Sacrifice (Ritual Sins #2)

14. Rose

14

Rose

I stared at Sebastian, my eyes wide and my heart pounding. “Do you think my father was right?” I asked. “Do you think your father would really kill you to save himself?”

Sebastian kept his eyes on the road. That tiny muscle was ticking in his jaw again. “I don’t know,” he muttered. “I don’t want to believe he’d do something like that to me. But after everything I’ve learned tonight… I feel like I don’t know him at all. Like I never knew him.”

“I understand,” I said softly, reaching one hand over to rest on his leg. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, baby.”

“I know. I just meant that I’m sorry about how everything has turned out. I’m sorry your mother’s killer turned out to be… him ,” I said, shaking my head. “I never would’ve expected it in a million years. He put on such a good show of blaming us.”

“Yeah, I get it.” He glanced at me, eyes filled with a mix of affection and sorrow. “Would’ve been a hell of a lot easier if it just turned out to be some random guy neither of us knew, right?”

“Yes. Definitely.” I sat up straight and peered out the window. “Hold on. I think you missed the turnoff road.”

Sebastian took one hand off the wheel to briefly rub his forehead. “We’re not going to the Pinecrest Falls house anymore.”

“Why? Do you think your father could already be looking for you?” I asked, heart skipping a beat.

“Yeah, it’s possible, so I don’t want to risk it. Especially when I have you with me. I need to keep you safe, Rose.”

My stomach did a little flip, and a flush of warmth ran through my body. Sebastian’s father didn’t know me, probably didn’t even know I existed, and yet Sebastian was still far more concerned about my safety than he was about his own. He was a true protector.

“I’ll do anything I can to help you,” I said, squeezing his leg.

He glanced at me again, lips slightly turned upward in a ghost of a smile. “I know, baby. Thank you.”

I turned and peered at the road. “You threw your phone out so he couldn’t track you, right?”

“Yup. But I still have the burner phone, and he has no idea it exists, so if I need to make any calls or look anything up, I’ve got that.”

“Oh.” I turned my gaze back to him. “Where are we going now?”

“Back to the city.”

My eyes widened. “You mean New York City?”

“Yup.”

“But that’s five or six hours away! You need to sleep.”

“I’ll sleep when I get there.” Sebastian gestured to a button on the console between our seats. “That button reclines your seat. You can sleep now if you want.”

“I’ll stay awake with you,” I said stubbornly. “I want to make sure you’re okay to drive.”

He flashed another faint smile at me. “I’ll be fine. After everything I just found out, I’ve got about ten fucking tons of adrenaline working its way through my system.”

I took a deep breath and looked out at the wide road ahead. “So… what are we going to do in the city?” I asked. “It wouldn’t make sense to confront your father now that he knows you know everything, would it? Because there’s no way he’d admit anything to you out loud. He’d probably suspect that you’re secretly recording him to catch him out.”

“Totally agree with you,” Sebastian replied. “Jesse inadvertently made things about ten times harder for us.”

“It’s not his fault, though. He didn’t know any better, did he?”

“No. You’re right, it’s not his fault. But things are a fuck-ton harder for us now,” he said, slowly shaking his head. “I’m going to need to find some other sort of evidence to incriminate my father, seeing as the idea of getting a recorded confession has gone right out the window.”

“What are you thinking?”

His jaw tightened. “Do you remember me mentioning a laptop computer to you? One that my mother had?”

My brows furrowed. “I think so. It had her research notes, right? And you thought it might be in the forbidden cave?”

“Yup. Back when I still thought your dad had killed her, I figured he might’ve taken her laptop as a sort of trophy. Tons of killers do that. Take something from the victim as a reminder of the thrill of the incident.” Sebastian hesitated and rubbed his jaw. “It went missing around the same time that she did, and I think most people assumed the same thing as me—that the Covenant stole it when they took her.”

“But it was actually your father behind it all,” I said, nodding slowly as I caught onto his train of thought. “So you think he took the laptop.”

“Yeah. I’m guessing he either hid it or destroyed it,” he replied. “Mom must’ve written something in her research notes about the drugs and IVF scheme once she figured it all out. Or maybe he just thought she might’ve written something that implicated his family, so he wanted to stop the cops from getting their hands on it.”

“He probably destroyed it, right? Just to make sure he’s never caught?”

