She might hate him now, but he’d never neglect her safety. Hawk wouldn’t need to kill him if anything happened to her. Seb would off himself.
They were in sync as they walked through the airport.
Even if flights opened up and Sunny could leave right away, Seb would still make her take the long way home.
Only the intervention of a thunderstorm calmed him down, having visions of buying a ticket he didn’t want so that he could carry Sunny off the plane.
This way was better.
Less chaotic.
He looked over and saw her stony expression. Not once had she asked a question.
Sunny was curious about everything.
When she was seven, she’d sidled up to him, eating a purple sucker, and innocently asked him what sex was, because she’d overheard boys talking. Fourteen-year-old Seb had nearly choked on a swig of soda.
“I’m over there in the short parking.” He pointed across to the area. It was raining in ferocious sheets, and she had no hood on her coat. Frowning, Seb placed a hand on her arm, and he felt her stiffen.
“You’ll get wet.”
“It’s only water.” She answered, then started across the rain-slicked road. He regretted not stopping to grab an umbrella for her. Lightning flashed, and he saw her jump. Storms frightened her, and he quickly caught up. He unlocked the passenger door, let Sunny in, tossed her bag in the back, and got in himself. Reaching from the back seat, he offered her a towel. She only stared at it, and Seb felt his jaw flex again.
“It’s clean.”
She took it silently and dabbed at her hollowed cheeks. Had she been eating properly? His worry tripled.
“How was the exam?” he asked after texting Hawk that he had her, switching on the heated seats to warm her up.
It was the first time she’d looked at him, but she glanced away just as quickly.
“It went well.”
Three words. That’s all he got out of her.
The Sunny he remembered would have ranted for an hour about a specific question on the paper or talked in depth about her answers while nervously chewing on a thumbnail, knowing she’d aced it.
She was exceptionally intelligent and would teach and influence kids in the future. Seb did not doubt that. Being a teacher was her life goal. As a little girl, she’d pretend he was her student, even before she could read herself.
The memory made him smile.
But it fell from his face when he heard her sigh. He studied her face, then returned his gaze to the road. The wipers went on as the rain came down hard.
“Are you hungry?”
“No, I ate.”
Three more words. It was going to be a long fucking journey.
With Sunny confined, he finally had the chance to speak his mind, something she’d avoided for almost a year. It was the longest they’d ever gone without speaking.
Their history was extensive and complex.
It was beautiful and torturous.
They were joined by the club, by family, not by blood, but it might as well be. It was that strong.
Priest wasn’t Seb’s birth name.
