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Sighing, he rolled his shoulders in a lazy shrug. “Infiltration is smart. I’ll give you that. But when engaging in hostile activity, it only works in numbers. This little stunt you tried to pull is only suited for recon. One man, Todd? Is that the best you could come up with?” Sebastian shook his head. “The minute he steps out of line, the other fourteen under our employ will shoot him dead.”
Josh sagged with visible relief. His breath left him in a shaky exhale. Todd paled. Fear and uncertainty flickered in his steely eyes. Sebastian patted his cheek.
“Nice try.” His expression hardened in an instant and his cold stare reached through the shadows to lock with his partner’s. “Tie him up.”
He flexed his fists in the passenger seat, watching the scenery roll past the Audi. His hands hurt like hell, but it was a good pain. A gratifying pain. In the end, he’d gotten what he wanted most. Their former teammate had suffered long and hard. By the time he finally succumbed, he was begging for death. It was the kind of night that would make Marx proud. The coppery tang of blood hung heavily in the car despite the fresh air recycling through the heater vents. Closing his eyes against the colorful splash of the sun starting to break on the horizon, he pulled the familiar scent deep into his lungs. Soon, it would be Taylor’s sensual aroma he inhaled. A small smile played on his lips. The smell of comfort and home.
“Thank God you are one smart son-of-a-bitch,” Josh said beside him.
Still resting his head against the back of the seat, he turned it to look at his partner.
“I was seriously getting ready to lose my shit. How the hell did you stay so calm?”
“It’s my job,” he stated simply.
“Yeah, I get that, but how the hell do you still do it when your world is caving in?”
“I’ve learned to shut everything else down.” Sebastian’s chest lifted with a tired sigh. “In that moment, it wasn’t my job to worry about Taylor, or even Monique. It was to find out what he knew and use that to our advantage.”
“I don’t know if I should be comforted by that or concerned.”
Sebastian shrugged and refocused his attention out the passenger window. “Just be glad I’m on your side.”
Josh chuckled. “I am, Baas. Believe me I am—every goddamn day.”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a halfhearted acknowledgement. It was all he could muster. The past forty-eight hours were catching up and taking a brutal toll. He felt like he could climb in bed and sleep for days. A small pang of regret flooded him, knowing that wouldn’t be the case. Laychee and his crew were still out there. They would be hungry for revenge and, eventually, they would make a play. He shook his head. There were always repercussions to deal with. Some backlash to face. His life was one endless cycle of mental chess and warfare. It made him tired. So very tired.
Resting his head against the cold shield of glass, he listened as Josh called in to report their progress. Marx’s booming voice filtered through from the other end, but he didn’t bother listening. Instead, he bided his time counting the minutes until he would be home.
“He said job well done.” Josh returned the phone to its slot and offered him a lopsided grin. “He also said for us to take a few days off to rest and regroup.”
Sebastian nodded. It was for the best. Both mind and body needed time to heal. He needed time. Time to reconnect with himself and the woman he loved. All too soon, the cycle would start again.
