Page 126 of Lost & Found

Ours made it impossible. The stakes were too high. Not to mention Sebastian. After speaking with him for close to an hour—yes, an hour—I wanted to scream. It was as if he knew without having to be told, and I don’t know what pissed me off more.

The fact that he felt the need to bring it up, or that he was right. Jeopardizing our connections for the sake of seven minutes in heaven would be straight up foolish, reckless even. Sebastian’s last words burned a hole in my heart.

Imagine how Kinsley would feel if I had to kill him for crossing the line. And just so we’re clear, I will kill him without a second thought.

Something like that would have a ripple effect. And I wasn’t being dramatic either, because it honestly was. Not only would someone I care deeply about no longer be breathing, but Kinsley would never get over it.

She would hate Sebastian, which would affect his relationship with the Kings. Marcel would have to choose a side, and yeah, it would have a ripple effect, for sure. One I didn’t want to be the cause of starting, so it was for the best.

No way in hell I’d risk losing the bonds we’d built as a family.

I sighed. The sun was exceptionally warm today, and since I was not down at the beach but on the private patio of our hotel, I opted to wear one of the other swimsuits Kinsley purchased. While it had more coverage for the girls, it definitely left more of my ass hanging out, or maybe it was just the way it fit.

I sat, pencil poised over the page, and let my mind drift. Today was the last day of the intensive class, and we were supposed to attend the show later tonight. I was mid-sketch, lost in the rhythmic strokes of the lines and curves of my drawing, when I noticed a shadow fall over me.

Slowly, I took him in. There was something insanely attractive about him post-workout. That magnetic pull once more had me appreciating the glistening sweat on him. Clad in a snug-fitting black tank top and matching sweats, he was striking.

The fabric of the shirt hugged his body. Beneath it, the outline of his tattoos teased me. I put those there. A thrill raced through my veins. He somehow looked tanner than when we first arrived, which was silly since I probably spent more time in the sun than him the last two days.

I loved the play of light and shadow across his face and the golden-brown depths of his eyes as they shimmered with a familiar intensity. He flashed me a lopsided grin. It tugged at the corners of his lips, casting a playful gleam in his eyes.

As I continued to stare, his smile widened. It reached his eyes, and speaking of them; they sparkled and his entire being radiated pure joy. I couldn’t help but feel like something major happened today for him.

“What?” I asked, tilting my head.

“You won’t believe it, but I got a job offer,” he said, practically bounding on the balls of his feet. His chest puffed with pride, and all the air left my lungs.

My heart dropped, free-fell off the face of the earth. “A job offer? Here?”

A churning rush of emotions raced through me. He couldn’t be serious. My sketchpad suddenly felt heavy on my lap.

“Yeah, crazy, huh? They have a training course coming up.”

He was extremely flexible and athletic. He loved dance and was made for it. But all I could think about was an empty house in London. Silent mornings at the breakfast table, another empty seat to stare at. The absence of his steady presence.

What the hell was I supposed to say? Congratulations? That’s amazing? Great job? It would come out as hollow as penne. I forced a smile, trying to mask the turmoil inside.

“It would be a tremendous opportunity,” he said, still grinning like a fool.

I stood abruptly, my hands flying to my hips. How could he think about taking such an offer? His words had my mind spiraling. I was filled with confusion and fear. I didn’t want to lose him.

“And you took it? Without discussing it with the family?” I demanded, hating that my breathing had increased to the point where panic threatened to take over.

His eyes were drawn to my breasts hungrily. They pebbled under his scrutiny. This was not the time for my body to react to him. Damn it all to hell. His tongue wet his lower lip, and I held my breath, waiting for him to answer.

“Well, did you?”

I would never have predicted this as her reaction. I tore my gaze from her fucking breasts, which were screaming my name. There was a flicker of anger and fear in her eyes. What a rush. Isabella cared—and if her stance at the moment was any indicator, she cared a lot.

“Answer me, Lev. Did you take the job without a family vote?” she once more demanded.

I leaned against the frame of the open glass door, amused by her response. “I haven’t decided anything yet,” I said, deliberately keeping it vague. “It’s an opportunity. A great one at that. I told them I needed some time to think it over.”

Her eyes narrowed, and a storm of emotions brewed behind them. She didn’t suffer from the same attachment disorder Kinsley did, so her anger was telling. Did little Bellaruso have deeper feelings for me than she was letting on?

“Excuse me? I can’t believe you’d even consider it without talking to all of us first,” she said. With each breath she took, her tits rose and fell with heated anger. “Unbelievable. We’re a family. You can’t make a decision like this on your own. You’re not your own person.”

A rush of warmth spread through my chest and the blood flow went straight to my dick. Her words sounded territorial to my extremely needy ears. And that is what she made me. Fucking needy as all get out. I’d dreamed of eating her out, fucking her senseless and then eating her out again on repeat.