7. CHAPTER 7
SEBASTIAN
I t wasn’t the first time I’d been bottled, and it probably wouldn’t be the last.
My eyes darted back to Aria. Her face was pale, her hand over her mouth as she looked at my bloodstained fingers. I straightened my posture, turning around to face the man with a smug look on his face.
He wouldn’t find it funny in a minute.
I pulled my cuffs straight. “Do you know who I am?” I questioned him.
“I don’t give a shit who you are,” he responded brazenly.
A smirk curled on my lips as I ran my hand through my hair, brushing back the loose bits that had fallen out. With that, I swung for him, hitting him clean in the jaw. He stumbled back, falling to the floor, before wiping the blood away from his lip.
“You’ll pay for this!” he barked from the floor, slowly getting up and wiping his lip again.
I felt someone tug at my arm, forcing me to turn around. Aria stood there, staring at me, fear flickering through her eyes.
Was she scared of me ?
“Sebastian, I don’t feel so good,” she said, her voice not even a whisper.
She grabbed hold of my arms, her feet unsteady. I tilted her head up me. Her eyes were glazed, and the weight of her head rested on my fingers. That asshole must have spiked her drink.
I had to get her out of here. The guy had disappeared, probably aware I was about to ruin him. Gently placing Aria’s head on my chest, I wrapped my arm around her waist, starting to make my way for the exit, when Sefina and Hayden rushed up to me.
“What happened?” Hayden questioned, looking at Aria.
Serfina was already there at her side, helping support her.
“That asshole spiked her drink,” I replied tightly, trying to restrain my anger.
“Is he still here?” Hayden asked.
“I don’t know, but I need to get her home.”
I glanced down at Aria, who was now mumbling in between giggles to Serfina.
“I’ll find him,” Hayden said, squeezing my shoulder.
I nodded at him and turned to get Aria out of there.
I gently helped her into the passenger side of my car, lifting her legs in.
She pointed at me. “You, Sebastian, are a gentleman.” Her words were slurred as she smiled at me.
If she’d known what I’d done in a previous life, I doubted she’d be saying that. I closed the door carefully, then made my way to the driver side and got in, starting the engine. Aria put her hand on the steering wheel and leaned in.
“Should you be driving?” she slurred, pointing her finger at me like a naughty school child.
I couldn’t help but let out a silent laugh. Did she even know what she was saying?
“Safe to say I’m well within the limit,” I reassured her, leaning over to put her seatbelt on. “You, on the other hand, are not.”
I pulled the car away from the curb and started to drive, glancing over at her as she was mumbling to herself.
“Did I interrupt your date with the brunette?”
Was she asking because it bothered her to see me with someone else, or because she thought she had ruined the night?
Her head was now leaning on my arm as I drove. I tensed, my stomach doing backflips at her touch.
“Sebastian, I can’t feel my body,” she mumbled.
“You’ll be fine, Nyx. We just need to get you home.”
“I don’t want to go home to an empty flat, all on my own.”
There was an unfamiliar pang in my chest. The girl I used to know looked the same, smelled the same, but that fire that had burned in her seemed to have gone out.
I’d get it back, though.
“I’ll stay with you,” I said softly.
An hour had passed when I pulled up outside her flat, turning the engine off. She was asleep, looking peaceful; I didn’t want to disturb her. I softly brushed the hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.
She jolted awake, grabbing my wrist. “Callum!” I froze as her eyes refocused. Who the fuck was Callum? “Sebastian? What are you doing? Where am I?” she questioned, looking around.
“You’re home. I brought you home,” I replied, trying to calm her.
She released the grip on my wrist, then looked out the window for a minute—she must have realised where we were, because her body relaxed.
“Let’s get you upstairs.”
I wrapped her arm around my neck and then one of mine around her waist to keep her steady. There weren’t many steps; she was on the first floor. Yet, after several attempts, she was still struggling to get one foot in front of the other, so I opted to swoop her up in my arms instead.
“Put me down,” she giggled. “When did you become so buff?” She squeezed my bicep.
I couldn’t help but pull her in a little closer to feel her warmth in my arms, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. She wouldn’t remember this tomorrow, but I would.
I reached the door, pulling her keys out of my pocket to open it.
“Are you staying for a nightcap?” She kicked her shoes off the minute I stepped in. I made my way to her room and gently laid her on the bed. “Taking me to bed already?” More giggles followed.
I pressed my lips together. The thought of even entertaining the idea of taking her to bed in this state was ludicrous. I was many things, but I was not that kind of man.
“That’s not going to happen.” I sat at the end of her bed. “Get up.”
She grumbled at me, forcing her body to sit up.
My hands found the hem of her dress, and I hitched it up over her hips. “Put your arms up.” She reluctantly lifted her arms, and I pulled her dress over her head.
She soon flopped back onto the bed. I glanced over her for a moment, then I leaned over, kissing her on the forehead.
“Eww.” She wrinkled her nose.
I let out a little laugh and pulled the covers over her.
That little spark of hers was still in there somewhere.
Making my way over to the chair in the corner of the room, I sat down, resting back into it.
There was no way I’d leave her alone like this.
I’d sit here all night watching over her if I had to.
A few hours had passed, and the sun was on its way up.
Apart from her talking in her sleep and shifting about in bed a lot, it seemed the drugs were out of her system and that she’d be ok.
I didn’t want to leave her, I never wanted to leave her, but she wouldn’t remember asking me to stay, so I decided it was best to go.