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“That’s a far cry from your partner’s assessment,” Marx said, his gaze shifting between the two men. “I’m intrigued. Go on.”
“The Duprees were threatening to sue for custody of Mia. Rather than risk the situation escalating and going to court, I worked out a beneficial arrangement between them and my sister. It’s not your problem, Marx, nor is it any of your concern. I handled the situation and it’s taken care of.”
Marx leaned forward, bracing his thick forearms against his desk. “Your ass belongs to SKALS. Every breath you take is my fucking concern. Your life belongs to this organization, Baas, and we can just as easily strip it all away. I suggest you fall back into line and remember where you belong. Don’t overstep your bounds again.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed in response, but he said nothing. Josh shifted uncomfortably. From the corner of his eye, he could see the beads of sweat erupting along his partner’s brow. Biting back a hostile retort, he glowered at their director. Someday, the smug son-of-a-bitch would pay. He would see to it himself, if it was the last thing he ever did. Splaying his hands against his thighs, he studied the nondescript walls. Aside from a university degree and a small display of combat metals, nothing interrupted the sterile scheme. Marx didn’t have any family that he knew of, or even friends so to speak. His mind mulled that last observation over for a minute. Perhaps it was time for a change.
“What brought this situation on?”
The deep gravel of the director’s voice drew him back in and forced him to focus on the present. Shrugging, he reclined against the back of the chair. Tension rolled through Sebastian’s lean frame. His muscles knotted and quivered beneath his skin. He regretted not having that second drink. He forced his gaze to Marx’s so the other man would see the hatred flaring in their depths.
“It wasn’t my sister’s doing, if that’s what you’re implying. Half of my family just perished in an unfortunate accident, including my nephew. Given how unhappy Dane was before his demise, the Duprees only assumed the worst. I handled the situation. They won’t be a problem.”
“I sincerely hope not, Baas. I would say you’re running out of options here.”
His jaw tightened at the warning. Josh’s knee bounced beside him. He glared, half tempted to reach out and stop it. Marx rocked slightly in his chair, his dark eyes boring into them.
“I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you were acting out of the best interest of this organization and not some momentary weakness of the heart. There’s no room for that here, Sebastian. We’ve had this discussion before. I’m starting to wonder if this little living arrangement of yours is making you weak. Use the girl as an outlet for your body, not your emotions. You go soft on me and this game of house will end. Don’t ever act on your own accord again, especially during company time. Dismissed.”
He levered out of his seat. The discordant screech of metal reverberated through the room as he shoved the chair toward the director’s desk. Without looking back, he strode out of the office, slamming the door behind him. He winced when he heard it swing back open and Josh’s footfalls thudded behind him as his partner jogged to catch up. Sebastian’s fists balled at his sides, pumping in time with the furious hammer of his heart. Growling, he threw open the outer doors and stormed into the corridor. Halfway down the hall, Josh caught up and fell into stride beside him.
“Baas…wait up. Talk to me.”
“Not now.”
“What the hell was that?”
Stopping, he spun on his heel. Josh stumbled back a step, uncertainty flashing in his blue eyes. Worry and fear branded their depths.
“What are you going to do?”
Sebastian tensed at the hesitant whisper. He gave a disgusted sniff and cast his arms out to his sides. “You tell me.” Tilting his head, he regarded his partner. “You were there. Do I come across as weak to you? Does the rest of the team see me as soft? Am I losing my touch?”
Josh gaped at him in utter disbelief. “You want the truth? Everyone I know is terrified of you. I’m your partner. I’m the man you chose to look after your family. On some levels, I consider you my best friend, and even I don’t want to piss you off. Hell, your own sister can’t even look you in the face half the time. She’s more worried about upsetting you than she is me, even though I’m the one she lives with. Does that tell you anything?”
Sebastian’s shoulders heaved with the deep, measured breaths he drew. His stare narrowed and he snorted. “It tells me you need to seriously step things up at home.”
“Don’t…don’t do this. You know Marx is just trying to drive a wedge between you and everything else. What the hell is that going to accomplish? Do you really want to go back to being walled between work and nothing else? You were one miserable son-of-a-bitch before Taylor came along. Don’t let this shit blow back on her, Baas. It’s not fair.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?” he asked, cocking his head. “What is it that you think I’m going to do to her, Josh?”
“God only knows with you,” his partner muttered beneath his breath. “Look, all I’m trying to say is you have a good thing. Don’t screw it up because Marx is crawling under your skin. So what if you love her? You still have your edge at work, and as long as she stays in line at home, that’s where it needs to be. Isn’t that what you always told me?”
