Knots Between Us

Chapter Eighteen

Every now and then the car jerked or made a weird grinding sound. She would get honked at when she slowed down.

“This is not in my job description” she mumbled, what seemed like the longest ride ever. The navigation took her to a very tall apartment complex at the edge of New York city. Pulling in a half circle drive way, the valet came over to the driver side.

“Evening Mr. Rask…” he stared, but stopped when he saw Emma instead.

“you are not Mr. Rask.” The middle aged man said stating the fact.

“no, he is passed out over here” she pointed to the passenger seat, with a tight smile. The valet’s frown deepened and looked at Emma questioningly.

“it’s been a loonnng night with a very loonnng story, I could really use your help getting him where he needs to go” she said exhausted.

“pleeeeeese” she begged. He gave her a hesitant look, and gestured someone over.

“Mr. McAdoo, will help you get him to the penthouse, I will park the car for you.” He said asking for the keys. Emma searched Sebastian’s pockets for them, handing them over once she found them. Getting out she rushed over to the passenger side to help the building concierge with Sebastian.

“I have already called Mrs. Groza to let her know you are on your way up. I am sorry, I would help more but I can’t leave the lobby unattended”

“oh ok” she said stumbling when the concierge let her take all of Sebastian’s weight. Making sure she had him he stepped out pressing the penthouse button. The elevator took her up to the penthouse floor, the doors dinged opened.

“Oh my god, Bash” Danielle rushed putting his other arm around her shoulder. The two women struggled under his weight but managed to get him to the sofa before dropping him on it. He mumbles angrily under his breath but continued to sleep.

“Is he ever not angry?” Emma asked more herself then anyone. Danielle straightened herself in the sofa next to them, she looked worn out and in pain, making Emma frown.

“Are you alright?” she asked with concern.

“could you maybe help me get him situated please” she winced as if trying not to cry out.

“yes of course” Emma helped Sebastian straighten his legs on the sofa, removing his shoes, putting a throw pillow under his head gently. She grabbed the thick throw blanket, and covered him. He looked so peaceful now, the permanent scowl he always had was nowhere to be seen. Emma smiled down at him, and caught herself when she reached out to smooth his hair. The action did not go unnoticed by Danielle.

“I am Danielle, and you are?” She said getting Emma’s attention.

“Hi, I am Emma” she said offering her hand, which Danielle took softly.

“Emma?!” She repeated like she suspected something, making Emma frown.

“Are you and Bash a thing?” she asked quizzically.

“What!! No” Emma answered nervously, looking down at him.

“No” she said again when Danielle just stared.

“you were at the fundraiser tonight, you were in the red dress, right?”

“that was me”

Danielle looked at her more closely, making Emma shift uncomfortably.

“I should get going, it’s pretty late, or early at this point”

“Emma!”

Emma turned to Danielle, she came to where she was standing.

“what happened tonight”

Emma looked over at Sebastian, not sure if she should tell her everything, but the way Danielle had defended him against Olivia made her think otherwise.

“I think he should be the one to tell you, if he remembers that is” Emma chuckled. Danielle gave her a suspicious look.

“Look why he had them call me, I don’t know. He was in a pretty bad shape; I think whatever it was had to with your mom.” Emma explained a little bit.

“He talked to you about her?!” Sounding surprised.    

“Yeah, he told me about some of it, and some I overheard about at the plaza today” Emma said looking away guilty, Danielle looked at her in a look Emma didn’t understand.

“I am sorry I didn’t mean to hear it but the woman was quiet loud, I didn’t mean to ease drop” she said mumbling the last part.

 “Emma, what happened tonight, please keep it to yourself, my brother has been through enough in his life, he may come off as an…”

“Asshole” Emma blurted, clapping her hand over her mouth.

Danielle chuckled, “Yes, a major pain in the ass, but he is not a bad person”

“I know, and don’t worry, I know how he feels when someone you love abandons you.” Danielle looked at Emma quizzically.

“I am adopted, my mom’s brother and wife adopted me after my mom passed away from breast cancer when I was six and my dad, well, he left me and my mom when she got sick, haven’t seen him since” Emma explained.

“I am so sorry Emma” Danielle placed a hand over Emma’s

“don’t be, I am not, I have parents and they both love me and cherish me, I mean I miss my mom sometimes but the love that my parents give me makes up for it” Emma missed them so much every day.

“I should get going, I am pretty tired and I will be needing all the strength I can get to deal that extra grumpy boss tomorrow”

“oh you won’t have to worry about that, you sleep in tomorrow or even take the day. And I am pretty sure the hangover he is about to have in the morning will keep him at home” Danielle said smiling.

“hmmm that would so much be fun to watch” Emma said to herself making Danielle chuckle.

“good night, or what’s left of it.”

“Good night Emma, I look forward to seeing more of you” Emma smiled back at her and made her way out of the pent house. She looked up at Sebastian’s sleeping face one last time before the doors closed.

**********

Sebastian clutched his head in both hands as the stabbing headache was getting worse by the sound of vacuum Yue was using.  

“Yue, do you have to do that now?”

The vacuum stopped for a second before it started up again the sound so loud in his head.

“It’s not her fault someone decide to get drunk to the point of not knowing what happened to him last night” Danielle said, spreading butter on her toast and trying to make as much noise as she could by dropping the knife on the glass table with a loud clunk.

Sebastian glared at her, “I am going to take a shower “he said heading to the bathroom.

Danielle had woken him up with banging a pot with a spoon right next to his head. It took him a bit to realize he was in his living room. Danielle told him how Emma had bought him home, and started to grill him for answer.

Most of the night had been a blur, he remembered up to the point of going to the bar and asking the bartender to give him something that will make him numb.

Getting to the bathroom he turned on the shower to the hottest setting and he looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were red and puffy, his hair looked messy and disheveled. He closed his eyes, Emma’s face popped into his mind, her cupping his face, with concern on her face. His eyes snapped open.

“Damn it, why her?” he asked himself.

Removing his dirty and somewhat ripped clothes he stepped under the hot water. The burning sensation was a welcoming feeling, leaning his head against the cool tile using his hands for support he closed his eyes again. His headache dulling a bit.

“…. you are worthy of love and belonging Sebastian.”  The words so soft in his mind but clear as day.

Sebastian stiffened, his hand traveled to his lips. Did he kiss her?  Did she kiss him? Questions started forming and frustration gnawing at him for not being able to answer them. He needed to know what happened last night. He needed to know if something happened between him and Emma.

He cursed himself for not being able control his emotions, he washed and dressed as quickly as he could. He needed to work fast before Emma could tell anyone about how vulnerable he was last night. Would she really use that against him? The fight in his mind, one side was saying she wasn't that kind of a person and the other side, the one that always won, said he was an i***t to think otherwise.

“Bash, where are you going?” He heard Danielle ask as he hurried to the elevator, not really wanting to answer any of her question.

A/N: 

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