Bastian: A Secret Baby Romance by Lauren Landish Read Free Book Online Page B

getting ready now."
    Mom and I made our way to the front of the house, where the grand foyer had been converted into the spot for Jim's press conference and announcement. I saw Donald standing next to a guy that kind of looked like Gary Oldman, who I assumed was Jim Mason. Jim was looking over his notes with a smile, laughing at something Donald told him in his ear. While Jim might be the one running for the State House, Donald definitely looked more comfortable in this sort of environment.
    Arranged around the foot of the stairs were a few cameramen while a lot of the reporters kept themselves to the back. This event wasn't for asking questions, although certainly a few would try after the prepared speech was out of the way. I looked around, trying to find Sebastian in the crowd of perhaps two hundred people when I felt my heart get ripped in two.
    Sebastian was off to the side of the assembly, looking as handsome as ever in his fitted tuxedo. What hurt though were the two girls who were talking to him. One was a knockout Asian girl, with that caramel color to her skin, almond shaped eyes and tight body that screamed model or at least high-society, while the other was a redhead that already looked hot and bothered by Sebastian's presence. The three of them were chatting, with both of the girls putting their hands on Sebastian's arms and chest, obviously flirting with him.
    Thoughts rushed through my mind as I watched him talk to the girls. The first was outrage, wanting to go charging down there and kick both of their asses. The second thought though crushed me and brought tears to my eyes. What if all of Sebastian's words, all his kind kisses and little whispers after he was done fucking me were nothing more than pillow talk to him? What if I was just another notch on his belt, to be replaced with a new one after it got boring fucking me? I was so lost in thought that I didn't even hear when Jim Mason's speech wrapped up, and my mom had to jostle my elbow to remind me to clap.
    After the speech, I let my mask fall over my face. Anyone who's lived in high society knows the mask I'm talking about, it's the one that smiles and says all the right things on the outside while on the inside, a totally different dialogue is going on. We can smile and exchange air kisses with women we hate or do nothing while people we actually like are eviscerated by the press or by more influential peers in public. While I'm nowhere near as adept in my mask as some of the people in our social circle, mine has a lot of practice.
    Circulating around the party, I played my role of charming daughter to Donald Witherspoon, smiling and making the right comments at the right time. I even exchanged pleasantries with Jim Mason, who I agreed to come by his campaign headquarters and discuss the possibility of me working as his 'youth coordinator.'
    Afterward, the party really started, with alcohol and music in the garden around the pool. I consciously avoided any of the alcohol, using the classic dodge of drinking dry ginger ale and passing it off as champagne. I was downing my third flute of the stuff when Harvey Mason, Jim's son who is just about my age, came up with a smile on his face. "Hey, you're Cassie, right?"
    "Yes I am," I said, returning the smile. "I saw you standing on the other side of your father at the speech. Quite a nice one, if I can say."
    "Of course you can. Dad will be quite happy about that, although I have to take a bit of credit for it. I did some of the rewriting of Dad's original ideas. He's got a good voice, just a tendency to go on a bit too long, and not use the right sort of words that get people buzzing."
    "So you're in politics then?" I asked him, keeping my smile fixed. I didn't really like the guy, but he was Jim Mason's son, and it certainly wouldn't be appropriate to make the man angry so soon after meeting him, especially with his relationship with Donald taken into consideration.
    "No, actually I work for a tech startup,