Chapter four

LIANNA'S POV

  He started to pull away but I held him, I needed him right now. And I was scared of what he would do in his current state. Because at that moment, he looked like he was ready to kill Ethan for me.

  "No just stay with me. Stay and be my friend" And I felt him nod against my forehead.

  The next thing I remember I was waking up in the morning. I got up to pee and brush my teeth and when I checked the time it was 10:15 am.

  The feeling of sleeping in was a bit strange since Ethan always made me wake up at dawn to do house chores and cook and if there was nothing to do he would create things to do.

  As I turned on the tap, everything that happened yesterday came back rushing into my head and I had to press my fingers against my eyelids to stop myself from crying.

  I didn't want to give Sebastian any more reason to worry. Oh my God, how was I going to face him after yesterday? What would have happened if he hadn’t come along and saved me?

  I didn't want him to treat me out of pity as Annalise did. It broke me thinking I had a friend and finding out when I needed her the most that I was just a pity case to her.

  I left the room and went to find Sebastian. I saw him in the kitchen making pancakes. And he was shirtless. All thoughts flew out of my head.

  His chiselled back was tanned from years of going shirtless under the sun. And as he flipped the pancakes, his muscles rippled effortlessly. My eyes trailed down his spine, to the small of his back, and then his firm behind which was covered by the sweatpants hanging low on his hips.

  The reaction his body had on me scared me and I turned to leave but that was the same time he turned to grab a plate.

  "Hey there, Lee. Sleep well?" He flashed me a smile. If his back was magnificent, his front view was godlike.

  His broad chest was dusted with golden hair similar to the wavy locs on his head and it travelled down through his abs, -I counted one to eight- and then further down into his pants. 

  "Earth too?" He said to snap me out of my reverie and I immediately went red with shame. He just caught me ogling at him.

  "I'm so sorry, I-"

  "It's fine, I guess we're even now?" He chuckled.

  "What?" I asked wondering what he meant by that. 

  "I used to check you out all the time." When he saw the surprise on my face he added. "You would have to be blind not to know You're a very beautiful woman Lee. I used to have to warn both the boys in my grade and the boys in yours away constantly."

  "So that was you. I thought they just didn't like me or they thought that . . ."

  "Thought that what?" 

  "Because we were so close, a lot of people thought that we were dating. The girls especially, they hated me for it."

  "Why? I mean why did they hate you."

  "And you think I'm blind, you're hot Sebastian. And you cook."I said, gesturing towards the pancakes.

  "Oh." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

  "You remember Sophie from your history class?" I decided to change the topic.

  "Sophie with the braces?" He asked.

  "Yep, she came to me once to confess her undying love for you 'her Romeo'"

  "You're kidding." He scoffed.

  "I wish. She even wrote a poem about it." At this point, he burst out laughing. "And then she offered to pay me to give her tips on how to be your girlfriend."

  "Tell me you didn't do it."

  "I even turned it into a business." I snorted.

  "So while I was chasing boys away from you. You were sending girls to me."

  "You're welcome," I smirked and grabbed a pancake.

  "I've missed you, Lee." He said softly after a moment's silence.

  "I've missed you too," I said to him. It's been ages since I genuinely laughed with anyone.

  We fell into a comfortable silence as he stacked my plates with pancakes and we moved to the dining area.

  "These are good," I said to him.

  "Thanks." He replied and we both reached for the honey at the same time our fingers brushed and I felt something between my thighs. 

  I jumped back as though I had been stung and nudged by his expression. He felt it too, the sparks that flew were almost visible. 

  "Um . . ." Sebastian was the one who broke the silence. "I guess we should get you some new clothes."

  "Oh uh, that's not necessary I'm leaving today." Even though I had nowhere to go I didn't want him to feel responsible. 

  "Where will you go?"

  "I didn't know yet, I'll figure it out."

  "You can stay with me till you figure it out."

  "I'm not going to be a burden to you."

  "You're not and I'm not going to throw you out on the streets."

  "Sebastian, I am twenty not fifteen. I can take care of myself."

  "I'm not going to watch you suffer when there is an alternative." He argued.

  "So what? You're going to lock me up just like he did?" I asked angrily before realizing I had gotten up from my seat.

  "I am sorry for what he did to you, it's all my fault. But you know me, and you know I am not him. I just want to protect you, Lee." He stood up and came closer to me.

  "I know, I shouldn't have said that. I'm just so angry and heartbroken.” I apologized to him ashamed of comparing them when I knew Edward was a good man.

  "I know."

  "No, you don't. You weren't here."

  "I am now. I'm not leaving anymore." 

  "I used to love him, but I hate him so much now. He took everything from me."

  "I understand."

  "No, you don't. You don't understand how I feel. I have nothing, no one."

  "That's not true. You have me."

  "Even if you stay, you're just my friend." I tried to explain to him.

  "Then mate with me." He said and my head went blank.