Chapter 6
The heavy oak doors of Sebastian’s private study clicked shut, sealing out the chaotic aftermath of the dining hall. The room was a haven of dark mahogany, leather, and walls lined with rare books. The same cinematic, natural lighting illuminated the space, casting a soft, warm golden glow without any heavy yellow cast.
Sebastian guided Tessa toward a plush leather sofa near the fireplace.
"Sit," he instructed gently, his deep voice a soothing contrast to the violence he had just threatened outside.
Tessa obeyed, perching nervously on the edge of the cushions. Her sophisticated black maid dress rustled softly. She kept her eyes lowered, her fair, rosy cheeks flushed with a mixture of fear and adrenaline. She was alone in a room with the most dangerous man in the city, yet for the first time in weeks, she felt a strange, inexplicable sense of safety.
Sebastian walked over to a polished wooden cabinet and retrieved a small, immaculate first-aid kit. He removed his tailored suit jacket, draping it over a chair, revealing the crisp white dress shirt that strained against his broad, athletic shoulders. He rolled up his sleeves, exposing the full extent of the refined linework tattoos adorning his forearms.
He pulled up a heavy wooden chair and sat directly in front of her.
"Give me your hand, Tessa," Sebastian said softly.
Tessa hesitated, her expressive eyes darting up to meet his cold, sharp gaze. The vulnerability in her face was heartbreaking. Slowly, with trembling fingers, she extended her right arm, pulling back the white cuff of her uniform.
The bruising was severe—a dark, mottled ring of purple and blue that looked like a handprint completely crushing her delicate wrist.
Sebastian’s sharply defined jawline clenched as he looked at the injury. The charming, romantic movie-star aesthetic faded, replaced by a dark, brooding fury that he struggled to suppress.
"She did this... today?" he asked, his voice rough.
"Yesterday," Tessa whispered, her American accent fragile. "When I was serving her tea in the solarium. She grabbed me and played the recording. She said if I told you, she would tell you that I was stealing from the estate, and that you would kill my brother."
Sebastian opened the first-aid kit. He produced a soothing medical ointment and a soft bandage. With movements that were astonishingly gentle for a man with such massive, lethal hands, he began to apply the ointment to her bruised skin.
"I do not... kill my staff," Sebastian murmured, his thumb lightly grazing her uninjured skin. "And I certainly... do not abuse women. You should have come to me."
"I was terrified," Tessa confessed, tears welling in her eyes again. "The recording sounded exactly like you, Mr. Vale. And she is... she was your fiancée. Why would you believe a maid over her?"
"Because you... possess a dignity she lacks," Sebastian replied, not looking up from his careful bandaging. "And because my eyes... do not deceive me. I saw the fear in you. I saw the way you shrank from me."
He finished wrapping her wrist, securing the bandage with meticulous care. He did not immediately release her hand. He let his tattooed fingers rest against her palm, the warmth of his skin seeping into hers.
"There will be no more fear in this house, Tessa," Sebastian promised, finally lifting his head to look directly into her eyes. The intensity of his gaze made her breath catch in her throat. "Daphne Sterling is gone. You are under my personal protection. No one will ever lay a hand on you again."
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"Thank you, sir," Tessa whispered, a profound sense of gratitude washing over her.
"Do not call me sir," Sebastian said, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips. "When we are alone... you call me Sebastian."
