Blood and Silver (On Going)

Chapter 7 ~ Aisha

Cool and relieving against the heat of my irritation, the night air enveloped me. Leaning back against the brick wall just outside the entrance, I let out a breath that weighed my hurt and wrath. The dull thud of the bar door closing behind me seemed like the end of something, an unsaid finality. I pulled out my phone, thumb hovering over Dad's contact, ready to call for a ride home.

My gaze strayed to Levi's motorcycle parked nearby, the black helmet on the seat catching the faint gleam of streetlights. I shook my head, pushing the careless idea away even though the urge to just grab it and ride off surged. I had to get out of my head and gain some distance from the tangled mess of feelings Levi had left behind.

I turned to look at the sound of footfall on the pavement before I could make the call. My gaze traveled from my phone to the shiny black shoes that stopped in front of me. Slowly, I looked up, tracing the tailored lines of a black suit up to the familiar face of Sebastian. with hands in his pockets, he stood there, a small, knowing smile on his lips.

"Rough night?" he asked, his voice gentler than it had been inside as if he were respecting the vulnerability of the moment.

I crossed my arms, straightening as I pocketed my phone. Sebastian's unexpected arrival startled and intrigued me, and I couldn't help the cautious interest that roused within me. "You could say that," I said, my voice cautious but not hostile.

Sebastian's eyes were steady and friendly but with a sharpness suggesting more than just ordinary concern. "I saw you leave in a hurry. Thought I'd make sure you were alright."

His tone's genuineness surprised me, and for a few seconds, I wasn't sure what to say. Although the sting of my fight with Levi was still fresh, Sebastian's company was strangely consoling, a pleasant diversion from the turmoil in my emotions. "Thanks, but I'm fine," I answered, though my voice cracked slightly, revealing the untruth.

He tilted his head to observe me with those deep brown eyes that seemed to see more than they should. "Sometimes it's okay not to be," he added, the softness in his voice somewhat breaking through my shields.

A silence descended between us, less charged than it had been, as if Sebastian's unannounced generosity had diffused my resentment. As I inhaled and looked back up at him, I found myself slightly relaxing. "Why are you really here, Sebastian?"

He chuckled lightly, a sound that was real but also deceptive. "Just passing through, like I said," he replied, though his eyes flickered to suggest something more. "But I don't mind stopping to check on someone who looks like they need it."

The evening seemed colder than usual, or perhaps it was the way my heart constricted at his words, the unquestioned concerns about why a bounty hunter was actually in this town hanging between us.

The door swung open, shattering the quiet intensity as Levi stepped out. His eyes moved over the parking log, absorbing the scene before him. He stopped, his eyes intensifying when they landed on Sebastian and me. Their silent discussion stretched the moment into something taut and electric, his gaze heavy like they were speaking in a language only they understood.

Sebastian stepped back, his hands slipping into his pockets, a casual but deliberate gesture. "Ah, this is your brother?" he said, half-smiling at me.

Feeling the change in the air, I straightened, pushed off the wall, and stepped between them. "He is," I responded, my eyes locked on Levi, willing him to meet my gaze. It seemed like he might not, but then his eyes strayed to mine, tired and curious. "Will you take me home?" I asked, the words sounding less robust than I had hoped they would.

Levi's expression shifted, surprise darting across his features before he masked it, nodding once. But his gaze returned to Sebastian, a shadow of something unreadable crossing his face. "Who's your friend?" he asked, his voice edged with more than just a polite inquiry.