I hit the call button before I can overthink it.
Brantley answers almost immediately. “Fi?”
My breath catches on a sob. “B?” The stress of the last day seems so heavy, and hearing his voice is triggering. My emotional dam breaks, and I let out a whimper, turning away from Seb.
“Jesus, Fi. What’s going on?” His voice is pitched high with panic. “Tell me you’re okay.”
I scrub a hand over my eyes. “We’re okay, B. My car broke down, so we just need a ride. That’s all.” I try to keep the quiver from my voice.
Seb lets out a frustrated sigh behind me, and I turn back to him, giving him an apologetic look. I know they don’t like each other, but B is our best option.
There’s a long pause before B speaks. “Who’s ‘we’?”
“Sebastian is here with me.”
There’s another long pause, and this time he sounds a little more upbeat. “Keep me on the phone and text me your location.”
“Okay.” I pull up a text and enter my dropped pin, watching the little blue bar at the top of the screen struggle to send. I sigh with relief when it seems to go through.
“Is this a good idea, Fi?” Seb asks, and I jump when I realize how close he is to my side. “He could be drunk for all we know.”
“I can hear you, Bastian,” B snaps.
I place a hand against Seb’s chest and give him a warning look. His gaze darkens, and his eyes drop to where my fingers are splayed against his pec. “Did you get the text, B?”
“Yes, I got it.” He pauses a minute. “Wait, you’re over an hour away. InWashington? What the fuck is going on, Fi?”
“That’s not really important, B. Are you coming or not?”
He sighs. “Of course I’m coming. I’ll get dressed and leave now.” Then he hangs up. I stare at the screen until it darkens, then glance over at Seb. His expression is skeptical. “Do you have something to say?” I ask.
“He’s coming because he feels guilty, Fi.” Seb is practically yelling, and I take a step back.
“Why are you so upset?”
He pins me with an intense look, his azure eyes giving mechills. “Why are you begginghimfor help when I’ve been trying to help all along? He’s not a knight in shining armor, Fiona.”
“You think I don’t know that? I wouldn’t ask him if I had a choice. He’s our best option.” I inch closer until my breasts practically brush his chest. “Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me we should put your sister and her boyfriends in harm’s way instead.”
We stare at each other like a pair of stubborn children before he finally looks away. “Fine. But I don’t have to like it,” he growls. “And he better be sober when he gets here.” Then Seb turns and storms back to my car.
CHAPTER TEN
SEBASTIAN
We’ve been waiting over an hour, and the snow is coming down in thick sheets. It’s much colder than it was in Vancouver, and my face and the tips of my toes are achingly numb. Fiona and I have been pacing to keep warm, our conversation minimal. The forest around us is quiet, and our only light is from the car’s headlights, which are pointed toward the snowy embankment.
Finally, I clear off a log opposite the car and sit. I catch Fi’s gaze and pat the spot next to me. Her bare hands are in fists, and they don’t unclench when she sits, scooting close to my body.
I’m a ball of nervous energy, everything wound tight like I might snap at any second. I hate that we’re waiting on Michaels right now. He’s probably the last person we should be calling for actual help, the fuckup that he is. And I won’t lie, watching Dennis corner Fi in the alley at the pub is still replaying in my mind like a fucked-up horror flick.
“Stop it,” Fiona looks over at me, annoyed.
“What?”
“You’re shaking your leg. It’s making me anxious.”
I smirk. “I think that’s the first time you’ve ever admitted that you’re anxious.”
