Page 9 of Silver Tears

I bristle at his comment. Am I acting defensive? There is something about this guy that truly brings the worst out in me. I take furtive glances at him as we drive in silence. His mid-blond locks fall into his eyes as he drives. I study the tattoos on his arms. For someone so young, he has a few.

“You see something you like?”

I blink at his question and realise he’s caught me staring. “For the record, I have a boyfriend.”

Seb nods his head, looking unconcerned by this news. “So why isn’t he picking you up? Or is he too young to drive?”

“No. He’s old enough to drive. He’s older than me, and for your information, he dropped me off, but he’s busy and can’t pick me up tonight. I can get the bus, you know.”

“Who is he?”

“Who?”

“The boyfriend, Mills. Who is he?”

“Ryan Roberts.”

Seb nods his head. “Ah, the football captain?”

“Yep,” I reply. “How do you know him?”

Seb chuckles, his blue eyes dancing with humour. “I make it my business to know everyone in the Bay. On both sides. How does Silver feel about you dating him?”

I cross my arms over my chest and study him. “Well, he’s my overprotective big brother, so what do you think he thinks? He thinks I should still be tucked up at home playing with dolls.” I take a furtive glance at my watch, biting my lip. I am close to missing my curfew. His phone rings through the car and the name ‘Tam’ flashes across the car’s screen. “Girlfriend?”

Seb snorts as if the idea is ridiculous and, frowning at the screen, he rejects the call. “That is my worst mistake in a while.”

I grin, folding my arms across my chest. “Oh, I see, you were hoping to sample the goods and move on to your next target, but little Tam caught feelings.”

“Tam doesn’t have feelings. She has her sight set on digging her claws deep into me and keeping me on a tight lead.”

I chuckle, amused that he has a girl hounding him. “Serves you right.”

“Hey. Listen,” he says, wagging a finger in the air as we curve round the dark country lanes. “I made my intentions clear from the start. It was consensual sex and nothing more. Tam clearly wasn’t hearing me.”

“So, what you going to do about it?” I ask curiously. It’s clear the girl is driving him insane as his phone rings again and it’s her.

He shrugs and concentrates on the road in front of him. “Fuck knows. Archer thinks I need to make myself look unavailable.”

I can sense from the deep frown that crosses his face that he isn’t too keen on that idea. “Does the thought of having a girlfriend terrify you that much?” I am having fun digging beneath the cocky façade that is Seb Collings.

“Girlfriends complicate things. I like my life simple, with no drama.”

I sigh. “I wish my life had no drama.” I still as soon as the words leave my mouth. Why did I just share that with him?

“You have drama in your life?” His tone is thick with disbelief. “What could you possibly have to worry about?”

I turn away from his questioning eyes and stare out of the passenger window. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I would actually,” he admits, and I jump when I feel his breath on the side of my face. He’s leaning over the centre of the car into my space. “I suspect I’d quite enjoy finding out all your secrets, Milly Silver.”

I scoff and shake my head at him. “Shame you’ll never get to know what they are. You turn left at the next turnoff.”

He laughs as if I’m stupid. “I know where you live, Mills. Like I said, we Aces know everything about everyone in this town.”

“Except my secrets,” I say gleefully as he pulls up at the bottom of my drive. “I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but that would be a lie.”

“What, no thank you for coming to your rescue?” He smirks, clutching at his chest as if wounded by my words.

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