SUNNY: I mean, actual sleep. Like we’ve been doing at the safe house. The one-bed thing.
SUNNY: You won’t do the other sleeping with me.
SUNNY: I think you must be the shy virgin and not me, the way you act all chaste and restrained.
SUNNY: My bed feels weird, Seb.
SUNNY: I miss you. <3
EIGHTEEN
Sebastian
Tossing aside the towel he’d used to dry his hair, Seb pulled on his jeans and a fresh gray t-shirt, leaving his club cut hanging on the door handle. He pushed his socked feet into a pair of working boots, grabbing his keys by the door.
He was at Hawk’s house not long later. The VP wouldn’t be happy that Seb had turned up so late, but his heart had led him here. Sure enough, the light was backlit behind Hawk, standing in the open doorway when he parked in the port.
“Gia won the bet.”
Seb raised a brow as he climbed the steps. “What bet?”
“She was sure you’d be back today. I told her you wouldn’t darken my door so soon.”
Smirking, Seb rubbed his hand on his mouth. “What did she win?”
“Five bucks. What are you doing here?”
“Sunny can’t sleep.”
The sigh coming out of Hawk was like a breeze from the Gulf of Mexico, and trying to respect the older brother and his soon-to-be father-in-law, Seb attempted to smother a grin at Hawk’s frustration. His pale blue eyes narrowed like he could picture murdering Seb on his stoop.
“Sunny will be fine.”
Smiling openly, Seb was only a few steps away from Hawk, barring the doorway.
“Are you gonna be this passive-aggressive when I’m your favorite son-in-law, VP?”
“There’s nothing passive, son.” He batted back.
“Will you let me in to see Sunny?”
“If you think you’re spending the night here, I’m about to send you home in pieces.”
“Old man, don’t break a hip trying to take me,” he joked. Hawk could probably rip Seb’s head off and be sitting on his sofa again before Seb’s head stopped rolling down the porch steps. His name wasn’t legendary for no fucking reason. “I’m not staying the night. Just wanna see my girl so she can sleep.” He took a different approach and then shut his mouth, waiting for Hawk’s stare to conclude.
When he walked back into the house, leaving the door open, Seb took it as an invitation and stepped onto the tiled floor of the foyer. The curved staircase was on the right, leading to the second and third floors. On the left was the lounge. He could hear a TV playing.
“You gonna be around when I leave?”
Hawk gave him a look, and a raised pale eyebrow told Seb he would stand as a centurion in the foyer until he came down the stairs. That was fine; he needed to speak with the VP, anyway.
He’d been in the house many times, but never went to Sunny’s room. However, she’d told him where it was, and he’d seen it on video calls. The door was slightly ajar when he strode upstairs and along the hallway. He pushed open the door and watched her spring up in bed. There was only the light from the nightstand lamp, illuminating shadows around her room. Nothing caught Seb’s attention in the bedroom other than the woman in the queen-sized bed.
His heart immediately clattered in his chest.
“Sebastian!” she gasped in a hushed whisper, looking behind him like she expected an army to storm through. Or her over-protective father. Sure enough, she asked. “Did you lock my dad in a closet?”
Chuckling, he shucked off his jacket, tossed it on an armchair, then bent down to unlace his boots, kicking one off, then the other.
