Post by Sloane Taylor on Jul 17, 2022 15:19:19 GMT -5
There was something to be said about the sunsets in New York City, Sloane thought as she opened yet another box, rifling through the contents to see where they would be going. It still seemed like a dream, the move, this place, the fact that she and Sebastian now owned a home together. Technically two, counting the one they’d bought for her mother back in Chicago. Already she’d heard Seb’s grandfather made a habit of stopping by for dinner a few times a week, and the two of them had seemingly been plotting about how best to utilize the yard Nina now had. They’d made mention of some playground equipment for children, thinking they were slick by sneaking it in, and Sloane and Seb had fallen all over themselves in telling them not to look in that direction any time soon. Her mother had had the actual nerve to look disappointed while Seb’s grandfather flashed a knowing smile and wink that had Sloane blushing for some time after.
No, they weren’t at the step for children, but this… buying the penthouse together, moving away from Chicago, these were all big steps for them, and while they might not seem monumental to others considering they’d lived together for years… they were. For the first time, this was something they had together. It wasn’t Seb moving into an apartment that had existed in her life before he had. It wasn’t them sharing a space that she’d picked out for herself, it was them sharing a life that they’d picked out together.
This was them, and that meant something.
Sloane finished with the box she was on, pausing to exhale and fluff her bangs from her forehead before opening another. Though it was silent now, only a few hours ago this quiet space had rang with her laughter. Seb had had to fly out early for WrestleStock, and he’d taken the opportunity to enact one of her favorite scenes from a movie.
The thought still brought a smile to her face, the way she’d awoken bleary-eyed from sleep to find Seb lying beside her, dropping kisses along her shoulders and neck as he sang.
“All my bags are packed, and I’m ready to go…” he sang and then dropped another kiss. “I’m standing here outside your door, I hate to wake you up to say… goodbye…” by this point she’d already fallen into little giggles, the sporadic kisses making her skin prickle with goosebumps from his touch.
“But the dawn is breaking, it’s early morn, the taxi’s waiting, he’s blowing his horn…” she’d sang back to him, her voice throaty from sleep as she turned to peek at him, her blonde hair falling in her face.
“Already I’m so lonesome I could die!” Seb sang dramatically, throwing himself from the bed and then scooping her up from it, sheet and all while she laughed and protested. It ended with him sitting on the edge of the bed with her and the sheet wrapped around him.
“So kiss me and smile for me,” he sang with a toothy grin. “Tell me that you’ll wait for me, hold me like you’ll never let me go…” and with that he hugged her tightly to him, Sloane’s turn to press kisses all over his face. “‘Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again–”
“I’ll see you tonight,” Sloane interrupted him with a giggle, Seb rolling his eyes.
“That doesn’t fit with the song at all, love,” he said with exasperation.
“Well you’re not exactly flying off to space to break apart an asteroid before it hits earth. So dramatic,” she said, teasing.
“Oh, well, I guess I don’t need to finish the song then,” Seb said, adjusting his hold on her.
Sloane’s eyes widened.
“No! You have to finish now, I promise, I’ll be quiet,” she said, pressing her lips together as if to show how quiet she could be.
Seb eyed her suspiciously for a moment and then continued.
“Oh babe, I hate to go…” he sang and then kissed her. “That part’s not a lie…”
“Hmmm,” Sloane had mused, sliding her arms around his neck. “Why can’t I go with you again?” she asked, not registering it for a moment why she wasn’t.
Seb sighed.
“Because you have to meet with my father’s errand boy,” Seb had said, and that had been the end of the singing and joy that had encompassed them. After the catastrophe that had occurred at the dinner, Clemence wanted Seb nowhere near their dealings, and this dealing was one Seb didn’t entirely agree with.
Sloane paused from unpacking the box to look over at the black laptop that sat waiting. It wouldn’t be long and she’d be in Seb’s arms again, the laptop left with Clemence and those hours apart no more than a bad dream. Still, she wished she’d been able to go with him, to get those first glimpses of WrestleStock together… and she wished he wasn’t so set against anything involving his father. Clemence she could understand, a shudder running through her as she thought of the oily man with his cold eyes. Yes, the sooner she could pass the laptop off to him…
A knock at the door made Sloane jump and nearly knock over the box she’d been working on, her heart thudding in her chest. For a moment, she thought she’d imagined it, but then it came again and fear settled into her. It wasn’t her usual reaction, and before she could really question it, she was already crossing the floor to one of the tall double doors that led into her and Seb’s home wondering at who it could be considering there weren’t many who knew where they lived just yet.