Sebastian’s head tilted slightly to one side. “Not necessarily. My father was never a suspect in Mom’s murder, thanks to his frame-up job against the Covenant. No one would’ve considered him for a second,” he said. “So he might’ve felt like it was safe to keep the laptop hidden somewhere. I mean, it’s a long shot, but it’s the best piece of possible evidence I can think of right now.”

“It’s definitely worth looking into.” My forehead wrinkled. “But where would he hide it?”

“In his house, most likely.”

“Which you can’t go to right now,” I said, shoulders sagging. “It’s too dangerous for you.”

“We’ll figure something out,” Sebastian replied. “But first, I need to find a place for us to stay when we get to the city.”

“I assume we can’t go to your house there?”

“Definitely not. My apartment is the first place my father would go to look for me. He’s probably hired some fucking goons to watch the place, too, in case I return at any point.”

“Could we stay with someone you know?” I asked. “Like Jesse. Or those old college friends of yours that you told me about a while ago. Or some other friends, maybe?”

“We could do that, but I don’t want to put any of them at risk.” Sebastian’s lips twisted in contemplation. “I think we should book a hotel room, but only if I can find a place that accepts cash.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, cocking my head. “Don’t all outsider businesses need payment from customers?”

“Yes, but most people don’t pay for things with physical money these days,” he explained. “We use credit or debit cards instead. And most hotels only accept card payments.”

“Oh.” I nodded slowly. “But they can be tracked, I assume. That’s why you said we need a hotel that takes cash.”

“Exactly.”

“Will it be hard to find a place that does that?”

Sebastian rubbed his chin. “It could be. But if I offer them enough money, they might be willing to waive the card requirement.”

“You have lots of money, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” He glanced over at me, lips curving upward in a small, wry smile. “Partially because of the Covenant, as it turns out.”

I slowly shook my head. “I still can’t believe your family was connected to Alderwood this whole time. For centuries . Over mushrooms, of all things.”

“Me neither. Fucking crazy shit.”

The hum of the car and the rhythm of the road began to lull me into a strange calm. My eyelids felt impossibly heavy, and my body was sagging in the seat as if I were being pushed down by some invisible weight. It had been such a long day. Emotionally and physically draining in ways I’d never expected.

Sebastian was still talking to me, but his words were starting to blur together. I blinked, trying to stay engaged, but with each passing second, the effort became harder. The last thing I saw was the faint glow of the dashboard lights before I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up again, I blinked, disoriented. The soft hum of the car still surrounded me, but everything else had changed. I sat up straight, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and looked out the window.

My breath instantly caught in my throat at the sight before me. Towering buildings, so tall they seemed to touch the sky, loomed around us. Crowds of people moved like rivers along the sidewalks, and the streets were alive with blaring horns and flashing signs.

“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Sebastian said. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.” I snapped my wide-eyed gaze back to him. “This is New York City?”

“Yup. What do you think of it?”

I peered out the window again, my heart racing, trying to take it all in. The scale, the energy… it was overwhelming and fascinating all at once.

“It’s huge,” I said, turning back to look at him. It seemed like such a silly, obvious thing for me to say, but I was so shocked that I couldn’t quite figure out how to put my thoughts into words.

“Certainly is.” Sebastian grinned. “It might take you a while to get used to all the noise, but you’ll get there.”

“I always imagined what it would be like to be in a real city, but my imagination could never produce all of this,” I said, looking back outside.

He reached over and squeezed my thigh. “I hope it’s not too jarring for you. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to only see a mountain village my whole life, and then suddenly be thrust into a place like this.”

I smiled at him. “I’ll be okay. I’ve always wanted to explore the outside world, remember?”

“Yeah.” Sebastian returned my smile. “I remember all your paintings.”

“Now I can paint the real thing.” I paused and cocked my head. “Did you find a hotel yet?”

He nodded. “I called a few places while you were sleeping. Found one with a receptionist who seemed amenable to cash bribes,” he replied. “Now I just need to hit up an ATM.”

“What’s that?”

“Sorry. I keep forgetting there’s all these things you’ve never heard of,” he said. “ATM stands for ‘automatic teller machine’. You put your bank card in, and it gives you money.”

My eyes widened. “However much you want?”

“Not exactly. It depends how much money you have in your account. Some people don’t have as much as others.”

“Oh.” It suddenly occurred to me that I didn’t have any money, let alone an account, or any kind of identifying documents that would likely be required to create one.

