Hellbound Heart

The loud thudding of her heartbeats made Sebastian stay very still. Her reaction puzzled him and he did not like the way she became even tenser when he held her.

Why was she reacting this way? Did this mean that she was uncomfortable with him holding her like this?

Those questions that ran about in his mind had caused his expression to darken. He had started to become so conscious of her every reaction to him now, so unlike before. Even the littlest voluntary or involuntary movement of hers now no longer escapes his notice. And every little thing f**cking bothered him so much now.

"Tell me, Izabelle," he whispered, "am I making you uncomfortable?"

His question seemed to fluster her even more. That only caused his expression to become even darker.

"No…" she answered hesitantly but she immediately seemed to realize that he had managed to pick out the lie in her voice and therefore, added reluctantly, "just a little…."

"Why?" that one word was deep and full of curiosity.

"Because I'm still not really used to… this." Elle explained timidly, her hands helplessly gesturing in a vague manner that Sebastian could not quite figure out what she was trying to get across.

"This…??" he could only echo that word, prompting her to explain more so that he could understand.

"You and I haven't slept together in a bed that often… so… I can't help but be a little… nervous when you're here lying next to me. I just need some time to get used to it. I believe I'll get used to it quickly once we sleep together like this more often."

A short silence passed without Sebastian saying anything in response to her explanation.

"You really love playing around with me, Izabelle," he then said.

She moved to turn her head over her shoulder in surprise at his remark. "I'm not playing with…" her sentence got cut off as their eyes met.

"You refused to sleep with me and now you tell me we just need to sleep together more often –" Sebastian was getting confused. Why were her words so contradictory?

"Oh lord, Sebastian," Elle cut him off as she completely turned around and faced him. Her tone was full of disbelief. "I refused to have sex with you. That does not include just purely sleeping next to you. Those two things are totally not the same."

Sebastian was quiet again for a while. Elle could see that he was processing what she had just told him in his mind. It was dim as she had already turned the lights off and all she could see at the moment was his gleaming eyes.

"You're saying that you want us to sleep together more often. But… without sex…?" he sounded lost as he asked that, as though he could not even comprehend there was such a thing. And then he rolled over and laid onto his back, laughing exasperatedly. The sound of his disbelieving chuckle in the dark was so… it sent tingles down Elle's spines.

"You are asking for the impossible, Izabelle." He added and then he grumpily climbed off the bed.

"Where are you going –" Elle was flabbergasted at his sudden change of mood. This man's mood swings were even wilder compared to a woman's!

"Smoke." He cut her off. "Sleep while I'm outside. If you're still awake when I'm back, don't expect me to just lie next to you and literally sleep." Elle could sense a jab in his words there.

And then he was gone. Just like that. Leaving Elle speechless.

…

Sebastian was smoking outside when Alex appeared, holding a bottle of alcohol in one hand and two glasses dangling between his fingers.

A knowing grin had flashed across his face as he shoved the bottle and glasses onto Sebastian. "Hold these, I'll go grab the chairs."

Frowning hard, Sebastian could only drop his cigarette and ground his heel to put it out. Sighing, he stretched his hand out and held onto the things that Alex gave him.

Soon, the two of them were seated on the chairs that were facing the garden.

"What is it?" Sebastian did not beat around the bush, immediately getting to the main point. "Did you change your mind and came to talk to me about the plan now?"

"Nah…" Alex sighed and took a generous swig from his glass before he continued, "I just decided to get down here since you're here and looking all troubled and obviously in need of some tête-à-tête with a wise old man."

"Wise old man…" Sebastian shook his head before gulping down his drink.

"I know you don't like to talk about personal matters at all… just so like someone else that I know, but I'm telling you, talking things out really helps Sebby." Alex's tone turned serious as he spoke. When Sebastian did not say anything, he continued. "And Abi and I are really happy to know you and your wife are really doing great."

Sebastian gulped the rest of his wine in his glass down at Alex's last sentence.

"We noticed Elle is much more at ease and comfortable now compared to when you first had her meet the entire family." Alex added once again as Sebastian still kept his mouth shut. And again, his response to what Alex had said was to refill his glass and gulp down another mouthful.

Alex pressed his lips tightly together and subtly drank. "You both seemed to really adore and desire each other now."

Another hard gulp from Sebastian and Alex could no longer stop his chuckle. "Hey, easy there. At this rate, you'll get drunk before you could even say a single word."

Sebastian whipped his head to Alex. His gaze did not look dazed drunk but surprisingly sharp and pissed off as hell.

"Tell me, Alexander. What does it mean when your wife refused to have sex with you…" he trailed off and pressed the heel of his palm against his forehead. F**k, he messed up. He knew Alexander brought out wine to loosen his tongue and make him talk. Yet… f**k it. He was really getting insane.