Maybe Thad? But he would have texted first…
Without checking outside, Sloane pulled the door open, her curiosity a clamoring thing. It died as soon as she saw who stood there, that cold feeling from earlier plunging into her gut.
“Mr. Clemence–” she began, her mouth suddenly dry to see that man standing at her door.
“Mr. Jessops will do just fine, Ms. Taylor,” he said smoothly… and then stepped into the apartment without waiting for an invitation.
Sloane’s face took on a sickly, nervous expression before she closed the door behind him.
To say that Super Adventure Island didn’t go the way I wanted it to is an understatement, a huge one at that. While part of me wants to wallow in that resounding loss and to pick apart what I might have done differently… we can’t win them all. I know that, we all know that when we step into the ring. Still, would I have liked to have seen Duncan with egg on his face? Absolutely.
And would I like to be able to say that the Final Girl is the Final Boss? OMG, would I.
But considering that was my first big event with Level Up, I’m pretty happy with myself, especially since I can still say I’ve never been pinned in a Level Up ring.
Over the top rope doesn’t count. Wink, wink.
But that brings me to my match this week at EXP 28 against someone I’ve faced before in PWV, Larry Tact. Granted, it was a tag match, but still.
Hiya, Larry! Let’s get into some #TactFacts, shall we?
So, Larry had a much better time at Super Adventure Island than I did, but that doesn’t necessarily have any bearing on what happens between us in this match, and I know that just eats Larry up knowing that. See, Larry is a little bit of a politician and a master of spin. While he has negatives, they're rarely acknowledged and even when they are, they're twisted. For example, he beat Seb with a handful of tights in one match, and Seb knocked him out and pinned him in another. Larry takes those two matches and claims that he beat Seb one on one and then Seb failed to win the World Championship.
And spin.
See how that worked? Yeah, me neither, but Larry sure tries!
How about some more #TactFacts?
Fact 1: Larry’s disingenuous and leans heavily on the help of the Game Changers to support his victories.
Fact 2: Larry likes to focus on his opponents’ weaknesses and exploiting them. I tend to focus on their strengths and ways to combat them. Larry holds the Power Championship for a reason, he beat Kat Jones at Super Adventure Island for a reason. I just have to be better than that reason.
You know, Larry, I kinda like the look of that title, and gold really is my color…
Actually, it’s pink, but that’s neither here nor there.
Fact 3: While I generally try not to make outright comparisons, the fact of the matter is that I’m just better than Larry. That’s not to say that he isn’t a worthy competitor, he is, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. But Larry, he’s safe, simple. Inside that ring, I’m faster, more agile, and more willing to put it all on the line. Maybe that speaks to my inexperience, but I know that while I play in the high-risk, high-reward skies? When it goes right, I’m untouchable.
And Larry knows that too, whether he’ll admit it or not is another thing. And that’s another issue for Larry, I'm willing to accept my mistakes and learn from them. You’re lucky if Larry even acknowledges he made one. His downfall will be in the failings and mistakes he refuses to address in himself while shining a spotlight on them in others. They make him fallible, and I’m only too happy to exploit that, because if you can’t learn from your mistakes, you’ll never get better.
I’ve made some huge mistakes, I can admit that. But every backward step is a chance for me to improve, while Larry sees every backward step as just that, and while he’s floundering over every little thing that he hasn’t reconciled?
I never make the same mistake twice.
So I’m sure Larry is going to dredge up my defeat at Super Adventure Island, who wouldn’t? But there’s acknowledging it and then there’s using it as a reason to discard me. That’s fine, I’m used to being underestimated. It’s happened my entire career thus far, and I don’t expect it to change anytime soon.
You say you’re a Game Changer, Larry, but the real fact of the matter is I’ve been changing the game since the first day I stepped into the ring.
How’s that for a #TactFact?
“You don’t look pleased to see me, Ms. Taylor. I wonder why that is?”
Sloane closed her eyes for a moment as if he were the boogeyman and he would disappear as soon as she opened them again. She opened first one then the other eye to peer at him. Nope, still there.
“I was… just… under the impression we were gonna be meeting at the coffee shop, seeing as we set the time and all,” Sloane said, glancing over to the clock on the wall to see that she hadn’t been late, in fact, their meeting wasn’t supposed to take place for another hour.
“I must admit to some curiosity on the part of Sebastian’s father and myself as to your new living arrangements. It’s very… quaint,” Jessops said as if he were searching for the right word to describe their home.
