Page 196 of When We Ignite

A few times, I caved and checked the news. I lasted all of five seconds before the sheer number of articles sent me spiraling. Maya took my phone away after the fourth attempt.

Henry couldn’t come over. He tried once and nearly got mobbed. But he texted me regularly, trying to keep me updated without actually saying anything. It was frustrating as hell. He told me they had bodyguards now. It wasn’t permanent—just until the media circus died down.

Aria, Henry, and Charlotte kept telling me to be patient. That it would all be sorted out. They couldn’t mention him by name, but I knew what they meant—Sebastian was fixing this.

Two weeks passed in this absolute misery of a lockdown, and I was going insane without a word from him.

I could only imagine how this was affecting him. His job. His life. The accusations were brutal, enough to ruin his reputation—enough to destroy him. And I couldn’t even talk to him.

It sucked because, after Oliver and Sebastian talked, everything had finally felt better. At the wedding, it had been perfect. I could see it, feel it. The way he felt about me. The way we fit.

Only for it to be ripped from our hands a second later.

Then, the weekend before classes started, a miracle happened.

A soft knock on the door.

Maya poked her head in, her smile already giving it away. “Hey,” she said, voice low. “I just got a call from the lobby. Sebastian is here.”

My heart stopped.

“He’s asking if he can come up.”

I practically launched from the bed. “You said yes, right?”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course, E.”

I rushed to the door, heart pounding, and stood frozen in the hall, eyes locked on the elevator doors.

The moment they slid open and he stepped out, relief crashed into me, overwhelming, all-consuming. He spotted me instantly and moved fast—closing the distance, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I practically climbed him, clinging to him in desperation, trying to erase the horrible days apart with the press of my body against his.

“Hi, Maya.” His voice rumbled against my chest.

I clung to him, breathing him in. God, I missed him so fucking much.

“Ash,” she greeted warmly.

I turned, meeting her understanding brown eyes. “Sorry, we’re going to my room,” I said quickly, pulling him behind me.

The second the door closed, I tugged him down and pressed my lips to his.

Sebastian sighed, but he kissed me back, and fuck, the relief in my chest was instant. I hadn’t been sure if he would.

“Sorry for the disappearing act, pet,” he murmured against my lips.

I pushed him to sit on the bed and wrapped myself around him, arms tight around his shoulders, burying my face into the crook of his neck. “Sorry for all of it. Sorry about my dad. Sorry about this fucking mess. I’m so sorry. I missed you, Ash.”

His arms tightened around me too.

But he was too quiet.

“We need to talk, darling.”

I shook my head and held him tighter, willing his words away.

The sting behind my eyes was immediate, but I refused to let it come. Instead, I straddled his lap and cradled his face in my hands.