Chapter 6 - Livy
LIVY
The Irish night air hits my face the second I step outside.
There’s students hanging out talking, but it’s not nearly as loud as inside the bar.
Cigarette smoke wafts toward me, and that’s my cue to rush home.
That’s going to make this headache ten times worse.
I’m only a few steps onto the cobblestone walkway when a strange feeling creeps back into my chest. At first, I think it’s because I have to walk through the large group of students walking toward the pub.
I’m glad to be leaving when I am, because I don’t see how this many people are going to fit with everyone else still inside.
Suddenly, the memory of those dark green eyes flashes in my mind. The way Sebastian Vale looked at me like he already knew me. Like he was seeing something no one else could. I look around because it’s like I can feel him, because one thing is certain.
I absolutely did not imagine that moment with him
And somehow I know I haven’t seen the last of Sebastian Vale.
I pause on the walkway for a moment, letting my eyes adjust. The street is darker than I expected, the misty Irish air swallowing most of the light from the lampposts.
I should have waited for Miranda and Juniper.
St. Killian is safe, and most people wouldn’t bat an eye at walking home on their own.
But given my track record, I shouldn’t risk it.
Laughter and chatter spill out of The Red Boot every time someone opens the door to step inside.
I can’t go back in there. My temples throb at the thought, but I remember that my pepper spray is in my bag. I keep walking and sigh as I dig through its contents, fingers pushing past my wallet, my lip balm, a pen, my keys.
“Where are you…” I mutter quietly.
My hand finally brushes the small metal canister right as I slam straight into something solid.
A gasp escapes me because the wind was knocked out of my lungs. Did I freaking walk into the side of a building?
My balance is the first to go after my breath. My shoe slips on the damp pavement, and for a split second I’m certain I’m about to fall flat on my back.
But I never hit the ground.
Large hands catch me and hold me upright like it’s nothing at all.
My heart jumps straight into my throat as I look up.
And it’s official, I’m never going to have air in my lungs again.
I guess I know why his nickname is Bash now, because up close he’s even bigger than I realized. He towers over me, easily six foot five, broad shoulders stretching the fabric of the dark hoodie he’s wearing. His messy black hair falls across his forehead in thick waves.
But it’s his eyes that hold me there because they’re fixed on me so intensely that my chest tightens another notch.
For a moment neither of us moves. My whole body feels strange. Calm, but also buzzing like something electric is humming under my skin.
Sebastian doesn’t look like he has any intention to move away from me. His grip is firm, protective, like letting go never even crossed his mind.
The look on his face is like a punch to my chest. He looks almost… anguished, which makes absolutely no sense to me. He’s massive. There’s no way bumping into me could have hurt him.
Before I can even process it, the pub door bursts open behind us, and a group of loud rugby players spills out onto the sidewalk.
One of them barrels straight into Sebastian’s shoulder as he moves to block me from being absolutely annihilated
Everything happens so fast I barely register it.
Sebastian moves instantly. One muscled arm slides around my waist and pulls me behind him in a single smooth motion, tucking me safely against his back like it’s instinct.
His other fist swings out, and the punch lands squarely against the side of the guy’s head.
“Watch where you’re fucking going,” Sebastian growls, and even with everything else going on it registers to me that he’s American. The thought never crossed my mind that he would be anything other than Irish. This is definitely an interesting development.
The rugby player stumbles back, grabbing his jaw. “What the hell is your problem, man?” he snaps.
Sebastian doesn’t move.
His body stays between me and the group, completely blocking me from them. One of his massive arms is still stretched back behind him, holding me there.
Protecting me.
His voice drops low when he answers.
“If you bump into her again,” he says slowly, “I’m going to be your problem.”
The guy freezes and looks up at Sebastian, and then immediately backs down. “Jesus, man. Relax, tough guy.”
He mutters something to the others, and they shuffle back inside the pub.
Sebastian turns back toward me.
I suddenly realize his hand is wrapped around my wrist holding me to him.
My eyes drop to the connection between us without thinking, and I watch as his thumb slides across the top of my hand. I wouldn’t expect someone like Sebastian Vale to be so unbelievably gentle.
His fingers are large and rough from rugby, completely covering the delicate bones of my wrist.
When I look back up, his gaze is already on me.
Studying me.
Like he’s trying to memorize my face.
This is ridiculous on both of our parts.
The way my body is reacting to this man has my head spinning.
I gently pull my wrist back because we’ve been standing here too many beats for it not to be awkward. He’s not saying anything, and I feel like a sea witch swooped up and stole my voice. I’m perfectly content standing here looking at him.
For a moment he doesn’t move, but then he closes his eyes and lets go of my hand.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
“Uh… thank you,” I say awkwardly, looking anywhere but directly at him.
Sebastian doesn’t answer right away.
Instead, he reaches toward me, and for the first time since I can remember, I don’t flinch or run away. Those are my typical responses to sudden movements, but it’s like being close to him has rewired my brain.
A loose piece of my hair has fallen across my cheek, and I’m completely oblivious. That is until he catches it between his fingers and lets the soft strand slide slowly along his skin before tucking it behind my ear.
The small touch sends a shiver straight down my spine and some other places I don’t even want to think about.
When he finally speaks, his voice is quiet.
“I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”
My head snaps up to look him in the eyes.
Shock floods through me.
No one has ever said something like that to me before.
Not like that.
Not like it’s a promise.
And the strangest part is that he says it like he means it, he’s not being flippant or doing whatever that fake nice guy thing is Ronan does.
It’s like Sebastian has already decided that I’m his to protect.
But he doesn’t know me.
Reality hits me like a freight train, and all I can hear is Juniper yelling, “Red flag, red flag, red flag!” every time a man does something in public she doesn’t like…which is most things men do in general. Like smiling or breathing.
“I… I have to go,” I blurt quickly. “Thank you again.”
My heart is racing so fast I can barely think straight.
I turn and hurry down the sidewalk before he can say anything else. When I reach the corner to head back to my dorm, something is pulling at me, telling me to look back.
Sebastian is still standing exactly where I left him. His hood is pulled up now, shadowing part of his face. But those green eyes are still locked on me.