Sloane’s face heated. Quaint? It was a penthouse in Chelsea… but she didn’t say that, and judging by the look she was getting from Clemence, he knew he’d struck a nerve.
She hated that.
“While I’m glad you like it,” Sloane said through gritted teeth, “a little notice would have been nice,” she crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to look thoroughly disgruntled and failing miserably.
It didn’t seem to bother Clemence Jessops one bit.
“Surely you can forgive the curiosity on the part of myself and Sebastian’s father? After all, we only wanted to make sure the two of you were receiving the value you should—“
“Can we just.. not?” Sloane cut him off, surprising him. “I mean, I appreciate you and Seb’s dad’s concern, but you know how Seb feels about it and I’m not sure he’d appreciate you being here when he isn’t. It kinda feels like…” Sloane searched for the right words, worried she’d already overstepped.
“Like we’re checking up on him to make sure he hasn’t fucked something else up?” Jessops’ words were equal parts smooth and snappy, and Sloane flinched though she tried to hide it. Of course, he noticed. “I apologize, Ms. Taylor, that was out of line.”
Sloane hesitated and then nodded before going right over to the laptop and picking it up.
“Here. This is what you wanted anyway, so… saves a trip,” she said with a fake little laugh that she hoped didn’t sound too fake. Judging from the way Jessops smiled at her, it did. Still, he took the proffered laptop from her, holding it easily.
“Ah, yes, the infamous laptop. I’m sure it’ll prove useful to us. Would you like it back when we’re done?” He asked solicitously.
Sloane hesitated and then nodded.
“Yeah, I want it back. I mean, it’s an old laptop, but… it’s mine,” she said, her voice steadying.
“Of course, you’re so protective over what is… yours,” Jessops said, and there was a mocking to his tone. Sloane’s eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything, he was speaking again. “Though to be perfectly honest, Ms. Taylor, I did have more than just curiosity that drove me here. You see, Sebastian’s father and I have another favor to ask of you.”
Sloane was already shaking her head.
“No, I’m not about to do something like that again, I was scared to death—“
“Then I’m sure it will be a relief to learn that what we’re asking of you isn’t at all the same,” Jessops interrupted, his tone brooking no argument.
Sloane quieted, but she watched him carefully.
“You won’t be Sheridan for this, my dear, in fact, you won’t be anything short of what you are. Sloane Taylor, the American girl who captured the heart of and is practically engaged to the son and heir of Everett-Bryce Holdings—“
“We’re not engaged,” Sloane said quietly, her cheeks flaming.
“Yet…” Jessops said silkily as he moved about her in a circle. “But that’s neither here nor there, Ms. Taylor, and in fact, is a mere formality at this point. No, the fact of the matter is that Sebastian’s father and myself have come to understand that you’re a distraction enough on your own, whether you appear available or not. And truth is so much more appealing than a lie.”
Sloane moved, turning so he was no longer at her back.
“I don’t understand what you want from me. Just… tell me. And I’ll see if I can do it,” she said, her voice lofty, but the crafty smile on Jessops’ face told her he knew he had her.
“Sebastian needs to be present for some of his father’s business dealings. It needs to be seen that the company is in steady hands and that the heir is at least interested,” Jessops said formally. “And you’ll be there as well to play the role of distraction. Nothing is required of you other than your presence and your natural charm, a disarming ingenue,” he continued, and though he smiled, it didn’t reach his eyes. “You may be the most important weapon in our arsenal…”
Sloane fidgeted with the flaps of the box she stood beside.
“So… you just want us there? That’s it? No stealing cell phones or anything like that?” She asked carefully.
“Nothing of the sort, and nothing that could cause a problem between you and Sebastian. See? We’re not so difficult to work with,” he said, and Sloane bit her lip. “I’ll ensure your calendars are updated with the appropriate events.”
“Events? As in plural?” Sloane asked.
“Sebastian needs to start fulfilling his part of the bargain more,” Jessops said as he made his way toward the door. “You don’t want to disappoint his father, do you? He has his heart set on at least three—“
“Three?!” Sloane croaked, already envisioning Seb’s horrified expression.
“Is that a problem, my dear?”
“No. No it’s fine, I’m sure we can work something out,” Sloane said, though she wasn’t at all sure of that.