Sebastian correctly read the expression on my face and squeezed my leg again. “Don’t worry, baby. We’ll get everything sorted out for you eventually,” he said. “I have more than enough to take care of you for as long as you need, anyway.”

“Thank you.” I spotted a sign on the edge of the street that said ‘ATM’. “Is that the machine you need?”

“Yup. But I’ll probably have to go somewhere else, because there’s nowhere to park.” He frowned. “That’s one of the first things you’ll realize about this city. There are never any fucking parking spots available.”

“I’m not surprised. It’s so crowded.”

As I spoke, someone pulled out of a parking spot just ahead of us, and Sebastian’s brows shot up. “I spoke too soon,” he said, grinning. “You’re my good luck charm, Rose.”

Once he’d stopped the car, he turned to look at me. “I’ll only be gone for a couple of minutes. Don’t open your door or window for anyone, okay?”

“Okay.”

True to his word, he returned in two minutes, holding several stacks of thin, rectangular pieces of paper. Each of them was a pale green color, covered in strange, intricate markings.

“That’s what money looks like?” I said, gingerly taking one of the stacks as he held it out to me.

“Yup. I took out a fuck-ton, because my father will probably have someone tracing my cards now, so I don’t want to use them anymore. This’ll be the last time.” He started the car again and pulled back onto the busy street. “You ready to go shopping?”

“For what?”

He grinned at me. “You’ll need some things to wear. So will I, seeing as I can’t go home right now.”

“Oh.” I glanced down at my dress. “I suppose people here would find my clothing a little strange, wouldn’t they?”

“Probably. Then again, it’s New York. Your outfit wouldn’t even be the fifth weirdest thing most people here have seen in the last hour,” he said, still wryly grinning.

Half an hour later, we stepped into an enormous building, which Sebastian referred to as a department store. I instantly felt like I’d stepped into another world. The air was thick with a kind of luxury I’d never imagined before, with a wonderfully fragrant scent drifting through the space. The floors gleamed beneath my feet, and everywhere I turned, there were shelves filled with things I couldn’t even name—shimmering fabrics draped across mannequins, delicate glass bottles in various colors, and jewelry that caught the light and threw it back in dazzling flashes.

The ceilings stretched high above us, with crystal light fixtures sparkling like suspended stars. People moved around with quiet purpose, their clothes immaculate, their steps as light and graceful as the soft classical music that played faintly in the background. I couldn’t help but stare at them. They, along with everything else in this place, seemed so far removed from anything I’d ever known.

I stayed close to Sebastian, clutching his arm. “Don’t worry,” he murmured. “I’ve got you.”

“Welcome to Elysian House. Can I help you?” A slightly nasal feminine voice addressed us from our left, and I turned to see a smiling woman with dark curls and sparkling brown eyes.

Sebastian nodded. “We’re looking for a personal shopper,” he said. “Someone to help my girlfriend pick out some new clothes.”

“I can certainly help with that,” the woman said, eyeing me. “My name is Aimee, by the way. What sort of clothes are you looking for today?”

“Um…” I gnawed at the inside of my cheek, utterly clueless as to what I should say.

“Basically everything,” Sebastian said. “Some casual things, and some nicer outfits too. Shoes, socks, pajamas, and underwear as well. Her apartment flooded last night, so she’s lost almost everything she had before.”

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry to hear that. You poor thing!” Aimee said. She eyed my faded old dress again. “Is this, er… all that survived the flood?”

“No, this is a costume from her set,” Sebastian said smoothly. “She’s an actress. Right now, she’s working on a historical drama. Sort of like Little House on the Prairie.”

Aimee’s eyes widened. “Oh, wow! That sounds amazing. I love period dramas,” she said. “What’s it called? I’d love to check it out.”

“They’re still testing different titles in focus groups,” Sebastian said. “So we aren’t sure yet, unfortunately.”

“Ah, I see.” Aimee peered at me again. “Now that I think about it, you do look very familiar. Were you in that lawyer show? The one with Patrick Wilkins?”

I smiled nervously. “No, that wasn’t me. But I’ve been told I have a familiar sort of face.”

“Ah. Well, I’ll have to keep an eye out for this prairie show. I hope it does well for you,” she said, clasping her hands together. She leaned forward slightly and winked. “Also, if it really takes off, my friends will be super jealous to hear that I helped a famous actress with her wardrobe.”

