Page 89 of Blood and Thorns

“Raven won’t hurt you.”

I almost scoffed. “Younamedyour spider?”

“Come here.” The lethal tone of his voice reminded me who held control of the situation. Hint, it clearly wasn’t me. And still my gaze strayed sideways, looking for a way out. “Arabella…”

He caught my wrist, tugging me back until I bent awkwardly against the counter. I stilled, unable to look away from the spider perched on his shoulder.

“I could kill you so easily,” he mused, his hand sliding around my throat. “And yet you’re more scared of Raven.”

I swallowed against his palm, trying to bury myself against the countertop. Sebastian cocked his head to the side, staring down at me. After a moment he released his fingers, and I released a shaky breath.

“Put your choker on,” he ordered.

I eyed him warily as he pulled the spider from his shoulder and held it in his palm. “Where are we going?”

“You said you wanted to go for a walk, so let’s walk.”

“You said we were walking,” I commented, but there was no agitation behind it because at least I was outside. Sort of, anyway. In the passenger seat of Sebastian’s car counted because I’d opened the window and had a breeze. Honestly, I was feeling spoiled.

He didn’t reply–what a surprise–so I snuck a peak at him beside me. It was weird to see him drive, something so ordinary, and yet he looked at ease. Almost relaxed, if Sebastian could ever actually remove that stick up his arse and do such a thing.

“That spider thing wasn’t funny,” I muttered beneath my breath.

“It was,” he said without a change in his expression. “She wouldn’t have hurt you.”

“You don’t know that.”

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye before returning his attention to the road. “Don’t worry, she lives in a terrarium in my home office.”

“Why do you even have a pet spider?” I wondered.

“Because arachnophobia is a very common yet irrational fear.”

“So you keep her because the majority of people are scared? That’s… horrible.”

Sebastian let out a puff of air, almost like a laugh.

“Also, it’s not an irrational fear. They’re creepy. Who needs eight legs?”

Sebastian pulled over, turning in his seat to raise a brow. “Are you finished?”

I pursed my lips, looking out the window to realise we were in part of the city known to the locals as the Graveyard. He didn’t seem bothered about leaving his expensive-looking car in an area notorious for theft, rape, and homicides.

Another car pulled in behind us, a 4x4 that looked to be built like a tank.

“Stay here,” Sebastian said, and before I could reply he was out of the door and stalking to the car behind. I watched in the mirror, seeing him lean down to the driver’s side to speak to the twins that were trailing us the entire time.

After what looked to be a tense conversation, the twins drove away, and Sebastian reappeared to open my door.

“What was that about?” I asked, and Sebastian’s jaw clenched.

“Caden’s overprotective.”

“Of you?” I accepted his hand as he held it out.

He looked at me from the corner of his eye. “You seem amused.”

“Maybe a little,” I teased. “Is it because of that woman?”