Page 180 of When We Ignite

Most of the group had left, leaving just Henry, Sebastian, and me. My dad stood by the deck, talking to Oliver.

I stole glances at Sebastian, noticing his phone lying face-up on the table. It vibrated, and he unlocked it to type something before setting it down again. My eyes caught on the screen, and a flare of outrage lit up in my chest.

I grabbed his phone and tapped on the chat. “Sebastian Langley!”

Both Sebastian and Henry turned to look at me, Sebastian’s expression amused.

I shoved the phone at him, showing him the screen. “That’show you saved my number?”My Pet?What the fuck?

Henry saw it, too, and burst out laughing, and Sebastian followed a second later, his laugh rich and unapologetic.

“Change it. Right now!” I demanded, trying to keep my voice down.

“I’m not sure I know how to do that. You know, old people and technology,” he teased, his grin widening as he took another drag of his cigarette.

I leaned closer, pinching his arm. “Change it.”

“No can do. If I do, I’ll never find you again. My brain is wired to respond only tothat.”

“Of all the fucking things, Ash,” Henry said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

“It’s fitting,” Sebastian said with a shrug. “Plus,you’rethe one who started it.”

“I did not!”

“Did too. You said that’s how I treated you.”

“Sebastian, change it—” I shoved the phone into his hands, my voice firm.

Sebastian just shook his head, still laughing. He tilted his head, his eyes gleaming. “How about you changeyoursfor me? I think I know what you’d type.”

I tried to scowl at him, but it was impossible to hold back my smile.

“Why? What does Ethan call you?” Henry asked, barely able to contain his amusement.

“Creep,” we said in unison, and Henry barked out another laugh.

Sebastian and I exchanged grins, joining in the laughter.

“Now that isreallyfucking fitting,” Henry said, still chuckling.

I shook my head, attempting to glare at him, but when Sebastian threw a wink my way, my resolve crumbled. He was so fucking handsome.

I turned away from Sebastian and caught my dad’s eyes across the deck. Heat crept up my neck as he stared at us, his gaze flicking between me and Sebastian before landing back on me, sharp and assessing. My stomach churned.

Clearing my throat, I straightened in my chair and forced myself to look away.

He eventually turned back to his conversation with Oliver, but the unease lingered. I excused myself from the table, my heart racing.

I knew what was coming. Sharing a room with my dad meant there was no escape if he decided to bring it up. I went over every word I’d said at the table, replaying it a million times, trying to pinpoint if something could have tipped him off.

When he finally stepped into the room, the tension was high.

“Are you changing already?” he asked casually, sitting on the bed.

I rummaged through my bag, pulling out a pair of shorts and a shirt. “Not for the rehearsal. I wanted to go for a jog first.”

“Do you want company?”