Chapter 145: Act of Claim

Sienna

“This is what I wake up to?”

Liam’s voice broke the quiet, and I sat right up, my eyes snapping open as I looked down at what I was doing.

I was still sprawled out completely on top of Sebastian. He was lying beneath me on the sofa, his index finger pressed against his own lips to quiet his brother’s loud mouth.

Instead of scrambling off him, I let out a soft sigh and melted right back down onto his chest, his arms instinctively wrapping around my waist to hold me close.

“Five more minutes,” I mumbled into his shirt, closing my eyes again.

“You do know once my brother tries to get off that couch, he’s not gonna be able to move his back, right?” Liam said from the doorway.

Realizing he was completely right, I reluctantly untangled myself from Sebastian, sliding off his lap so I could stand up. Sebastian pushed himself upright, but the second he straightened his spine, he winced. He didn't say a word, but the look on his face was answer enough—he was stiff as a board.

“Good morning,” Sebastian said.

I looked over at Liam, crossing my arms as I gave him a dry look. “So, how was the big brother, little brother bonding yesterday?”

“Don’t make it weird, sweetheart,” Liam smirked. He leaned down and planted a quick, affectionate kiss on my cheek. “Good morning.”

A playful glint flashed in his eyes as he cut a quick look over at Sebastian. I touched my cheek, casually wiping the spot clean while glancing over at Sebastian, who was already watching Liam with a dark, bitter look in his eyes.

I turned back to Sebastian, trying to smooth over the tension. “What do you think about me showing you around Bendis today?”

His eyes lit up instantly. “That sounds wonderful.”

“Right, don’t mind me,” Liam chimed in.

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Would you like to come with us?”

“Nope. I have no desire to be a third wheel on your honeymoon,” Liam said, shaking his head. “Besides, I have to get to work today, even if my head feels like it’s being split open with an axe.”

I nodded, feeling a little sympathetic.

“It’s already eight in the morning, so I need to get moving,” Liam continued, giving a brief nod toward Sebastian before turning to me. “I’ll see the two of you around, alright? We’ll grab dinner later. I’ll give you a call.”

He pulled me into a quick hug before heading straight out the door, nursing what was very clearly a brutal hangover.

Once the front door clicked shut, I turned my full attention back to Sebastian. “What do you think about going to the beach? It’s the most famous spot in Bendis.”

He stood up, his large hands reaching out to catch my waist, pulling me close against him before leaning down to press a soft kiss onto the top of my head.

“I will go anywhere you wish to take me,” he said softly.

We threw a few essentials into a single beach bag which Sebastian slung effortlessly over his shoulder. We walked downstairs and caught a taxi outside the building.

The drive out to the coast took about thirty minutes, giving me plenty of time to scroll through my phone and check up on my friends in Bendis.

“Sienna.”

Sebastian’s quiet voice broke through my thoughts. His large hand slid over my knee, resting on my thigh with a warm weight that made me look up from the screen.

“What is it?”

“I was under the impression this was a date,” he said, looking at me with a serious face. “Will you not grant me your attention?”

I hadn't explicitly called it a date, but seeing the subtle pout on his face—an expression that didn't fit his massive frame at all—was so ridiculously adorable I could barely handle it. I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing out loud, turning off my phone screen and setting it face down.

“I’m sorry,” I said, leaning in a little closer to him. I raised an eyebrow, teasing him lightly. “I never took the formidable Alpha of Regalia to be so clingy.”

“Neither did I,” he replied without missing a beat, his dark grey eyes fixing on mine with an intensity that made my throat feel dry.

“Um... we have arrived, ma’am, sir,” the driver interrupted from the front seat, his voice hesitant, clearly awkward about breaking up the moment.

“Right, of course,” I cleared my throat quickly, handing him the cash for the fare before pushing the car door open.

The moment my feet hit the ground, the cool, fresh scent of saltwater washed over me. The taxi pulled away, and Sebastian immediately stepped up right beside me, taking my hand in his.

I pulled him down the steps toward the sand, heading for a pair of wooden sun loungers near the shore. The beach was pretty packed today—it was a Sunday, so basically half the city had turned out to catch the sun.

I stretched out on one of the loungers, laying back against the cushions while Sebastian stood at the edge of the shade, taking in the wide open view of the ocean.

“Do you wish to swim?” he asked, turning his head back toward me.

I quickly shook my head. “Maybe later, once the sun dips a little lower. I’m not trying to get sunburned today.”

“Alright.”

Sebastian reached down and pulled his shirt up over his head in one easy motion. I sat up a little, my mouth parting slightly as I watched the thick muscles of his back move under his skin.

I had never really had the chance to just sit back and stare at him like this. His back was incredible—he wasn't built like some bulky bodybuilder, but had the dense, clean lines of a natural athlete.

Damn.

It turned out, though, that I wasn't the only one taking in the view. A group of women lounging on the towels a few yards away were whispering and giggling among themselves, staring openly at Sebastian without even noticing I was sitting right there beside him.

I clicked my tongue out loud, not even trying to hide my irritation.

Sebastian heard it instantly and turned around, looking at me with a curious tilt of his head. He glanced over his shoulder, traced where my glare was directed, and a subtle realization settled on his face.

Without saying a single word, he walked straight over to my lounger.

He leaned down, planting his palms firmly on either side of my shoulders, effectively trapping me beneath him. Then he brought his mouth down on mine. It wasn't a gentle peck—it was a slow, deep, possessive kiss that went on just long enough to leave my lipstick noticeably smudged around his mouth.

Thoroughly satisfied with himself, he pulled back, looking down at me with a faint, quiet triumph in his eyes.

Without bothering to wipe the pink stain off his lips, he turned on his heel and trotted down the sand toward the crashing waves, leaving me sitting there on the lounger, completely speechless.