“I knew we could count on you,” Jessops said, pulling the door open with her laptop tucked under his arm. He stopped, looking back around him at the natural light flooding in through the windows. “It really is lovely,” he said before making a disgusted face as one of Sloane and Seb’s hedgehogs came around the corner. Sloane scooped Lady Hedgewig up and cuddled her, not missing the nasty look on Jessops’ face as he closed the door without so much as a farewell.
“Hmm. Yeah, I don’t really like him either, Wig,” Sloane said, rubbing her cheek against the hedgehog’s quills as she stared at the door.
She didn’t fight the shiver that ran down her back.
No, they weren’t at the step for children, but this… buying the penthouse together, moving away from Chicago, these were all big steps for them, and while they might not seem monumental to others considering they’d lived together for years… they were. For the first time, this was something they had together. It wasn’t Seb moving into an apartment that had existed in her life before he had. It wasn’t them sharing a space that she’d picked out for herself, it was them sharing a life that they’d picked out together.
This was them, and that meant something.
Sloane finished with the box she was on, pausing to exhale and fluff her bangs from her forehead before opening another. Though it was silent now, only a few hours ago this quiet space had rang with her laughter. Seb had had to fly out early for WrestleStock, and he’d taken the opportunity to enact one of her favorite scenes from a movie.
The thought still brought a smile to her face, the way she’d awoken bleary-eyed from sleep to find Seb lying beside her, dropping kisses along her shoulders and neck as he sang.
“All my bags are packed, and I’m ready to go…” he sang and then dropped another kiss. “I’m standing here outside your door, I hate to wake you up to say… goodbye…” by this point she’d already fallen into little giggles, the sporadic kisses making her skin prickle with goosebumps from his touch.
“But the dawn is breaking, it’s early morn, the taxi’s waiting, he’s blowing his horn…” she’d sang back to him, her voice throaty from sleep as she turned to peek at him, her blonde hair falling in her face.
“Already I’m so lonesome I could die!” Seb sang dramatically, throwing himself from the bed and then scooping her up from it, sheet and all while she laughed and protested. It ended with him sitting on the edge of the bed with her and the sheet wrapped around him.
“So kiss me and smile for me,” he sang with a toothy grin. “Tell me that you’ll wait for me, hold me like you’ll never let me go…” and with that he hugged her tightly to him, Sloane’s turn to press kisses all over his face. “‘Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again–”
“I’ll see you tonight,” Sloane interrupted him with a giggle, Seb rolling his eyes.
“That doesn’t fit with the song at all, love,” he said with exasperation.
“Well you’re not exactly flying off to space to break apart an asteroid before it hits earth. So dramatic,” she said, teasing.
“Oh, well, I guess I don’t need to finish the song then,” Seb said, adjusting his hold on her.
Sloane’s eyes widened.
“No! You have to finish now, I promise, I’ll be quiet,” she said, pressing her lips together as if to show how quiet she could be.
Seb eyed her suspiciously for a moment and then continued.
“Oh babe, I hate to go…” he sang and then kissed her. “That part’s not a lie…”
“Hmmm,” Sloane had mused, sliding her arms around his neck. “Why can’t I go with you again?” she asked, not registering it for a moment why she wasn’t.
Seb sighed.
“Because you have to meet with my father’s errand boy,” Seb had said, and that had been the end of the singing and joy that had encompassed them. After the catastrophe that had occurred at the dinner, Clemence wanted Seb nowhere near their dealings, and this dealing was one Seb didn’t entirely agree with.
Sloane paused from unpacking the box to look over at the black laptop that sat waiting. It wouldn’t be long and she’d be in Seb’s arms again, the laptop left with Clemence and those hours apart no more than a bad dream. Still, she wished she’d been able to go with him, to get those first glimpses of WrestleStock together… and she wished he wasn’t so set against anything involving his father. Clemence she could understand, a shudder running through her as she thought of the oily man with his cold eyes. Yes, the sooner she could pass the laptop off to him…
A knock at the door made Sloane jump and nearly knock over the box she’d been working on, her heart thudding in her chest. For a moment, she thought she’d imagined it, but then it came again and fear settled into her. It wasn’t her usual reaction, and before she could really question it, she was already crossing the floor to one of the tall double doors that led into her and Seb’s home wondering at who it could be considering there weren’t many who knew where they lived just yet.
Maybe Thad? But he would have texted first…
Without checking outside, Sloane pulled the door open, her curiosity a clamoring thing. It died as soon as she saw who stood there, that cold feeling from earlier plunging into her gut.
“Mr. Clemence–” she began, her mouth suddenly dry to see that man standing at her door.
