Chapter 11

Evelyn's POV

I open my mouth to tell Sebastian the news my mother just dropped when I see Olivia reappearing.

“Oh my Gosh, Sebastian Cain!” She squeals, conflicting feelings bubbling up inside me immediately. Of course, my roommate knows Sebastian. Am I the soul human on earth who didn’t know a thing about my stepbrother?

It’s starting to feel like it, that’s for damn sure.

Turning to me, Olivia’s large smile throws me off. She slaps my arm, though I understand the intention is to be “Evelyn! How do you know Sebastian?”

“I don’t.” It slips out my mouth before I’ve really thought about it, and I internally groan at my stupidity.

Someone, please, stop me from telling these pathetic lies.

Sebastian, thankfully, says nothing. He doesn’t take his gaze off me as he raises his left eyebrow ever so slightly.

“Well, I’m a huge fan,” my bubbly roommate squeals. She holds her hand out to shake Sebastian’s, who gives her his full attention. “I’m Olivia.”

“Nice to meet you, Olivia,” he muses, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. God, does he have to show off like this?

“Would you wanna come to eat with us? We’re about to head to the dining hall?” Olivia asks, hope spreading on her face.

I try to stare at my step-brother and get his attention. Don’t say yes, jackass. Leave us be. Go away.

“Sure, that sounds great.”

Guess I need to work on sending telepathic messages to this man.

Since Olivia’s such a huge fan of the F1racer, I let her do all the talking. She stands between the two of us, chatting enthusiastically. Sebastian gives his full attention to my roommate and seems to be genuinely interested in what she says.

The one thing neither of them notices, however, is the attention that’s being drawn to us. As we walk, multiple people—mostly women—stop and stare at the three of us. Some even glare at Olivia and me. But he doesn’t notice.

This man and his damn charm. He’s oblivious.

“You two should come to an F1 race sometime. You both seem like you’d have a great time.”

There he is, making fun of me while staying silent. He must have been aware that I’ve been grumbling to myself. How does he do it?

“What? Holy shit, yes, that sounds so fun!” Olivia claps.

When I don’t answer other than a smile, Sebastian nods in my direction. “Maybe your roommate here would enjoy the race more if it were held in the water. You seem like a Hawaiian surfer to me.”

What the hell?

“No, I think it’ll be plenty of fun,” I say through gritted teeth and a smile. But to Sebastian, I glare, wondering why he’s enjoying all of this.

Once we get to the dining hall, Olivia goes in one direction while I saunter off in another. I look over the different foods, unsure of what exactly to pick.

“Need advice?” Sebastian’s cool voice reaches my ears, and I roll my eyes.

“I can choose my own food, Sebastian,” I hiss. “Really now. Just meet me back at the table.”

I hear his slight chuckle, but the man thankfully leaves me. I ended up with a salad and water; my appetite has mostly diminished since Sebastian arrived.

I make it back to the table we’d laid claim to before my roommate, so I’m forced to sit with Sebastian alone. However, this is the best time I can tell him what I learned.

“My mother invited Lucas to her wedding,” I quickly spit out. “She just told me before she left. That’s why I called you.”

Sebastian looks at me and raises a brow, mirth hiding in those dark eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry. Do we know one another now?”

I roll my eyes. “You really want people to know we’re going to be siblings? It’s best we stay strangers to the eyes of the public, Sebastian. This way, we can continue to live our lives here, and then when Lucas visits our new home.”

“So, since you’ve brought your ex up, that means our bet from the game in Hawaii hasn’t been settled just yet.”

“No, that bet was dismissed, jackass,” I shoot back.

“What bet?” Olivia finally joins us with her own sandwich on a plate, smiling between the two of us. God, do all women look at this bastard and bare their teeth? It’s like watching a nature show.

This time, I don’t let Sebastian answer her question. Instead, as I’d done back in the villa, I kick him from under the table, a warning that he better fucking listen to me.

I watch his eyes change, and then he answers Olivia’s question as though nothing happened. “I just bet Evelyn here—that’s your name, right? —that she couldn’t eat an entire plate of Mexican Chili Peppers, but she thinks she can.”

If I could sigh aloud, I would.

At the same moment Sebastian tells his lie, another man approaches our table. I shake my head, though it’s mostly to myself. What is the draw that strangers take from Sebastian?

However, this seems to be a different type of stranger. He goes up to my step-brother and high-fives him before doing some silly handshake routine.

Men.

Then, the blonde, bushy-haired man turns to Olivia and me. “Hey there, I’m William, Sebastian’s roommate.”

The blonde casually takes a seat next to Sebastian, smiling wide. At least he seems nice enough. We chorus our hellos to the guy.

I won’t lie that he’s kinda cute, though.

“So, Seb, how’s it been getting along with the new step-sister?”

That makes something twist in my stomach, and I make eye contact again. Please, Sebastian, don’t make this harder than it needs to be. The guy already rules the entire world. The last thing I want is for anything about the two of us getting out/

Without taking his eyes off mine, Sebastian simply says, “She’s got a terrible temper, honestly. And she’s very ugly.” Then he turns. “Just another woman.”

How many times today am I going to suppress my anger in reference to what this jackass has said? Is this what he’s been telling everyone? That his stepsister is ugly and horrible?

William lets out a chuckle. “Well, you’re always free to bring her by. Maybe you should invite her to the party this weekend.”

Olivia perks up. “Party? What party?”

“I second those questions,” Sebastian adds. “Since when are we having a party at the house this weekend?” He’s frowning, and I feel like that alone is a small victory for me. Suck it, jackass.

William claps his roommate on the back. “It’s nothing crazy. Just celebrating your move and the newfound solo dorm room! And, you know, some social gathering. It’ll be a nice way to ease into the new year.”

Sebastian says nothing.

William turns to us. “You two are obviously invited to join if you want in?”

I shake my head at the same time Olivia readily agrees. Our two voices simultaneously respond to the invite:

“She’s not in.”

“I’m in.

Shit.