I smiled, and this time I wasn’t so nervous. Even though this woman was barely more than a stranger to me, she was behaving in a bubbly and warm manner toward me, as if we were friends. It was worlds away from what I’d expected after all the terrible things I’d heard about outsiders over the years.

Then again, Sebastian was an outsider too, and he was wonderful. It seemed the outside world was really just a bigger version of Alderwood—filled with all sorts of people, some good and some bad.

Aimee determined my size by simply looking at me, and then she led me throughout the mazelike store, picking up various tops, pants, dresses, jackets, shoes, and undergarments. After that, she directed me to a changing room. “I’ll be right outside if you need help,” she said with a smile before pulling the curtain across with a swish.

Sebastian poked his head in a second later. “Do you feel safe with her on your own?” he asked in a low voice. “I need to grab a few things for myself. But I can wait and get then later if you’d rather have me stay.”

“It’s okay, you can go,” I said with a reassuring smile. “Aimee is very nice.”

He nodded, gave me a quick kiss, and left. I spent the next several minutes trying on the shoes and clothing Aimee had picked out for me. All of it was beautiful and fit like a dream, and when I looked at myself in the mirror, it felt like I was staring at a different person entirely. I looked like one of them now. An outsider. I liked the way it looked, though, and I liked the way it made me feel. Like I could really live in this world. Really fit in.

I emerged from the dressing room and told Aimee I liked everything, including the final outfit I’d tried, which I was still wearing along with a pair of black shoes. She briefly glanced at Sebastian, who’d now returned with several bags of things for himself, and he nodded. “I’ll take it all,” he said with a confident grin. “My girl gets whatever she wants.”

Aimee winked at me. “Lucky you,” she murmured in my ear. “Super-sexy boyfriend, and he’s generous too.”

I smiled and nodded. She was right. I was lucky. Even though Sebastian was once my captor, he had quickly become my protector and savior once he realized his terrible mistake, and I couldn’t imagine finding anyone better. Not ever. I loved him and trusted him with my life… and as Aimee had just pointed out, his heart-melting looks were a nice bonus.

By the time we finished at the department store, it was midday, and my stomach was growling. Sebastian took me to a small food place that he referred to as the best greasy-spoon diner in the East Village—I was sure I’d know exactly what that meant one day—and judging by the delectable taste of the massive meat sandwich he ordered for me, it was the best.

With our hunger satisfied, we finally headed to the hotel Sebastian had booked earlier. After he handed over a fat stack of cash to the smug-looking receptionist, we received a keycard and directions to the top-floor suite.

Once again, I was mesmerized by the sheer grandeur of it all—the enormous staircase with its ornate wrought-iron railing, the stunning artwork hanging on the walls, and the soft hum of quiet conversation and laughter. For what felt like the thousandth time since my arrival in the city, I couldn't help but feel like I was walking right through a dream.

The suite Sebastian had booked was amazing too, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the city below. Every detail in the room, from the silky-soft bedding to the marble bathroom, seemed designed to enchant. There was so much wealth and elegance surrounding me that for a moment, I felt the old urge to pinch my arm to stop myself from feeling too overwhelmed.

“God, I’ve been waiting for this all fucking day,” Sebastian said huskily, wrapping his arms around me from behind as I peered into the bathroom again.

“A shower?” I said. “I need one too. I feel quite dirty.”

“I meant I’ve been waiting to be alone with you,” he murmured, pushing my hair over my shoulder so he could gently bite at my neck. “But I like the idea of you feeling dirty.”

I giggled softly and tipped my head to the side, granting him even more access to the right side of my neck. “In what way?”

“You know what way,” he growled, hot breath fanning against my skin. He drew back and slapped me on the ass, sending a jolt of pleasure through me. “Go on. Get in the shower, dirty girl.”

“You’re joining me, right?” I asked, turning my head over my shoulder as I turned on the hot tap.

“You don’t even need to ask,” he said, grinning wolfishly as he yanked off his shirt. He stepped closer as he unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants. “I’ve been thinking about fucking you ever since I saw you step out of that dressing room in those tight jeans. Your ass in them… fuck .”

I turned around to face the shower again, making a big show of bending over in my new jeans as I slowly pulled my socks off. Sebastian groaned and grabbed me from behind before spinning me around to face him. His lips grazed along my throat, and my every breath became a pant as he began to alternate between sucking at my neck and nipping at it with his teeth.

