Page 204 of Terms of Exposure
But his hand was warm.
And he didn't squeeze too tight.
We reached the parking lot, the gravel crunching under our feet. Damien loaded Emma's crocodile into the back seat of his expensive car. Sebastian limped ahead of me, reaching for the driver's door and pulling it open with another exaggerated bow.
I mumbled a thanks and ducked behind the steering wheel.
"She needs a name," Sebastian said, sliding into the passenger seat.
"Who?"
"The elephant." He nodded at the purple lump in my lap. "You can't just call her 'the elephant' forever. It's impersonal."
"I've had her for an hour."
"An hour is plenty of time to form a bond."
I looked down at the elephant's uneven smile, her mismatched ears, her crooked trunk.
"Lavender," I said.
"Lavender?"
"She's purple. It fits."
Sebastian considered this, then nodded solemnly. "Lavender. I approve."
Beside us, Damien's car roared to life, headlights sweeping across the lot. We pulled out in a small caravan—me leading, Damien following—winding through the dark country roads back toward the city.
The radio played something soft. The heat kicked on, warming my feet. Outside, the fields rolled past in shadows, the stars bright and sharp above us.
My purse buzzed against the center console.
Then again.
I didn't reach for it. Didn't even glance at it. I already knew who it was—could practically feel the poison seeping through the leather.
Sebastian's gaze flicked to the purse, then to me, but he didn't ask.
"Hey," Sebastian said quietly, a moment later, voice carefully light. "Thanks for driving tonight. And for inviting me."
"Technically I didn't invite you, you invited yourself," I teased.
He smiled—that real one, the one that crinkled the corners of his eyes. "You're welcome."
Chapter forty-five
Candace
Rosie's porch light was on when we pulled up to the curb.
Sebastian shifted in his seat, a sharp breath catching as he tried to straighten his leg. The drive left him stiff—his hand sliding to his thigh, fingers pressing once, like he could will the pain away.
"You okay?" I asked, killing the engine.
"Fine." He tried to bend his knee and hissed through his teeth. "Beatrice is just being dramatic."
"Beatrice needs to stop pushing herself so hard."
