Chapter 3

Emma felt her heart racing. Ever since she'd gotten into that car, there had been silence, and her whole body had been tense, but her eyes couldn't look away from Sebastian. The man was driving serenely, not even caring how she was looking at him, but when the car stopped at one of the red lights, his body relaxed into the seat, and he finally looked at her, completely disconcerting her.

"Are you well?" he dared to ask.

Emma flinched, lowering her eyes, looking down at her hands.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to drop you off at home or work. Do you work today?"

"No, I'm off duty. But you don't have to," she said quietly.

"Of course I do, the world is dangerous." Sebastian said that with a satisfied smile on his lips. "I want to repay what you did for me."

"You already reciprocated," she looked at him again, even though she was still shy. "You gave me all that money and made those men follow me everywhere. It's good."

"I decide when it's good or not, honey," Sebastian said calmly. "Like I said, I'll take you home."

"And do you even know where my house is?"

"Of course I do," he looked at her briefly, giving her another smile. "I lived in this town when I was younger, I know literally everything, especially the house of one of the most surly professors there is."

"Do you know my father?" Emma's eyes bugged out.

"Well, not quite. I never studied with him, if that's what you think. But I've seen him a few times."

"Does he know you?"

"Probably, I got into a lot of trouble in high school."

"Please don't take me home," Emma begged. "Leave me right here, I'll walk."

"Uh, but why would I do that?"

"My parents can be home at that time. And if they see me with you, they…"

"I won't let them see me, it's okay."

"Please, sir."

"Call me Sebastian, we're almost the same age."

"I doubt it," she stammered, looking up at him again when Sebastian smiled to himself upon hearing, "I'm eighteen."

"I'm twenty-two."

"Twenty-two? Only? But those men called you boss."

"I became chief early. My effort was remarkable."

"Hm…"

"So, does that mean you study music?"

"Yes."

"It's cool?"

"A lot. I love being able to study this."

Sebastian again glanced at her briefly; this time, he was looking into Emma's dark, glittering eyes. The girl seemed indeed passionate about music.

"And you?" she asked.

"Me what?"

"Do you study?"

Sebastian laughed, as if he'd heard a good joke. "No, no. But I'm good."

"Good at what?"

"As far as you can imagine." He ran his tongue between his lips, leaving the double-meaning sentence hanging in the air.

Instantly, Emma's cheeks turned crimson. "You're young, but you're an adult. Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No," she replied in a low voice, looking back at her hands.

"Really? But why?"

"I just haven't," she shrugged.

"I don't understand. You're beautiful, you should have many suitors at your feet."

That brought Emma laughter. She couldn't seem to feel pretty or attractive enough to have many guys at her feet.

"I'm going the right way, aren't I?" Sebastian asked, noting how quiet the girl had been at the compliment.

"It is," Emma answered him, rolling her eyes over his tattooed hands pinned to the steering wheel.

"Are you okay?" Her eyes went to his face. "I mean, from that beating? Are you okay?"

"Oh, don't worry, I've been worse. I'm fine now."

"Really? I thought they broke your rib."

"No, my bones are like steel. It takes a lot more to break me like that."

Emma nodded, even though she didn't understand how anyone could recover like that. Her eyes went to the road. Instantly, she wondered where Ramon and Pietro were, but deep down, she was grateful they weren't there. They always talked a lot, made a lot of noise, and that irritated her a little. Not Sebastian; he was completely cool and silent.

"It's here, isn't it?" Sebastian asked her when the car stopped a few meters from the modern architecture house. Emma looked over and nodded, already removing her seat belt.

"Thank you so much for bringing me, but I don't want to anymore—"

"Before you finish your sentence," Sebastian interrupted her, "I honestly don't care what you want right now. I'm only here because you're in danger. Do you want to die being alone out there?"

"This is all your fault!" she scolded, crossing her arms in irritation.

"My?" Sebastian chuckled. "I was just getting my ass kicked; you're the one who showed up and scared off a whole gang."

"Ah, so I was supposed to leave you dying there? You were being beaten a lot!"

"And you cared for me." Sebastian was still smiling, but he turned slightly in his seat and reached for Emma's hand. "And I'm completely grateful for that," he said, leaving a kiss on the back of her hand.

Emma sighed. The second she felt the kiss, her entire body shivered, but when Sebastian lifted those blue eyes to hers and smiled, her heart skipped a beat.

"I—I need to go," she said nervously, pulling her hand away. She had never felt that way about any man. Because Emma had never been with any man.

"All good," Sebastian pulled away, straightening up in his seat. "I'll pick you up tomorrow. See you then."

"Tomorrow you?"

"Tomorrow is Saturday. I know you don't have classes, but you still have your part-time job, don't you? I'll drive you myself."

Emma sighed, wanting to protest, but when she looked deep into Sebastian's blue eyes again, she couldn't. She just got out of the car and looked at him when he said, almost to himself, "See you tomorrow then."

Sebastian smiled and nodded briefly. He watched her until she was out of sight, and when he left, he knew there was a different danger in being so close to the common girl that saved him simply because his own heart, in that second, was beating faster than it ever had for any woman. And Sebastian had had hundreds of women.