Page 56 of Little Do You Know

Dating isn’t just about dating anymore. It’s about finding someone who sees the real you. It’s way too soon to think of anything permanent with Thalia, but I’m excited at the idea of something long term with her. Pending that her brother doesn’t kill me first.

Thalia’s fingers dance on my tattoo as she traces it. My body shivers inadvertently, reacting in a way to Thalia that I never have to anyone else.

“Madison didn’t know who she was dating very well if she didn’t know the answer to that question before asking it.”

Thalia climbs farther up to reach my shoulders, being careful of my bruise.

“When you said you’d climb me like a tree, I didn’t know it’d be in this situation,” I joke lightly, and Thalia giggles.

“See, I told you that you would like this.”

If this didn’t feel so damn good, I’d probably attempt to get her into an even more compromising position. “Please don’t stop, but feel free to climb me in a different way when you’re done. I won’t make you beg either.”

I won’t mind if this is what I get every time I get sacked.

“Do you have to keep bringing that up?”

“Now that you mention it, I do, because it’s quite the ego boost,” I tease, remembering how pissed she was that I actually made Thalia beg before letting her come. “I told you about my last relationship, so I think it’s only fair if you tell me about yours.”

Thalia’s hands falter momentarily before they resume working out the kinks on my shoulder blades. “There was a guy in Paris. It was like two months after I got there, and we dated for a few months. I thought Louis was sweet and a nice guy until I caught him trying to slip drugs into my drink. We were hanging out with his friend who came in from the country at my place. I guess Louis thought he wouldn’t get me to agree to a threesome with him, so they tried to drug me into saying yes. I had a big shoot the next day, so I had stopped drinking, but he pushed a little too hard for me to drink one more.” Her voice is shaking as she explains, and I see red. The idea of someone trying to do that to Thalia is dumbfounding, but precisely what Owen and I are afraid of.Why haven’t I heard about this yet? Owen would never keep this a secret from me.

I attempt to sit up, but she presses against my shoulders, holding me down. “Bash, if you look at me right now, I will start crying. I don’t want to cry in front of you. You warned me a while ago not to accept drinks from anyone, but I already learned that lesson. I think it’s why what Owen said threw me for such a loop.”

“Thalia, I had no idea; I’m sorry. Owen never said anything.” I’m trembling with a quiet rage that I’m barely keeping a grip on. It’s probably a good thing Owen never said anything because I would have probably booked a flight to beat the shit out of this guy, regardless of whatever anger I felt toward Thalia at the time. I can’t believe Owen didn’t do it himself. What kind of guy tries to pull something like that?

“I never told him or my parents. Penelope’s the only one who knows, besides you now.” She presses a short kiss to the center of my bruise. “There. All better.”

She climbs off me, and I pull Thalia into my arms immediately. I don’t let her go either.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Thalia

“ARE WE GOING home?” I’m confused, but I’m not opposed to the idea of it. We’re from Greensboro, North Carolina, about an hour outside Durham. It feels like we’ve been in the car forever, though. I haven’t been home since Owen and I drove back for dinner with our parents the week I got back.

Sebastian isn’t saying anything about where we’re going. This morning, my heart felt like it grew two sizes when he handed me a bouquet of flowers. The second bouquet Sebastian walked in with is in my lap currently. I’m not sure what he told Owen, but my brother didn’t question the flowers or us leaving together. “Close, but not quite.”

His hand has been resting on my knee the entire drive, but my stomach is rolling with how nervous I am. I can’t help but think that maybe his quietness is because I told him what happened with Louis. He was quiet after I told him, but I didn’t know what to expect. I haven’t been in a position where I had to disclose what happened in my last relationship. We fell asleep, but I woke up a few hours later, somehow slipping out without waking him up. Bash must have been so tired from his game that he didn’t budge.

I was scared about telling Sebastian, but I didn’t want to lie when he asked. Owen doesn’t even know that Louis exists, but I bet he would be on a plane tomorrow if he did. Eventually, I went back to sleep, but I stared at the ceiling, replaying the conversation over and over.

Fuck, now I’m back to feeling sick to my stomach. I sigh softly, deciding that now is not the time for me to start tiptoeing around Sebastian. I know what Louis tried to do wasn’t my fault, but it’s mortifying. “Listen, about what I told you last night…I don’t want it to make things weird or anything. I’m fine.”

Bash looks over at me, confusion warping his features. “What are you talking about? Knowing about that doesn’t change the way I feel about you.”

It’s relieving to hear him say that, but now I feel even more confused about why he is acting this way. “Then why are you acting so weird?”

“I promise it’s not about that; it’s hard coming here. I’m afraid this will scare you off because it’s a lot,” he admits, exhaling a shuddering breath as we pull into a parking lot. “She isn’t going to be the same person you remember. Please let me know if it’s too much while we’re in there, and we’ll leave.”

I nod slowly, not feeling any better. Who is this she he’s talking about? He doesn’t have any family except for Mimi. “Okay,” I agree reluctantly.

Sebastian runs a hand through his hair before turning the car off and getting out. Bash walks around to open my door before I can do it myself. I make sure to grab the flowers he went to get this morning; I have a feeling they’re important. I hold his hand, entwining my fingers with his reassuringly. Bash smiles, but the anxiety on his handsome face doesn’t disappear.Whatever this is, it can’t be good if he’s acting this way.

He leads the way, seeming to know his way around. A nursing home? Who does Sebastian know well enough to visit in a nursing home? I have so many questions, but with how nervous he is, I don’t think I can ask any.

My face flushes bright red as the receptionist stares at me in surprise. “Hi, Chloe. Is she in the sunroom?” Bash lets go of my hand to sign us both in the guest book, but his arm immediately returns to rest around my back.

The woman smiles kindly. “You know it’s Mirabelle’s favorite place to sit. Have fun, you two; she’s having a good day.” She winks at Sebastian, tilting her head at me. “She’s pretty.”

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