ROLAND’S POV
I hung up the call with a quiet sigh, staring at the phone in my hand like it had personally offended me.
Sebastian had no manners; that much was clear from the way he barked orders as if everyone existed solely to do his bidding.
He was bossy, overbearing, and, quite frankly, the type of man I would normally have avoided if given the chance.
But here I was, entangled in his world for reasons that made my stomach churn. I didn’t like taking orders, not from him, not from anyone. Yet, for now, I had to play along. At least until I got what I wanted.
The thought made me clench my jaw, my fingers tightening around the steering wheel as I drove down the wide, tree-lined streets toward Sebastian’s house.
It wasn’t a far drive, but every minute felt like an eternity. My patience was wearing thin, and I didn’t care to spend more time than necessary around him.
He’d better have a damn good reason for summoning me like this. The way he had spoken, so curt and demanding, grated on my nerves. It wasn’t as if I owed him anything.
No, the truth was far from that. If anything, it was Sebastian who owed me, though I doubted he’d ever see it that way.
For now, I had to keep my cards close to my chest. Whatever Sebastian needed, it wasn’t going to matter for long.
Once Sasha was back where she belonged-by my side-I’d be done with him for good. Done with this whole tangled web of lies, power plays, and manipulation.
The thought of Sasha sent a pang through me, but I quickly pushed it aside. She was my goal, my prize. I couldn’t afford to let emotions cloud my judgment. Not now, not when I was so close to the finish line.
The gates to Sebastian’s estate loomed ahead, an imposing display of wealth and power. I pressed the intercom button, leaning back in my seat as I waited for someone to answer.
“Yes?” a clipped voice crackled through the speaker.
“It’s Roland,” I said simply, not bothering to hide the annoyance in my tone.
There was a pause, and then the gates began to swing open, the heavy iron creaking as they moved. I drove through, the tires of my car crunching against the gravel driveway.
The house came into view, its grandeur enough to make anyone feel small in comparison. But I didn’t feel small. I didn’t feel anything. This was just another stop on the path to what I wanted.
By the time I parked and made my way to the front door, a member of Sebastian’s staff was already there to greet me.
“Mr. Roland, welcome,” the man said with a polite nod. “Mr. Sebastian is not here at the moment, but I can tell you where to find him.”
Of course, he wasn’t here. I shouldn’t have expected him to make things easy. “Where is he?” I asked, keeping my tone even.
“He’s upstairs, in his bedroom,” the staff member replied.
I gave a curt nod, not bothering to thank him as I headed inside. The interior of the house was just as extravagant as the exterior, every detail screaming wealth and excess.
It was the kind of place that felt more like a museum than a home, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Sebastian ever felt lonely here. Not that it mattered.
The stairs creaked faintly under my weight as I ascended, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent house.
My mind raced with possibilities as I approached the bedroom. Why had he called me here? What could he possibly need from me?
When I reached the door, I hesitated for a moment, my hand hovering over the doorknob. Then, with a deep breath, I pushed it open and stepped inside.
Sebastian was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. He looked up as I entered, his sharp features hardening as our eyes met.
“Roland,” he said, his tone a mix of relief and frustration. “Sit down.”
I raised an eyebrow but did as he asked, lowering myself into the chair by the window. The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with unspoken words.
“What’s this about?” I asked, leaning back in the chair and crossing my arms over my chest.
Sebastian ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening. “It’s about Sasha,” he said finally, his voice low. “I need your help finding her.”
His words sent a jolt through me, though I managed to keep my expression neutral. “And why would you think I’d help you with that?” I asked, my tone laced with skepticism.
“Because you care about her,” Sebastian said simply, meeting my gaze head-on. “You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t.”
I hated how well he could read me, how easily he could cut through the layers I tried to put between us.
But he was right. I did care about Sasha, more than I cared to admit. And that was exactly why I couldn’t let Sebastian get too close.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” I said, my voice cold. “I’m not doing this for you. If I help, it’s because I want Sasha back where she belongs.”
Sebastian’s lips curled into a faint smirk, though there was no humor in his eyes. “Fair enough,” he said. “Now, let’s focus on finding her.”
He gestured to the papers spread out on the bed beside him-maps, phone records, and other documents I couldn’t immediately make sense of. I leaned forward, studying them with a critical eye.
“What’s all this?” I asked.
“Clues,” Sebastian said. “Or at least, what little we have to go on.”
I frowned, picking up one of the papers and scanning it. It was a printout of a call log, the numbers unfamiliar to me. “You think one of these calls will lead us to her?”
“It’s a possibility,” Sebastian said. “But it’s not just the calls. I’ve been tracking her movements, trying to piece together where she might have gone.”
I glanced at him, noting the lines of stress etched into his face. For all his arrogance and bravado, it was clear that this situation was taking a toll on him.
And as much as I hated to admit it, I could relate. Sasha had a way of getting under your skin, of making you care whether you wanted to or not.
“Do you have any leads?” I asked, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand.
“Nothing concrete,” Sebastian admitted. “But I’m not giving up. I can’t.”
His determination was almost admirable, though I would never tell him that. Instead, I nodded, leaning back in the chair as I considered our next move.
“Alright,” I said finally. “Let’s figure this out. But don’t expect me to play by your rules, Sebastian. I’ll do this my way.”
Sebastian’s smirk returned, this time with a hint of genuine amusement. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
And with that, we got to work. For all my misgivings about Sebastian, I had to admit that he was as relentless as he was resourceful. If anyone could help me find Sasha, it was him.
But as we pored over the evidence, one thought lingered in the back of my mind-a nagging question I couldn’t shake. What would happen once we found her?
Because one thing was certain: this wasn’t just about finding Sasha. It was about who she would choose when all was said and done. And I wasn’t about to let Sebastian win.