Sebastian appears, growling. He grabs me and pulls me up against the wall, hiding me with his body. “The town is on a mission to keep us separated. Hello, Ms Lake.”
Mum laughs at him. “You have two minutes before I sound the alarm!” she teases.
“I knew it!” he says triumphantly.
“Sebastian, the town isn’t against you, don’t be so paranoid.” She lets out a tittering laugh, but neither of us believe her.
He glares at my mother. “She got to you, too, didn’t she?”
Mum laughs and pats his shoulder. “You are such a suspicious creature.”
He narrows his eyes. “You are all in on this together. Uncalled for. I thought I was your favourite?”
“Not true, I just want to have one more bonding moment with my daughter before I give her to you. Would you deny a mother one night with her baby?”
Sebastian seethes. “That is completely unfair. You can’t pull that card.”
Mum smiles unrepentantly. “I just did.”
“Oh, you are evil.”
“I am. What are you going to do about it?” Mum laughs at him, and we all know she’s won.
“Nothing right now, but your time will come.” Sebastian strokes my hair and kisses the tip of my nose.
Mum laughs. Sebastian lets out a defeated sigh and drops his forehead to mine.
“I’m sorry. I can’t win this fight with you. They are too powerful.”
I snicker and run my thumb over the stubble on his cheek. He is so beautiful.
“Go have a fun night with the boys.”
“I’m going to steal into your window.”
“You absolutely will not!” Lorelei growls as she appears out of nowhere like our guardian prison guard.
Sebastian sighs. “Killjoys.”
Lorelei slaps his arm. “Come on. You three can come have dinner with me. Where I can keep my eye on you.”
I watch them leave, hating it. Wishing I were going with them.
“Come on.”
Mum and I have dinner, and then I go up to my room and work on edits. I’m supposed to be deleting the book, but I still can’t bring myself to do it.
I’m in Sebastian’s hoodie, wishing I’d stolen some clothes from Katsu and Fox, when the stairs outside my bedroom creak.
I spin on my computer chair, watching the door as it slowly opens. Fox creeps in and closes the door behind him. I grin as he tiptoes to me and pulls me up into his arms before collapsing on the bed and wrapping around me like an octopus.
“I am so tired! This town sure knows how to work a person,” he whispers.
“What are you doing here?”
“I needed to see you.”
He kisses me and then snuggles into me, like a teddy bear, except incredibly warm. I hold on to him, stroking his back.
