Chapter 319
Sebastian was sprawled on the couch nearby, sipping water, his eyes locked on her, calm and steady. Lottie Lucano’s voice came through, heavy with worry. “I knew that little brat was scheming something with you.”
“My poor girl, you must’ve been scared stiff, huh?” Her tone was all warm concern.
Stephanie mumbled back, quiet. “Mom, I…”
“Wait until we’re back in Fiorenza—I’ll rip him to shreds, I swear,” Lottie vowed, full of fire.
Stephanie went still, her brain tripping over itself.
Lottie kept going. “Don’t you stress, I’ll fix this for you.”
Stephanie flicked her eyes to Sebastian on the couch, her cheeks turning pink. Lottie was still rolling, unrestrained, but Stephanie’s heart was already softening, a tiny smile creeping up.
Sebastian had mentioned calling her mom earlier, and she’d been a mess since—nerves all twisted up. Her mom’s opinion meant everything—her whole future with Sebastian hinged on it. He was the heir to Fiorenza’s old-school Lucano family and the one running the Giovanni house. Tradition said he needed a wife from the right stock—a real heiress, born into the perfect social circle.
Back in Fiorenza, her mom had hauled him around to meet tons of those primped-up society ladies. She’d always thought it was a setup for some big, calculated marriage later. But this? Lottie’s reaction was throwing Stephanie off completely.
“Mom, you’re not mad at me?” Stephanie asked, her voice shaky and small. Her nose burned, tears stinging the corners of her eyes.
Lottie gasped, shocked. “Oh, sweetie, you’re really rattled—saying silly stuff now!”
Stephanie blinked, totally confused. She couldn’t quite follow her mom’s vibe.
“He said he’s getting the marriage license tomorrow,” she blurted, jumping at the chance to lay it all out.
Sebastian gave her a look, one eyebrow cocked, a spark of mischief in his gaze. The line went silent for a second—then Lottie blew up. “What? A marriage license? Just like that?”
Stephanie flinched, jarred by the outburst. Lottie’s voice cranked louder. “You said yes?” It was basically a shout, all stunned disbelief.
Stephanie’s throat closed up. She swallowed hard.
“Should…should I not have?” she squeaked, almost too quiet to hear.
“Of course not! You can’t let that brat off that easily!” Lottie snapped, fuming.
“That little sneak, pulling this on you—trying to get a free ride? Stefi, listen up…” She was off and running, unstoppable.
Sebastian got up, strolling over, his steps slow and smooth. Before Lottie could finish, he snatched the phone from Stephanie’s hand and ended the call without hesitation.
Stephanie looked up at him, eyes wide. “Mom said I shouldn’t just go along with the license thing.” She barely finished before his hand slid behind her head. He kissed her, out of nowhere—hard but soft, a kiss that didn’t mess around. She shoved at his chest at first, hands pushing, but then she melted, letting him pull her in. Lottie’s reaction had finally smashed her last bit of doubt. With Sebastian, the barriers were down—just trust and a gooey warmth filling her up.
Ten minutes later, the room felt hotter, the air thick with a flirty buzz. Sebastian eased back, his voice low and rough. “Little vixen.”
Stephanie caught her breath, muttering under her breath, “Mom sounded like she’s fine with me but ready to chew you out.”
Sebastian’s lips twitched into a smirk. He leaned in and gave her earlobe a light nip, just enough to send a little shiver down her spine. Lottie had to be reeling—Sebastian hitting her with that out of nowhere, totally throwing her off. Her own son, and she’d never picked up on his feelings for Stephanie. She’d been dead-set on pairing him with some fancy, high-class girl, but he’d dodged everyone. Too thin? Nah. Too full? No thanks. She’d trotted out girls left and right, and he’d shut it down every time.
Turns out the sneaky guy had his sights locked on Stephanie the whole time, just biding his time. She was only now catching up.
“She loved you,” Sebastian said, letting out a soft laugh. “You’re such a dork.”
Stephanie’s mouth quirked, her eyes narrowing with a touch of annoyance. Yeah, her mom loved her, but this wasn’t some little thing—she still felt a nervous buzz.
“Dork, huh?” He poked at her again, his voice all playful. She huffed and gave his waist a good twist, her grip sharp and sassy.
Sebastian’s eyes flashed, narrowing. “Keep that up, and I might not play nice.” Her soft hands twisting him like that? It was getting under his skin, waking something up. He grabbed her hand, rubbing it in his palm, a fresh spark lighting up in his head.