Page 84 of Strings

He stares at me for a moment then takes my hand in his. “Tell me what you need me to do.”

“What I want more than anything is to go home. But I left my purse upstairs. Can I borrow a few dollars for the bus? I promise I’ll pay you back tomorrow.”

“Do you honestly think I’m going to put you on a bus ever, let alone when you’re upset? Haven’t I been telling you for weeks that I don’t want you riding those things?”

I sigh and tilt my head back, growling in frustration. “Can you stop being you for a minute and let me get out of here?”

He reaches into his pocket and I glance over to the bus stop. I wonder when the next one comes. Will I get fired for leaving? Do I even care anymore?

Sebastian pulls out his car keys. “It’s on the third level, row C. Go sit in the car and wait for me. I’ll go get your purse and take you home.”

“But don’t you have meetings and practice today?”

“Fuck the meetings. They’ll be happy I’m gone.”

“Can’t we leave my purse and go now?”

“I need to explain why I’m leaving for the day. And I think it’s important we explain why you’re leaving, too.”

“No! You can’t…”

“I won’t say a word about the jackass, okay? But I want you to explain why I can’t at some point. It’s going to take everything in me to not find him and beat the shit out of him, but I won’t say anything other than you’re traumatized and need to go home.”

I’m dumbfounded. No one has ever treated me the way Sebastian does. He’s probably been nicer to me than anyone in my entire life.

He places the car keys in my hand and kisses the side of my head. The doors to the building open and the paramedics are pushing Mercer on a stretcher. He glances over to Sebastian and smirks. Sebastian grits his teeth and takes a step toward him. I have to pull him back.

“Talia, let me have one punch. Just one.”

Pulling my eyes away from Mercer, I stare at Sebastian for a moment. If he laid one hand on Mercer, he’d probably get fired. Plus, he needs his hands. He can’t go around hitting anything. I can see now that he would risk his career to defend me. He’s really amazing. How did I not see it before?

Placing my hands on his face, I angle his head to face mine and gently kiss his lips. I lean my forehead on his chin because he’s too tall for me to reach anything else.

He sighs heavily. “That was a good distraction. It worked. Go get in my car. I’ll be there in a minute.”

As I walk away, I wish I could tell him the truth, but I can’t. He’d hate me and I never want him to look at me the way I look at myself. I’m in deep. Squinting, I lift my hand flat to my forehead and gaze at the sun. It’s hot today. I usually like the heat, but today it reminds me that Summer is on its way. Summer is bad. Summer is a horrible person. I loathe her and I always will. She can’t come out. I won’t let her.

Put your fears aside and get on the damn ride.

By the time we finally get back to my apartment, it’s almost five. Sebastian insists on walking me inside. I think he’s waiting for an explanation that I’m not prepared to give.

I drop my purse on the floor along with my keys and bend my leg to take off my heels. Sebastian stands in the doorway, playing with his keys and watching me intently.

“You can come in, you know.”

He slowly steps inside and closes the door behind him, not saying a word. The one time I don’t have a problem with him just walking in and he doesn’t. It figures. I trudge over to the couch and flop down, then bend over and rest my head in my hands.

Sebastian walks into the kitchen. I hear him place his keys on the counter, and then he starts opening and closing cabinet doors. My usual reaction would be to say something sarcastic and be mad he’s going through my stuff, but right now, I really don’t care. I’m actually glad he’s here. I don’t want to be alone.

As soon as I sayalonein my head, I glance up to Stella. “I know you’re always here, Stella. That’s not what I meant.”

“What did you say?” Sebastian asks as he walks toward me with my two mugs and a bottle of tequila.

He sits next to me and starts opening the bottle and pouring.

“I was talking to my roommate, Stella. Not you.”

He stops and glances around. “You have a roommate? Where is she?”