“You’re probably concussed, meaning you shouldn’t drive. Lily, I’m assuming, doesn’t have her license.” He looked at me for confirmation and I nodded. “So, I’ll drive the Cadillac.”
The corner of Dean’s mouth twitched ever so slightly. “You drive cars like motorbikes, with no awareness that there’s more to the car than the front seat. Or that curbs exist.”
Seb rolled his eyes. “That was one time.”
“Uh-huh.” Dean ground his jaw in thought as he brought his eyes back to me. His gaze was softer than moments ago. “It’s up to you, Lily.”
People had said my name before, even clients at the agency who were complete strangers, yet for some reason the way Dean said it caused my heart to jump. It was something so stupidly trivial.
I hadn’t meant for my voice to sound so small when I said, “I trust you both if that’s what you mean.”
Dean’s eyebrows lifted slightly.
“Awe, we’re trustworthy,” Seb pouted, eyes gleaming with joy. He then looked at Dean. “So, that’s a yes for me to drive your car then?”
Dean gave Seb a deadpan look before he rose to his feet and moved towards his locker.
Seb and I followed, waiting for his answer. Me a little more cautious as following Dean brought us closer to Frank and his friend. They were at the other end of the kitchen, providing ample space between us, but were sending us subtle glances from the corners of their eyes as they waited like sharks.
I kept to Seb’s side.
Dean opened his locker and pulled on his hoodie before he grabbed his bag. Taking a second to rummage through it before he pulled out the keys. He didn’t hand them over yet. “Any sharp turns and–”
“You’ll run over my balls?” Seb smiled crookedly, folding his arms.
“Don’t doubt that I won’t,” Dean warned. A ghost of a smile graced his lips before he tossed the keys at Seb.
Chapter 19
Lily
One thing I learned from being in a car driven by Seb was that he was hopeless at multitasking. Specifically talking and driving at the same time. He had narrowly missed running two red lights as he told me about the motorbike he owned — a matte black Yamaha that I had seen in the parking lot behind The Den. Once Dean’s concussion subsided, they planned to go back later tonight so Seb could ride his bike home.
Dean, in the backseat of the Cadillac with his hood up, had resorted to slinging his forearm over his eyes so he wouldn’t witness any near-accidents Seb caused on the way to my apartment. He calmly warned Seb multiple times to stop talking and focus. It wasn’t until we pulled up to the curb outside the apartment block that I released my grip on the leather seat.
“Thanks for the lift,” I said to both.
Dean pressed his lips together in a smile while Seb said happily, “No problem.”
I opened the door and placed a foot on the curb but hesitated at the sight of a rust-colored Sedan, parked in the side street. Aiden was here. But it was also past two in the morning so maybe he and Kira would be asleep.
“Who owns the piece of shit?” I turned to find Dean also looking at the car.
“It’s my friend’s boyfriend. You met him last Saturday.”
He nodded in understanding as he looked back at the car. Expression blank. “The dickhead with a man bun.”
I tried not to smile at the fact Dean had met Aiden once and came to that conclusion already. “That’s him.”
“What kind of dickhead are we talking about here?” Seb asked, looking back and forth between us. “Like, abusive? Smartass?”
“Smartass,” Dean agreed, eyes scanning the rest of the apartment.
“So, change of plans then?” Seb raised his brows at me for a response.
I glanced back at the apartment, considering just sticking it out and going inside, but the thought of dealing with Aiden made me feel exhausted already.
“I mean, it’s only...2:30,” Seb jokingly added as he glanced at the dashboard clock. “We could get food or something.”