“That’s you, not me. It’s a completely different ballgame at my level, or did you miss that part of the conversation? As for you, wise up and lose the inner Dr. Phil before I point out exactly who is getting soft around here and turn you in. Start focusing on your career instead of my personal life. I’m your team leader, not your friend.”
Josh’s lips whitened in a grim press as he offered a slow nod. Spreading his palms, he backed away. “Have it your way, then. Be fucking miserable and unhappy. Hell, throw yourself under the bus and volunteer for some more reconditioning while you’re at it. You already let them push your sister and niece away. Let them strip away everything else, too. I really don’t care. Just remember one thing. You’re smart enough to call your own shots and take the path you choose in life. Not theirs.”
Sebastian stared after his partner with a mixture of confusion and rage. Taking a deep breath, he leaned against the wall and let his eyes drift shut. Maybe there was a small glimmer of truth in those statements. He wanted to believe it. His stomach churned as he replayed the conversation with Marx in his head. It was bad enough having his competence called into question, but the thought of them taking Taylor away was too much to bear. He forced a thick swallow. Balling his fists, he thudded them against the painted concrete wall behind him, his thoughts a frantic whirlwind. One thing he did know: he would kill Marx and take out the entire division before he let any of them put their hands on her. The pain and torture he’d endured over the years was one thing. He’d signed on for the job, he’d dedicated his life to working his way up the ranks, but no one was going to subject Taylor to those things—ever.
His head was pounding. Every forceful beat of his heart pounded in his skull. He had to reel himself in somehow, get a grip on his emotions. Marx was right. When it all boiled down to it, he had acted out of a moment of weakness and love for his family—for his sister, his niece, and even Josh. The last thought made him grimace. His partner would have a field day if he ever caught on to that one. What else was he supposed to do? How else was he supposed to feel? He depended on the guy every single day to have his back and keep him alive…to keep his sister alive, and so far, he’d done a damn good job of both. Josh was the closest thing to a brother he was ever going to have now that Lucian was gone. Blowing out a deep breath, Sebastian cursed.
There were no easy answers here. Just hard decisions. None of which he wanted to make.
Taylor’s laughter rang throughout the house. Tucked into the corner of the couch and wrapped in a soft throw, she sipped her hot chocolate and listened to Irene’s latest stories about the truck stop and their colorful patrons. Li
stening to her friend talk, she envisioned the knotted wood walls, the dented stainless steel counters, and padded stools. She could even smell the undercurrent of grease, bacon, and coffee that had constantly permeated the diner. Sometimes, she missed it there. Not so much the long hours of work and crappy pay, but the people and the companionship the job had offered. Stretching her legs with a quiet groan, she realized she’d spent the better part of the afternoon talking with the vivacious redhead.
Irene had all but deafened her with a high-pitched squeal of delight when she’d announced her engagement. It made her feel good to share the news and excitement with someone, but that hadn’t killed the sharp pang of longing she’d felt upon waking up. The one thing she’d wanted more than anything was to share the news with her mother. It had broken her heart when she’d realized she hadn’t talked to the woman in close to a year and wouldn’t even know where to start. Instead, she’d settled for the next best thing. The thought almost made her sputter. There were many adjectives someone could use to describe Irene, but maternal definitely wasn’t one of them.
Her brow furrowed at the sound of the garage door. Squinting, she tried to decipher the time on the decorative clock sitting on the built in shelves next to the fireplace. A worried frown twisted her features. Sebastian was home early, and he hadn’t even called to let her know he was on his way. The laundry room door opened and shut behind her. She opened her mouth to try to tell Irene she needed to go, but there was no getting a word in edgewise once the coppertop got on a roll. Rocking forward, Taylor set her mug on the coffee table and worked to free herself from the blanket.
An uneasy prickle crawled across the nape of her neck, and she turned to find Sebastian standing behind her. His expression remained stoic as he regarded her with a curious tilt of his head. Hoping to ease some of the hardness in his eyes, she offered a bright smile. He didn’t return the gesture.
“Who are you talking to?”
She swallowed and tried to tamp down the chill the silken rasp of his voice elicited. “Irene.”
The redhead stopped in midsentence. “Yeah, sugar?”
Taylor pressed her lips together. She didn’t dare answer. Sebastian’s narrowed eyes drilled into her, robbing her of breath and speech. He nodded and snatched the phone from her hand before she could react.
