Hellbound Heart

This bonus chapter is dedicated to @Sacogun and @Chinawa!!! Thank you so much for the supergifts!!!

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It had been so long since she had gone on a road trip, just listening to music without any worries about anything cluttering up her head. The music was just enough to distract her from thinking, erasing every nonsensical thought from her head and just allowed her to relax.

Sebastian did not say anything. At first, she kept glancing at him every time a new song started, worried that he might not be into the type of music that she likes. But he never reacted. Not even once. He simply minded his own business for the moment which was driving. Until Elle stopped worrying about his opinion and just played song after song without restraint.

Thankfully, he remained unbothered. Which made Elle really feel glad. She had been so tensed up for so long that she had forgotten when was the last time that she could let go and enjoy listening to music like how she was doing right now.

And before she realized it, she had started humming. And then, she was singing along in a low voice as she kept her gaze outside the window, watching the view that was passing by. Not noticing how many times Sebastian had glanced at her when she started humming.

Until Elle eventually drifted off to sleep.

When she opened her eyes, she sprung from her seat at the realization that the car was no longer moving and Sebastian was not in the driver's seat. Her heart immediately jumped into her throat and fear crept through her when she saw that it was already twilight and raining.

"S-Sebastian?" she called out nervously. She fumbled with her seatbelt to rush out of the car and look for him when the car's door suddenly swung opened and she saw him bending over, drenched.

She stared at him with wide eyes before utter relief washed through her.

"What… happened?" she asked, pulling the seatbelt off her.

"The f**king tire is flat." He grumbled. "No, stay there, don't come out and get yourself wet. I'm not going to let you get sick again." He grumpily added.

"We do have spare tire, right?" Elle asked rather hopefully.

"No, we don't."

Elle's lips hung open. S-seriously? Why on earth did he not bring a spare tire? Do all cars not have a spare?

"I never bring spare tires because if the tire's flat, I will just…" he trailed off, before pressing his lips together. He then pushed himself off from bracing against the door and straightened up. She saw him raking his dark hair with his fingers.

Looking around, Elle realized that they were nowhere near any houses. They seemed to have gone to a pretty secluded area that there was not a single car passing by even though it was only twilight. However, she had spotted lights up ahead, indicating that they were at least near a village or a small town.

"There's… a town up ahead."

"That's Whitefalls Village, our destination. But don't even bother asking me to carry you there –"

"I won't!" Elle exclaimed, blushing. "Why would I ask you to carry me all the way there? I have feet, you know? I can walk and run up a hill just fine on my own."

Sebastian was silent for a moment. "That's not what I meant. I can't let you out here in the rain. I told you, I'm not going to let you get sick again. I guess we'll just stay here and wait for the rain to stop for now." He started taking his drenched clothes off until he was naked.

Then he entered and sat in the driver's seat, shutting the door close from the biting wind.

Elle climbed onto her seat to get to the back when he stopped her. "What are you doing?"

"I'll get you some new clothes. You're drenched and need dry clothes."

"No need."

"You could get sick." Elle retorted,wanting to throw the same words back to him.

"I don't get sick, Izabelle."

Their eyes met for a moment but then Elle ignored what he said and went to the back of the car to where their luggage were kept.

Elle brought the towel out first and headed it over to him. Sebastian could only take it and dried his body with it. He then harshly dried his hair in just a few strokes before passing her the towel.

Her eyes fell to the stands of his hair that were still dripping, so she plopped herself down behind his chair and started drying his hair with the same towel. He became very still so she continued her actions until she was sure his hair was dried enough.

Pulling away, Elle spread the towel over the back the other car seat and then grabbed him a shirt.

She passed the shirt to him and then climbed back to the front seat next to him.

However, Sebastian simply rolled up the shirt and stuffed the shirt in between them. He obviously was not planning to put it on or he just did not want to bother. He seemed to be really in a bad mood. She could not blame him though. He must be tired from driving for hours. Surely, getting stuck here when he was supposed to be resting now in a lodge had worsen his mood.

She stared at the bunched up shirt and when she picked it, Sebastian suddenly took it from her and wore it. He did not bother to button it up though.

Silence reigned next and the thought was that she needed to do something to maybe make this waiting a little bearable for him, Elle tried to think of something or a topic that could distract him. But she could not think of a topic safe enough and interesting enough in her opinion. She was too worried to make his mood go worse if he ended up not liking the topic she brought out.

p Her gaze fell to his opened shirt and said, "Let me button up your shirt." She reached out for the shirt buttons as she said that but she paused and waited for his response.

When he did not say a word, Elle took that response as his approval and she started to button his shirt starting from the chest part.