Drunk.

Mr. Sebastian’s hand remained wrapped around mine as he led me away from the tattooed man lying unconscious on the floor.

Only then did the reality of what had almost happened begin to settle over me.

If Sebastian hadn’t found me…

If he had arrived even a minute later…Gosh

A cold shiver raced down my spine.

My knees suddenly felt weak.

I trembled.

Sebastian glanced down at me almost immediately.

“Are you cold?” he asked quietly, finally breaking the silence between us.

I shook my head.

“No.”

But my voice sounded small.

Fragile.

I wasn’t cold.

I was terrified as hell…knowing the kind of danger I would have been in if he hadn’t come to my rescue.

His eyes lingered on my face for a brief moment before he gently tightened his grip around my hand.

He didn’t say another word.

He simply kept walking, leading me through the crowded nightclub and outside.

The music faded behind us as we stepped outside.

I turned back quickly towards the entrance door, like I was forgetting something.

I was about asking about Luisa when my gaze wandered toward the black Mercedes G-wagon parked near the entrance.

I blinked.

Mr. Sebastian’s car.

My eyes drifted to the front passenger seat.

Luisa.

She sat with her arms folded tightly across her chest, staring straight ahead through the windshield.

She didn’t even look at us.

My heart sank.

She was angry.

No…

She didn’t just seem angry.

But disappointed.

Guilt and shame twisted painfully inside my chest.

I had ruined the night.

I had worried everyone.

Without saying anything, Sebastian opened the rear passenger door for me.

His hand remained at my back, steadying me as I climbed inside.

The leather seat felt strangely cold beneath me.

He waited until I had settled before quietly closing the door.

A few seconds later, the driver’s door opened.

Sebastian slid into his seat.

He started the engine and drove off.

During the drive…the car was awkwardly silent.

No one spoke.

Not at first.

I lowered my eyes to my lap, unable to bear looking at either of them.

Then Luisa finally broke the silence.

“Do you know how scared I was?”

Her voice wasn’t loud.

It didn’t need to be.

It was enough to make my chest tighten.

“I looked everywhere for you, Maya.”

She finally turned around to face me.

Her eyes were glossy.

“I thought something bad had happened to you.”

Guilt crashed over me.

“I’m… sorry.”

The words barely escaped my lips.

“I really am.”

Luisa let out a slow breath and rubbed her forehead.

“I told you to stop drinking.”

“I know…” I whispered.

“I just…”

The headache pounding behind my eyes swallowed the rest of the sentence.

If only she knew the reason I was in that situation. 

I leaned my head against the cool window.

Everything outside blurred into streaks of gold and white as the city drifted past.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone,” Luisa murmured, more to herself than to me.

Before I could answer, Sebastian spoke.

“That’s enough, Luisa.”

His voice was calm and gentle.

But final.

Luisa pressed her lips together.

After a moment, she nodded and turned back toward the windshield.

Silence settled over the car once more.

I closed my eyes.

The throbbing in my head had become unbearable.

My entire body ached.

After several quiet minutes, I slowly opened my eyes again.

But something didn’t look right.

The streets outside were unfamiliar.. well, not unfamiliar.

But that wasn’t the way to my house.

I frowned.

“This…” My voice came out hoarse.

“This isn’t the way to my house.”

Sebastian kept his eyes on the road.

“I know.”

I blinked several times, trying to force my thoughts into place.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because there’s no one home waiting for you.”

I stared at the back of his head.

“What?”

“Your mother just left a few minutes ago for an overseas business trip.”

His hands remained steady on the steering wheel.

“She won’t be back for several days.”

My brows drew together.

“How do you know…”

“Because, I was supposed to be on that same trip,”

His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror for only a heartbeat.

Then he looked away first.

“But I canceled,” He continued, steering the wheel as we took another turn.

He remained quiet for several seconds.

His fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

“Because I…” He stopped himself, exhaling quietly.

“I can’t leave you alone tonight.”

For reasons I couldn’t explain…

Those words settled somewhere deep inside me.

The fear.

The panic.

The humiliation.

They didn’t just disappear completely.

But they became…calmer.

Because somehow…

Knowing he wasn’t leaving me alone made the world feel a little less frightening.

I hated how much comfort I found in that.

Especially when I knew I shouldn’t.

*****

The G-wagon rolled to a smooth stop in front of Sebastian’s house.

The engine died, and for a brief moment, no one moved.

Then Luisa pushed her door open.

“I’m going inside.”

Her voice was short.

Flat.

She didn’t wait for either of us to answer before climbing out and disappearing toward the front door.

The silence she left behind somehow felt even louder.

Sebastian stepped out first.

A second later, he opened the rear passenger door and held out his hand.

I stared at his outstretched hand for a second before placing mine in his.

The moment my feet touched the ground, my vision blurred, causing me to miss my step.

“Oh…,”

My heel slipped.

Sebastian caught me quickly, his arm wrapped instinctively around my waist while the other steadied my shoulder, pulling me against him.

My forehead bumped lightly against his chest.

For one suspended heartbeat…

Neither of us moved.

It was becoming a dangerous pattern.

Every time I lost my balance…

He was there to catch me.

And every time he did…

I forgot why I was supposed to stay away from him.

I lifted my head this time.

Slowly.

Our faces were impossibly close.

Close enough for me to notice the faint scent of cedarwood lingering on his shirt.

Close enough to feel his breath brush across my skin.

His eyes searched mine.

Not saying anything.

Just…

Staring deeply at mine.

So Intensely.

Everything around us faded.

Even the headache pounding inside my skull.

It was only him.

My gaze drifted to his mouth, and before I could stop it.

Something inside me pulled.

Without thinking…

I leaned forward.

Just a little.

His breathing caught.

And for the smallest fraction of a second…

He didn’t move.

He didn’t stop me.

Then reality crashed between us.

“Maya…”

My name left his lips like a warning.

He stepped back so abruptly that the warmth surrounding me disappeared all at once.

His hand slipped from my waist.

He cleared his throat, turning his face away for a moment as though collecting himself.

When he finally looked back at me, the softness in his eyes was gone.

Only restraint remained.

“You’re still drunk.”

His voice sounded lower than before.

Like every word had been carefully chosen.

He extended his hand again.

This time, there was a deliberate distance between us.

“Come on. I’ll take you to your room,”

Heat rushed into my cheeks.

Embarrassment settled heavily inside my chest.

What had I almost done?

I slowly withdrew my hand from his.

“I can walk.”

Without waiting for a response, I stepped past him and headed toward the house on my own.

Behind me…

I could feel his eyes following me.

I pushed open the front door and stepped inside.

The warmth of the house washed over me, but it did nothing to quiet the storm inside my chest.

Without thinking, I shoved the door shut behind me.

Bang!

The sound echoed through the grand foyer.

I leaned back against the door, squeezing my eyes shut as I struggled to catch my breath.

Why had I done that?

Why had I almost kissed him?

A lump rose painfully in my throat.

I pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes, but it was useless.

Hot tears spilled freely anyway.

I hated myself.

For wanting him.

For needing him.

For finding comfort in the one man I could never have.

A shaky breath escaped my lips.

Then I heard his footsteps approaching.

My heart lurched.

I quickly wiped at my cheeks with the back of my hand, trying to erase every trace of the tears before he could see them.

No.

I couldn’t let him see me like this.

Pushing myself away from the door, I hurried toward the staircase.

My headache protested with every step I took, but I didn’t slow down.

I climbed the stairs as fast as my unsteady legs would allow, disappearing down the hallway just as the front door opened behind me.