Defying the Lycan King (Kira and Derek) novel Chapter 320

Chapter 320: Questions Without Answers

Sebastian was waiting by the door when Jessica got home, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket. He looked terrible. His hair was dishevelled, his eyes looking tired, and there was a thin cut across his cheekbone that had not been there the day before.

"Seb?" Jessica called. "What are you doing here? What happened to your face?"

Sebastian shrugged. "Got into a fight at work. It’s nothing." He touched it briefly, then dropped his hand. "I’ve had worse." His eyes swept over her, searching. "I came to see you."

Jessica cocked an eyebrow.

"Sid, listen." He shifted his weight. "About yesterday. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said any of that, and I definitely shouldn’t have walked out like that."

"Seb—"

"No, let me. I was out of order." He looked at her properly. "I’m not trying to run your life. I know it comes out like that. I’m just looking out for you. That’s all I’ve ever been doing."

"Are the two of you going to stand out here all night?" Odelia had come up the path behind them with a bag of shopping on one arm, and was already fishing her keys out of her bag with the other hand.

A moment later, she had the door open and was gesturing them inside with a sweep of her hand. Jessica followed Odelia in, Sebastian trailing behind her.

"I’m sorry too," Jessica said, turning to face him as Odelia disappeared into the kitchen. "For the way I spoke. I didn’t mean to make you feel like I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done for me."

Sebastian’s expression softened. "You don’t need to apologise, Sid. I was out of line." He paused, glancing toward the kitchen. "How was work? Did anything happen with your boss?"

Jessica’s stomach tightened. The image of Kai leaning against his car flashed through her mind, followed immediately by the memory of Alicia’s hand in her hair and the cold, hard floor rising up to meet her. But she had no intention of discussing any of it with Sebastian. No matter what, it always brought issues between them.

"Nothing happened," she said, her voice calm. "He mostly stayed away from me. It was an ordinary day."

She felt Sebastian’s eyes on her for a beat too long, but he did not push. Instead, he looked toward Odelia, who had emerged from the kitchen with a bag of something crunchy.

"Since we’re all here," he said, "and since I’ve been behaving like a complete arse, I thought I’d make it up to you. I’ll be travelling for a while, so let me take you both out to dinner tonight. Proper dinner."

Odelia’s face lit up like a child’s at Christmas. "Dinner? Proper dinner? Out?"

"Proper dinner. Out."

"I’m in." Odelia was already heading toward her room. "Give me ten minutes. I need to find something that makes me look expensive."

Jessica laughed despite herself. "We’re not going to a ball, Odelia."

"Speak for yourself. If Sebastian is paying, I’m dressing like a duchess."

When Odelia disappeared into her room, Jessica turned back to Sebastian. He was watching her with that same quiet intensity he always carried, but there was something softer in his face now, something almost hopeful.

"Thank you," she said. "For dinner. And for coming to apologise."

"You don’t have to thank me." He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering for half a second too long. "I’d do anything for you, Sid. You know that."

Jessica did not know what to say, so she said nothing. She simply smiled and went to get changed.

As they walked out of the apartment, the evening air was cool and soft, carrying the distant hum of traffic and the smell of rain that had not yet arrived.

Odelia was still talking about how she intended to order the most expensive thing on the menu, and Sebastian was laughing at her, his earlier tension seemingly forgotten. Jessica followed a step behind, smiling faintly, her mind still stuck on Kai and the photographs that had turned her world sideways.

None of them noticed the car parked a short distance down the road. Inside, two figures sat still and watchful, their heads turned toward the little group emerging from the building.

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