I felt hot arousal pooling between my thighs, and I frantically unzipped my jeans and shimmied out of them. Sebastian helped me remove the rest of my clothes, and then he pushed me into the shower and pressed me up against the wall, using one knee to roughly shove my legs apart as one hand moved to play with my breasts.

“Oh, yes…” I let out a needy sigh and tipped my head back, my nipples aching right along with the sensitive spot between my legs.

Sebastian pulled away from my chest, directing his attention to the space between my thighs. I didn’t even need to look down to know the insides were still coated and slick with arousal for him despite the hot water spraying over them. He cupped my pussy, thick fingers sliding along my wet skin, parting me easily. Flames of desire burned deep inside me, each touch a fiery ember to stoke the fire.

Without warning or mercy, Sebastian whipped me around to face the wall and roughly entered me, closing his fingers over my mouth to capture my half-strangled scream of surprise.

“So fucking tight,” he growled against my throat, sliding a hand around to rub at my clit again. He circled the tiny bud, swirling expertly across every nerve ending, as he withdrew and thrust back in, forcing another muffled cry from my mouth. “So perfect.”

I began to let out little gasps at every movement he made, growing even wetter and hotter with every heartbeat. He was touching me so well, filling me so deeply, that I could practically see stars dancing across the steamy air surrounding us. My breaths were coming in shallow puffs, and the heated pressure inside me was building steadily, climbing higher… higher… higher...

Oh, god. I was going to come already.

My fingertips curled against the tiled wall, and a whimper escaped my mouth. Sebastian leaned down to mutter against my ear. “That’s a good girl,” he said, pounding into me again. “Let everyone in this place hear how much you like to be fucked. Let the whole fucking city hear you.”

I whimpered louder, loving it when he said such filthy things to me. I wanted more. Wanted everything he had. My lips parted in a loud moan, and his fingertips moved faster between my legs. “Tell me what you want, wicked girl,” he growled. “You want me to keep fucking this dripping pussy of yours? Or do you want me in your tight ass again?”

Those words alone were enough to unfurl the pleasure in my belly, and I gasped and shuddered, muscles clamping down on Sebastian’s cock as he kept fucking me. “Oh, fuck,” he gritted out. “There’s my answer.”

“More,” I gasped out. “I… I want more.”

“I want more too.” He grunted, thrusting forcefully. “I want you to come on my cock again. I need to feel it.”

Every muscle in my body tightened. I was already close. Again.

Sebastian’s free hand weaved through my hair, tugging my neck backwards to press his lips against the shell of my ear. “Come on, baby,” he muttered. “Be a good girl and come on my cock again.”

As he spoke, he lowered his hand and slid a finger in my ass. I was panting like a dog now, barely able to hold myself against the wall as his movements became faster and more erratic. Light flashed before my eyes, and I shattered into a million pieces, my entire body shaking as I screamed out my pleasure.

Sebastian slammed into me one more time, his cock in my pussy working in unison with the finger in my ass. “So fucking good,” he ground out. “I can feel it all… oh, fuck .”

With that, he finally came, letting out a series of primal groans as he emptied himself in me and slowly pulled out. I was trembling so much I could barely hold myself upright, and his arms wrapped around me, gently holding me in place. I was only half-coherent now, brain on an orgasm high, so I let myself melt into his embrace as the warm water washed over us.

I barely even registered the shower turning off, or the towel wrapping around my body once Sebastian had carried me out of the enclosure. I’d slept in the car earlier, but every inch of my body was thoroughly exhausted again, and all I could think of was collapsing into bed.

Sebastian must’ve felt the same way, because he quietly carried me over to the bed and set me down before tugging the blanket over me and settling in next to me. He snaked one arm around his pillow and the other around me, pulling me closer to him. Warm and secure in his embrace, I pressed one ear against his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat.

“We need to figure out what to do,” I murmured groggily as sleep threatened to pull me under. I felt bad for being so tired when I’d promised him only hours earlier to help him with the situation with his father.

“Later.” Sebastian pressed a soft kiss on my forehead. “For now—rest.”

“Okay.” I yawned. “I love you.”

It was only the second time I’d spoken those words to him, and they felt delicious on my tongue. My new favorite thing. As I finally succumbed to the tempting darkness, eyes drifting closed, I heard his murmured response. “I love you too, baby.”