Chapter 338 The Luxury Cruise

Chapter 338: Chapter 338 The Luxury Cruise

Emilia’s POV

"Why in the Goddess’s name would you drag that guy into this?"

I patted his cheek. "What’s on your mind? Scott’s a married man now. Solid, decent, and a gentleman. He’s not going to cast some longing look my way anymore."

"Then why bring him at all?" Sebastian grumbled.

"Because more couples means less suspicion. Willow won’t smell a trap if the whole boat is playing lovebirds."

Sebastian rolled his eyes.

We split the work. He’d handle Fynn and Willow. I’d handle Lily.

I ducked into the bathroom and called Lily. She picked up instantly.

"Emilia? What’s up?"

"You free this weekend?"

"I’m always free on weekends. Why?"

"Let’s take a trip. Bring Scott."

"A trip? Where to?"

"Sebastian booked a luxury couples’ cruise. You and Scott, us, Fynn and his girlfriend. We’re sailing down to Haven’s Reach."

"Haven’s Reach? What’s out there?"

"A little tourist town down south. Right on the coast. It’s gorgeous. The cruise goes straight there."

Lily hesitated. "That’s... really generous, Emilia. But I don’t think Scott would go."

"Drag him along! You two never got a honeymoon after the wedding. Call this one."

"A honeymoon’s supposed to be just two people. It doesn’t count with a whole crowd. And let’s be honest, if you’re there, Scott won’t even glance my way."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "What are you on about? Have a little faith in yourself. I swear I’ll stay clear whenever Scott’s around. Deal?"

She wavered. "Fine. I’ll try. Don’t get your hopes up."

An hour later, she called back. Scott had caved.

The hardest piece was done. Fynn was easy. Sebastian had signed off on his leave weeks ago, and the man hadn’t taken a single day. An all-expenses-paid cruise with his Alpha and his girl? He’d bite my hand off.

Saturday morning, we trickled onto the beach one after another. Fynn took one look at the roses covering the deck and let out a low whistle.

"Sebastian, don’t you think this is laying it on a bit thick?"

"What’s wrong with romantic?" Sebastian said. "It’s a romance trip. We might as well go all in."

Each of us paired off and boarded. I kept half an eye on Willow. She stroked the rose petals, cooed over the wine rack, and I grew more certain by the minute. She was materialistic to the bone.

The cruise slid out into open water. Willow flung her arms wide at the railing and shrieked with delight, then spun around.

"Alpha Sebastian, you’re too generous, bringing Fynn and me on something like this."

Sebastian gave her a gracious smile. "Don’t mention it. Fynn’s like a brother to me. I’d buy the man a cruise ship, let alone a weekend on one."

Scott’s jaw ticked. He rose and drifted toward the stern, plainly done listening to a man count his money out loud.

I watched Willow’s eyes light up with every word Sebastian said.

At dinner, Sebastian dropped into the chair beside me out of habit. The second he sat, I hooked my foot around his ankle and gave him a warning tap.

He glanced at the others still filing in and sent me a mind-link.

"What?"

"Don’t forget the plan."

"I’m an Alpha, not the gigolo you rented for Willow."

I bit back a laugh. Willow was gliding through the door. Now was no time to spar with him, so I softened.

"Please, love. I’ll make it up to you. I swear."

His scowl eased. He pushed back from the table and rounded it, dropping into the seat directly across from me. Willow spotted the open chair beside him and slid into it.

Sebastian went a little stiff at first. I caught his eye and gave him the barest nod. He exhaled, then turned toward Willow and started returning her flirting, smile by smile, glance by glance.

Fynn, sitting right beside her, might as well have been blindfolded. His girlfriend was pulling out every trick she had to bewitch his boss, and the man just chewed his steak and beamed.

Lily leaned into my shoulder. "What’s going on with you and Sebastian?"

I took a slow sip of wine. "Nothing."

She flicked a glance at the pair flirting across the table. Sebastian, apparently, was overselling it.

"Since when," Lily murmured, "did your cold-blooded, short-fused Alpha turn into Prince Charming?"

"Since I told him to," I thought sourly. Though nobody had ordered him to enjoy it this much.

"He’s rather good at this, isn’t he?" Eve chimed in.

"Too good," I shot back.

Later, after we’d all turned in, Sebastian finished washing up and flopped onto the bed with a groan.

I hauled him straight back upright by the arm.

"You were awfully enthusiastic about flirting with Willow tonight."

"You put me up to it." He smirked. "What, jealous?"

I hooked a finger under his chin and tilted his face up. "As a matter of fact, yes."

He leaned in to kiss me. I planted a hand on his chest and shoved him back.

"Not now. We need to fight."

He blinked, thrown. Then he caught my waist and dragged me against him, his mouth grazing my throat.

"You flirt, I catch you, and we blow up. Then she’ll believe there’s a crack between us," I explained.

"Not tonight," he mumbled into my neck, his kisses climbing higher. "Let’s act tomorrow."

"Tonight. Non-negotiable. Consider it your punishment for putting on such a convincing performance."

"What?"

I twisted free, marched to the side table, seized a vase, and hurled it to the floor. Glass exploded across the boards.

"Sebastian!" I shrieked, wild and shrill. "Why would you do something like that?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, dragged in a long-suffering breath, and finally roared back, "Emilia, stop being so damn unreasonable!"

"Oscar-worthy," Eve snickered.

Seconds later, a knock rattled the door.

"Sebastian? Emilia? What happened?"

I wrenched it open and rushed into the hall.

"Fynn, you’re bunking in my room tonight. I’m not spending one more minute breathing the same air as him!"

Lily’s eyes went round. "What? Why?"

"He’s insufferable. Arrogant. I can’t stand the sight of him."

I stormed into Fynn’s room and slammed the door hard enough to shudder the walls.

Out in the hall, I heard Willow’s voice curdle.

"Well. Looks like you’re sleeping in her room tonight, and Alpha Sebastian is sleeping in yours."

Fynn’s shrug carried in his tone. "It’s fine. See you in the morning. Night."

"Sweet dreams." Willow’s voice went honey-smooth, then a door clicked shut.

The next morning, Sebastian and I kept the war going, freezing each other out across the whole ship. He carried a plate up to the deck to eat alone. I stalked after him, radiating fury for anyone watching.

The moment I caught up with Sebastian, I snatched a glass of red wine off the rail, cocked my arm, and flung the whole thing straight into his face.

The wine ran down his jaw in dark rivulets, dripping off his chin onto that crisp white shirt.

For one breath, the deck went dead silent.

Sebastian wiped a slow hand down his cheek, and to his credit, the murder in his eyes looked entirely real.