Chapter Two
Sebastian
Stepping out of Easton’s mustang and onto the sidewalk, I straighten my suit as I peruse the few faces passing by. Another hour and the sidewalks will be bustling with businessmen and women on their way to fill the scores of offices in the city.
My skin prickles as my back straightens with awareness. The tingling sensation of being watched returns, and my vision sharpens as I again search the street around me.
It was late afternoon, a couple of months ago, when I’d first felt it. The office had been quiet as it usually was on a Saturday, but I’d had a business meeting with Easton that morning, so he’d dropped me off at the office afterwards to get some extra work done. Dusk was settling over the city as I exited the building to meet the driver I’d called to take me back to the penthouse, but as soon as I stepped onto the street, I felt it—a wash of awareness that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Ever since that day, the sensation has trailed me,except I’ve never been able to pinpoint the cause, and it’s not always there, leaving enough room for doubt to question whether it’s not all in my head. And after everything that happened with my parents, I don’t know what to believe.
Though, the strangest part is the feeling isn’t quite as threatening as it should be.
It’s probably stress.
The stress of unexpectedly becoming CEO of a multimillion-dollar company.
I knew this was my future, but it wasn’t supposed to be now. Ten years. Maybe fifteen, knowing my father. He would retire, and I would take over just like he trained me to do.
But I just can’t help but feel like I’m not prepared. Though, I don’t know if that has more to do with running the company or not being ready tolose them.
The thought of my parents has my chest tightening, and I’m suddenly the little boy left alone on the streets again to fend for himself.
Fuck.
I sigh, running a hand through my hair when a glint of reflection catches my eye across the street. Narrowing my gaze in that direction, I see someone—a woman—standing in the park with something held to her face.
A camera.
A camera pointed atme.
“What’s wrong?” Easton asks, closing his door.
The feeling that’s been plaguing me hits me with full force, and I know it’s her. Sure, she could be taking photos of the trees or the sunrise or what-the-fuck-ever, but I know this is who has been following me.
I canfeelit.
The woman startles at my stare, only strengthening my suspicion, and a flash of brown hair fills my vision as she stumbles. Rage fills me as adrenaline pumps through my blood, but I’m already moving.
Easton is calling my name, and the echo of car tyres screeching almost drowns out his voice, but my sole focus is the girl scrambling to get off the ground.
A horn blares, and I slap the hood of a car that stops mere inches away from me. “Motherfucker!” The driver flips me off and hits his horn again, but I’m already on the move again.
A growl rumbles through me when I notice the girl is already halfway through the park, and I push more power into my legs as she turns left. She glances over her shoulder before disappearing from my sight behind all the trees lining the pathways.
Car horns continue to blast, and I know Easton is right behind me.
The distance between the girl and me narrows, but I don’t see her when I round the same corner.
Fuck!
A woman pushes a pram, and a man rides his bike, but there’s no dark-haired girl running for her life. With no direction, I slow to a jog, and it’s not long until Easton is by my side.
“Where’d she go?” he asks.
“I don’t know.” Several paths branch off the main one we’re on, some leading to other streets in the city. “Shit.”
I head further down the main path, glancing down the various ways she could have gone, but I don’t see anything.