Page 78 of Wild Tangled Hearts

“Thanks for this,” I mumble, my voice still shaky.

“I’m glad you called.” His knuckles whiten over the steering wheel as he pulls out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

My gaze lingers on him. The dim streetlights cast subtle shadows on his face, accentuating his chiseled features, strong jawline, and that hint of dark scruff. His eyes, dark and mysterious, hold secrets he won’t share.At least not with me.

The alcohol still lingers in my system, emboldening me to broach the subject I’ve been agonizing over. “What is this between us?” I ask, my words forthright, even as my voice retains a slight slur. “Do you have feelings for me or not?”

He glances at me, dark brows furrowed. “Of course I do. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the first day we met.”

“Then why all the mixed signals?” I press.

He lets out a frustrated breath and shakes his head. “Because I’m...” He starts to speak, but his words falter.

“This is what I mean,” I say, frustration bubbling up. “You shut down. I want to know you, to be with you. But how can I when you won’t tell me anything?”

His shoulders slump, and he seems weighed down by a heavy burden. “My life’s a shitshow, Bella.” He pulls the car over in front of my house, his gaze fixed on the darkness beyond the windshield. “And I don’t want to scare you away.”

I place my hand on his arm. “You choose to push me away instead.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Yeah. I guess I did. Fuck. Sorry.”

Silence fills the air, the tension thick. My feelings for him are still so raw, a mix of desire and frustration, and the complexity of our connection weighs on me.

“Do you want to come in?” I ask softly. Not wanting him to go.

He nods. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

I lead the way into my home, flicking on soft lights that cast a cozy glow over the living room. As I disappear into my bedroom to change into something more comfortable, I quickly slip into a soft, oversized t-shirt and a pair of comfortable sweatpants before returning to the living room.

Sebastian has taken a seat on the sofa, his eyes lost in thought. I join him, snuggling into his side as he wraps a comforting arm around me.

The heaviness of the moment lingers as we sit in silence, both of us lost in our thoughts. Then, Sebastian breaks the quiet with a question that carries a weight of its own.

“Do you know what Cystic Fibrosis is?”

I turn to him and shake my head. “No.”

He takes a deep breath and rubs the back of his neck. “It’s a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. Many people can live fairly normal lives with it, but my brother Toby had an aggressive form. His lung function deteriorated rapidly, and he developed a respiratory infection that his immune system couldn’t fight off.”

“I’m sorry.” I reach out and put my hand over his.

“After he died. My mom...” He curses under his breath. “She couldn’t handle it. I think she blamed herself, blamed my dad...blamed me.”

I shake my head with a surge of anger at the unfairness of it all. “That’s not right. You were just a kid. None of it was your fault.”

He meets my gaze. The vulnerability I see there takes my breath away.

“I know,” he says, even though I see a shadow of doubt in his expression. “But when she ended her life, leaving dad and me alone...I hated her, hated myself for a long time.”

The pieces of a puzzle are falling into place, and I can see him more clearly now. The walls he's erected, the layers of self-defense, they all make sense considering the burdens he's shouldered.

I shift on the couch, moving closer to him until I’m straddling his lap. My fingers gently run through his dark hair. He reaches up to cup my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek.

“Thank you for sharing that with me,” I murmur. “I know it must have been difficult.”

“Bella, there’s—”

I stop his words with a kiss, and he groans against my mouth. The taste of him is exquisite, a blend of something uniquely Sebastian. Our tongues dance in a tantalizing, intricate rhythm. His lips moving against mine, the softness and warmth, ignite a fiery heat within me.

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