“Mr. Jessops will do just fine, Ms. Taylor,” he said smoothly… and then stepped into the apartment without waiting for an invitation.
Sloane’s face took on a sickly, nervous expression before she closed the door behind him.
To say that Super Adventure Island didn’t go the way I wanted it to is an understatement, a huge one at that. While part of me wants to wallow in that resounding loss and to pick apart what I might have done differently… we can’t win them all. I know that, we all know that when we step into the ring. Still, would I have liked to have seen Duncan with egg on his face? Absolutely.
And would I like to be able to say that the Final Girl is the Final Boss? OMG, would I.
But considering that was my first big event with Level Up, I’m pretty happy with myself, especially since I can still say I’ve never been pinned in a Level Up ring.
Over the top rope doesn’t count. Wink, wink.
But that brings me to my match this week at EXP 28 against someone I’ve faced before in PWV, Larry Tact. Granted, it was a tag match, but still.
Hiya, Larry! Let’s get into some #TactFacts, shall we?
So, Larry had a much better time at Super Adventure Island than I did, but that doesn’t necessarily have any bearing on what happens between us in this match, and I know that just eats Larry up knowing that. See, Larry is a little bit of a politician and a master of spin. While he has negatives, they're rarely acknowledged and even when they are, they're twisted. For example, he beat Seb with a handful of tights in one match, and Seb knocked him out and pinned him in another. Larry takes those two matches and claims that he beat Seb one on one and then Seb failed to win the World Championship.
And spin.
See how that worked? Yeah, me neither, but Larry sure tries!
How about some more #TactFacts?
Fact 1: Larry’s disingenuous and leans heavily on the help of the Game Changers to support his victories.
Fact 2: Larry likes to focus on his opponents’ weaknesses and exploiting them. I tend to focus on their strengths and ways to combat them. Larry holds the Power Championship for a reason, he beat Kat Jones at Super Adventure Island for a reason. I just have to be better than that reason.
You know, Larry, I kinda like the look of that title, and gold really is my color…
Actually, it’s pink, but that’s neither here nor there.
Fact 3: While I generally try not to make outright comparisons, the fact of the matter is that I’m just better than Larry. That’s not to say that he isn’t a worthy competitor, he is, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. But Larry, he’s safe, simple. Inside that ring, I’m faster, more agile, and more willing to put it all on the line. Maybe that speaks to my inexperience, but I know that while I play in the high-risk, high-reward skies? When it goes right, I’m untouchable.
And Larry knows that too, whether he’ll admit it or not is another thing. And that’s another issue for Larry, I'm willing to accept my mistakes and learn from them. You’re lucky if Larry even acknowledges he made one. His downfall will be in the failings and mistakes he refuses to address in himself while shining a spotlight on them in others. They make him fallible, and I’m only too happy to exploit that, because if you can’t learn from your mistakes, you’ll never get better.
I’ve made some huge mistakes, I can admit that. But every backward step is a chance for me to improve, while Larry sees every backward step as just that, and while he’s floundering over every little thing that he hasn’t reconciled?
I never make the same mistake twice.
So I’m sure Larry is going to dredge up my defeat at Super Adventure Island, who wouldn’t? But there’s acknowledging it and then there’s using it as a reason to discard me. That’s fine, I’m used to being underestimated. It’s happened my entire career thus far, and I don’t expect it to change anytime soon.
You say you’re a Game Changer, Larry, but the real fact of the matter is I’ve been changing the game since the first day I stepped into the ring.
How’s that for a #TactFact?
“You don’t look pleased to see me, Ms. Taylor. I wonder why that is?”
Sloane closed her eyes for a moment as if he were the boogeyman and he would disappear as soon as she opened them again. She opened first one then the other eye to peer at him. Nope, still there.
“I was… just… under the impression we were gonna be meeting at the coffee shop, seeing as we set the time and all,” Sloane said, glancing over to the clock on the wall to see that she hadn’t been late, in fact, their meeting wasn’t supposed to take place for another hour.
“I must admit to some curiosity on the part of Sebastian’s father and myself as to your new living arrangements. It’s very… quaint,” Jessops said as if he were searching for the right word to describe their home.
Sloane’s face heated. Quaint? It was a penthouse in Chelsea… but she didn’t say that, and judging by the look she was getting from Clemence, he knew he’d struck a nerve.
She hated that.
“While I’m glad you like it,” Sloane said through gritted teeth, “a little notice would have been nice,” she crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to look thoroughly disgruntled and failing miserably.
