Two lovers, torn apart by betrayal, obsession and an unquenchable thirst for revenge.
How far would you go for love?
About to start the career of his dreams and marry the woman he loves, Sebastien Merrow has everything he could ever want, until a b...
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Stepping off the plane and into Havana was like stepping into a whole new world. Sebastien Merrow had never experienced anything like it before. The wide open plazas surrounded by stately, beautiful buildings in shades of yellows, blues, and pinks, the sun-soaked parks, and cobblestone paths... Even the air itself was a complete novelty. The rich aromas of coffee and sugar from the hundreds of cafes lining the streets mingled perfectly together, warming him from the inside out with every breath.
Thanks to their gruelling training schedule, Sebastien hadn't had the chance to explore at all, so when the fencing team's first day off rolled around, Sebastien had been so eager to see the old part of the city, he had dragged Rodrick out of bed at 6 am. Rodrick had spent the entire breakfast at the hotel sipping black coffee and staring daggers at his friend across the table. Sebastien had felt bad - he knew Rodrick was not a morning person whatsoever - but he was sure once Rodrick stepped into the colorful, cramped streets of old Havana, all would be forgiven.
They had explored the narrow side streets and bustling plazas in the morning, stopping for coffee so often Sebastien was sure his heart would explode, and then taken shelter inside museums and churches when the heat ramped up to scorching in the afternoon. Rodrick had been in a better mood since breakfast, but not by much. His gaze was always unfocused, his mind somewhere else. Sebastien had found himself having to repeat comments and questions two or three times before Rodrick realized he'd said anything at all. Sebastien could tell the accusations against his father were weighing hard on Rodrick. He thought it best to avoid any mention of Albert, or the article that had dropped days before, hoping that Rodrick would open up to him about it on his own, but as the day wore on, and Rodrick remained silent and distant, Sebastien grew impatient.
They had been strolling through one of the narrow city streets, enjoying the cooler evening air and some Pan con Lechon, when Sebastien couldn't take it anymore, and stopped walking. It took Rodrick a handful of steps to notice and turn around.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or should I?" Sebastien asked.
"Nothing's wrong," Rodrick answered, and turned away. "Just tired." He started walking again, and Sebastien had to jog to catch up.
"No, you've been like this since before we left." Sebastien placed a hand on Rodrick's arm, but Rodrick shrugged him off.
"I'm fine."
"Rodrick," Sebastien began, stepping in front of his friend to block his path. "You can talk to me about anything, you know that, right?"
Rodrick stayed silent, his gaze cold and steady as he stared at Sebastien. "No, I don't think I can," he finally said, and turned away, tossing the remains of his pulled pork sandwich into a nearby trash can.
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing, forget it." Rodrick sidestepped Sebastien and walked away, leaving Sebastien behind, too stunned to do anything but watch his friend disappear into a crowd of tourists. It took Sebastien a few seconds to snap out of it. He'd been an idiot. Rodrick obviously wasn't ready to talk, and Sebastien should have just left it well enough alone. It was hard to see his friend struggle and not do anything, yes, but Rodrick was not the type of person who asked for help, or took it too kindly when it was offered. Sebastien swore and took off after him. By trying to help Rodrick, he'd made things worse. He promised himself, as he navigated the crowded streets looking for the light-haired head of his friend, that he would not bring up the subject again, no matter how much he wanted to.
