“Wish we were seeing you in different circumstances, Sunny girl. How are ya?”
“I’m good. Tired.” And all too aware, Sebastian stood only feet away, with his gaze glued to her. She could feel it in her skin. “Have you been keeping out of trouble?”
The guy smirked. “It depends on who you ask.”
That sounded right.
All the legacy boys were riotous, but then, so were some girls.
Amidst a throng of troublemakers, Sunny felt she was the lone good girl. Her only target for trouble was the man trailing her.
“Hey, Priest, Prez will wanna know you’re back.” The pair smacked hands.
“I’m gonna get Sunny settled first.” He replied, and Cash nodded, bouncing his gaze between them like he could read the tension in the atmospheric cloud above their heads.
She wanted nothing more than to lean back and feel his chest pressed into hers, bringing the comfort only Seb could give. She didn’t understand his moody attitude, but she was now home, surrounded by her loved ones. There was no reason she had to breathe him in. He could go his way, and she could go hers.
Cash sauntered off to sit with Saint, and without turning around, she glanced over her shoulder, “Thanks again. I should find my parents.”
“Not so fast.” A hand on her waist zapped electricity to her limbs, rendering her incapable of moving. She slowly turned to face him, inhaling the darkness of his eyes as he stared at her. “I meant what I said, Sunshine. Enough of this not talking to me. We’re gonna be friends again.”
Her heart lurched, aching to crawl across the floor to him. To be in Seb’s orbit was her favorite place, but she couldn’t do that to herself just because he deemed it so.
His stubbornness, however, was no secret to her. He’d argue all night, so she just nodded.
“Whatever you say, Sebastian. I’m tired and want to talk to my parents and see if my sister is okay.”
Seb stunned the breath out of her when he stepped forward and latched a hand around hers. “Let’s go find them, then.” He announced and started the long walk toward the back rooms.
As they rounded a corner, a man stepped out of his office, and Sunny felt herself smiling at his towering figure. To everyone, he was the most notorious MC prez in the country. To Sunny, he was her favorite uncle. “Uncle Rider.” She said, dropping Seb’s hand as she stepped into his arms to receive a hug.
“How are you, sweetheart? Sorry, we had to bring you home this way.”
“It’s okay. I got my exam out of the way. Harper’s safe not being here, right?”
His lips flattened a little, but she saw amusement in his blue eyes. “Yeah, the nutcase has her under house arrest. Your folks are out back waiting for you.” He kissed her forehead and set her free, then looked at Seb. “A word, Priest.”
When he got patched in, Seb used his surname for his road name to honor Preacher. But it had been so long since she’d heard anyone use it. She’d never called him by his road name. To her, he was Seb and always would be.
She made the mistake of looking at Seb, and his eyes were so soulful, so tortured, like he didn’t want to be dragged away from her.
But she was probably imagining things, so she cracked a little smile. “Thanks for driving me home, Seb.”
He nodded and followed Rider. She couldn’t help but watch his long strides until he was out of sight. Only then did she make her way to the kitchen.
All the held-together emotions came spiraling out when she heard their familiar voices, and her breath stuttered in the doorway.
Gia Hawk was the heart and soul of their family. If a woman deserved to be on a pedestal, it was her. Sunshine always knew that without her, her father would cease to breathe. Gia was his beating heart, and it showed when she spied them in a clinch, Gia sitting on his lap, their heads together, murmuring.
Smiling, she joked. “Less of the smooching, child present.” She repeated the same warning every time she caught them in an embrace. She found their need for small, physical gestures endearing.
Their heads lifted in sync, and Gia reached Sunny first. Her hug was tight and welcoming.
“Oh, I’m so happy to see my girl.”
The hug transferred to her dad, and she latched her arms around his lean waist, feeling his love and sense of safety in that hug. He coasted a hand down her hair, cupped Sunny’s face to tip it up, and kissed her forehead.
“Sunny girl.”
