Page 194 of No Need to Run

---

He takes a drink of his Jack and Coke. “Just ask her.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

He shrugs. “It is. She either says yes... or no.”

“I don’t think I can handle rejection.”

Sebastian snorts. “Why would you? Violet’s obsessed with you.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “What?”

“She stalks you.”

Every inch of me locks up. “She doesn’t stalk?—”

“She knows too much about you and your life,” he says, “Definitely a stalker.”

“She’s not a stalker,” I say defensively.

Sebastian smirks. “Then ask her to the movies.”

I fidget with my glass, saying nothing.

“You like her.”

Fear rolls through me, mixing with the shots. “Not in the way you’re insinuating.”

“Then why are you thinking about asking her to a movie like it’s a life-or-death situation?” Sebastian asks.

I open my mouth.

Close it.

Because I don’t have an answer that doesn’t sound ridiculous.

And I’m not ready to be honest with him.

“She’s…” I trail off.

Different.

Complicated.

Terrifying in a way I don’t understand.

“She’s... a lot,” I settle on.

Sebastian smirks. “You like that.”

“I don’t?—”

“You do,” he says.

I rub my face. “That’s not the point.”

“What is the point?” Sebastian asks.

“The point is… I don’t know what this is with her.”

---