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Twenty Two

"I can't believe you bashed her head into the floor like that." Tara says, her eyes wide with disbelief and a hint of humor.

"Neither can I." I say quietly, looking at the floor.

"The bitch deserved it. Especially after saying that stuff about Sebastian and Aurelia." Kayla says in a very matter of fact tone.

The elevator dings and we step out. I trail behind the girls a few feet, rubbing my aching knuckles as the girls talk about what had happened at the club. I feel my phone vibrate and look at the screen.

"BRAWL AT THE BAR: ALEXIA ONIN TAKEN DOWN BY MADELAINE PRICHARD."

No no no no no no no no no.

"Fuck." I groan. There were videos, pictures, eye witness stories.

I am so screwed.

"What?" Tara asks, walking back to where I had stopped dead in my tracks. Kayla also joins us and they both look at my phone.

"Oh no." Tara gasps. "Everything that has happened in public and they get THIS? Seriously?" She complains.

"It's fine. This stuff happens all the time." Kayla sighs as she walks down the hall.

"But I don't do this." I feel my eyes watering as I feel my throat tighten. "Oh, God. What is Sebastian going to say?"

Tara stands in front of me as I forget how to breathe.

"Kayla!" Tara calls down the hallway.

He's going to be so mad.

What if Aurelia gets taken over this?

Sebastian will never forgive me.

"Yeah?" Kayla asks as she tries to help hold me up.

What did I do?

Oh, God.

My heart races as my body begins to shake. If Kayla wasn't holding me up I would have collapsed.

"Hold her while I get Seb." Tara says before taking off down the hall after taking her heels off.

My phone falls from my hand as I feel my knuckles tense with pain. I see little droplets of Alexia's blood scattered across my hand and up my arms. I hadn't noticed them before but now I feel sick.

"She's down here. You can talk about it later." Tara says as she comes back down the hall.

I see a very tired, very worried looking Sebastian following her as I blink through the tears that are escaping my eyes.

"No, no. He's gonna hate me." I plead with Kayla as I try to break free of her.

"He isn't going to hate you, Madelaine. Tell him what she said. He will understand." Kayla says calmly as she holds my arms tight to keep me from running, and to keep me upright.

Sebastian stops to pick up my still open phone before lifting me bridal style.

As badly as I want to lay my head against him and breathe him in, I stop myself.

I'm afraid it would be the last time. How could I have been so reckless? I should have walked away. She could use this to get Aurelia back. I screwed up so bad.

My head spins as Sebastian carries me into the apartment. Chris stands up as Sebastian walks past the living room and into our bedroom, kicking the door shut behind us. He places me gently on the bed before kneeling in front of me and wiping the tears from my cheeks.

"Madelaine, breathe." He says softly, but his eyes are stern. It's the look he gives Aurelia when she does things that she knows will get her in trouble.