269 Chapter 269

"That was truly incredible. I have never watched anything like it." Sebastian said, clapping as they walked off stage after their final encore.

"It's crazy, you know? I never thought in a million years I'd be here right now." Pearl said.

They went backstage and relaxed for a moment before beginning to pack up.

They exited out of the side door to two lines of waiting fans for autographs. Pearl began to sign a notebook when an over zealous fan pushed his way through and grabbed her. Jim jumped towards him along with Sebastian. Pearl pulled back and the fan nearly knocked her down as Sebastian grabbed her and lifted her into his arms, cameras flashing. He carried her onto the bus, saying "no more autographs".

"Thank you, Bash." Pearl said, dusting herself off.

"My driver is behind us. I will ride with him back to my hotel, if you are alright." Sebastian said.

"No. No you can't leave. I thought we talked about that already?" Pearl said frantically.

"Alright. I will let him know I am riding along with you, then." He said, texting him.

Pearl nodded. The rest of the guys looked worried about her. "Pearl, what the hell is going on?" Blake asked.

Iris put her hand on Pearl's arm. "We are here for you and are here to listen ONLY if you feel like talking about it." She said, looking at Blake. He nodded.

"I can't talk about it right now. I'm ok. I just need Bash here." She said, looking at Sebastian.

He nodded and sat down. "I'm happy to be here." He said. He was happy to be there but he wanted to find Erik, badly. Pearl curled up on the seat next to Sebastian and looked out the window.

Sebastian took out his phone and saw that Erik had texted him. "Cousin, we need to talk. Call me ASAP." He sent.

Sebastian texted him back. "You're damn right we do, but not until after I make sure Pearl is alright. I'm not leaving her side until she is." He wrote. He sent it and looked at her. She looked so small and helpless. But he knew the fighter inside of her. He saw it when they had first met. He realized at that moment that the men she surrounded herself with were the ones that made her small and helpless. She spent so much time giving to them and them taking all she had that it literally sucked the life out of her. She absorbed it all. It was terrible to see. Even his own cousin had preyed upon her. Trying to make damage look appealing. Sebastian knew that he himself had been hurt in his past but he was a good, clean man. He had no secrets and didn't understand them at all. He wasn't a dark or shady man. He was a good man. One that didn't play games of hurt people. All of this not only infuriated him but broke his heart. His phone lit up and he saw it was a text from Erik.

"Take care of her. I'm in town, and I'm dying, literally dying inside of worry and fear. Can we meet tomorrow?" He texted.

"I don't know. I will let you know in the morning." Sebastian sent back.

"I'm glad you're there. You're the only one that should be." Erik sent.

"I know." Sebastian wrote back and put his phone in his pocket. The bus pulled up to the hotel and dropped them off. He followed Pearl to her door.

"I can get a room. Just want to make sure you're safe in yours." Sebastian said. Pearl opened her door and looked at him. "Please come in. I can order food if you are hungry. Please come in and stay with me tonight." She said, looking into his eyes.

Sebastian knew she was wounded and hurting.

"Alright." He said.

She smiled with her eyes, her face still blank and emotionless.

She told him she needed to shower and wouldn't be long. "Make yourself comfortable." She said, leaving him in the living room.

He walked to the bar and poured himself a drink. He needed it. He heard her turn on the water and he picked up his phone.

"Uncle. We need to talk." He said. Edward asked what was going on.

"I need to know about Samantha Kramer and Melissa Bradford." He said. Edward's hesitation and silence told him all he needed to know.

"Sebastian, I... "

"Never mind, uncle. I will go elsewhere to find out the truth." He interrupted, ending the call. That's how it was with his family. That's why he was, as they said, the "estranged heir."

He had no desire for these things. After his mother passed, he attempted to renounce his position and title but his father was devastated at the thought. He was a good man, too.

He dialed another number. "Yes. It's me. I need you to find out some intel for me, top secret. And whatever you find out, must remain secret. No matter what it is. Yes I know I can trust you. Subject's names are Samantha Kramer and Melissa Bradford. Look into approximately four years ago and as far back as you can. Let me know. Thanks." He said as he ended the call.

Pearl came out into the living room and poured herself some juice. "My sugar is low, I think. I feel a little dizzy." She said. She hadn't eaten all day. Sebastian looked away, trying not to stare at her. She was wearing small boy shorts and a tank top without a bra and a robe over it. Her hair was still wet. He knew she was in a horrible state and didn't care what she had on or looked like. None of that took away from her beauty and he sincerely didn't want to be a pig.

"Should we worry about that?" He asked.

"No. I will eat a granola bar or something too. I'll be fine. Performing takes a lot out of me. Add not eating, stress and the pregnancy and here I am." She said, standing next to him at the counter.

Bash hated Erik even more right now. How selfish of him to do this to her during her tour and pregnancy, but also, how typical of Erik.

"I feel weird. Off. Not like myself. Like I'm in a dream or something. Have you ever felt like that?" She asked.

Sebastian remembered the weeks after his fiancée died. "Yes. I know that feeling well." He said, looking at his glass. Pearl nodded.

"I called Edward. He knows about it. And I called an old military mate of mine. Has some intelligence connections. He's looking into all of this for us." He said, looking at Pearl. She looked up at him. He was even taller than Erik, she thought. His eyes were so beautiful. Like they could see right through anything. And his chiseled face was something like Michelangelo would sculpt.

She put her hand on his and looked up at him again. In an instant, she had her lips to his, kissing him hungrily. She pulled him towards her and kissed him harder. At first, he kissed her back, lost in the heat and the moment. He had never been so attracted to someone before. Ever. Oh how he wanted to pick her up and take her to the bedroom and make his claim, one that he knew he deserved and wanted more than anything in this world. But he pulled away, stopping her.

"Pearl. You're in a fragile state." He said.

She put her hand on her lips. "Sebastian I am so sorry. I didn't even realize... " she began.

"Shhhh. It's alright. I understand. You've had a tremendous day. I don't blame you." He said, wrapping his arms around her. She began to sob.

"Shhhh it's alright." He said, rocking her as she cried in his arms, apologizing over and over again.

"Pearl... it's I that should apologize." He said.

Pearl looked up at him.

"Why?" She said.

"Because I have wanted to feel your kiss, desperately. Longing. How soft a word for such a ravenous feeling. How we hunger in silence." He said. "But tonight, I am here to comfort and support you. My own desires have no place here." He said as he walked her into the bedroom and took off her robe, laid her onto the bed and tucked her in, curling up behind her on the other side and holding her until her felt her finally relax and drift off to sleep. He then got up and took his laptop out of his bag and began to work on finding out what his cousin had done.