It didn’t seem to bother Clemence Jessops one bit.
“Surely you can forgive the curiosity on the part of myself and Sebastian’s father? After all, we only wanted to make sure the two of you were receiving the value you should—“
“Can we just.. not?” Sloane cut him off, surprising him. “I mean, I appreciate you and Seb’s dad’s concern, but you know how Seb feels about it and I’m not sure he’d appreciate you being here when he isn’t. It kinda feels like…” Sloane searched for the right words, worried she’d already overstepped.
“Like we’re checking up on him to make sure he hasn’t fucked something else up?” Jessops’ words were equal parts smooth and snappy, and Sloane flinched though she tried to hide it. Of course, he noticed. “I apologize, Ms. Taylor, that was out of line.”
Sloane hesitated and then nodded before going right over to the laptop and picking it up.
“Here. This is what you wanted anyway, so… saves a trip,” she said with a fake little laugh that she hoped didn’t sound too fake. Judging from the way Jessops smiled at her, it did. Still, he took the proffered laptop from her, holding it easily.
“Ah, yes, the infamous laptop. I’m sure it’ll prove useful to us. Would you like it back when we’re done?” He asked solicitously.
Sloane hesitated and then nodded.
“Yeah, I want it back. I mean, it’s an old laptop, but… it’s mine,” she said, her voice steadying.
“Of course, you’re so protective over what is… yours,” Jessops said, and there was a mocking to his tone. Sloane’s eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything, he was speaking again. “Though to be perfectly honest, Ms. Taylor, I did have more than just curiosity that drove me here. You see, Sebastian’s father and I have another favor to ask of you.”
Sloane was already shaking her head.
“No, I’m not about to do something like that again, I was scared to death—“
“Then I’m sure it will be a relief to learn that what we’re asking of you isn’t at all the same,” Jessops interrupted, his tone brooking no argument.
Sloane quieted, but she watched him carefully.
“You won’t be Sheridan for this, my dear, in fact, you won’t be anything short of what you are. Sloane Taylor, the American girl who captured the heart of and is practically engaged to the son and heir of Everett-Bryce Holdings—“
“We’re not engaged,” Sloane said quietly, her cheeks flaming.
“Yet…” Jessops said silkily as he moved about her in a circle. “But that’s neither here nor there, Ms. Taylor, and in fact, is a mere formality at this point. No, the fact of the matter is that Sebastian’s father and myself have come to understand that you’re a distraction enough on your own, whether you appear available or not. And truth is so much more appealing than a lie.”
Sloane moved, turning so he was no longer at her back.
“I don’t understand what you want from me. Just… tell me. And I’ll see if I can do it,” she said, her voice lofty, but the crafty smile on Jessops’ face told her he knew he had her.
“Sebastian needs to be present for some of his father’s business dealings. It needs to be seen that the company is in steady hands and that the heir is at least interested,” Jessops said formally. “And you’ll be there as well to play the role of distraction. Nothing is required of you other than your presence and your natural charm, a disarming ingenue,” he continued, and though he smiled, it didn’t reach his eyes. “You may be the most important weapon in our arsenal…”
Sloane fidgeted with the flaps of the box she stood beside.
“So… you just want us there? That’s it? No stealing cell phones or anything like that?” She asked carefully.
“Nothing of the sort, and nothing that could cause a problem between you and Sebastian. See? We’re not so difficult to work with,” he said, and Sloane bit her lip. “I’ll ensure your calendars are updated with the appropriate events.”
“Events? As in plural?” Sloane asked.
“Sebastian needs to start fulfilling his part of the bargain more,” Jessops said as he made his way toward the door. “You don’t want to disappoint his father, do you? He has his heart set on at least three—“
“Three?!” Sloane croaked, already envisioning Seb’s horrified expression.
“Is that a problem, my dear?”
“No. No it’s fine, I’m sure we can work something out,” Sloane said, though she wasn’t at all sure of that.
“I knew we could count on you,” Jessops said, pulling the door open with her laptop tucked under his arm. He stopped, looking back around him at the natural light flooding in through the windows. “It really is lovely,” he said before making a disgusted face as one of Sloane and Seb’s hedgehogs came around the corner. Sloane scooped Lady Hedgewig up and cuddled her, not missing the nasty look on Jessops’ face as he closed the door without so much as a farewell.
“Hmm. Yeah, I don’t really like him either, Wig,” Sloane said, rubbing her cheek against the hedgehog’s quills as she stared at the door.
She didn’t fight the shiver that ran down her back.