Page 47 of Innocent Salvation

He wanted to respond but his mind was too far in sleep to speak so he resolved to tell her in the morning.

Waking he turned, reaching for Snow, who liked to sleep later than he did, which wasn’t surprising as he always woke early. The bed was cold and she was gone. Sitting up, the sheet fell from his body. He rubbed his eyes before dragging on sweats and going to find her. Reaching the kitchen area of Snow’s apartment, he discovered the coffee pot was cold and there was no sign of Snow.

Suddenly anxiety built in his body, a sense of foreboding and dread. He dressed quickly and headed out of the apartment to look for her. The corridors were empty, but he knew they would be at this time.

He checked the main kitchen and the gym, thinking she’d gone for a workout but found nobody. On his way back to his apartment, he heard voices coming from the tech room and followed the sound, wondering if perhaps she’d gotten a break in the case and was helping Watchdog.

Stepping inside, the angry faces of Bás, Reaper, and Bein turned to him before a stony look of determination swept over Watchdog, who’d looked up from his screen.

“What’s wrong? Where’s Snow?” His heart was pumping fast as if he was on a railway track with a freighter heading his way and no way to stop it. He needed to know but he also knew he wasn’t going to like the answer.

Bein walked toward him, angling his body as if he’d have to stop Seb from going nuclear. “She’s gone.”

“Gone? What the fuck do you mean, gone?” His gut twisted with dread and the urge to spank her ass for walking out on them.

“She left at three am. She took all her mission gear and went after the Duponts.”

No! His body and mind were screaming at him, trying to deny what he was hearing. “What the hell? Why didn’t anyone stop her?”

Reaper stepped forward, his posture angry as Seb stepped up to him, happy to go a couple of rounds with this prick and let some of the tension go. “You were the fucker in her bed. Why didn’t you stop her?”

Seb pushed the other man, feeling good when he stepped back and snarled at him. Bein moved between them, his bulk giving no room for either man to get past.

“You’re a fucking prick and you’ve been jealous of me and Snow from day fucking dot.”

“Bullshit. What I have with Snow will outlast some stupid fling.”

Seb saw red and launched his body forward. “You fucker. Don’t you talk about her that way. She’s the woman I fucking love and you’ll show some fucking respect, or I don’t care how hard you think you are, I’ll knock your teeth down your pretty-boy face.”

“Love? You don’t know what love is. A man like you isn’t good enough to lick her boots.”

“Enough!”

Bás deep voice bellowed so loud Seb wondered if the aftershocks would end with the earth landing on them all.

Bás aimed a glare at him but Seb didn’t back down. They might be her family, but he’d go to war with whoever he had to, to protect her.

“Snow found out yesterday that Jean-Claude Dupont has put out a hit on you and Fleur. We think she’s gone to try and take care of it on her own.”

Seb staggered back, winded by the news and Bein grabbed his arm to steady him as he bent double, his hands on his knees to catch his breath. “Why would she do that?”

Bein looked at him with sympathy and understanding. “Because she loves you and wants to protect you and my guess is she didn’t tell us for the same reason. Reaper is going after her now and we won’t be far behind.”

“I’m going too.”

Reaper shook his head. “No way.”

Seb’s jaw clenched so hard he worried it might snap. “I wasn’t fucking asking. I love her and I’m going. I won’t have her face those evil fucks alone.”

“She won’t be alone. She’ll have us.”

“Yeah, well, she’ll have me too, whether you like it or not.”

Reaper seemed like he might argue but Bás stepped in and stopped the argument. “You’re both going and if I get there and either one of you two has been anything other than an utter delight to the other, I’ll bash your fucking heads together. Am I clear?”

Seb remained silent. He didn’t answer to this man.

“I said, am I fucking clear?”