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I nod in agreement, glancing at the faint red marks marring my trembling hand.

I threw the first punch.

“They probably won’t be charged with anything. It was self-defense,” I reassure her, praying I’m right.

When we pull up to the station they were taken to, there’s already a crowd of press waiting outside the doors.

This is suffocating.

Blake and I keep our heads down as we push through the group of people to get to the doors, and once inside, we’re quickly informed that they aren’t being charged with anything. I can see the flood of relief on B’s face.

I assumed that would be the outcome, but it’s nice to hear it officially after the events of the night. I won’t be able to relax until Sebastian is standing in front of me, and I can see for myself that he’s fine.

I only have to wait a few minutes, and I throw myself at Sebastian, hugging him tightly. He presses his face into my neck, inhaling deeply. “Are you okay?” he asks, pulling his head back to look at me, and I take the opportunity to look him over myself. I hate that there’s a bruise already forming on the slope of his jaw; a bruise only there because Bash was defending us.

Sebastian looks exhausted, and I can’t blame him. They played a game this afternoon, and then ended the day being arrested. Talk about a long day.

“I’m fine, you’re the one who was in jail. How are you doing?”

He runs a thumb over my cheek, his touch gentle. “I’m okay.”

I look over at Owen holding Blake tightly. He looks drained too. My brother slowly releases her, walking over to us, and Bash releases me so I can hug him. “I’m sorry,” I say and he chuckles, somehow finding humor in this situation.

“Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong, Lia.”

I feel my lower lip tremble as everything from tonight starts to catch up with me, the adrenaline finally leaving my system.“You got arrested, though. If I—”

“Thalia,” he warns, releasing me to wrap an arm around Blake’s back protectively. “No, don’t even start with that. You didn’t invite them over, and from what Bash said, the guy grabbed you. That’s not okay, and I’m proud I got to fight them. So what if we ended up in jail? It’s not like we’re going to prison.”

Blake hits his chest rather hard, and Owen feigns a wince. “You guys are idiots, but I guess that’s one of the reasons I love you.” She smiles appreciatively at Sebastian. “Thank you.”

Bash offers her a smile in return. “Of course. You’re family.” Owen nods upward at him, and Sebastian nods back. I don’t understand the exchange, but I’m too tired to even try at this point. “Let’s get out of here, I feel dirty.”

I force a short laugh, and Sebastian wraps an arm over my shoulders, pulling me back into him. It’s almost scary how much I love the feeling of it. I don’t belong to him—I belong with him. There’s a difference.

~

I jolt out of my dream, the arms wrapped around me tightly still there. “Let me go!” I cry out, trying to elbow them as myheart races in panic. I’m immediately released, and I quickly crawl to the edge of the bed as I take in my surroundings.

“Thalia, it was a dream. Breathe, love,” Sebastian’s calming voice says into the darkness, and I press a hand to my chest to calm the fast pace. Sebastian isn’t Louis. That was a long time ago. “You’re okay. Breathe.”

I inhale to the count of three, exhaling as the pounding in my head slows.I’m safe with Bash, I remind myself. He slowly slides up into a sitting position against the headboard, and I crawl to him, climbing the length of his body to rest my head in the crook of his neck.

Everything from tonight is slowly coming back to me: the guys at the bar, Sebastian and Owen getting arrested.

There’s a knock at my door, my body involuntarily jumping as it calms from its heightened anxiety. “Is everything okay?” Penelope’s voice sounds through the door, and Bash strokes my hair.

“I’ve got her. Just a bad dream,” Sebastian responds as I close my eyes tightly to avoid picturing Louis. It’s been seven years, and I still haven’t forgotten it. I’ve worked through it, and I’m not sure it’s possible to forget what he tried to do to me, but tonight was another reminder that there are more men like him in the world.

“Do you want me to let Zeus in? He’s lying in front of the door.”

Since living with me, he takes his guard job very seriously, moving back and forth between sleeping in my room or Penelope’s throughout the night. Bash was frustrated when he found out because I guess he would let Zeus on every piece of furniture except the bed, which has now gone out the window completely.

“No, it’s okay. Thanks, Penelope,” Bash says, his chest rumbling as he speaks.

Sebastian continues running his fingers through my hair as I cling to him, doing my best to breathe as I focus on the familiar smell of him. It’s twinged with the scent of my lavender bodywash since we came to my house after leaving the police station.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, flustered that tonight’s hiccup has led to me waking in the middle of the night with a nightmare from seven years ago.

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