The Morning After

Chapter 10

The knock on the door sounded louder than it should have.

Maybe because my nerves were still raw.

Or maybe because only minutes earlier, two strangers had broken into the suite.

Sebastian’s grip tightened slightly around my wrist before he released it.

“Stay here,” he said quietly.

His voice had changed again—returning to the calm, controlled tone of the CEO everyone feared.

But I could still see the tension in his shoulders.

The protective instinct hadn’t disappeared.

He had simply buried it beneath discipline.

Sebastian walked to the door and opened it.

Two hotel security officers stood outside, along with the night manager.

“Mr. Montefalco,” one of them said quickly. “We received a report of a disturbance.”

Sebastian stepped aside.

“They were inside the suite.”

The manager’s face paled immediately.

“Inside?”

“Yes.”

The guards moved quickly, scanning the room and checking the hallway.

I stayed near the bedroom doorway, wrapping my arms around myself.

The adrenaline was fading now.

And exhaustion was beginning to creep in.

One of the guards approached me carefully.

“Ma’am, are you injured?”

I shook my head.

“No.”

“Did they touch you?”

“No.”

Sebastian answered before I could continue.

“They didn’t get the chance.”

The guard nodded.

“We’ll review the security cameras immediately.”

“They won’t be on them,” Sebastian said calmly.

The guard frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“They knew exactly where to go.”

There was something sharp beneath Sebastian’s calm tone now.

“They avoided the main hallway cameras.”

The manager swallowed nervously.

“That’s… impossible.”

Sebastian gave a short, humorless smile.

“Clearly it isn’t.”

The guards finished checking the suite before stepping back.

“We’ll increase security on this floor,” one of them said.

“That won’t be necessary,” Sebastian replied.

“We’re leaving this afternoon.”

The manager nodded quickly.

“We’re very sorry this happened, Mr. Montefalco.”

After they left, the suite fell quiet again.

But the silence felt different now.

Heavier.

Sebastian walked toward the broken chair near the entryway and slowly set it upright.

“You should try to sleep,” he said without looking at me.

“Sleep?”

“Yes.”

I almost laughed.

“I just watched two men break into the room.”

“Exactly.”

“That doesn’t make me sleepy.”

He finally looked at me.

“You’re exhausted.”

Unfortunately, he was right.

The adrenaline that had kept me upright was disappearing fast.

Suddenly my legs felt weak.

Sebastian noticed immediately.

He crossed the room and stopped in front of me.

“You’re pale.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

“I will be.”

His expression softened slightly.

“Avah…”

“I said I’m fine,” I repeated, though my voice wavered.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then Sebastian exhaled quietly.

“You can sleep in my room.”

“What?”

“It’s more secure.”

“And where will you sleep?”

“I’ll stay here.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s practical.”

I shook my head.

“You already protected me once tonight.”

“And I’ll do it again if necessary.”

The words were simple.

But they made my chest tighten.

Why was he doing this?

Why was he protecting me like I mattered?

“You don’t even trust me,” I said quietly.

“That doesn’t mean I won’t protect you.”

Something about the way he said it made my throat tighten.

Eventually exhaustion won.

I walked slowly toward the master bedroom.

Before closing the door, I glanced back.

Sebastian was standing by the window again, staring out over the dark city.

The same way he had earlier.

Like a man carrying responsibilities too heavy to put down.

“Sebastian?”

He turned slightly.

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

For a moment he didn’t respond.

Then he nodded once.

“Get some rest.”

I closed the door.

And for the first time since the attack, sleep finally came.

⸻

Morning arrived far too quickly.

Sunlight poured through the tall windows when I stepped into the living area.

Sebastian was already awake.

Of course he was.

He sat at the table, reading something on his tablet.

“You should be resting,” he said without looking up.

“How do you always know when I’m in the room?”

“I pay attention.”

I walked closer.

“What are you reading?”

“Security footage.”

“From the hotel?”

“Yes.”

“Did you find anything?”

Sebastian turned the tablet toward me.

My stomach dropped when I saw the paused video.

Two men wearing dark clothing were entering the service corridor.

Their faces were hidden beneath caps.

But one detail caught my attention instantly.

A tattoo on one man’s wrist.

A small black symbol.

My breath caught.

“What is it?” Sebastian asked.

“I’ve seen that before.”

His eyes sharpened immediately.

“Where?”

My mind raced.

Fragments of memory flashed through my head.

Donn.

A café.

A tense conversation.

The tattoo.

“I saw it the week before the wedding,” I said slowly.

Sebastian leaned forward.

“Where?”

“At a café near Donn’s office.”

“And?”

“They were arguing.”

“About what?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

“But Donn looked… scared.”

The word hung heavily in the room.

Sebastian’s expression darkened.

“You didn’t tell anyone?”

“I thought it was just business.”

My stomach twisted.

“What if it wasn’t?”

Sebastian leaned back slowly.

“That tattoo,” he said quietly.

“I’ve seen it before too.”

My heart skipped.

“Where?”

“In a file related to organized crime.”

A chill spread through my chest.

“You’re saying those men are criminals?”

“I’m saying,” Sebastian replied calmly,

“my brother might have been involved with the wrong people.”

The room suddenly felt colder.

“And now,” he continued,

“those people are watching us.”

My pulse began racing again.

“Because of Donn?”

“Yes.”

I swallowed hard.

“What do they want?”

Sebastian looked at the paused image on the screen.

His voice lowered.

“Answers.”

Then his eyes lifted to meet mine.

“And they might think you have them.”