Virtue and Vice

Chapter Nineteen

A/N: It's the long weekend here in Canada and I'm going to be busy finishing TMMM's latest chapter plus a whole bunch of things I need to do so here's a double-upload for all of you.

Amber, you can't say I didn't cheer you up on your birthday! =)

Vote and comment! Let me know what you think of the developments so far.

***

I decided to wait until Monday to see Sebastian.

I knew what I wanted to do but I wanted to give myself some time to figure out what exactly to tell him.

We’ve made such a muck of things that it was hard to find exactly where we left off.

When I came in on Monday morning, I called Dean’s desk and asked if Sebastian was in. He wasn’t.

I checked again later in the day and got the same response.

Dean confirmed he wasn’t away on a trip or anything—just that Jennison had called in the morning to say Sebastian wasn’t coming in.

I didn’t want to text or call him—if I prepared for it, the doubts might sink in and make me change my mind.

Maybe he needed time. He’d waited for me for four years. I could wait a day.

I stomped down the frustration and decided to go about the rest of my day.

Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty much the same thing.

I got anxious enough that I finally rang Jennison.

“Where is he?” I asked, barely controlling the impatience in my voice. “Is he okay?”

Jennison took a long time before answering, “Technically speaking, he’s fine but he’s not fit for company right now. He’s just been working from home.”

“I need to see him,” I blurted out, pacing by the front steps of TVG. 

I’d stayed behind a couple of hours to get ahead on some work before I went after Sebastian. The skies have darkened and I’ve already repeatedly refused the front desk security from calling me a cab until I knew where to go.

“Is he at Rockford?”

“I wouldn’t advise it, Cassandra,” Jennison said firmly. “You may want to give him another day or so.”

“His mood isn’t going to improve in the next few days and we both know it,” I snapped, exhaling sharply. “Not while he’s still furious with me.”

“It isn’t his mood I’m concerned about. It’s your safety.”

“He’s not going to hurt me,” I grunted. “He’ll yell and break things but he’ll never lay a hand on me.”

“Shrapnels can still be quite deadly,” Jennison said with a sigh. “Give it until tomorrow, Cassie. I’ll see if I can talk him into coming to work.”

“Alright, Jennison,” I conceded, trying not to growl. “Talk to you tomorrow.”

Of course, I didn’t plan on waiting until tomorrow.

I’ve already waited three days.

I flagged down a cab and instructed it to take me to Rockford.

A sense of déjà vu flitted through me as I approached the concierge-slash-security desk. 

I was still dressed in my work attire—a salmon-colored shift dress, dark brown leggings and matching suede booties draped with a basic, tan trench coat. I knew I looked sophisticated but I wasn’t sure if I could pass for ridiculously rich who might possibly reside in this upscale condominium building.