He’s going to be part of this household. If Sebastian finds out about tonight, it could create… complications. Just promise me you’ll keep this between us.”
I opened my mouth to argue but stopped myself. Roland was clearly in no state to debate, and the last thing he needed was me pushing back when he could barely stand upright. But the frustration bubbling inside me demanded an outlet.
“Fine,” I snapped, crossing my arms. “But you need to get that wound cleaned up properly. I’ll check on you in the morning.”
Roland gave a small nod, his movements sluggish. “Thanks,” he said quietly, turning to leave.
I watched him go, my frustration and worry warring with each other. As much as I hated being told what to do, he wasn’t wrong about one thing, Sebastian didn’t need to know about this, at least not yet.
There was already enough tension in the air with my father’s upcoming return. Adding this to the mix could tip the balance in ways none of us could predict.
When the door clicked shut behind Roland, I let out a shaky breath, my hands gripping the back of the nearest chair for support.
My thoughts were a tangled mess of concern, anger, and confusion.
What the hell had Roland gotten himself into? And why did he seem so adamant about keeping Sebastian in the dark?
The sound of Sebastian’s car pulling into the driveway snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.
My heart skipped a beat as I straightened, hastily smoothing my hair and adjusting my expression. Whatever had just happened with Roland, Sebastian couldn’t know, not yet.
When he walked through the door, his presence filled the room in an instant. His sharp gaze swept over me, his brow furrowing slightly.
“You’re still up?” he asked, his voice low and laced with concern.
I forced a smile, shrugging lightly. “Couldn’t sleep,” I replied, keeping my tone casual.
“I was just thinking about tomorrow. My father’s so excited to see you.”
Sebastian’s expression softened, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I’m looking forward to seeing him too,” he said, his voice warm.
I nodded, my heart aching at the sincerity in his words. For a moment, I almost told him about Roland, about the fight, about the blood. But the weight of Roland’s plea held me back.
Sebastian stepped closer, his hand brushing against my cheek. “You look tired,” he murmured. “You should get some rest.”
“I will,” I said softly, leaning into his touch.
But as he pulled me into his arms, his warmth and strength enveloping me, the guilt of my silence settled like a stone in my chest. For now, I would keep Roland’s secret.
But deep down, I knew it was only a matter of time before the truth came out, and when it did, the consequences would be far more complicated than any of us could imagine.